It’s amazing to me that after 25 games, fans can pronounce a certain player or players as “failures.” If they are really that good, they should be making millions helping teams make those decisions. If they happen to not be making millions for those decisions, then maybe they really aren’t as qualified as they believe. If they bench guys like Taylor, Hernandez, Barnes, et al, how are they ever going to re-gain their stroke? Oh, just toss them on the scrap heap… there are plenty more, right?
Cassidy said it the best:
” You do realize we’ve won 6 straight division titles and been to 2 straight World Series. All with a clueless President and an idiot Manager.”
CLASSIC!
In 2018, the Red Sox Bullpen was ranked 22nd in all of MLB, but they got tough when it counted. That’s what it’s all about. Right now, the Dodgers are 22nd in Bullpen ERA. Wanna’ bet they finish in the Top 10? I do! Last night was an important moment in Pedro Baez’s season… maybe his career. He inherited 3 runners from Caleb Ferguson and no outs in the 8th inning. I felt something bad was about to happen, I must confess.
But, Pedro was brilliant in mixing his pitches and hitting his spots. When all a hitter has to do is make contact and hit a sacrifice fly, Petey limited hard contact and was the equal of Harry Houdini in getting out of the jam… with some jelly on it! Baez only threw 10 pitches and then Kenley Jansen threw 11 pitches to seal the deal and get his 9th save.
That old washed up bum, Kershaw who is just a broke down old man (that’s what some say) went seven masterful innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 run to go with 8 K’s and no walks. His ERA sits at a horrible 2.25. If he had a few more innings, he would be #5 in the NL in ERA and #2 in WHIP. I have no idea if he can keep this up. Many of you say that when you have a bad back, it’s always going to be an issue. Maybe… but maybe not.
I have had back problems for years… to the point that some mornings it was really hard to get out of bed and sometimes my back was bent to the left in a very pronounced way. It was always inflamed and spasms were common… until about 2 moths ago, when I went dairy-free. All of my joints feel much better, but the difference in my back has been nothing short of amazing!
Dairy products can contain high levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Dairy products are often overly processed and can contain high levels of hormones and antibiotics. I’m not going to preach against dairy – I’m sure it affects certain people differently. I just know what it has done to me. I mention this because Clayton is one of the Dodgers who has made the decision to go dairy-free, along with Kike, Corey, JT and others. Maybe with this new lifestyle, Clayton’s back problems are behind him (pun intended). Clayton is becoming more of Greg Maddux and that may allow him to be the Dodgers Ace for a couple more years. Sorry Striker Buehler!
Rich Hill starts today, so a roster move will have to be made – I would guess that Caleb Ferguson goes back to OKC and resumes starting. If he can develop that third pitch… that’s the Holy Grail.
Just Dodger News
- From Dodger Insider: “Kershaw now has 2,295 career Ks, passing John Lackey for 55th place all time. He’s 67 Ks away from cracking the top 50. Familiar names at No. 50 and 49 —Charlie Hough and Sandy Koufax.”
- Clayton Kershaw on what Baez did: “It was unbelievable. Bases loaded nobody out is a pretty impossible situation. Petey did unbelievable, dominated it, got us out of there.” Dodger Insider called it “A Signature Moment.”
- In late and close games, opponents are now 1-for-20 vs. Báez this year.
- The Dodgers have hit 24 balls this year with an exit velocity of at least 108 MPH. Joc Pederson has 11 of them.
- David Hood of True Blue LA has DJ Peters as the Dodgers #6 Prospect… I don’t believe Peters is in the Top 20.
- From Baez: “I’ve always had my secondary pitches. I’ve just maybe didn’t have the confidence in them. It started coming late last year, and maybe that’s why the success has been here.”
- Maybe, just maybe… the Dodgers have found their 8th inning guy! Let’s hope so!
