I’ll pour one out for the homies as well.

I know it’s hard to say goodbye sometimes, but in this case, I must. This is an ode to all of the rental Dodgers from last year. The guys we’re not likely to ever see again. The players picked up from the waiver wire, or traded for during the summer of our discontent. The short term, or store bought Dodgers. The memories……. So without further adieu, here are the guys that we won’t see again. Most were lousy, so I won’t shed a tear. Or maybe I will? let’s say goodbye to them in style. The good times….and the bad……

Goodbye Shane Victorino also known as Rat Face, or Rat Boy….

Rat Face really did suck didn’t he? He’ll catch on somewhere. We wish him well.

He may have been a rodent on the base paths, with his 15 stolen bases, but that was about the only way he was able to pester anyone’s opposing pitcher, thanks to some lousy and declining batting skills. It seemed like a great idea at first. The Dodgers traded popular middle reliever Josh Lindblom, and a minor leaguer for Victorino. It seemed like a smart idea at the time. The Dodgers needed a left fielder and a lead-off hitter badly. Of course batting .245 in 53 games with just a paltry .316 OBP won’t make anyone miss you. So goodbye Rat boy! You sucked something awful, and you won’t be missed.

It’s so hard to say goodbye….to Yesterdayyyyyyyy……ooooooooooohhhh!

Joe Blanton

32 earned runs in ten starts. buh-by Bumton!-Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Our next goodbye goes out to starting pitcher Joe Blanton. (Bumton). Blanton was picked up off of waivers from the Phillies because of all the injuries to the rotation. The Dodgers needed depth, and Blanton seemed like a cheap veteran pick up. Until he began to serve up runs like hot cakes that is. Blanton served up some runs. Blanton allowed 32 earned runs in ten starts, with an astronomical 10.3 hits per nine rate. Overall the 31 year old right hander finished with a 2-4 record, and a 4.99 ERA. Now he did finish strong, allowing just four earned runs over his last three starts. However that doesn’t make up for the 32 earned runs he served up. He’s headed for free agency this year, and he will not be back wearing Blue. Anyone want to ask him now what he thinks about the Dodger boo birds that came out every time he took the mound? Remember he told the L.A. Times that it didn’t bother him because he had heard worse in Philadelphia. Well, I’m sure he’ll be hearing those boo birds again real soon, just not wearing a Dodger uniform.

How do I say goodbye to what we had? The good times that made us laugh…….

The Memories……

How do I say goodbye to what we had?

The good times that made us laugh Outweigh the bad.

I thought we’d get to see forever But forever’s gone away

It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

I don’t know where this road Is going to lead All I know is where we’ve been And what we’ve been through.

If we get to see tomorrow

I hope it’s worth all the wait

It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

And I’ll take with me the memories To be my sunshine after the rain

It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

And I’ll take with me the memories To be my sunshine after the rain

It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

Matt Treanor

Treanor’s wife Misty-May had more hits then he did with the Dodgers.-Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Our next tearful farewell goes out to backup catcher Matt Treanor. Oh the memories……

Perhaps we might not be saying goodbye to him if he had hit above the Mendoza line. But his .175 batting average, and triple slash line of .175/.282/.281 made sure that he bought a one way ticket to free agentsville. It is such a shame. Only 18 hits all season assured us that his wife Misty May had more hits than he did. His highlight of the season was his confrontation with L.A. Times writer Bill Plaschke in the Dodger clubhouse. Peace out Treanor!

I thought we would get to see forever, But forever is gone away…..

Bobby Abreu

Bobby is one player from this group, I’m actually sad to see go.-Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Our next tearful goodbye goes out to outfielder and pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu. Bobby Blue is actually the only player in this group, that I’m sad to see go. The 39 year old veteran will probably retire, but I guess another season wouldn’t be too far out of the question. Unfortunately it won’t be in Dodger Blue. Abreu still put up a decent batting average of .245 with three home runs, and 19 RBI. Of course, his .159 average in the second half might have something to do with him not being resigned. He hit only .188 in September, and could never duplicate his hot start. (.318 in May). Good luck with your retirement Bobby!

