I like Austin Barnes. Let me start with that. When Andrew Friedman acquired him, I was elated. In his first full season (102 games) he hit.289 with a .408 OB% and OPS’ed .895. Pretty incredible! However, he hit .205 last year and is hitting .207 this year. In parts of 5 MLB seasons, here is what his BA/OB%/OPS is:
- 2015: .207/.361/.637
- 2016: .156/.270/.458
- 2017: .289/.408/.895
- 2018: .205/.329/.619
- 2019: .207/.302/.646
I really hate to say it, but 2017 was the outlier. Based upon that, I have to conclude that Austin Barnes cannot hit. That can be a dangerous assumption and a slippery slope, however. One only has to look as far as the 2018 World Champions who had Christian Vazquez as their main catcher. He hit .207 with a .257 OB% and OPS’ed .540. His career parallels Austin Barnes in that in 2017 he hit .290/.330/.735, but then plummeted in 2018.
This year, he is hitting .299 with 14 HR which is more HR than he hit in his first 4 years. Christian Vazquez has reached his potential after flashes in the past and big failure in 2018. Vazquez is a good catcher. Austin Barnes is a good catcher. You can never underestimate the value of a catcher upon the pitching staff. However, the fact of the matter is that Austin Barnes has hit .167 over the past 30 days, and .207 for the year.
The odd man out here might be Russ Martin because Austin Barnes can be a great backup catcher to the new Dodgers’ starting catcher, Will Smith. Russ Martin needs to go on the DL to rest his back and we need to see what Will Smith has for an extended period. He’s a rookie, but he’s 24 and it’s time. Lou Gehrig got his opportunity when Wally Pipp went down. Cody Bellinger got his opportunity when A-Gon went down (for the last time). It’s time for Will Smith to get his. By the way, Smith hit 2 more HR last night and is still OPS’ing over 1.000. It’s time!
Maybe Barnes has some value, Maybe some team, like Pittsburgh could try and re-claim Austin (Cervelli is no longer a catcher). Maybe Austin could be a small part of a package for Filipe Vasquez. I have changed my mind and I am ready to trade Ruiz, even though we may regret it later. How about trading Ruiz, Barnes, Pederson, Stripling, Carrillo, and Rios for Vasquez and Chris Archer? What?
Now, for a little outta-the-box thinking: The Dodgers next turn Archer into a high-leverage reliever. He has been an under-achiever all his career as a starter. Time for a new career path. The Pirates might actually be better THIS year with this trade… to say nothing of the future. Joc is a loss, but Beaty can platoon with Freese at 1B. This is a bold move, but bold moves can sometimes pay off. I hate losing Ruiz, but this could be a game-changer. This is an idea-starter. Unconventional to say the least and you might expect “unconventional” from Andrew Friedman.
Oh… last night’s game? What game? Move on… there is nothing to see here, folks. The team is in a slump. I told you that it would happen and here it is. Don’t lose your minds and start thinking this team is somehow woefully lacking. It’s the same team it was 6 weeks ago. Slumps happen to every team, every season, sometimes several times. It’s more expected when you have three starters back from the DL. Freese and Pollock looked more comfortable than Seager, who is more of a “rhythm player.” He has to get the “feel” back.
Corey might struggle for a while, but he has to be integrated back into the lineup. That could be a little bit painful, but the Dodgers need him at the SS position if they want to win a Championship. While we are talking about Seager, I an incredulous to hear fans talk about moving him to 2B or 3B. Why? He’s one of the best SS in baseball. Period! He’s still young and he’s an MVP candidate when healthy. With a core of Bellinger, Seager, Muncy, and Verdugo being LH, Pollock, Pederson, Freese, Taylor, and Kike are very important RH bats. CT3 has got his mojo back and Doc is trying to get Kike to find his.
We knew that Cody wasn’t going to hit .400 this year, but in his last 30 games, he is hitting .262 with a .378 OB% and slugging .598. The other teams are not pitching to him as much, but what that means to me is that he is fixing to get hot again as he has more teammates to protect him. Baseball is a game of hot and cold, streaks and slumps. Don’t lose your minds over a couple of losses. They may get swept in Boston or break out. It really doesn’t matter in the big picture.
Tonight, it’s Chicken Strip verses Chris Sale. Ross has the better ERA… go figure!
MINOR LEAGUE REPORT BY AC
Outstanding pitching outings by a pair of top 30 prospects. Josiah Gray started for RC and went 7.0 shutout 1 hit innings, while John Rooney went 6.0 shutout 2 hit innings. Both pitchers need to be considered for promotion.
Overall a good night for the Dodgers affiliates…9 games and 8 wins.
OKC Dodgers 6 – Memphis Redbirds 3 (Cardinals)
The Dodgers were down 3-2 going into the 9th. Connor Joe singled to open the inning and Drew Jackson followed with a single. After both Joe and Jackson were balked to 3rd and 2nd, and a ground out, Gavin Lux clutched up and singled in both runners to take the lead. Lux’s single was followed by Will Smith’s 2nd HR on the game (16) for two insurance runs.