Minor League Report
- Jim Duquette of The Athletic has Gavin Lux as one of the Top 10 Up-and-coming shortstops:
“Lux’s strike zone understanding was impressive as a 20-year-old in Double-A, with a 16.6 percent strikeout rate and a 11.7 percent walk rate. His offensive approach, combined with his speed and baseball IQ, has impressed evaluators, although most mention his high floor and lower ceiling when projecting him as a middle infielder in the major leagues. With Corey Seager solidifying the shortstop position for the next five years, look for Lux to get his opportunity as a second baseman for the Dodgers, with the ability to slide over to shortstop if he cleans up his throwing accuracy (he committed over 60 errors over his first three professional seasons). “
- OKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS – They lost 6-0 to the San Antonio Missions as they only had 5 hits while allowing the Missions 15 hits. There’s nothing to talk about here. Never speak of this again!
- TULSA DRILLERS – Tulsa scored 2 in the top of the 9th to pull within one run of the Corpus Christi Hooks, but could not plate the tying run as they lost 10-9. DJ Peters was 2-4 with a HR and 5 RBI’s but continues to strike out at an alarming rate – 42%! Zack Reks does not reek, but rather continues to rake. He went 3-5 and is hitting .369 with a .438 OB% while OPS’ing 1.038. Omar Estevez went 0-2 with 3 walks and scored all three times. He is hitting .387 while OPS’ing 1.020. Cristian Santana is hitting .351 but only has 3 BB and 4 extra base hits. He is evidently working on cutting down his swing. Dustin May pitches today with his 1.89 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. Reks, Estevez, and May are all candidates to move up a notch to OKC in due time.
- RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES – The Quakes beat the Modesto Nuts 4-3 as Conner Wong went 3-4 with his 5th HR. Starling Heredia went 1-3 and raised his batting average to .173. He is also striking out at an alarming rate – 46%.
- GREAT LAKES LOONS – Great Lakes won 9-4, beating the Dayton Dragons on the Dragons Home Field. Miguel Vargas (.293) was 2-5 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI’s. Dillon Paulson was 2-3 with 2 BB and hit – a Grand Salami in the second inning. He ended the evening with 6 RBI. Jacob Amaya had 4 BB and is hitting .231 but has a .367 OB%, thanks to 17 walks (a 22% rate). Andre Jackson pitched 5 hitless innings before he was pulled. He did allow 1 run on 5 walks.
Baez was very impressive last night and Kenley is more than just getting the job done. The pen is coming together now that they don’t have to pitch 5 innings every night. I wonder if Ferguson was thinking about getting sent down today. Don’t look now, but Yimi hasn’t allowed a run in his last 6 games. THE BULLPEN IS COMING TOGETHER!!!
Top 8? I totally disagree with Mark on that one. When it’s all said and done, this bullpen will be top 5.
April is almost in the books. I certainly didn’t think we would be on top of the standings at the end of April with the uneven Spring that we endured, and most of the rotation spending most of the early going on the DL, but here we are. Not bad for a team that can’t get going against left handers.
As Mark pointed out recently, no team is perfect. Every team has weaknesses. No one fields an all start team on a daily basis. We are in a very good spot. It’s good to be a Dodgers fan, as it almost always is. Imagine being an Angels fan!
Now that the pen looks much better, the next thing to conquer is left handed pitching. Soon this will also be a non-issue. Our right handed hitters aren’t this bad. Kike looks lost right now, but he will go on a tear like he always does. Justin Turner’s starting to heat up and we have some lefties that can handle left handers. Everyone that’s bashing Pollock right now is gonna have the taste of crow in their mouths soon enough.
So, let’s sum this up. We have gone through 29 games and have a .621 winning percentage with an over used bullpen and most of our rotation on the DL. Our right handed hitters have been slumping in the early going and Doc is getting a little better at not getting in the way of himself. I’ll say it again. This is a 105 win team.
Update above (Just Dodger News)
Mark said: “If they are really that good, they should be making millions helping teams make those decisions. If they happen to not be making millions for those decisions, then maybe they really aren’t as qualified as they believe.”
Mark, you provide a forum (thank you) for Dodgers fans to vent, cheer, say what they want more of, say what they want less of, etc.
