Balkoff!

I like Caleb Ferguson and Dylan Floro a lot, but Caleb is just learning how to handle the pen and Floro is just learning how to handle his improved stuff.  Dylan used to have pedestrian stuff and now he has very good “stuff” but next he has to learn to utilize it.  A pennant race is a bad time.

It all goes back to the hitting… or lack thereof!  An infield of Turner, Machado, Dozier and Bellinger is a TOP DEFENSIVE infield.  Move Bellinger to CF and insert Muncy and it’s not so much!

The Dodgers Ace needs to earn his dough today.  Rich Hill earned it after the first inning.  It sometimes takes him time to get the “feel” of his curve.  He have volunteered to pitch out of the pen, but I do not think he can.

That’s all I have today.  Maybe AC has some wisdom to impart.  The family and I are headed to Terre Haute to see the Blue Angels.  Carry on…        

Cover Photo Credit: Stephen Brashear / The Associated Press

This article has 42 Comments

  1. This team is toast. They cannot hit with RISP and the bullpen has been awful all year. The deadline deals by faz were warranted but haven’t ignited the team. Faz has tried to improve the team while staying under the luxury tax but it hasn’t worked. The bullpen is all on faz they just haven’t provided the help. When you are in a pennant race and you can’t score against a pitcher with a 6 era then you are not going to win. Turner and machado are the only real hitters on the team the rest are average with some power. Unfortunately manny may be like Forsythe who couldn’t handle the bright lights. Mannys stats with the Dodgers are ok but but meaningless homers no clutch. Dozier 230 hitter who has now figured out he is in la in a pennant race. The Dodgers could have swept the Rockies but instead blew 3 of 4 which may well turn out to be where the Dodgers checked out. There is still time but with the hot cardinals 7 times and the dodgers playing dismally at home and Arizona,Colorado winning with clutch play the reality is it is a long shot. In the end you can thank faz for Chargois, Floro, Ferguson, etc in the bullpen playing prominent roles in a pennant race. Faz just did not provide the bp pieces.

  2. Tough loss… Take the series today with Kersh…
    Thinking ahead… Sign Machado long term within reason… Blue needs a marque player and he is that… Kersh and Seager still question marks… I have a bad feeling that Kersh goes the mercenary route and Seager is still a physical question mark…

  3. Therealten solid post, agree on all points.

    The numbers with this team are very deceiving, but it definitely reveals the horrible pen and lack of clutch hitting. I understand the meaning of stats have changed but when your 1st in E.R.A and second in runs in the NL you should at least be in line for a wild card. However as of today we are out, what gives? Our inability to get runs and hits in crunch time, and a bullpen that has no heart. The fact we have lost 8 of 9 one run games is not just because Kenley is out, our struggles in close games date back to early in the season.

    I said on Friday we have to take this series and the next one or we are done. Today we have a favorable pitching matchup which should be an easy win for a good ball club, but an average club would struggle in this situation and may lose. What are we, to this point average seems more likely.

  4. Maybe Therealten and Adam are right!!! Time to realize those dingees on the side of this boat are there for a purpose..
    Adam I say we expedite “Done”!!! I’ve got an NCAA football season gearing up and I’m ready to back up another team that hasn’t won since 1988… My beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish…

      1. South Bend is right up the road from me and one of my best friends is a ND Grad. If you need tickets, let me know. I haven’t been to the Golden Dome for a few years, but my son and I went to a ND – Stanford game in Palo Alto a couple of years ago, It was incredible!

  5. Terre Haute? Don’t forget your nostril clamps! At least that’s my memory of that place. Very unpleasant odor in the air. Probably left there by my 1st wife. Actually it was only her attitude that stunk. And that city probably doesn’t have those paper mills nowadays.

    1. Actually, I haven’t been there in years (like 15) and it has really changed. Pretty nice area now. It used to suck!

  6. If it were easy….
    Many of these things are maybe true, but this baseball. Don’t get all balked up, today is another day. ‘Just win’ is what we should focus on down the stretch. I’m not inviting Mr. Bitterman in. As long as we are fighting, I’m all in with the D’s.

