The Arizona Fall League started nearly a month ago and Tonight they will have their All-Star Game and the Dodgers will be represented by one player, namely Brett de Geus, who has blossomed into an excellent prospect since signing for $75,000 as a 33rd-rounder from Cabrillo (Calif.) JC in 2017, developing a 93-98 mph fastball with running action, a hard slider and a power curveball. He excelled in his full-season debut in 2019, posting a 1.75 ERA, .205 opponent average and 72/13 K/BB ratio in 61 2/3 innings between two Class A levels.
He has continued that progress in the AFL where he has appeared in 5 games, spanning 6.1 innings. He has allowed just 2 hits and walked 1 while striking out 7. His ERA is 0.00 and his WHIP is 0.47. The RHP will be 22 next month and is a “closer in the making.” A guy with his kind of stuff and control can rise to the top very quickly. I predict he will be in the LA Bullpen NEXT season… likely not in April, but I’ll put his arrival sometime around July.
While we are talking about bullpen pieces, the Dodgers have three others who could also see time in LA next season as well. Although none are as nearly ready as de Geus
- Geraldo Carrillo – 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP (working on his slider)
- Mitch White – He has only logged 3 innings as they are working him as a reliever and trying to “smooth out” his delivery. This is a guy that if the light ever comes on, he will be lights out.
- Marshall Kasowski – He has 5.1 IP and is working on his control and trying to add a slider.
Let’s take a quick glance on the offensive side:
- Justin Yurchak – 8 AB; .444 OB%; 1.035 OPS
- Omar Estevez – 51 AB; .345 OB%; .639 OPS He doesn’t have much power as he only has 1 extra-base hit.
- Jeren Kendall – Here’s all you need to know: 24 strikeouts in 46 AB’s
- Devin Mann – .356 OPS as they are tinkering with his launch angle.
It’s easy to pronounce almost all the players, except de Gues as failures, but most are there working on a certain skill. You never know how it will turn out. I do know that Brett de Gues is popping eyes.
Dodger News
- Think what you will about Clayton Kershaw, he’s a standup guy: “I’m not going to hang my head. I’m going to be here and continue to try to fight, continue to try to compete. I’m not going to run away from it. … Everything people say is true right now about the postseason. I understand that. Nothing I can do about it right now. It’s a terrible feeling. It really is.” Clayton is evidently healthy. Maybe this is the impetus for him to learn another pitch (changeup?).
- I think the longer the Dodgers go without signing Andrew Friedman, the less likely it becomes.
- I have heard that if David Freese wants to continue playing he faces multiple surgeries and a long rehab. If not for his injuries, he would have stated every playoff game. I think he retires.
- Rich Hill and Rus Martin could be back at deep discounts (I doubt it), but Gyorko, Freese, and Ryu will walk. At 33, I would not sign Ryu.
- I would rather sign Gerritt Cole to a 7 year/ $250 million dollar deal.
- I still think Alex Castellanos makes a lot of sense, especially in light of no compensation required. I would take him over Rendon.
- I’ll give you a lot to think about later next week, but think about this: How were most successful bullpens constructed?
Thanks for the AFL update. Totally agree about Clayton Kershaw. Just a class act and still a really good pitcher. Sad that some fan would throw his jersey on the field or throw one down in the parking lot and drive over it. Many people I know are really angry, honestly, anger like I’ve never seen before. But most aren’t dumping on Kershaw. Roberts yes and the organization, management and ownership, in particular. I don’t think the anger goes away. The TV contract has certainly upset people, but this is deeper. People are beginning to question whether Kasten and ownership is willing to go all in to win a World Series. Sign the big free agent, which may cost money, but the Dodgers have plenty of that. Or is Stan Kasten rolling out the west coast version of his old Atlanta Braves teams. More than ever before, the Dodgers are on the hot seat and the flames are growing more intense. This isn’t the usual, hey we’ll win it next year crowd. If they don’t make a big splash, signing Cole or making a significant trade, the organization’s credibility spirals downward. People will continue to ask, do they really want to win it all, or is this just some corporate money making machine that will put a good product on the field to keep the cash flowing, but not make the big deal because it will hurt the bottom line? I really like Ryu, but who would give you a better chance to win it all, Cole or Ryu? They obviously need a right handed bat and Castenellanos would fit the bill. Acquiring Rendon would require moving pieces, which might end up hurting more than helping. This is an incredibly important moment for Dodger management and ownership. No tap dancing around this. They need to recognize it. Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe Cole will get less than $250 mil and I certainly think the Dodgers need to make him a priority. Risky, yes. But the reward could be game changing and the Dodgers can afford it. The Dodgers clearly need to understand that perception is 98 percent of reality. Perception, right now, is a serious problem for the organization.
He is not the one that lost the game. Game was tied. Team had home field advantage. Roberts influenced probably by AF let Kelly pitch and miraculously had a clean 9th inning but letting him on the game starting the 10th was just your pushing your luck and then walking the first batter should had been a warning sign of things to come and yet he did not made any move. I know Jansen has struggled this year but you had to go with him or someone else. Kelly has been a disaster all season and can throw one good inning and look amazing but has no command or confidence it seems and barely pitched in September. That was the game right there.