It is strange that you provide a forum and then complain what people say in your forum. Not everybody agrees with your thoughts or mine but you don’t need a foil or a straw man to strengthen your takes. You share your thoughts, I assume to amuse yourself, I know that is why I share my thoughts, and yet the Dodgers are not paying you millions.
They can say what they want and I can disagree with what they say… especially when it involves giving up on players. I have been wrong on Joc Pederson. It took a while, but he has gradually become a “force” on this team. I thought his ceiling was as a 4th outfielder. Joc was maddening to me and it took the better part of 3 years, but they stuck with him and look what has happened.
Fans often don’t realize that it’s a long season and guys like CT3, Barnes, and Pollock will get untracked (most likely). How do you know I don’t make millions with the Dodgers? It may not be on my tax return, but it’s in my mind! 😉
Maybe they just forgot to mail the check!
It’s better for the Dodgers to owe you than to cheat you out of it.
I like your blog Mark and you do a great job of riling up people and that usually gets the juices flowing which is needed to keep a blog healthy. I just wanted you to think about what seems like a recent trend you have momentarily slipped into.
Bums,
I will deny I wrote this (my account was hacked), but you should know by now that I am the “pot stirrer.” I am not bothered in the least about these comments. I just keep the juices flowing. If you go back 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, I have had a lot of disagreement with what the Dodgers have done. I laugh when people call me a “Homer” because I have been vocal in criticizing the Dodgers in the past. I disliked all the managers after Lasorda … until Roberts.
I am firmly entrenched as the driver of the Friedman Bandwagon because what he is doing is going to give the Dodgers a chance to win year in and year out. Yes, I want to win another World Series, but staying relevant and contending every year is the best way, in my opinion. Spending wildly has proven to be the anthesis of winning.
I see the big picture. I see Friedman’s vision: Build the farm, build the player development and the wins will follow. Forget those big, long-term deals. They kill you. Grow your own and then blend in a Kelly or Pollock (both are not so hot right now, but I think they will be).
Some people just judge the FO by the number of World Series won. Friedman has put the Dodgers in a position to win a bunch of them, so when some moron calls for his head, I have to disagree with them as much as I disagree with the members of the Flat Earth Society!
You are putting Friedman on a Pedestal. He has missed making big trades like getting Yellich and responsible for hiring Zaidi and signing Macarthy, Kazmir, Hector Olivera ( Which has to be one of the worst contracts ever ), Cuban P Pablo Fernandez , Yasiel Sierra, etc. He has been good but not great. I know 2 back to back World Series and so on and a good solid team. But has not improved Bullpen . Roberts is not that better from Mattingly. So not everything is great. Really good results but not great yet until winning WS.
El Gasolino has taken Kelly’s position now !!! Gasolino has shown more grit than Kelly. And Pollock cant get a hit now and has become a Double play machine.
Mark noted: “The Dodgers have hit 24 balls this year with an exit velocity of at least 108 MPH. Joc Pederson has 11 of them.”
Joc has 18 RBI from the lead off spot which is second on the team and has 25% fewer at bats than Bellinger, Seager, Turner, and Pollock. The Dodgers just don’t have a platoon player that can come close to match him against lefties. Before anybody says Verdugo, he is already pushing Muncy out of the lineup against lefties.
1) Kersh looks completely healthy and reinvented. I”m really happy for him (and all of us)
2) Even when Belli gets out, he hits the hell out of the ball.
3) I have full faith Pollock will wake up and carry us when Belli eventually cools off
4) Baez was the hero; thank god for him yesterday!
5) Verdugo is the real deal and needs to be in there, somewhere, all the time.
