Logjam in the Outfield

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1. Resign Manny and Dozier, move Seager to 1b, Muncy is the DH. Cody is CF. CT O for 3 and Keeekeee are trade chips to acquire BP help.extend a QO to Yaz and when he signs somewhere else we get the extra compensation draft pick and we look for some veteran catching help to be our starter until Smith and Ruiz are ready, someone like Lucroy or Iannetta

   1. Mostly agree Norcal.
      .
      I would add Puig to the Taylor and Hernandez trade chips.
      .
      Kemp has become a fastball only hitter and that plays best in the late innings when fastball dominant relievers are in the game. Kemp should be a pinch hitter along with Muncy or both should share DH roles if it comes to the NL.
      .
      Next year the lineup should be:
      .
      3B Turner
      1B Seager
      SS Machado
      CF Bellinger
      2B Dozier
      LF Pederson
      RF Verdugo
      C Smith and Barnes
      .
      There is enough offense to justify two great defensive catchers.
      Let Verdugo ease into the Majors lower in the batting order.
      Toles needs to be swapped for a similar but righty bat.

      1. You are going to make a guy (Kemp) who is one of the TOP 10 LF’ers in baseball (actually Top 8) a pinch hitter?
         –
         http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=la#playerType=QUALIFIER&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2018&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1534606974774&team_id=&position='7‘
         –
         And… he’s TOP 8 AFTER the biggest slump of his career. Guys go into slumps… and come out. Geeeeezzzzz!

         1. Doc is going to keep playing Kemp so we shall see how he finishes. I generally like a younger and faster team. Joc is now in his prime and has about 3 more seasons where he should be at his best. Kemp has been fading into retirement but is still a threat against fastballs.

      2. Switch Turner and Dozier.
         *
         Replace Joc with Toles.
         *
         Kemp and Muncy DH’s if… .
         *
         Outfield of Toles, Bellinger, and Verdugo, along with Kemp and Hernandez.
         *
         I believe the Dodgers were pissed by Puig’s actions the other night and sat him against a lefty to set an example. Once the rosters expand he can serve his suspension. I do believe he will be traded this off-season. Too bad. He is, for the most part, fun to watch, but he still hasn’t matured enough (and probably never will).

2. It is amazing what the release of logjams will do. There was a logjam at C in AA and Will Smith was promoted to AAA. It is taking Smith a little bit to get accustomed to AAA pitching, but he is getting more comfortable each day. He is playing a lot of 3B because he still has a logjam at C (Farmer and Gale). Smith has started 10 games; 6 at C and 4 at 3B. But the beneficiary has been Keibert Ruiz. The day before Smith was promoted, Ruiz was batting .238/.307/.370/.677. Now he is batting .259/.325/.399/.724. Overall for those 12 games, Keibert is batting .383/.431/.574/1.006. Think he likes being the everyday catcher?
   .
   Another beneficiary is Cristian Santana. After the Rylan Bannon trade, Cristian was moved backed to his familiar 3B spot and took off. On July 18 (the day Bannon was traded), Santana was batting .243/.272/.384/.656. Now he is batting .260/.287/.438/.725. For the 27 games and 120 PA since the trade, Cristian is batting .322/.342/.609/.950, with 10 HRs and 37 RBIs. He has also cut down his K rate to 22.5% in those 27 games. He now leads the California League in HRs (23) and RBIs (100), and he is still 21 and learning. I think he likes the logjam removed as well.

3. The conundrum that is the Dodgers is this type of game shows what the team could be: a quality start, lock down from the pen and 5 HR’s. Another example of run differential being misleading, especially with this team. The reality is each game is usually close and could go either way and lately the breaks have not gone their way.
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   Mentally this team should be in a good place: a walk off win snapping a losing streak; a day off to travel and then a blowout win to open a crucial road trip. The starting pitching has been great for more than a week; the bullpen is showing signs of breaking out; Doc deviated from his strict platoons; Kemp and Manny showing signs of life.
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   It is time to sit Kike and CT3 more often, I am not ready to bench Muncy. Grandal can hit from the right side, better than Barnes at this point. Give him the normal catcher’s day off: Sun after a night game Sat. Play the best you have most days knowing Kemp, JT and Yas need some days off and ditch the strict platoons. If a guy has a hot hand, roll him out there don’t sit him. If a starter is rolling give him an extra inning, pull him if runners get on.
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   Sept 1st should see many guys already on the 40 man called up, unless the affiliate is in the playoffs. It will be tough to give these call ups much run in the middle of a tight race but at least Doc won’t run out of players in extra innings. As bad as they looked losing 5 in a row the team could be poised for a win streak with Hill having an advantage in today’s game and Kersh going tomorrow. I see signs of life and a very winnable division. Faz has done what they could to improve, it’s up to the players now . (I just had to do 6 image verifies to post-nuts!!)

