A new pitcher… same result! Baez, Chargois, Floro, Alexander and now Maeda. All have failed as the stopper. A good argument could be made that the biggest mistake FAZ made was not spending $7.0 million to re-sign Tony Watson, but here’s the rub: when any pitcher is suddenly thrust into the “closer role,” the weight of the world is on their shoulders and failure is the norm. How Watson would have done as the closer is debatable, be he surely would have helped the bullpen.
“But FAZ should have had someone to back up Kenley.” Yeah, those guys just grow on trees – just go out to the backyard to the Closer Tree and pick one – that’s easy! The good news is that Kenley Jansen will likely be back early-to-mid next week, but a lot of games can be lost between now and then…
… Someone needs to step up, like now.
It’s possible that one of the guys who failed could do that, but you never know. Chicken Strip will get his shot next. Dave Roberts has little choice but to roll him out the next save opportunity.
It’s a Shame About Axford
Of course, Dodger fans ridiculed the acquisition of John Axford, and in his first appearance as a Dodger they felt that proved how horrible he was. However his next appearance was very good and in his third appearance he was an epe-popping 98-99 MPH and looked every bit the closer the Dodgers needed.
The bottom line is that he is out three weeks, but if he can do that upon his return, the bullpen will look much better. The question is: Can they Dodgers hold on long enough to make the playoffs?
It looks bad right about now, but never forget, it is usually darkest right before the sun comes up. Ryu starts tonight and hopefully he can give the team 5 or 6 innings in his first start back.
The Most Troubling Thing to me
The bullpen is not what troubles me most. What I cannot comprehend is the entire teams inability to hit medicure LH pitching. Except for Justin Turner, the entire team cannot seem to hit LH pitching and to me, it seems to be systemic. As much as Turner Ward’s press clippings say be is a hitting guru, the stats say otherwise. You cannot keep doing down this path. Do the Dodgers just get players who cannot hit lefties, or is it the approach?
Turner Ward is responsible for the team’s approach to hitting. But, something is terribly wrong. Consider this:
- The team continues to be near the bottom when hitting with RISP;
- They have incredible difficulty hitting journeymen LH pitchers and soft-tossers;
- They seems to score in huge bunches or fail miserably together. In other words, they are all good or all bad. They either win big or lose close. They do not pickup each other;
- They are 10th in the NL in battting average; and
- While they lead the league in HR, they also strikeout a lot.
Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard
Julio Urias is scheduled to pitch “2 plus innings” tonight at Rancho Cucamonga as he nears closer to coming back to the bullpen. I am anxious to see how he does tonight.
Leading the league in home runs is a disaster. Your right, it’s all or nothing. Their launch angle is killing them. I heard Mike Schmidt on MLB yesterday explain how this new approach is killing simple contact with the baseball. If you get a chance to hear his interview, do so. It’s eye opening how strikeouts will surpass hits this year for the first time. The Dodgers are a prime example of this and I believe it’s being taught in the minors that chicks dig the long ball, it’s the fastest way to the majors and the best way to make the most amount of money.
I thought Maeda did well last night. The first two hits were contact hits that found a hole. No need to go our of our way to criticize Maeda’s performance. The Dodgers lost because they scored one run.
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I liked what Puig did but it will cast him 4 to 6 games on suspension.
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It’s time to realize that righty on lefty lineups should be discarded. This in not Taylor’s or Hernandez’ year. Kemp no longer has the adrenaline that came from being back on the Dodgers and getting off to a good start. Which comes first, a new source of adrenaline to get him going again or a few hits. Make him a pinch hitter along with Muncy.
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I have confidence in this Dodger team. Machado looked like he is about to get it going to accompany Turner’s hot bat.
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Keep Muncy, Taylor, Hernandez, and Kemp out of the starting lineup and the offense might get going again. Grandal’s hitting looks like a sin wave and he is again in the trough. He left the peak about 30 at bats ago. Barnes needs to play more to give Grandal more rest and to give the Dodgers more of those sexy walks.
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Pitching and defense wins or so we hear. Barnes is better defensively than Grandal and Muncy has shown that he will hurt the team on defense.
