Just Keep Puig at Number 8!

On Saturday, Yasiel Puig hit two homeruns and so on Sunday Dave Roberts moved Yasiel to #5 and he promptly went 0-5.  Look, I have accepted two things that I think are very important:

  1. Yasiel Puig is a great, extraordinary talent; and

  2. Yasiel Puig is a knucklehead.

It’s my opinion that you just let him play and not over-think where he hits.  Keep him at #8 and leave him there.  He might be the best #8 hitter in baseball.  It is my opinion, that you just let him be and not move him around.  Keep him at #8 Doc!

Rants & Raves

  • Kike Hernandez is not only a good player but he has been very instrumentals to the Dodgers success, and for a guy who gets bashed for his defense (silly) he sure saved the game yesterday.
  • I have recently seen progress in Joc Pederson – he is adjusting to the situation and cutting down his swing when it is appropriate.  I’m hopeful…
  • It appears to me that Alex Verdugo, Willie Calhoun and Kyle Farmer don’t have much to learn at AAA.  I especially think it’s time to see what Verdugo can do.
  • I thought that when the Dodgers re-called Brock Stewart, it would be for the bullpen and they confirmed that yesterday.  I think he can be an outstanding swing man.. maybe even a 8th inning guy.
  • Boxout 7 commented about something that I think is right on:“Rosenthal also spoke with right-hander Jake Arrieta at length in an interesting interview about his struggles this season. While the former Cy Young winner conceded that his workload in 2015-16 may be having more of an effect on him than he’d like to admit. As Rosenthal notes, virtually every member of the Cubs’ rotation that pitched into the World Series has had some level of struggle this season, and the same is largely true of the Indians.

    Maybe just maybe there is something to FAZ limiting the starter innings.  Is it possible that  DEPTH is the new superstar?”

    I think he nailed it!

  • Yusniel Diaz is really heating up at RC.  He’ll be promoted to AA soon at this rate.  He was 4-4 yesterday.  Remember, he is only 20!
  • Don’t count Maeda out!

This article has 22 Comments

  1. I agree but where do you put Farmer, Calhoun, and Verdugo? Who goes down? They have so many good players there is not enough room for them all.

      1. White Sox are scouting Dodger prospects. They have to like what they see in Calhoun and Verdugo. They are willing to trade Quintana and Robertson for the right package. The Nats want Robertson and need him but they hold onto their prospects so who knows.

  2. I also believe that Puig needs to stay at the bottom of the lineup. Mark hit the nail on the head with his assessment of talent and knuckhead for Mr. Puig. Fit’s him perfectly. I am still not sold on our starting pitching going deep in the playoffs. It’s hard saying that and knowing that they rank towards the top in baseball this year. A solid #2 is going to cost $$$$$ (Boat load of talent and $) but may just be the missing piece to a Championship. The Rockies and Diamondbacks just won’t go away. I keep hearing the rumors of Bryce Harper possibly signing with the Dodgers. It sounds like our outfield is not our weakness and I truly hope that doesn’t happen. He’s a stud but I’d rather see it spend somewhere else. I hope we can beat up the Mets & Rockies this week. Just my thoughts …. Go Blue

  3. I frankly don’t see a starting pitcher out there that is going to be available on a deadline deal that I want to see wearing Dodger Blue. As I see it, if we can keep them healthy (a big if), then Wood and McCarthy are probably going to be as good or better than anyone available at the deadline, at least for 5 or maybe 6 innings.

    My deadline goals will be a right-handed masher to play OF (I still like JD Martinez). Here’s some interesting numbers, courtesy of Jeff Passan: “Since 2014, here is the list of players hitting at least .300/.360/.550: Mike Trout and J.D. Martinez.” and “…(since 2014), Martinez has hit .301/.361/.551 with 94 home runs and 272 RBIs.”

    My other goal would be a sure-thing lefty for the pen.

    1. Those are great stats. But it seems like guys who switch leagues don’t fare well against different pitchers. What his contract like?

      1. Don’t know how much he’s making this year but Martinez is a free agent at the end of the season.

  4. Are bullpen have not been doing their jobs lately, and they have been giving up, way to many HRs.

    Once again Fields came into a game, and gave up another HR.

    And he has now given up more HRs, then Romo has.

    And Dayton also came in, and gave up a HR too yesterday.

    And if Ryu can make it through five innings, without giving a HR up, in that park, our relievers need to do the same, in the few innings, that they pitch.

    And if we want to continue winning games, our bullpen is going to have to figure this out, because they haven’t been the same bullpen, in the last few weeks, that was the top bullpen, in baseball.

    And about Baez, I don’t know if Baez has the right personality to be our set up guy.

    Because he has never been that good under pressure, and he has never been that good, when he comes into a game, with runners on base.

    And he lets all of this different stuff, affect his confidence, and that is what happened with him, in yesterday’s game.