Newly acquired Casey Sadler started and went three innings allowing 2 runs. Brock Stewart relieved and went 5.0 innings allowing one run, and got the win. Kevin Quackenbush pitched a scoreless 9th for his 6th save.
The Dodgers had 13 hits, including 6 with 2 each…Gavin Lux, Will Smith, Matt Beaty, DJ Peters, Kyle Garlick, and Connor Joe.
Tulsa Drillers 1 – NW Arkansas 3 (KC)
Justin DeFratus pitched a 10 hit no walk complete game in the loss. The Drillers scored a run in the 9th to break the shutout. Carlos Rincon and Frew Avans each had 2 hit nights. Zach McKinstry hit his 4th triple.
RC Quakes 4 – San Jose Giants 0
In the second shutout on the evening, Josiah Gray started and went an exceptional 7.0 scoreless 1 hit innings. Wes Helsabeck and Max Gamboa each pitched an inning to keep the shutout and victory.
In the 2nd inning, Niko Hulsizer hit his 5th double. After a walk, Hulsizer went to 3rd on a double play ground out, and stole home for the first score of the game. In the 3rd, Connor Wong doubled (15) and scored on a Jeren Kendall single. In the 4th, Jeter Downs singled, stole 2nd and went to third on the throwing error by catcher Joey Bart. Deacon Liput walked and was forced out on a fielder’s choice by Marcus Chiu. Chiu scored on a triple by Brayan Morales (6).
Great Lakes 7 – Cedar Rapids Kernels 0 (Twins)
John Rooney started and pitched a great 6.0 shutout innings. He allowed 2 hits. Guillermo Zuniga and Jasiel Alvino finished the final three shutout innings to complete the victory. The offense was supplied by a pair of 3 run HRs by Jacob Amaya (6) and Hunter Feduccia (3), and a solo HR by James Outman (6).
Ogden Raptors 18 – Idaho Falls Chukars 1 (KC)
And yet the Raptors went off again. This time 18 runs and 19 hits. Kevin Malisheski started and pitched 5.0 shutout innings surrendering 3 hits and 4 walks. Drew Finley yielded 4 walks and the sole Chukars run. Edward Cuello pitched a scoreless 2.0 innings and 6th round draft choice pitched a perfect 9th. The Raptors scored their 18 runs in 5 of their first 6 innings. 10th round draft choice Zac Ching had his first professional 4-hit game. Marco Hernandez had three hits, while Justin Yurchak, Andrew Shaps, Ryan Ward, and Jimmy Titus had 2 hits each. Shaps hit his 1st HR and 3rd double, while Ward hit his 1st triple, Brandon Wulff his 1st double, and Jimmy Titus his 3rd double.
AZL Dodgers Lasorda 13 – AZL Reds 3
Joan Valdez started and went the first 3.0 innings, surrendering all three runs. 3 Lasorda pitchers followed and pitched a spotless 6.0 innings to seal the victory. The Lasordas scored in each of the 1st 5 innings including 4 HRs. Aldrich De Jongh (1), Meaux Landry (2), Yunior Garcia (3), and Julio Carrion (2) supplied the thunder. Rolando Lebron had three hits including 2 doubles (4) and Aldo Espinoza had 2 hits including his 4th double. Edwin Mateo and Wladimir Chalo each had 2 hits.
AZL Dodgers Mota 8 – AZL Angels 4
3rd round draft pick Ryan Pepiot started his first professional game and the 4th game of the season. He pitched 2 scoreless innings. He has now pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in his 4 games, yielding 2 hits, 4 walks, with 10 Ks. Jeffry Abreu followed with 4 and surrendered all 4 runs but got the win. 13th round draft choice Jacob Cantleberry pitched in his 4th game and went 1.2 innings and gave up his 1st hit in 5.0 innings. He has also allowed 1 walk with 6 Ks. Carlos Alejo finished up for his 3rd save.
Diego Cartaya got his hitting stroke back, at least for this game, going 2-5 with his 4th double. Justin Washington (1), Luis Diaz (3), and Imanol Vargas (8) each had doubles on the night.
DSL Dodgers Bautista 2 – DSL Rays (1) 1
4 Bautista pitchers took the hill and went 8.0 shutout innings before allowing a run in the 9th, but held on for the win. Rafael Tua went 4.0 innings to get the win. Luis Yan had a run scoring single in the 4th. In the 6th, after a Jose Ramos walk, and a Harold Restituyo single moved Ramos to 3rd, Ramos scored on a sac fly.
DSL Dodgers Shoemaker 3 – DSL Cubs (1) 2
The Shoemakers got off to a 3-0 lead and held on for the 3-2 win. Benony Robles started and went 4.2 IP, followed by Juan De La Cruz and his 2.1 scoreless innings. Horacio Andujar allowed single runs in the 8th and 9th to close out the victory. The Shoemakers used 4 singles and a Marlon Cairo was the offense for the Shoemakers.