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I repeat–go with this lineup:
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LF Pederson
RF Puig (Verdugo while Puig is suspended)
3B Turner
SS Machado
1B Bellenger
2B Dozier
CF Taylor (until Puig returns and then move Verdugo to CF and Puig back to RF)
C Barnes and Grandal
Using your preferred eight, I I would go:
Dozier
Turner
Machado
Bellinger
Puig
Pederson
Grandal/Barnes
Taylor
I would substitute Verdugo for Taylor.
So would I.
We need hitters that can get hits, when runners are in scoring position.
Check out Verdugo’s numbers, in these situations in the majors, this year.
He didn’t excel in these situations in the majors.
He is hitting 133, in these key situations.
Unlike Toles, that has excelled every time he was on the major league team, in these situations, including this year, in the few games, he started.
Check his numbers in these situations, in 2016, 2017, and this year, and in AAA this year, too.
I already had Verdugo in for Puig while he is on suspension.
Yes, the scorebook says that Maeda lost the game as a reliever. But it really is not his fault. He is a starting pitcher moving to the bullpen. Not only a starting pitcher, but a successful starting pitcher. He will get accustomed to relieving and should do well, but it is a totally different preparation process than is starting. I do not know if he will ever be a closer, but he can be an effective reliever.
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Maeda’s loss is also not Roberts’ fault. The tone was set in the bottom of the 1st when Belli came up with the bases loaded. Right man, right spot. But Belli did not produce. The rest of the night, the team’s offense, except JT, disappeared. The Dodgers got 5 hits, 3 by JT (all doubles), Machado had a run scoring single, and Belli got the 5th hit. All three Dodger pinch hitters struck out, including NL strikeout leader CT3.
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I will better understand the use of Ferguson if Caleb comes back tonight, showing that he can pitch in back to back games. Roberts on multiple occasions has said that they have to get Ferguson up in more high leverage situations, and yet when the opportunity rose (against Colorado and SF) he was not used. Instead he came in the 7th with 1 out and the bases empty. Shaggy and Floro both pitched well in their accustomed roles.
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I am not sure that Tony Watson would succeed as a closer for LAD. He was at best so-so in that role with the Pirates, but is good as a setup guy, and I wish that the Dodgers did pony up $7MM (2 years – $3.5MM AAV). While I know I was an obnoxious broken record for my desire to see Jose Leclerc in Dodger Blue, I obviously have no idea if FAZ was told to go pound sand with discussions on Leclerc. But since he has assumed the closer role for Texas, he has been almost perfect. 4 games – 2 saves in 2 save opportunities, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts in 4 IP (all 9th inning). FAZ traded for Alexander last winter. I hope they take a long look at Leclerc this winter.
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Verdugo 2-3 last night in a 1-0 loss. Daniel Corcino pitched an outstanding 7.0 innings. No runs, 2 hits, 3 walks, and 4 Ks. Liberatore gave up 2 hits in 0.2 IP. I am not sure that Liberatore survives once the Rule 5 draftees are considered.
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In a Tulsa loss, Keibert Ruiz slugged 2 home runs (11) and 4 RBIs. Gavin Lux got his 3rd HR. Also of note is that RHRP Andre Scrubb made his AA debut and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, on 2 hits with 3 Ks.
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In a RC win, 3B Cristian Santana went 4-6 with 6 RBIs including a game winning walk off grand slam HR. That was his league leading (tied) 21st. He also now has a league leading 95 RBIs. Omar Estevez, Cody Thomas, and Hamlet Marte each had 3 hits, while Carlos Rincon continued with his hot bat with a 2 hit game. Edwin Uceta pitched a quality 5.2 innings, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and 10Ks. Unfortunately, the two hits allowed were both solo HRs. Connor Strain struck out the side in his one inning to get the win.
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Great Lakes continued their march to an improbable playoff spot with a win against the Dayton Dragons (Reds). Deacon Liput had a 3-4 game while Drew Avans had a 2-4 night with his 2nd double. Melvin Jimenez finished the game with 2 scoreless innings to record his 2nd save.