  7. Clayton Kershaw signed a 7 year / $215,000,000 contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a $18,000,000 signing bonus, $215,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $30,714,286. In 2018, Kershaw will earn a base salary of $33,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $35,571,428. That contract ends after the 2020 season or if Kershaw opts out after this year.
    .
    The Dodgers do not own an opt out clause, only Kershaw does. If he wants to leave, let him leave. He doesn’t need more money.
    .
    Maybe Machaso will sign a three year contract. That would maximize his earnings for three years and still allow him to go after another big contract at age 29. Five years would be best for the Dodgers but he might want 10 with a three and five year opt outs.
    .
    No Kershaw, no Machado, trade Kemp, trade Hill, don’t re-sign Grandal and the Dodgers can get their payroll within striking range of KC, Oakland, etc. Then we can just relax and watch the Dodgers play without whining about them not meeting expectations.

  8. I’ll let those who need to vent about everything vent. Fact is, if Kersh can do his thing today, we take 2 of 3 on the road vs a very good team. I’ll that any day of the week.

    We all whine about all of our solo home runs, and our feast or famine type hitters, but the benefit of having a lineup full of home run hitters is that you’re never out of it. We know we can get a solo hr with any at bat, so last night proved we’re not out of any game. Granted we lost in a weird way, but whatever. We came back impressively vs that bullpen.

    Let’s win today. Let’s take this series. Let those who want to whine whine. It’s all good!

    1. Bobby

      Respectly, you heard the times the Mariner’s closer has blown saves, and that doesn’t happen often.

      We get way more opportunities to score runs, when runners are in scoring position, then hitting three HRs, off a couple of pretty good, pitchers.

      And Turner is different then the other hitters, in our line up.

      Because even though he is very capable of hitting a pitch out, he changes his approach, in different situations in games, and he hits good pitching.

      And usually when this team hits solo HRs, we are facing subpar pitching, and almost everyone in the line up, hits one out.

      When hitters are going up to the plate, and always trying to hit one out, that makes it easier for pitcher.

      Just like you pointed out, that the line up of all righties, makes it easier on the pitcher, too.

      And a walk and a few hits, could just as easily score three runs, look what the Giants did in that one game, without hitting a HR.

      And I think we can count on one hand, how many times we have hit three solo HRs, to tie or win a game, at the end of a game

      And I think this was the first time this year, but we constantly have runners in scoring position, so we need to take advantage of every opportunity we get, to score.

      And remember it is easier to get a hit or hit one out, when no one is on base, because pitchers pitch much tougher, when runners are on base.

      And I think if you were the Mariners manager, you would send these same two pitchers out there, against these same hitters again, because the odds of our three hitters, hitting three solo HRs again, are very low.

      1. Oh, common sense says getting a few hits together, and getting a few hits with guys in scoring position is a better and easier way to score runs.
        All I said was, that given our ability to hit HR, in a close game we have a great chance to tie it with 1 swing from anyone in the lineup. Sometimes, it’s easier to hit a solo hr off of a good reliever than try stringing together 3 straight singles off of that reliever.
        I wish we got some clutch hits more often! I wish we knew how to move guys along instead of just pretending we’re always in the home run derby all game long. But there are times when the power potential is a benefit too.

  9. It would take Dodgers winning the remaining 38 games to get 104 wins. That ain’t happening, but winning 70% of those 38 games would be 91 wins and in all likelihood several games less than that if Dodgers take the remaining series with Arizona and Colorado. The talent is there to make that happen. Just put it together Dodgers! No excuses!

  10. Paraphrasing rich hill slice it any way you want but you got to win games. The fact is we could be back in first place in 2 or 3 days but every time you lose a game the opportunities are less and the calendar is one day shorter. The facts are we have not hit well with risp, our bullpen has been bad most of the year, and our defense has not been stellar. We do not give up but what is going to change those facts. Maybe Jansen, Stripling, and Maeda but time is of the essence. Who knows when two get off dl and if the brilliant Roberts will pitch them or let them watch like Maeda last night. We haven’t hit with risp all year what will change. Maybe turner, machado etc can get hot. Actually turner and bellinger are hot but with risp? Maybe. Our defense will always be suspect if Muncy is in the lineup but his bat needs to be in the lineup. Our schedule is tough with the hottest team in baseball (cardinals) coming into town. We play them 7 times and have not fared well against them in recent years. I’m hoping all of those facts turn but those are the facts.