And I’ll take with me the memories…..To be my sunshine after the rain

Randy Choate. (The Big Iguana)

Will the Big Iguana be back next year in Dodger Blue????-Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Our last goodbye goes out to Lefty reliever Randy Choate. Although the Dodgers might bring him back. However I won’t shed a tear if they don’t. We took the goods with the bad with the big Iguana Randy Choate. He pitched in 80 games, posting a 3.03 ERA, and held lefties to a .461 OPS. That’s the good. The bad, he allowed an .821 OPS to right handers. It remains to be seen if Choate will be back in Dodger Blue. But if he is not, I tip my hat, and my beer to him, and all of the memories he gave to us in 2012.

It’s so hard, to say goodbye, to yesterday……..I tip my hat, and spill my beer in tribute to these Dodgers who will no longer be with us in 2013. This is an ode and goodbye to the rentals. I’ll pour some out for the homies as well.

Bobby Blue performed well this year for the Dodgers.-Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

According to the numbers, the Dodgers ranked second in the league in pinch-hitting, tied for sixth in pinch-hits, but nearly dead last in pinch-hit home runs, and RBI. Just an overall lack of power from the bench was a problem. The Dodgers were 56 for 200, and the Dodger pinch-hitters batted .280. Getting on base didn’t seem to be a problem. The Dodger bench finished with a .376 OBP. Overall the Dodger bench put up a slash line of .280/.376/.360 with a .736 OPS. However the Dodgers only had two pinch-hit home runs, and drove in just 28 runs. The Dodger bench ranked near the bottom half in pinch-hit runs driven in and power. Was the Dodger bench successful in 2012?

If you look at the numbers three players accounted for most of the hits. The Dodger bench consisted of guys like Tony Gwynn Jr., Jerry Hairston Jr., Bobby Abreu, Justin Sellers, Alex Castellanos, Adam Kennedy, Juan Rivera, and back-up catcher Matt Treanor. Gwynn, Abreu, and Kennedy accounted for half of the Dodger’s pinch-hits this season. Gwynn was remarkable in the early part of the year, and ended up hitting .400 as a pinch-hitter. Abreu had one of the two Dodger pinch-hit home runs this season.

Defensively the Dodgers were covered. The bench guys were pretty versatile. Gwynn filled in admirably in left field, especially during the middle months of the season. Although Gwynn was eventually optioned back down to the minors, and was not called up in September. Abreu got off to a real hot start when picked up in May, and Adam Kennedy showed his versatility by playing three of the four infield positions. Juan Rivera subbed in left field, and at first base. Jerry Hairston was solid when given playing time. Hairston played all over the diamond for the Dodgers in 2012, before bowing out with a hip injury. Injuries were a big problem for the Dodger bench this year. Kennedy homered in his final at-bat, then made an error that cost the Dodgers the game before never playing again in 2012 because of a groin injury. In the end, out of the bench group, only Rivera and Treanor made it through the end of the season, and Abreu was callled back up in September after spending time on the DL, and in Albuquerque.

Both Gwynn and Rivera filled in admirably in 2012, but will either be back in Blue?-Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

Looking at the numbers, Gwynn was 8 for 20, as a pinch-hitter. Abreu was 9 for 35 with a home run, and Kennedy was 8 for 28. Gwynn, and Hairston are under contract, but Abreu, and Kennedy are both free agents, and are not likely to return in 2013. Rivera has a team option, and Treanor is as good as gone. Tim Federowicz should take over back-up catching responsibilities to A.J Ellis next season.The three main areas that a team must have for the bench is pinch-hits, defensive flexibility, and power. The Dodgers had two of those three. Unfortunately the Dodgers had no power off the bench. That’s a problem the Dodgers could correct by signing someone like a Scott Hairston this winter. The numbers say the Dodger bench was successful this year, but had no power. It seemed the bench was pretty useless during the summer months, but in the beginning and end months were much better. Adam Kennedy especially turned it up towards the end, batting .342, and .389 respectively in the months of July and August.Now as for what grade to give the Dodger bench? It isn’t that easy. On the one hand, the Dodger bench was pretty good. When you consider they were tied for sixth in pinch-hits, and placed second in batting. The big problem was the utter lack of power. The Dodgers need some pop on their bench. I think we’ll see Hairston return, and possibly Gwynn, otherwise it’ll be a different bench in 2013. Adding power to the bench should be a primary concern after starting pitching this off-season.

The Bench-Overall grade…………C