6) Muncy is missing pitches this year that he tatooed last year. He and CT3 need to go see an optometrist
7) Hopefully Martin starts today and gives Barnes a well needed break
8) For those who weren’t happy Ryu took the qualifying offer, do you still feel that way? He’s been fantastic
9) JT is heating up. He’s been hitting the ball hard the last week or so, and the hits are now coming. Next up: the power
10) That’s all I got
Agreed on all points, 1-9.
re 3: I think Pollock is trying to do too much. Adjusting to a new team, new fanbase takes time for some players. I think Doc should ease the pressure off him and not put him at cleanup all the time. He looks like he is trying too hard to drive the ball, but he is down in the count a lot so he needs to be content to shorten up. Once he gets his stroke going, the lineup will have a lot more length and they will start scoring in bunches again.
re 6: Muncy seems to be getting a lot more off speed pitches this season. He’s got great power to the opposite field so hopefully he adjusts his approach to go oppo from the start of the AB. Nomar had a pretty candid assessment of CT3 – he doesn’t see any attempt to even try to take a 2 strike approach or cut down on the swing and miss. CT3’s got to change his mindset and adapt.
re 8: After 6 years, Ryu doesn’t seem to have lost any velo (not that he relied on it to begin with), but he seems to have grown more confident in attacking hitters – I guess he is leveraging his experience. Due to his injury history, it’s going be an interesting decision about him for next year. I get the impression the Dodgers are going to bet on some of their younger pitchers next year, so this might very well be Ryu’s last year as a Dodger.
re 9: JT’s progression reminds me of last year. He had that wrist injury last season and I wonder if that is hampering him again at the beginning of this season.
Watch out for Miguel Vargas. Very solid numbers, mature discipline, and young for his league. Could be a big mover up the list this year.
Pederson LF
Seager SS
Muncy 3B
Bellinger 1B
Pollock CF
Verdugo RF
Hernandez 2B
Martin C
Hill P
10 run lineup
Hey Mark, crazy that Pederson has 11 hits over 108 MPH! And his swing isn’t nearly as long as it has been in the past. Maybe if he shortest up a little more against lefties he might have a chance. Belli’s swing looks a lot shorter this season as well.
59
I think he is talking about exit velocities, not hits.
??
Ferguson to IL . Hill takes his place on the roster
It’s not surprising that hill is struggling his first outing. I would get Julio ready down by the schoolyard!
The Kid is back.
Given the title of this blog post, some patience is in order for Rich Hill. He’s found the feel for his curveball and is pitching well through the 6th. Us old guys just need a little more time to get warmed up…
Mark my words. Hill is gonna have a great year! But Urias really showed something special in that 8 th inning. Just a great competitor with great stuff!
Nice 11-3 run after that 6 gm. skid..
Hill 6 IP 1 ER… take that anytime…
Muncy at 3B is criminal… J.T. just starting to stir and he gets the bench???
Urias a tight rope job but survived…..
Jansen hard to watch, but a save nonetheless..
Down 5-0 and got the W… Sweet..
Lets put a hurt on the Gigantes….
Now lets beat the Giants. 2 of 3 games will have LHP starting for the Giants. Lets see if AJ, CT3, Keekay, Freese and JT can come up big. Of course I already know Belli will do his thing. Kid is a budding superstar.
The bud has bloomed.
Nice days for May, Gray, & Kasowski down on the farm. Chargois struck out 3 in a scoreless 9th inning as well. DJ Peters struck out 3x and Great Lakes broke out offensively with Vargas at the vanguard. Overall a good day for the blue.
Damn, Hill was flat out dealing the last 3 or 4 innings. He has one of the best curveballs I’ve seen in a long time when he is on. You start getting 6 or 7 innings out of Hill, the Kershaw we saw last night, plus Chicken Strip and Julio in the pen, and our pitching is starting to show some signs of healing. Kind of funny, if you read what some of the guys are saying on this blog, you would think we are 5-25 instead of 19-11, which by the way is the most wins in the majors right now. Not bad for a broken down old team with a “dumbass” for a manager, and a FO guy that everybody wants to run out on a rail. Said it awhile ago and I will stand by it. If we listen to some of our twisted fan base and get rid of both Roberts and Freidman, they wouldn’t last more than a week before someone scoops them up. Some of our “fans ” should quit acting so damn spoiled and enjoy the ride. In all my years dating back to the 70’s following the Dodgers, I have NEVER seen a 6 year run like this, it’s incredible. Plus all the young dudes back on the farm that are blocked right now, but will be kicking the door down soon. Great to be a Dodger fan right now.
Preach it, Rev!
Martin called that pitch and Jansen placed it exactly to Martin’s glove.