It’s time to bring up Smith and demote Barnes if he has options. If not DFA or trade him. We need another right handed starter. Kershaw at best is a number three or four starter.We know his track record in the playoffs. Maeda can not be trusted because of the long ball and is best suited for the bullpen. We are also vulnerable against left handed pitching.We need a quality right handed bat as we are too left handed. We can’t have Kiki in the everyday lineup but as a platoon player. His role is for late defensive purposes or pitch hitting. A true bench payer. Also if we get another starter, we can leave Urias in the bullpen this season and make him a starter next year. The present roster is constructed for competing in the weak National League,not against the American League power house teams. Andrew F.,are you listening? You have alot of work to do before July 31. Don’t let us down.
Mark, it’s good to see you coming around to my thinking, well almost. I look forward to cheering Smith on and hope he will be the Dodger catcher for a long time. I have always liked Archer and would love for him to be a Dodger. The Pirates would like to have Ruiz, might want to lose Archer’s salary, and might want to get a good reliever or two back if they trade Vasquez so they can continue to compete for a wildcard.
Bums, there is still life in Brock Stewart after all. But he was reincarnated as a reliever last night. He is still not a starter. He should have realized that two or three seasons back, and he might have been a fixture in the pen. But now he is going to be pitching for somebody else next year, as he is truly out of options after this year.
Some pitchers can add a third pitch like Kershaw did with the slider. I was hoping Stewart would have been able to that as well. A few years ago I thought he had great movement on his fastball and I always have liked converted shortstops as pitchers. I am more than ready to let go of Stewart but if he winds up in the bullpen with the Dodgers and doesn’t take too much time between pitches like he did last year, then good for him.
Maybe the Pirates will like what they can now see in Stewart.
The villains in WS 2017: Darvish, Jansen, Kershaw.
The villains in WS 2018: Madson, Jansen; Kershaw.
The Dodgers have to put Kershaw, in October, in only one game per series, and this out of respect, for his career, in no way should start two games in a series. He is our No.4.
That may be your perspective, but the reality is this:
Clayton is well aware of his failings in the post-season. This year he is TOP 10 in Starter ERA, WHIP and while Dodger fans complain he gives up too many HR (13), Justin Verlander has given up 26. Ryu is #1 in ERA and has been otherworldly. The Dodgers have gotten their investment back from Ryu, and if Ryu keeps this up, he could get the nod over Clayton as Game #1 starter, but Buehler’s ERA is 3.46 compared to Clayton’s 3.09. Urias may or may not be in the rotation come playoff time. I could argue that the Dodgers might be better served with him in the pen to do what Eovaldi and Kelly did last year.
Clayton has a 2.68 ERA in his last 7 starts (1.02 WHIP) and is averaging just a tick under 7 IP per start. He is doing that while “re-inventing” himself. It’s an evolution in pitch selection and patterns that I believe will make a big difference. He is dairy-free now which likely helps his back and hips.
Clayton will almost most certainly start game #1 or #2 in any playoff.
I would have started Kersh in the All Star game. He has deserved the start fro a number of years but the Manager started their guy instead of Kersh. Ryu deserved to start but Kersh was owed.
Give me a rested Kershaw and don’t let him talk his way into extra innings after he fades whether that be inthe 5th, 6th, or 7th.
If Urias is not in the rotation in the postseason, it might be a bad sign. He presently has pitched only 51.1 innings (the number is this high thanks largely to starting earlier in the season), and he needs far more than that (maybe 125?) this year in order to make it reasonable that he can be a starter all season next year.
If he succeeds (as expected) as a starter over the next few months, could they really remove him from the rotation for the postseason? If he stumbles as a starter, would they trust him in key situations in crucial games?
I said it yesterday ! Barnes and Kike batting back to back is basically 2 outs. At least Kike can hit home runs and has more offense potential but Barnes just cant hit and strikes out in 3 pitches. He cant hit ML Pitching consistently and should not be the starting catcher anymore ! Send him back to AAA to work on hitting and bring Smith up and let him start the rest of the way. Barnes might be familiar with staff but he is not great on defense either. He cant throw anyone on the bases. Start Taylor and Martin this last 2 games .
Spot on Carlos. Kike and Barnes back to back is a black hole. Damn, we’re in a DH city and the best we could come up with is Kike and Barnes? Get Smith up and CT3 in the line up. He is NOT a defensive problem at 2nd. Defensively Barnes’ decision to go to second on the ball he fielded wasn’t wise and while I did not study the replay, the slow roller to the right side that went for a hit was unfortunate but as I saw it, if anybody had a shot, it was Muncy going to the baseball. Probably a hit anyway. We were all on cloud nine when the Dodgers won 5 walk offs in a row. It would have been just as easy to lose a couple of those games. When added to the current skid, this slump could be worse. No need to worry of course at this point but didn’t I just see that the Yankees now have the best winning percentage in baseball? I hope this skid is a short one as home field would be nice in October.
