Doug Mientkiewicz has seen the writing on the wall. After being told that Garret Anderson would be the primary left-handed pinch-hitter (pretty much a given when he was signed), Mientkiewicz assumed he had been released and left camp.
The problem is, the Dodgers did not actually release him. They now want him back to camp as insurance for an Anderson injury. As a result, Mientkiewicz is not a happy camper and has asked for his outright release.
It's an understandable request made by Mientkiewicz, who's only looking for a Major League job. But the Dodgers can legally hold onto him until Friday when his opt-out clause kicks in from his Minor League deal he signed in the offseason.
Who knows if there's more to the story than this, but it sure looks like the Dodgers are being pretty petty here. Just let the man go. He was offered a coaching position, but he doesn't want that. And who can blame him. If he thinks he can still play, then let him find his chance.
Hopefully something positive can be worked out here, because he's reportedly still in Arizona.
Showing posts with label Mientkiewicz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mientkiewicz. Show all posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Weaver is back in LA
The up-and-down journey for Jeff Weaver hit another peak on Thursday, as he was recalled by the Dodgers to help steady a struggling staff. To make room on the 40-man roster, Doug Mientkiewicz was switched to the 60-day DL.
Weaver wasted no time in getting to work, as he came on in the 2nd for an ineffective James McDonald and pitched 4 fantastic innings of shutout ball, K'ing 4. Talk about making an impact in no time.
Give Weaver this - he doesn't give up. He started his career as a young stud with the Tigers. With so much going for him, he went to the Yankees and proceeded to really struggle in the New York spotlight. Needing a fresh start, the Dodgers luckily got George Steinbrenner take trade him for Kevin Brown, and he became an effective starter for 2 years. He's bounced around to the Cardinals and Mariners, before being out of baseball altogether last season. And now he's back.
There's not a whole lot he hasn't experienced. In case you've forgotten, he was the guy on the mound in Game 5 of the 2006 World Series for the Cardinals, getting the win against his old team, the Tigers. He's pitched in many places and many big games, so I think he can handle pressure situations.
Even with the rotation struggling at times, I would think Weaver would be asked to be the long reliever, especially after how well he did Thursday. But stay tuned, because that could easily change at any moment.
Weaver wasted no time in getting to work, as he came on in the 2nd for an ineffective James McDonald and pitched 4 fantastic innings of shutout ball, K'ing 4. Talk about making an impact in no time.
Give Weaver this - he doesn't give up. He started his career as a young stud with the Tigers. With so much going for him, he went to the Yankees and proceeded to really struggle in the New York spotlight. Needing a fresh start, the Dodgers luckily got George Steinbrenner take trade him for Kevin Brown, and he became an effective starter for 2 years. He's bounced around to the Cardinals and Mariners, before being out of baseball altogether last season. And now he's back.
There's not a whole lot he hasn't experienced. In case you've forgotten, he was the guy on the mound in Game 5 of the 2006 World Series for the Cardinals, getting the win against his old team, the Tigers. He's pitched in many places and many big games, so I think he can handle pressure situations.
Even with the rotation struggling at times, I would think Weaver would be asked to be the long reliever, especially after how well he did Thursday. But stay tuned, because that could easily change at any moment.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
DeWitt gets the nod over Paul
Blake DeWitt is back in LA after being recalled to replace the injured Doug Mientkiewicz. There was internal debate about promoting outfielder Xavier Paul, who's hitting .571 at Triple-A, but DeWitt gets the call.
I'm sure Paul's time will come at some point. Heck, if you hit for an average like that, even early on in the season, you're doing something right. I can only imagine a year or 2 down the line when Manny Ramirez is no longer around, this is a name you should be aware of. He seems like the real deal.
DeWitt was just sent down on Monday with the idea of getting him more playing time in Las Vegas. Well... so much for that. But, Mientkiewicz was a primary left-handed bat off the bench, appearing in 7 games and going 2-5 with 2 RBI. DeWitt's been there before, so he should be given his chance to hit in some key, late inning situations.
I'm sure Paul's time will come at some point. Heck, if you hit for an average like that, even early on in the season, you're doing something right. I can only imagine a year or 2 down the line when Manny Ramirez is no longer around, this is a name you should be aware of. He seems like the real deal.
DeWitt was just sent down on Monday with the idea of getting him more playing time in Las Vegas. Well... so much for that. But, Mientkiewicz was a primary left-handed bat off the bench, appearing in 7 games and going 2-5 with 2 RBI. DeWitt's been there before, so he should be given his chance to hit in some key, late inning situations.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Doug Mientkiewicz looks to earn a spot
Add Doug Mientkiewicz to the list of veteran names who have signed Minor League contracts with the Dodgers. His goal will be to backup James Loney and be a key left-handed hitter off the bench.
Mientkiewicz's biggest strength has long been his defensive ability, as he won a Gold Glove in 2001 with the Minnesota Twins. Last year he hit .277, but with an encouraging .374 OBP. Another good sign is that he took 44 walks while only striking out 28 times.
His odds of making the team are probably about 50-50. On one hand there's already utility guys in the infield who will see some time like Blake DeWitt and Mark Loretta. There's also Tony Abreu and Juan Castro looking to earn a spot. So it won't be easy.
The defense for Mientkiewicz will never be in question. What he has to hope for is that his bat will show enough spark that the Dodgers can trust him over a younger guy. It could happen.
Mientkiewicz's biggest strength has long been his defensive ability, as he won a Gold Glove in 2001 with the Minnesota Twins. Last year he hit .277, but with an encouraging .374 OBP. Another good sign is that he took 44 walks while only striking out 28 times.
His odds of making the team are probably about 50-50. On one hand there's already utility guys in the infield who will see some time like Blake DeWitt and Mark Loretta. There's also Tony Abreu and Juan Castro looking to earn a spot. So it won't be easy.
The defense for Mientkiewicz will never be in question. What he has to hope for is that his bat will show enough spark that the Dodgers can trust him over a younger guy. It could happen.
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