  11. Look at this squad putting together hits and driving in runners in scoring position! Who am I watching here?????

    1. Great! Bellinger started it maybe the worm is turning! It’s a start for sure! Colorado won again and then they get the pads so we better start streaking if we are going to get in.

  12. 4 for 7 RISP in the 1st inning. Not much sweeter than batting around for a 5 spot in the 1st with Kershaw going. 3 SB in the 1st inning also. I saw a stat that the team had 11 in Aug before today and that led the NL for the month of Aug. Color me pleasantly surprised at all of the above.

  13. Some might call it venting, and some may believe that fans are simply pointing out flaws. But I do not hear anybody truly giving up on the team. Frustrated? Yes. Giving up? No. 11 games ago I had an observation that the next 15 games were critical. Games against 4 potential playoff teams and 1 series against the Dodgers biggest rivals. So what has happened over those 11 games? The Dodgers had a run differential of +8 and a WL record of 4-7. Showing again, run differential is not a tell all, especially for the Dodgers. Five of those losses were one run losses, and only one of the wins was a one run win. All 7 losses were on behalf of the relievers. The relieves were 2-7, and the starters were 2-0.
    .
    I agree with Mark that both Ferguson and Floro can be very effective relievers, but not in a pennant race and not in high leverage situations (right now). The loss of Kenley Jansen is probably the one player that the team could not cover for. There were no other late inning high leverage pitchers on the 40 man, and none really on the horizon who can help in 2018. If the organization had someone, maybe 5 of those 7 losses turn to wins, and the Dodgers are in a much better position. What Mark stated is in fact why I thought that FAZ needed to go get that late inning high leverage reliever. Ferguson and Floro are not that pitcher (again, yet), and it is unfair to them to put them in that situation in the middle of a pennant race. There is no reason to contemplate what may have been, FAZ is just going to have to live with the results. Hopefully the team can stay close until September, and then Roberts will have more than enough relievers to bring in.
    .
    I agree that FAZ did a good job in getting Machado and Dozier, but only Machado had a year where you could say he has the ability to consistently make contact. Dozier is more of the same. A good power hitting batter with holes in his swing. Sound familiar? I wonder what thoughts were given to acquiring Jose Iglesias? He has 44 Ks in 431 PA. He may not hit many HRs but he does make contact. Eduardo Escobar is hitting .318/.377/.545/.922 since he joined the DBacks.
    .
    It is encouraging that Cody seems to be getting it together and JT is feeling comfortable. It would nice if one or two or three others could get hot over the last 38 games. It would also be nice if the team looked for other ways to score other than the HR. Like today’s 1st inning…5 singles, 1 walk, 3 SB, 5 runs I agree that having that ability to hit HRs keep them in the game, but with better late inning relievers on opposing contenders those HRs will be less forthcoming. Runner on 2nd, hit the ball to the right side to get the runner on 3rd. Where has the run and hit gone? It doesn’t work with the new launch angles. The last several games seem to indicate that Doc is taking away the shackles and letting his team run.
    .
    Finally, while I would like to see Verdugo and/or Toles on the 25 man, I do not expect to see either on the ML roster until September.

    1. That’s the significance – it’s so different than what they usually do. 11 runs – no HRs. Tons of hits, walks and runs. It’s possible to do it – they just do it so rarely. And Kershaw’s being Kershaw, which is always a good thing.

      Anyone want to bet how long until the Dodgers string together hits and runs like this again?

  14. We score 5 runs in first inning without a HR. We are adding on runs each inning. That is what we must continue to do. We are close to starting a winning streak. Hang in there Dodger fans.

  15. This one today is for Aretha and getting a lil respect…
    Don’t get me wrong, I want Therealten or the baker to chime in early tomorrow !!!

  16. I know our players can do better then they do, and that is why I get frustrated with their lack of more then one, approach.

    Like I told Bobby, it is better to have more then one way to score.

    I must admit I am not to impressed with the pitchers the Mariners threw at us.

    I want to see this, in this next series.

    I have a feeling the Cards are going to have much better pitchers.

    Because they usually do have good young pitchers, in their farm system.

    AC I agree with everything you said.

  17. Machado getting X-rays on wrist , if broken by a position player it would be this season in a nutshell.

  18. Has a club ever lead their respective league in runs and e.r.a. and not made the playoffs? If the season ended today the Dodgers would have a claim to thst dubious honor.

Comments are closed.