4 game skid, yep I know, but as Bruce Springsteen would say ” The Boys are Back in Town”… Seager, Freese and A.J. once again solidifies our lineup… Having Freese and A.J around the younger guys is a bonus… Lets get this one today and go from there…
Split on the road and win at home…
Boston pitching 3 lefties in a row makes for a tough return for Seager.
I agree that it is time for Will D. Smith to get recalled and claim the starting catcher position. He needs time to become fully acclimated with ALL of the pitchers, including the relievers (whoever they may be). Barnes does have options, and maybe it is best that he goes back down to OKC to see if he can find it before season’s end. Martin is a more than capable back up catcher, and might be an even better mentor to Smith at the ML level. Seeing Barnes struggle as bad as he is right now is why AF is not going to trade Ruiz. I think AF foresaw a Smith/Ruiz tandem behind the dish.
I am going to pass on Chris Archer. This is not the year to experiment and bring in a starter and convert him to a reliever. Maybe next winter, but not this year. The team needs an elite reliever for this year. Vazquez would fill that void, but I still cannot see Pittsburgh trading him.
Always Compete
Since I always look to you for roster decisions and moves, if you say Barnes has options then yes its time to bring up Smith and option Barnes. That is the better move than to try to trade Barnes in a package deal. I like having a 3rd catcher that can come up when or if an injury occurs. That should be Barnes role in AAA, available to come up if an injury occurs to Smith or Martin.
This next part is not directed towards you Always Compete, just a comment that I didn’t want to use another post for.
Last night on Dodger Talk post game show David Vassegh said the reason why Hernandez started over Taylor is because Dave Roberts likes Hernandez defense over Taylor’s. That is asinine to sacrifice more offense (Taylor) for better defense (Hernandez). If there is a difference in defense there, I don’t see it.
Will Smith is smashing the door down! 19 bombs in 218 ABs!!! What’s the freaking delay? We need a righty bat? He’s in Oklahoma. Barnes still has an option left? Time for a nice little Oklahoma vacation. Maybe Martin’s back needs a flareup. Maybe Martin needs to take over the bulk of the catching to force that flareup.
Barnes will be an adequate backup going forward until Conner Wong develops further. He’s worth holding onto.
Baez is supposed to be one of the guys we can trust? Yikes! This pen needs some help.
Maeda is a solid number 5 starter / reliever in the post season. I have no problem with his performance overall and I think he’s a valuable member of this team.
Team’s have slumps. Call this one a first half hangover after dominating all season. Hell, if we had a lock down pen, we would be on pace for 120 wins. The sky is NOT falling Chicken Little!
18 days for AF to work some magic. Ruiz, Barnes, Pederson, Stripling, Carrillo, and Rios for Vasquez and Chris Archer? Why isn’t Stewart in this deal? How about squeezing Kike in there, in order to keep Doc from sitting CT3?
Can we trade Stewart and Doc to the Red Sox for Cora?
You have more trade value than Stewart.
I would be happy to be included in the trade if it brings us Vazquez. I can’t hit, throw, catch or run anymore, but I can high five and slap ass!
Barnes has simply become painful to watch. Smith may or may not be the long term answer, but at the very least he needs an extended opportunity to claim the starting job.
And it’s almost as painful to watch Kike’ Hernandez. I haven’t checked the stats, but does he even hit lefthanders anymore.
I don’t think moving Seager off of shortstop makes any sense for this year, but with signs that age may be catching up with Justin Turner, thinking about moving him to 3B long-term makes perfect sense to me. I actually think that he has the tools to be a gold glove caliber third baseman.
If Seager was moved to 3B, then the Dodgers would have to consider who to replace him with at short. Between now and next year, I’m confident that the Dodgers could figure out how to do it, be it internally or externally.
Starting pitching is also a concern, both long and short term. There are internal options, but I’m not sure how ready those options are. Trades are a possibility, but those have to be considered in the context of other trades for other needs. AF has his work cut out for him.
Lux Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
He has the arm to play third and has mostly played on the left side of the diamond. Seager is the better shortstop.
Next year the Dodgers might platoon Pederson and Turner at first plus give Turner games at third.
Muncy looks like he can be the second baseman for a few years.
I’m starting a rumor that Joc learns to switch hit during the off season.
Gavin Lux will NOT play 3B! If that was the plan, he would see some time there while in the minors. To this date, he has only ever played second and SS. After Kike and CT3 crapped themselves trying to be the second baseman this year, Lux is the heir apparent.
I could see a scenario where Joc acclimates himself to 1st and avoids being traded in the offseason. If he does, they may just keep Freese around for another year until Joc masters switch hitting (That’s for you Bums). I think Freese likes it here and will follow Utley’s footsteps in sticking around until he can’t do it anymore.
Muncy is going to take over at 3B when Taylor’s contract is up. Lux can ease into the roster next year and be ready to move Max to third the following year with Turner’s departure, or slide back to first if Joc can’t handle the position and gets himself traded.