4. I agree with you on the Outfield. Kemp, Vertigo, and Puig should be the starters in the Outfield. The infield is set with Bellinger at first. Grandal should be the catcher. That is the starting line up Doc needs to send out everyday. Regardless if the pitcher is a righty or a lefty. We have great starters. Now we need to solve the bullpen. We have the pitchers. Now we just need to define their roles.

5. So, here’s the questions:
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   1. Will Grandal get the QO? I say yes!
   2. Will Ryu get the QO?
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   Before you say no, what if he is “lights out” like he has been all year, when healthy? And… it was not his arm or shoulder that caused this issue. What if Kershaw opts out? Ryu could get the QO!
   –
   Now, he might not accept and Yasmani probably wouldn’t but two additional picks would be nice!

   1. Grandal might accept a QO but not likely. Ryu would probably accept and could become another Brett Anderson.
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      Most likely Sept 1st call ups to actually contribute: Verdugo/Toles, Farmer, Urias, LoCastro.

      1. Anderson has had a plethora of injuries while Ryu has really had one, and it was this year, other than his shoulder surgery which cost him most of two years.
         –
         If Kershaw opts out and Ryu stays healthy, I would do it.

         1. I was asking myself the same question the other night about Ryu. I opposed offering Anderson the QO, but I think I would offer it to Ryu depending on how he finishes. If his love for LA is enough to make him sign it then great, but I don’t think his agent will let him sign it if he continues to be lights out. Unlike Anderson, Ryu is a big game pitcher when healthy.

            1. Hawkeye

               I agree about Ryu, especially if we can get a good deal.

               At least we know Ryu knows how to pitch, and he has the attitude and will, to pitch in big games.

6. I also think there’s a chance the Dodgers try and sign Grandal… in the right deal.

   1. My priority would be offering Grandal a 3-yr deal, going all in on Machado, and getting a good bullpen piece. I could care less about Dozier. If you can re-sign Machado then you have Turner, Machado, Seager, Taylor, and Bellinger for four infield positions. I don’t see the need to spend on Dozier. He’s going to want a multi-year deal. He’s hit sub .230 so far with some power. Sounds like Kike, but of course I know he’s better than that. While I’m down on Taylor right now, I believe he could do what Dozier does at 2B if they don’t want to move Seager or Turner there. I’m trading Kemp for fifty cents on the dollar if I can get it in the off-season. Use guys like Kemp and Stripling in deals to strengthen weaknesses.

      Verdugo-CF
      JT-3B
      Seager-2B
      Machado-SS
      Bellinger-1B
      Puig-RF
      Grandal-C
      Toles/Joc/Taylor-LF Taylor could play CF vs lefties with Verdugo sliding over.
      OR:
      Verdugo-CF
      Turner-3B/1B
      Seager-1B/3B/SS
      Machado-SS/3B
      Bellinger-CF
      Puig -RF
      Grandal-C
      Taylor-2B

      In an ideal world Grandal would take the QO and buy the Dodgers one more year of development for Smith and Ruiz, but I don’t see anyway that Grandal takes it. The Dodgers should buy themselves 3 years of insurance with Yasmani after the way Barnes has hit this year. If Grandal continues to be Grandal they can trade him when the kids are ready.

7. First I agree with Mark, this was only one game, but it was good to see Kemp have a nice night, and see Cody continue to hit consistently.

   Because Cody has mostly stopped, from trying to hit one out, in every at bat.

   He can be one of the guys on this team, that can hit in important runs, much like he did, last year.

   I expect this type of production from Manny, especially against the pitchers, we faced.

   And about the outfield, some can say what they want about Toles in center, but just with his athleticism alone, he has one of the best defensive metrics in center, on this team.

   And Verdugo doesn’t have good defensive metrics in center, and that is probably because, he doesn’t have the speed, and athleticism, that Toles does.

   But I agree with Mark, that Taylor does the best job in center, on this team.

   I just think Toles needs to play there more, and gain confidence.

   And I think Cody is a good defensive centerfielder, but he is a possible gold glove at first, and because of that, he makes everyone in the infield better, so I prefer him at first.

   Verdugo has a high batting average at AAA, but when it comes to situational hitting, his numbers goes down a lot.

   His OPS when runners are in scoring position, is 789, and Toles numbers in these situations, are must better.

   Toles OPS is in the 1000s in these situations, and he also has a higher average, in these situations, then Verdugo does.

   And it isn’t like Toles isn’t hitting 300 plus, either.

   And think about it, Toles not only missed most of last year, he also almost missed the first two months of the season, at the beginning of the year, just when he was really heating up.