    Roberts went out there to Baez yesterday to give him some confidence, but obviously that didn’t help, because Votto hit Baez’s next pitch, very hard, right after that conference.

    And if Kike hadn’t made that catch, we would have lost that game.

    Baez had been pitching pretty well all year, but he lost his confidence way to fast yesterday, and that concerns me.

    And about Puig, Mark is right about Puig being a good athlete, but his mental game is lacking, because he is just not good at handling, clutch situations.

    And because of that, he has trouble hitting near the top of the order.

    Because he is not as patient, when he hits near the top of the order and he tends to over swing, when he hits near the top, of the line up.

    I think Puig’s biggest problem yesterday, when he was up to bat, was that he was trying way to hard, to hit another ball out, like he did, in the game before.

    But I hope he learned, it wasn’t that easy, after his five at bats were over, and he didn’t have a single hit.

  5. Seen Diaz play a few times and was impressed by his line drive gap to gap style. But then I saw Holmes pitch a couple of times and was impressed by him too. As well as Anderson who I guess is out of baseball now. So…guess my scouting skills are lacking.

  6. Verdugo is making it hard to keep him down. Doesn’t strike out, outstanding hitter, can play all the outfield positions he is very close. Mark I am in with the 5 inning pitcher. I do not believe we need to add a starter unless we have a rash of season ending injuries. If hill changed his grip he needs to change it back and be real careful in dealing with his blisters. We have enough depth to skip him as needed. What we better do is make sure the bullpen is fresh and rotated as we have the starters. In the playoffs we will need a fresh dominating bullpen. The starters can go five or six and be removed. Although Baez has been exceptional please don’t tell me we are going to live an die with him as an eighth inning guy. Been there done that how many times. Use him in 6th or 7th. I also think we need to bolster the offense with a good right handed bat like Cain or Martinez. I still think Kazmir will make an appearance.

  7. All of our good hitters on the farm seem to be left handers. However, if they can hit left hand pitchers, why not bring them up. Verdugo is having a great year. I would like to see him replace Gutierrez.

    I agree with you MJ about our bull pen. Maybe they are over used. Maybe we should use the 10 day DL to give some of these guys some rest. Morrow needs to come back up. We are still winning, so who am I to complain.

  8. Projected Rest-of-Season 2017 Performance
    LAN Depth Chart (updated: 06-19)
    .
    NL W Team………….. W L WPct
    Los Angeles Dodgers 56 36 .609
    San Francisco Giants 48 43 .527
    Arizona D-backs…… 46 46 .500
    Colorado Rockies…. 44 46 .489
    San Diego Padres…. 39 53 .424
    .
    From Baseball Perspectus
    .
    Looks good to me.

  9. God Help Us

    DODGERS REINSTATE SERGIO ROMO

    LOS ANGELES
    – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated right-handed pitcher Sergio Romo from the 10-day disabled list and optioned right-handed pitcher Josh Fields to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

    Romo, who missed nine games due to a left ankle sprain, last pitched on Friday with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga allowing one run on three hits in 2.0 innings. In two rehab appearances with the Quakes, he allowed one run in 3.0 innings (3.00 ERA), while striking out two without issuing a walk. In 24 relief appearances with the Dodgers this season, he has gone 1-1 with a 6.41 ERA (14 ER/19.2 IP) and has struck out 23 batters against nine walks, while holding batters to a .240 average.

    Fields last pitched in yesterday’s contest against the Reds, allowing a season-high three runs on two hits in 0.2 innings of relief. In 27 games this season, he has gone 3-0 with one save and has posted a 3.00 ERA (9 ER/27.0 IP), while striking out 32 batters against eight walks.

    1. Unless it’s coming from the minors, the Dodgers need a RH reliever at the deadline. The group of Fields, Romo, Hatcher, Stripling, and Baez don’t make me feel secure.

  10. Would you trade Chris Taylor for JD Martinez?

    Taylor is 4 or 5 years younger…

    I think not.

    Then why would we trade for Martinez? It makes no sense.

    I would however, trade Taylor for Marcell Ozuna.

    1. JD Martinez can only play one position, and not very well. Taylor clan play anywhere.

      To get Ozuna it would take Taylor, plus a whole bunch of talent that I wouldn’t want to part with. Trading for Ozuna now is a borderline dope fiend move.

  11. Puig’s Ofer had absolutely nothing to do with where he hit in the batting order. He didn’t look like the old Puig who was pressing to do too much with guys on base and striking out . He just went 0 for 5.

    Kershaw absolutely must lose the 3/4 delivery. He always a loud foul ball, a HR, a foul straight back, or a ball. I understand him not having all of his stuff after the injury last year and trying a new look but it’s not deceptive at all nor does it come from a tough arm angle for a batter. Lose it!

  12. CT3 has become invaluable. Not sure he needs to be replaced in any capacity. Unless we get a stud OF and CT3 becomes our primary 2b

Comments are closed.