If Joc doesn’t start hitting again soon, his shelf life on this team will expire sooner than we think with Muncy taking over at 1B and Lux getting a look at 2b.
Totally agree. Both are painful to watch !! They have had plenty of chances to get the starting roles but they really are Mendoza Liners and AAAA types. For backups they are okay but not for starters anymore.
I like both Kike and CT3 better off the bench and in a utility role. They’re old enough not to expect a significant improvement. They are who they are, great defensive utility guys that will surprise you with the bat from time to time.
Bums,
I have also thought of Lux as the potential replacement for Turner at 3B, and no doubt that Turner could play some 1B. But if the Dodgers can find another alternative at short, then I think Seager could become a huge asset at 3B. And at some juncture, I could even imagine Seager at 1B.
And I’m starting a rumor that MLB is going to establish a rule that requires left handed pitchers to throw with their right hand when pitching to Joc, and that under this new rule, Joc will hit 80 HRs next year.
I don’t want to jump on the “I hate Barnes” bandwagon but, I saw a picture of him on the LAT were he’s swinging and I can see that he’s totally out of it! His head is up not tracking the ball, and it appears his eyes are looking in the direction of the pitcher! If that’s how he bats, I could strike him out! Granted it was raining but wow, he’s a major league player. Yeah, he needs to go to OKC.
If you are looking at prospects to include in a trade for a relief pitcher, perhaps include Guillermo Zuniga. In last night’s Loons game there was a group of scouts all using their phones/cameras to catch Zuniga warming up.
I was there. Zuniga was impressive.
This falls into the category of “You can’t make this stuff up:”
Last night, the Angels honored Tyler Skaggs by all wearing his #45. His mom threw out the first pitch, a strike right down the middle. Tylers birthday is today (7/13) so the Angels scored 7 runs in the first and ended up with 13, as two Angel pitchers NO-HIT the Mariners!
Good for the Angels, very heart-warming.
The Dodgers have at least 2 catching prospects with extremely tall ceilings. Wouldn’t want to lock into Smith prematurely. He has looked very good for sure, but I wouldn’t want to get rid of the other 2 any time soon. One looks way too good and the other is way too young to know about. Maybe try to train them at other positions? I don’t know, I just hope the Dodgers can keep up the pace of the 1st half in the 2nd half. Pretty high bar.
From my seat in the bleachers, the FO will not ‘think’ out of the box. They are a conservative group, not a splashy one. They value loyalty, team commitment, and bringing players along at a pace that most of us probably think is too slow. Verdugo is a prime example of this. But they also don’t like to give up on players that they deem as starters. It’s not easy to get removed as an incumbent from this team. And not easy to get promoted to the team through excellent play. The FO has a very acute vision of how it wants this team to look. Many of us probably think of it as a bit narrow, and it may be. No FO is perfect and all of them are prone to mistakes. It’s how many mistakes you make that will determine where you will land at season’s end. This FO hasn’t made many, but it certainly has some holes and is not the sacred cow as in Mark’s vision.
I agree with most of the posters here that Barnes is not our first choice as starter, and maybe not even on this team. I’ve never thought much of him as a starting catcher and will not be sorry to see him replaced by Smith.
The starters, except for Ryu, give me some cause for concern. Buehler, Kershaw, and Maeda are getting creamed lately. Not a little bit, either. Since that Rockies game where Buehler got murdered, the team has not been the same. Too many runs given up. Poor RISPect, too many errors, and insufficient clutch hitting. It all seems to be hitting at once. When we win, it is usually by a small margin. Many low scoring games. Too many experiments with the players, although our margin of victory certainly allows for some of that, it can throw players out of rhythm.
I don’t see any game changing moves that this FO will make before the deadline. It seems to believe in the in-house team it has and I’m sure no one is going to offer us any bargains to make our bullpen better or our batters better against LHP. This is basically it. If they don’t win it all this season, I would expect them to make some big changes. I can’t see Hill returning with his fragility. Enough is enough. They are going to have to pay Ryu big bucks to retain him and they will still need another Ace even with Urias coming up to start. Stripling should be gone, Maeda sent to the BP or traded along with Jansen. A major re-do of the BP is not out of line.
I see them committed to Kike and Joc. They love the idea of versatility and utility. It’s hard to argue with that. Neither of them have a permanent position any longer. Freese will probably be gone next season leaving 1B up for grabs. Can Turner play a full season? It’s not looking like it. Perhaps he will be platooning next year with a protege. I don’t see Joc as our permanent 1Bman. Move Muncy there? Bring up Lux for platooning at 2B and 3B? So many options. Maybe Beaty breaks through for 1B.
Any bets that Pollock gets injured again this season?
7 innings and 3 runs is getting creamed? Other than being left in at Colorado because you can’t burn up your bullpen early in every game when did Buehler get creamed? His last start was 7 innings and gave up 3 ER’s I believe.