   He never had played in AAA more then a month, and that was in 2016, so he doesn’t know, and he hasn’t faced, any of the pitchers in that league, like Verdugo.

   And he had to catch up with everyone else, after being off almost two months, at the beginning of the season.

   And he has kept up with Verdugo much of the season.

   In fact, Toles was the first one hitting 350 this year.

   Verdugo does have really good numbers against lefties in AAA, and Toles has better numbers against lefties then a lot of players in the outfield, too.

   Although Verdugo in a small sample of 16 at bats in the majors, didn’t hit leftie pitchers that well.

   And Toles did about the same in an even smaller sample, but he did have good numbers against lefties last year, in a little bigger sample.

   I think Toles can learn from Verdugo to take more walks, and get on base more, and his average would be even higher.

   But this team has never had a problem of getting on base, and in fact, this year, this team has got on base from walks, more then any other team, in all of baseball.

   This team’s biggest weakness is getting key hits, when runners are in scoring position, as I have said way to much, but this has been an ongoing problem with this team, especially this year.

   I didn’t mention Puig, because I don’t see anyone right now, taking his place.

   And although I think Joc is a much better defender when he plays left, and he is doing better this year, it isn’t like Joc is a rookie, so it is hard to compare Toles or Verdugo to him.

   Because Joc has been given three plus years, to not only change his approach, but to also produce consistently.

   I do know that both Toles and Verdugo, do change their approach, and they both can hit the ball the other way, already.

   And Kemp has a history of hitting, and I am not talking about the way he faded the previous year on the Braves, in the second half of the season.

   Because when Kemp was playing for the Braves and the Padres, he was expected to be one of the big bats, in the middle of the line up.

   He already carried this team in the first half of the season, but he is not alone anymore in this line up, because Manny and Dozer are in the line up, and now Cody is hitting consistently.

   And because of all of this, I expect Kemp to continue to hit, because of his history of hitting, and the fact he is very motivated, to help this team.

   And he doesn’t have to be that big bat anymore, he just needs to contribute to the offense, and I think he is more then capable of doing that.

   And I still do see him getting some big hits for this team, especially in this line up we have, now.

   1. I think they were tinkering with Cody’s swing too much. His focus needs to be pitch recognition and not pulling off the ball. The league had been getting him out with breaking balls in and down in the dirt and he wasn’t adjusting to it at all. I also think the silly benching in SF had and adverse affect on him.

      1. Hawkeye

         I didn’t think they should have changed his swing like they did, either.

         And what is ironic, when Cody first came up last year, the Giants almost immediately, started trying to get him out, with breaking balls on his hands.

         But Cody adjusted almost immediately, at least even before that series was over.

         And that is why I was so surprised in the World Series, that he didn’t adjust, but I just thought he was trying to do to much.

8. Like AC, I really like Chrstian Santana. He has a chance to be a real impact player. He has to improve a lot, but he has and is. He could be a big time 3B by the time Turner’s deal is up!
   –
   Also, I do not see the Dodgers trading for Relief Pitchers with all the arms they have in the minors. Next year, they should have Urias, Buehler, Chicken Strip and Hill as locks. Then there is Kershaw and/or Ryu as well as Maeda and/or Wood.
   –
   Dustin May is likely 2020, as is Mitch White and Michael Grove. Then there is Dennis Santana, Brock Stewart, Caleb Ferguson, Edwin Uceta, Marshall Kasowski, Jordon Sheffield and several others, including the enigmatic Yadiar Alvarez.
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   Some are already in the bullpen and others will need to be switched there. I think the Dodgers are stacked with bullpen pieces. Guys like Sheffield, Ferguson and Santana could be lock-down relievers.
   –
   I do think some major trades could happen that could include a couple outfielders (I won’t speculate who) and pitchers like Wood and/or Maeda could be trade material.

   1. It will be interesting to see what they do with Santana and Ferguson. Both could be excellent bullpen pieces next year, but both have the potential to be big league starters. They were moved up ahead of schedule. I don’t think making Ferguson a reliever was ever the long-term plan but he’s thriving.
      2019:
      Kershaw
      Buehler
      Hill-last year of his deal and will spend time on the DL
      Wood-Last year of his deal I think
      Maeda-belongs in the pen on the Dodgers roster right now; good #5
      Urias-No doubt will be babied if even ready
      Ferguson-Back to AAA to start or in the pen?
      Santana-Back to AAA to start or in the pen or headed for rotator cuff surgery?
      Stripling-wants to start not really room without an injury. Trade bait!
      `
      I look at the group above and if you want to strengthen the pen from within then I offer Ryu a QO a move Maeda to the pen when the top 5 are all healthy at the same time if for some reason Ryu takes the offer.

