What’s the Real Problem?

July 3, 2023

It should not be lost on anyone that the Dodgers brand of baseball is subject to peaks and valleys, and it should also not be lost on anyone that the Royals scored nine runs on the Dodgers yesterday WITHOUT a single home run! The Dodgers seem to only score on the long ball. When they don’t hit home runs, they don’t win. What do you do? Trade the team away?…

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Enjoy the Ride!

July 2, 2023

Julio Urias pitched about like I thought he would play in his first game back from the IL. He was rusty and gave up a lot of soft contact in the first inning. The Royals got just one extra-base hit, but Julio was not sharp. That was to be expected. He was using all his pitches but did not have command of them – kind of like what you would…

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Your Reality Sucks!

July 1, 2023

In 2016, my son was a Senior at Cardinal-Ritter High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Their football team was picked to finish 5th in their conference before the season started. Stephen played middle linebacker his first three years, but in his Senior year, they switched him to defensive end (because… according to the coach), “they had no one else to play the position.” They started out 1-4, and the season looked…

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Once More Before I Die

June 28, 2023

Once more before I die. Yes, that is my wish. I am 75 now, and I have been alive for every single Dodger Championship, and I dearly want to see another. None of us, except those who take their own lives, choose when it is time to go. As Brooklynites would say We Wuz Robbed, in 2017, out played in 18 and missed some very good chances to advance in…

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“Send Them Back to AAA!”

June 26, 2023

I heard that a lot last year with regard to Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy; “Send him back to OKC.” Well, they never got sent back, and both have had some major success subsequent to that. We know that the minor leagues are for the purpose of developing players, but at what point are they ready for the Show, and are there times when they should go from the Show…

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Just Win, Baby!

June 25, 2023

Yesterday’s win is a game that can really galvanize a team. It also builds character. Bobby Miller has to take yesterday as a learning moment and look back to learn from it. Can he do that? We shall see. James Outman is starting to make the necessary adjustments. OTOH Miguel Vargas has not adjusted as yet to the top of the zone pitches – It’s not the speed – it’s…

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Rants & Raves

June 24, 2023

Here Goes: I have always felt that Michael Grove should be in the bullpen. I think he will flourish there Gavin Stone last night: 6 IP 5 Hits 5 ER 2 BB 6 Strikeouts 2 HR Jimmy Nelson pitched an inning in relief at OKC and allowed 1 hit and 1 K Jose Ramos hit his 14th HR for Tulsa The GL Loons are 45-20 – their best start EVER!…

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Roger Craig: Split Finger Guru

June 23, 2023

Roger Craig did not invent the split finger fastball, but he was probably it’s most prolific teacher. Perfected by Bruce Sutter, Craig picked the pitch up and learned how to teach it to his pitchers. Mike Scott and Jack Morris were two of his prized pupils. The splitter is held like a forkball basically but thrown like a fastball. Craig taught the pitch wherever he coached or managed. His name…

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Is the Bull ____ Out of the Pen?

June 22, 2023

The Dodgers Twitter feed summed it all up: What a Performance! The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya also had an excellent piece on the Bullpen, and how they all realize this bull has to stop. It’s way soon to pronounce them “fixed,” but in the past two games, the Dodgers’ beleaguered bullpen has put up ten consecutive shutout innings! The talent is there – it was a lack of execution, or maybe…

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Like a Bad Penny…

June 21, 2023

For the uninitiated, the saying, “Like a Bad Penny” refers to the idea that if you get a penny that is damaged, spindled and/or mutilated, it comes back to you. A few days ago, I said that we were seeing the “tip of the iceberg” and that there is a story behind the Dodger woes. It turns out that it’s the same old story. Players on the Dodger’s major and…

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