June 28, 7 ER’s against Buehler. The bats answered and we won, but Buehler was knocked out in the 6th inning. June 29, a 13-9 loss to the Rockies. Ryu knocked out after 4 innings giving up 7 ER’s. These 2 games began the mini-slump even though we won one of those games. Poor pitching by our starters.
He was knocked out of the Rockies game with those stats because Doc refused to pull him in Denver. I think every pitcher on the staff saw their ERA jump .50 after playing in that ridiculous park. You just have to forget what you see when they play there. Ryu gets rocked every time he pitches in Denver.
I don’t buy your logic. It’s not every game that’s played there that turns into a free for all. It’s obvious that the Dodgers have been on the slide, lately. Today’s game was a decidedly different affair.
Bumsrap- I see you want Joc to become a switchhitter in the off season, but maybe you didn’t notice Mark already has him hitting RH in the above article!
I didn’t catch that. Well, consider Mark believes Stewart will win the Cy Young next year so he does make mistakes.
Smith up and Barnes down.
Archer is of no help to the Dodgers,as a starter or in the pen.
I go with Ryu and Buehler or Buehler and Ryu and then Kershaw.
I probably missed it, but can anyone give me an update on Rich Hill…
Rich may be back in September…
MAY
I understand DR putting Seager in to play but leading off? No way. The top LHH vs LHP are:
Verdugo – .365
Pollock -.333
Belly -.330
Muncy -284
Taylor -.284
Turner -.248
Freese -.247
Kike -.245
Those are our top 8 hitters but it presents a problem, NO catcher. I would put Freese on the bench and insert either catcher. It doesn’t matter since Barnes is 10 points higher than Martin.
As far as where to hit them I would start with Verdudo, Pollock, Turner, Belly, Muncy, Taylor, Kike, C spot
If you always put your best statistical hitters in, then some players will never play and when you need them, they will never be ready… and you will crash and burn.
Case in point: CT3!
Mark
That’s why I like platoons, not only because what you said but also platoons maximizes the offense.
Case in point:
The guys that we have that hit both right handers and left handers at a 750 OPS or better are OF Bellinger, OF Verdugo, 1B Freese, 2B Muncy, 3B Turner.
That’s 5 positions, that leaves 2 positions that should be platooned not counting catcher where Smith should be starting most games with Martin as back up.
The 2 positions that should be platooned are OF Peterson/Pollock (Pollock is injury prone) and SS Seager/Taylor. Look up those 4 guys splits this season if you don’t believe me.
Also Freese and Turner are up there in age so you gotta give them some rest at times, But we have the pieces to take care of that problem so I really don’t need to expand on this. Maybe give Seager some at bats against left handers and Taylor some at bats against right handers.
The point in all of this is:
1 To get Barnes off the team to AAA and get Smith up.
2 To give everyone some playing time (besides Hernandez) and give rest to guys who need it.
3 To maximize the offense.
4 To keep Hernandez from starting and use him only in a pinch hitting role or an emergency start.
Why would Friedman say he wanted to platoon less at the beginning of the year if platoons are so great? The biggest problem with platoons is that you get exposed even worse when forced to see same sided pitchers because you haven’t seen them all year. Now, teams are using openers for that reason. In the postseason when you go to the pen quicker, the exposure gets worse.
Now, look up the career splits for Pollock, Seager and Freese and you will find Pollock and Seager drop off your list, while Freese gets added into it. Low and behold, you wind up with Freese and Joc at 1B, clearly the direction that they’re going with this.
Also, you forget the fact that Freese can NOT play every day because of chronic injury. He was used lightly in the first half accumulating less than 120 ABs, went on the DL for “nagging right knee tendinitis” and stayed there because of a hamstring issue. At 36 years old and 11 seasons in the bigs, he’s just not up to playing every day. He’s even mentioned it in interviews.
First I said Freese needs rest. Also I said Seager would get at bats against left handers due to Freese and Turner needing rest. Also my scenario gives Taylor some playing time. Also those career stats you pointed to are very similar in both scenarios. Also I’m talking during the regular season and not the playoffs, we’ll see where we are come that time. The biggest thing we disagree on is you value Pollock more than Freese and I value Freese more than Pollock.
But that’s cool.
No Mark you took that wrong. That lineup was only vs LHP. I’m not sure but I dare say that RHP comprise at least 60-65% of the majors pitchers. Maybe I’m wrong, If I am, please educate me.
OPS is a way better stat to look at.
Batting average includes lucky hitting and doesn’t include walks and doesn’t tell you anything about power.
I do not know if anyone can answer this or not. I have searched the internet and could not find an answer so will leave it to those who are far more knowledgeable than I. Names intrigue me, so I was wondering if anyone knew if Tyler Skaggs was related to Sam Skaggs of American Stores or Luke Raley was related to the Raley grocery stores family. Also wondered how Raley is doing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Skaggs
If one were to assume that because there is no mention of his father in the Wikipedio bio, then maybe his father was not in his life.
Good point, Bums. Just a curiosity question is all. They could be grandchildren, nephews or cousins etc. Their names stood out to me and I think they were drafted by the Dodgers maybe?