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Ogden pounded out 19 hits (and not one HR – so it can be done) in a 10-5 win. Every hitter had at least 1 hits with 7 players with multi hit games. Eric Peterson led the group with a 4-4 night including his 2nd double.
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All eyes will (or should be) on Julio Urias as he looks to pitch 2 innings and then one batter in the third in RC’s game tonight.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling is going to see Dr. Robert Watkins, a back specialist, on Wednesday, reports Pedro Moura of The Athletic. His back “flared up after he threw a bullpen, flew, and ate dinner at a high-top table Sunday night.”
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The Dodgers are now pushing Urias “just in case”.
I can’t tell you how many pitcher’s careers have ended after eating dinner at a high-top table.
How many times on this thread have I stressed the importance of eating at low top tables!! Especially for our pitchers!
Nobody ever listens to me
Never… under any circumstances, should a pitcher take off his own pants or eat dinner at a high top table.
He was just asking for trouble… this one is on Ross.
Thanks for the laugh. We need them.
It’s now at the point that I hesitate to comment here due to it being a pain in the ass to post comments.
Most of the hitters in our line up, are average hitters, with pop.
And because of this, they don’t hit good pitching, or hit a pitcher, having a good day.
And they don’t change their approach in different situations in games, either.
They will score runs in bunches against sub par pitching, or a good pitcher off their game, that day.
But most on this team, hit solo HRs, because pitchers pitch much tougher, when runners are on base, and even tougher, when runners are in scoring position.
They have trouble against lefties, but they also have trouble against good pitchers that are righties, too.
But sabers don’t value hitters, that perform at high levels in these situations, so it isn’t surprising we don’t have many players in this line up, that can get hits, in these key situations in games.
I do think the team batting average is an indicator, on why these players have trouble getting hits, when runners are in scoring position.
But I do know that is not the only indicator in these situations, but it is pretty important indicator, in these situations.
And we know sabers don’t value hitters, that hit for an average either, so it isn’t surprising we have an all or nothing, line up, from game to game.
This year should also show everyone how important Corey’s bat, has been in this line up.
And Corey has been steady in the number two position, since he was a rookie.
It is very hard for this group to score runs, without having both Corey, and Turner, in this line up.
And it is good, that Turner looks like he is back.
But some of the players that hit well last year, are not hitting well, this year.
Those players, along with not having Corey’s bat in this line up, has contributed to this team, not having a consistent offense.
To be fair to Dodger hitters, there would be no such thing as a good pitcher if hitters could do well against them, whether good of average hitters.
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Scherzer couldn’t get a win against the Dodgers and I don’t think Valander did either in last year’s playoffs.
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Toles is good and would be starting on most MLB teams. I feel bad that a person with his talent has to ride buses and not earn that half million dollars minimum that MLB players earn.
Bum
Good hitters do hit good pitching, like Corey and Turner, who are usually 300 hitters.
Most of the players in this line up, are not even close to hitting 265, let alone 300.
And it isn’t a coincidence that this team is last in the western division, in team batting average, and when runners are on base, and especially, when runners are in scoring position.
And pitchers wins don’t mean much, because a pitcher can only win, if they get run support.
Verlander pitched better then any of our starting pitchers on this team, last year in the World Series, and throughout , the post season.
And most teams can beat even a good pitcher, if that pitcher is not having a good day.
I can see through your passive aggression, when it comes to Toles, save it for someone else, that doesn’t know any better!
The season is not over, because we are not even through August, yet.
And we know August is so tough, for some.
And I know why you are almost the only one here, that is happy with the team, when the team is struggling, because it isn’t about the team, with you!
I tried to reach out to you MJ. My bad.
But sabers don’t value hitters, that perform at high levels in these situations,”
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Say what? The hitters who perform at high levels have insane saber stats.
I don’t find that to always be true.
But with most good hitters, you would think that is true, right?
Don’t know why Dodgers seem to be an early inning only offensive team. Maybe it just has that sore thumb feeling but where’s the killer instinct with the hitters? It’s pretty much urgent and they just do not look like the spirit is inside. Did Machado’s spirit die moving to LA? Can’t say it’s the bright lights as that’s what he’s played under his entire carreer. It’s really near now or never. I think Ryu will put on an XLNT performance and I pray it’ll inject some heart into this bunch.