      1. Caleb Ferguson really has only two pitches. If he could develop an effictive slider, he would be a #3 starter, but without it, I feel he is a lockdown reliver.

         1. So would you send him back to AAA to work on the third pitch or put him in the pen? When Hill, Ryu, and possibly Wood are gone they may wish he had that 3rd pitch.

            1. Can’t Ferguson learn the slider right now, while he is up?

               Ryu learned Kershaw’s slider, that way.

               And Stripling learned to throw his curve hard, in between his appearances, too.

               Fergie has the best help, while he is up with the major league team.

               And he can go home in the off season, and try perfect it.

            2. Ryu already had 3 pitches though

   2. Don’t forget about Jesen Therrien who will be coming off of Tommy John surgery.

9. Interesting takes re. next year’s team (and some laughable takes) , but at this point, I don’t care! I care about the next 6 weeks and then October. Ryu’s QO or Dozier’s future K or Machado’s preferred destination don’t mean a damn thing for the 2018 title.
   We’ve gone thru some weird losing streaks in August it seems every year since 2013 (including last year’s 17 of 18 losses). Hopefully by splitting these next 2, we’ll have taken 2 of 3 on the road vs a good team, won 3 out of 4, and start playing better baseball. It looks like Manny and JT are heating up, and Cody is finally squaring up on the ball. If CT3 could find a pair of contact lenses to correct his obvious poor vision, we might have something! Looking forward to Wood continuing what he did the other day.
   Play the best guys, and don’t bat all the same-handers vs an opposite handed pitcher!

10. Mark

    Toles did more then just hit a game winning HR last night.

    He had three hits, including a triple, a HR, and he had 4 two out, RBIs, and scored 2 runs.

    1. Yep, but the walkoff was the highlight!

       1. I didn’t check the box score before I read what you wrote, so I was surprised.

          1. MJ, AT hit another HR tonight!

11. One outfielder more?

    https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/08/nationals-place-bryce-harper-daniel-murphy-on-revocable-trade-waivers.html#comments

12. rrrr

13. Mark, where is Santana? Do you know if he is coming back or not this year?

    1. Last I heard he was still in AZ – I doubt we will see him this year.

    2. Seemed like a pretty serious injury that requires extreme caution. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t wind up under the knife.

       1. Quite possible. Rotator Cuff strains are a step away from a tear!

14. Since the trade for Dozier, in 53 AB’s, Logan Forsythe is hitting .415 with a .466 OB% and a .956 OPS.
    –
    I guess he’s just not an LA Kind of Guy!

    1. He was choking under the scrutiny this year.

15. This team is at it again, just no consistency from one night to the next, mediocrity is brutal in every endeavor in life. I can’t put my finger on what is missing, probably some consistent and not all or nothing bats plus a better pen and we would be a playoff team. Unfortunately our FO failed this year pen construction, Roberts utterly sucks and lost is 3 or 4 important games, and we missed Seager and his clutch bat a lot. I hope there is a manager and a little player overhaul, and a little money spent in the 2019 offseason. We need to get better in all areas.

    1. I agree about Seager but the Dodgers did hit about 6 balls right on the nose for outs the first 7 innings. Dozier rolling into the DP by not going with the pitch did frustrate me.

16. Here we go, Dodgers…

18. Bellingerized!

19. 2 solo HR for 2 of the 3 runs. 6 LOB; 1 for 5 RISP. Wash, rinse repeat.

    1. Darn solo HR’s

20. Swing, Jack, Out!

21. 3 HR against what is maybe the best 8th and 9th inning combo in baseball.

22. Awesome bat flip by Muncy!
    –
    Who was bad-mouthing Muncy?

    1. Muncy knows when they’re gone. That’s for sure.

23. OK, let’s keep it up. When the Dodgers hit at least 3-HR they are 20-0!

24. I hate it when they put 3 guys on that side of 2B. Just seems unnecessary to shift that much on a righty.

25. Can anybody tell me if Morgan Cooper still exists? WTH

    1. He exists, but in April he was shutdown with shoulder tendinitis and has never re-surfaced for reasons no one will share! He is allegedly in AZ.

26. Bad flip by Dozier.

    1. Nice stop next play. Bellinger might make that play though if he’s at 1st.

27. Floro has now walked in and balked in walk-offs the last week.
    ~
    This team just isn’t doing what it takes to do anything this year. From not turning a DP to walking the bases loaded then balking. Ferguson deserves better. I still don’t get why Muncy is in the field and not DHing.

28. Murphy’s Law!!!

29. This game another microcosm of the Dodgers’ season:
    1 – No hitting with RISP
    2 – Solo HRs (3)
    3 – Bullpen figured a new way to lose

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