Call me crazy but I think Verdugo should never sit against a LHP. He should not be a victim of a roster crunch even tho he is a rookie to get everyone PT. I mean when you’re batting .365 against LHP you dont get benched, even tho o can see why Roberts did it, I want to see Alex face elite LHP because that is what we will see in October
I thought that I wasn’t going to see Kike and CT3 in the same lineup for a while now that everyone is back. I was wrong.
Thumbs UP!
Just popped up on my phone. Red Sox acquired Andrew Cashner fur minor leaguers. It won’t happen, but I wish they would start him against the Dodgers.
Someone said that it was a bad idea to have Seager hitting lead off last night. I disagree. Seems like the best way to get him extra at bats, which he needs to get his timing back.
I agree!
That actually should have been done in the minors while on the IL.
I hate platoons. Find your 8 starters and play them. No way you can stay sharp by playing 3-4 games a week. I am old fashion, I know. Therefore, Joc would be my fourth outfielder. Verdugo, Pollack, and Bellinger would be my starting outfield. Muncy, Taylor, Seager and Turner would be my infielders. Let Kike be your sub. I just believe you have to bring Smith up now, or after August 1. You have to give him time to familiarize himself with the pitchers. Kershaw said he loved throwing to Smith. We need another Roy Campanella behind the he plate. Barnes is not the answer. Bench would be Joc, Freese, Kike and Barnes.
It is time to take the kid gloves off of Urias. Urias, Beuhler, Kershaw and Ryu the starters. I am not a fan of Stripling or Maeda. They are ok for the 5th starter, but we can do better. Bring Goslin up as the fifth starter. You will not need him anyway for the playoffs. Give him experience. Put Stripling and Maeda in the pen after August 1. Let them pitch out of the pen for two months. Then find out who your best seven relievers are. It would be nice to have a left handed reliever, but not necessary. Alexander, no. Let the pitchers pitch an inning. They seem to do better.
I hate Docs line ups. I always have and still do. Put your best 8 out there and lets play ball.
If Joc is not a starter against RHP, you lose 20 HR. Who replaces that?
7 Starters and some form of a Joc / Belly / Freese platoon at 1B. If Joc can handle 1st it’s a straight platoon. If he can’t, Belli plays first and Joc plays left against righties. Let Kike and Taylor each start once a week to keep guys fresh. Call up Will Smith and option Barnes. Let Barnes figure out how to hit in the minors like they should have done with CT3 earlier this year.
I could have been a “standout” minor league pitcher, but early on, I understood that my stuff would not play at the major league level. I am of the opinion that you “play up” to your competition. I doubt that CT3 would have solved his problems at the minor league level. CT3 NEVER should have been demoted, but Austin has earned it.
AJ “Freaking” Pollock!
Exactly why we got him. He hits the elite pitchers. he made a couple of nice grabs last night as well. When it’s all said and done, there’s gonna be a lot of crow to be eaten.
Eat crow? Is that how you talk to fellow Dodger fans? And a lot of them.
Eat it!
Mark
?
So Mark do you not want me to post here anymore? It sure seems like it and that’s fine just let me know. I guess I offended someone. Which is a shame, we are all Dodger fans here so I don’t see the problem, but that’s OK. What ever is best for you.
If you rest the 3 outfielders one game each week, Joc will get 3 games against right hand pitchers. Barnes has had time to prove himself. He has not. I am very loyal, but not to the extent that I would not put the 8 best on the field.
I mentioned it last night that it didn’t seem that Kike’ hits lefthanders anymore. Looked that way his first time up tonight. And why can’t Verdugo face the tough lefty? Why not Verdugo in LF, and CT3 at 2B?
Because if you only look at stats, Verdugo will never come out!
The thing that really bothers me is that they take him out even though he was their best hitter last night. Who does that? The computer?
They are trying to keep everyone “fresh.” That’s the long and short of it.
Lol. Stop trying Mark. Glad you’re on board dealing Ruiz for Vasquez. Unlike Hand I think he will be available for the right price. I also think he’s a guy who not only helps the Dodgers immensely but acquiring him also keeps Atlanta and others from bringing him in to shutdown the Dodgers lefties. If the front office believes in Smith he should be promoted in the next two weeks.
1) They love the “Platoon Advantage”
2) They think / want / hope Kike hits lefties since he’s had pretty extreme splits over the years
3) Kike will probably go on a 2 month tear soon, like he does every year
Kike’s probably at the plate are between his ears like most players during slumps. I would like to see the player fixed off the bench and with a whole lot of work in the cages with the coaches. Roberts et al seem to like to play their players out of slumps.
Personally, I hate when Kike and CT3 are in the same lineup, but I like them a lot as bench / utility guys. Both of them can play every position on the field with above average defense. I would like to see them each start one game a week to keep them fresh, maybe 2 when guys are banged up.
Chris Sale is not long for this game at 59 pitches through 3. Belli should have taken a couple.
Is Urias gonna piggy back this game?