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Death has been making his rounds lately and tugging on the coats of people I care about. My sister lost her husband and shortly after their only child. I just got the bad news a friend for life Dodger fan passed. I’m kinda at sorts for the moment. A rough issue all around. Peace.
It may not be the answer, and then again it may be. Bring up Verdugo, and let him play everyday, against all types of pitching. He can hit for average, and has developing power. And by power I don’t just mean HRs. I expect that Verdugo would get an awful lot of doubles. And he doesn’t strike out with anything near the frequency of a lot of our hitters. If anything, even if the Dodgers don’t win this year, Verdugo would be getting valuable experience that would prepare him for next year. And he just might be a difference maker this year.
The Dodgers have played 75% of their schedule and have won 53% of their games. I am amused by the opinions of some who tell us not to believe what the Dodgers have actually done this season or to believe their own eyes when we saw them lose painfully again last night – no – what we should believe is that the Dodgers will be in the World Series! They are great!
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” I maintain that this team is built for the playoffs…” (Our host 2 days ago.)
“I have confidence in this Dodger team. Machado looked like he is about to get it going to accompany Turner’s hot bat.” (Bumsrap earlier today.) – By the way, check out Dodgers’ Digest on Machado from today – it turns out that he’s got a huge strikeout problem that has started since joining the Dodgers (of course) and that he’s stopped hitting sliders. http://dodgersdigest.com/2018/08/15/manny-machado-struggles-contributing-to-dodgers-recent-slide/
“The Giants won 92, 94, and 88 (wild card) during their 3 titles. If they can win it, so can we. ” (Bobby from a few days ago.)
” And we are right there!!How about more Hope posts instead of Doomsday predictions. ” (Roger Dodger from last week.)
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This team is what it is and what it has been all season long. They don’t hit with RSIP, they don’t do situational hitting, they hit solo HRs and strike out in bunches. The defense is substandard. The starting pitching has been very good, especially considering the injuries. The bullpen has been bad all season. They have no one other than Jansen that anyone feels confidence in. That is the team – it is what it is. They are on track to win 86 games – that’s it.
I’m a Dodger fan. Been one my entire life since 6 years old. Believe me, I’m used to disappointment.
c
f
Brandon McCarthy is retiring at the end of the season per BaseballTradeRumors.
DODGERS REINSTATE HYUN-JIN RYU
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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated left-handed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu from the 60-day disabled list, placed right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling on the 10-day disabled list with low back inflammation (retroactive to August 12) and transferred left-handed pitcher Tony Cingrani from the 10-day to the 60-day disabled list.
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Ryu, who missed 90 games due to a left groin strain, is slated to make his seventh start of the season tonight against the Giants in the series finale. The 31-year-old South Korea native was impressive in his six starts prior to the DL stint, going 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA (7 ER/29.2 IP) and holding hitters to a .154 average. He also struck out 36 batters against just 10 walks and posted a 0.88 WHIP.
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Stripling, 28, last pitched on August 9, where he allowed one run on four hits and struck out two batters in 6.0 innings. The Pennsylvania native has pitched in 28 games (17 starts) for Los Angeles this season, where he has gone 8-3 with a 2.62 ERA (32 ER/110 IP) while striking out 121 batters against just 17 walks.
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Cingrani, 29, has made two stints on the disabled list this season, missing a combined 68 games with left shoulder inflammation and strain. In 28 relief appearances with the Dodgers, he has recorded a 1-2 record and 4.84 ERA (12 ER/22.1 IP).
Well, scratch Ross from me the bullpen. He’s rather go on the DL than go there!
Can you blame him?
Per The Athletic this AM:
“Through now six games without their All-Star closer (Jansen), the Dodgers’ bullpen has yielded 15 runs, good for an unwieldy 7.88 ERA. Their starters, including Alex Wood’s five innings of one-run ball Tuesday, in that time have posted a 1.92 ERA. The Dodgers have lost five of those six games, dropping to third in the National League West.