Corey Machado….I hate that stupid habit of make swing at the first pitch always !!
BTW………Happy birthday Cody!!
There you go Kike! Don’t do anything stupid on the bases.
Trade watch – – – Omar Estevez pulled after one at bat in Tulsa. Probably has the flu or something, but at this time of year it’s an interesting development
Joe Kelly strikes again. He’s the savior of the bullpen.
They have been getting more innings from the starters this year for a reason.
Not Joe,
Not Wild Man,
Machine Gun!
Who wants to HATE on AJ Pollock again?
I CAN’T HEAR YOU!
That was the ugliest HR ever. I hope he keeps it up.
The litmus test for Pollock will be a much larger sample size than a couple of games. But, glad to see him swinging.
By your logic, Barnes is a keeper with his triple and an rbi.
A good bounce back game for the Blue. If they continue to play like this, the sky’s the limit.
How about Muncy’s play on the bases! He ran from 1st to HP on a fielding indifference and then a bad throw. That is an alert player who was paying attention.
For those of you who say the Dodgers should not switch Joc Pederson to 1B during the season… witness Vazquez at 1B for Boston.
I’m not sure that’s a selling point.
I’m not saying it is. 😉
Thank goodness for my iPhone. NYC has a massive power adage, so they interrupted the game, and haven’t gone back to it. I live in Long Island, outside the city, so the outage hasn’t affected me. They’re still not going back to the game, so I’m switching to my computer.
Last weekend, when we were in NYC, we went to this place:
https://mayanoki.com/
We had a party of 5 and the check was $1,400.00 (I know because I paid). Once in a lifetime GOOD!
My wife and sons in Brooklyn:
It’s easy to get a giant bill like that in an upscale sushi joint. There was a place out in Lake Las Vegas where the sushi chef’s father or grandfather was the chef for the emperor of Japan. We told me to just make whatever he thinks is good and keep it coming.
Brooklyn, my home town!
Sad news:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27184110/hofer-bob-gibson-says-pancreatic-cancer
My brother died from this awful disease at the age of 33.
That’s something you can’t beat.
Sorry for your loss.
Gibby was/is a fighter.
Godspeed!
Sorry to hear that. Our good friend, Regina next door, just died of the same disease.
Let me repeat my opening salvo:
4 game skid, yep I know, but as Bruce Springsteen would say ” The Boys are Back in Town”… Seager, Freese and A.J. once again solidifies our lineup… Having Freese and A.J around the younger guys is a bonus… Lets get this one today and go from there…
Split on the road and win at home…
Bad looking wheels M.T. No wonder they charged you that much!!!
That victory felt good, real good. You start to wonder if maybe Boston has our number, especially since Friday’s game looked a lot like last October. Finally, Boston got a taste of what NL teams receive from us on a regular basis. Bombs, bombs, and more bombs. I’m sure it’s out there, but I’m willing to wager we lead baseball in number of solo HRs. Or at least the NL.
I’m envisioning a Sept and October run, where Verdugo, Seager, and Turner are finally locked in at the top of the batting order and suddenly, Bellinger, Muncy, and Pollocks blasts are regularly of the 2, 3, 4 run variety.
To use an adage more commonly used in football, the best defense is a good offense. Or in our case, the best way to help our relief pitching is giving a boost to the offense, which multi-RBI homers may represent.
I’m for staying the course. I don’t like giving up prospects, unless they’ve flatlined or are redundant. That’s certainly not the case for our top 4 prospects, where all four of them play positions that are immediately pressing or soon-to-be pressing needs. Plus, they all play the more important positions (starting pitching, catcher, potentially SS). Willie Calhoun and even Diaz didn’t really qualify on these fronts.
I don’t like potentially weakening multiple shots at a ring, to better our shot for a single year. Too many times, the best team doesn’t win the WS, but the hottest. So, I agree with the strategy that the best way to win a WS is make sure you’re in the dance on a regular basis, and hope you catch fire. This will be our 7th consecutive invite to the dance, and we have yet to truly go nuts offensively. I think we’re due, but if not, I’d rather we not weaken our chances at a 8th, 9th, 10th, etc consecutive invite.
That said, I think we will catch fire this year and the prospects we held onto over the last few years will lead the way. I see Bellinger going nuts with 2-3 guys regularly on base to knock runs in. I can see Verdugo leading the team in runs at the top of the order. I see Urias basically being what Eovaldi was for Boston last year. I can see Will Smith and Joc Pederson getting some crucial pinch hits. I can see Walker Buehler winning the deciding game.
Last night with Freeze on second & Bellinger batting, Freeze didn’t go to third on a pitch all the way to the backstop. That cost Belly an RBI as he flied out plenty deep enough to score Freeze from third which is where he should have been.
We still need bullpen help!
What bothers me is that too many of these guys come into the game looking as though they expect to lose. Scott Alexander is an example. He looks frightened all the time. Jansen performs usually, but even he doesn’t appear to care much about what will happen. We need a guy with a killer instinct oozing from every pore!