Kershaw did not respond after getting out in amazing fashion and even looked upbeat and confident but next inning was a disaster. You cant blame Roberts for using Kershaw , the problem was using Kelly and not protecting the game because Dodgers were home field and had the advantage if they had gotten to the bottom of the 10th tied up. I was upbeat about Dodgers hiring Roberts a few years back as he had played with the team and was a gritty player that i thought as manager would be aggressive and make the team play like he played stealing bases and being more aggressive manufacturing runs but he is not much better than Mattingly and has become a puppet extension of AF and Front Office. A Yes man and stubborn arrogant type. I like him but i think there should be a move . He has been good during the season and Dodgers did made progress with hitting this year but still there are a lot of players that struggled on second half and are like Robots out there and still too much swing and miss and all or nothing approaches and players that cant make adjustments and deliver in the clutch.
But more than Roberts. AF is responsible with horrible signings like Kelly and Pollock overpaying for so so players that have more fame and name than what they really are. Both are kind of injury prone and not that good . Not Replacing Puig and Kemp with a better bat was no upgrade and not upgrading the Bullpen was not a priority for him. I think AF should be held responsible for this and i am sure he almost manages the team and Roberts even with game decisions. I think Coaching staff should also be analyzed and changes should happen. I like Seager but he is not the superstar that was predicted and plays like a rookie in playoffs and cannot let the game come to him and even Bellinger regressed in second half and was awful in post season but has more potential and tools and has not been injury prone as Seager.
I think Don Mattingly was really bad at making decisions in playoff games but i think now Roberts has the crown in this. Doldgers are a good and deep regular season team but they seem to not been able to win the close games and in playoffs because they depend too much on the 3 run or solo home runs. Seager is good player but has become kind of Robot is not fast enough and is a free swinger that strikes out too much. Kike and Taylor are good subs but too similar. Lineup is too left handed heavy and only one that can steal a base is Bellinger. The team cant really manufacture runs and protect leads in close games and Roberts just cant handle pitching changes and decisions .
I really feel so bad for Clayton. He took all the loss upon his shoulders but for anyone watching that game, there was more than enough blame to go around. One thing I wondered about was the decision to pitch both him and Kelly 2 innings. Was that Robert’s decision or a front office directive?
I was wondering the same. Furthermore, did Honeycutt and Geren approve of the decision to put Kershaw out there for the 8th? Kelly for the 10th? It’s understood that Roberts makes the final call but it would be interesting to find out whether those two agreed or warned against those decisions.
I do not think we will ever know, Jason, so I guess it is best to just wonder about it. All else is speculation which I have been guilty of this year.
Those are excellent questions to ask AF when he addresses the media.
All Roberts, obviously.
I’m still stunned they put out a report that Roberts will return.
Just Public relations. AF and Dodgers want to be politically correct. But this would be stupidity 101 to really do this.
Good to see Carlos speaking more nonsense.
Ok Bruto !
Ok….Casty. Fine. But JT’s days are numbered. Who takes over 3rd when he’s gone? There’s no one in the minor league pipeline.
Casty is still a horrible defender, but looking at Howie Kendrick’s blunders in that series compared to what he did in end, I’m leaning towards offense over defense.
I don’t blame Kershaw. I feel bad for him. He should not have been put in that situation. Roberts is always saying that his goal is to put the players in the best situation to succeed. He most emphatically did not with that move. Kershaw should’ve been saved in case it went to extra innings.
May should’ve pitched the 7th, whoever righty matched up best against Rendon should’ve pitched to him, Kolarek should’ve pitched to Soto, whatever righty should’ve pitched to Kendrick, preferably Kenda cuz he is probably best at pitching subsequent innings so he comes out to pitch the 9th. If he falters, go with Kelly. Keep Baez in reserve to save and extra inning game.
Regarding Kershaw, I too have been thinking about the change. With the curve that he has, I would have thought that he had large hands (Koufax had humongous hands—very long fingers), which I believe are necessary to throw a really good change. Yet I believe that I read something this past year which indicated that Kershaw’s hands are not all that large. I’m just guessing, but maybe that’s the root of his change up problem.
Of the players I’d like to see the Dodgers sign, Gerrit Cole is at the top of my list. And unless there’s someone I’m not thinking of, Rendon is my #2. Castellanos can no doubt hit. Defense is a whole different matter. And Rendon offers more flexibility. He’s insurance against a JT decline, and his presence also would allow JT to shift over to 1B (where Rendon could also play). And although Castellanos is a good hitter, Rendon is better.
And since Castellanos doesn’t cost a draft pick, why no sign both, especially since Joc could likely bring back significant talent in a deal.
Brett de Geus may well be a rising star, and perhaps on the fast track towards LA. But other than a short stint in the Fall League, he’s still mostly unproven against more advanced hitters. Since I’ve never actually seen him, I reserve judgment. Fact is, I was really excited by Gavin Lux when he came up (and I’m still excited for 2020 and beyond), but clearly he still has some growing to do. And I suspect the same may be true for de Geus. And then again he may just be a precociously talented young pitcher.
Lux is not ready yet and putting him on September playing everyday you could see he was not ready and maybe not even worth a postseason roster spot. I am still amazed why Tony Gonsolin was not on postseason roster. He would have been a better choice than Kelly and Stripling. He pitched well and seems to be more dominant and has more mentality to attack hitters around the zone than these other 2 guys that throw too many wasted pitches.
After Brett de Geus went to the bullpen at the start of the season, he quickly became my dark horse candidate, and someone to watch. He was in many of my minor league reports as he
was consistently performing. He was not a very good starter, but his “stuff” plays from the pen. Just like with Caleb Ferguson from 2016, he quickly became a favorite. I am glad one of my dark horses came through because my other candidate was Zach Willemin and he did not have quite the year I was hoping for. I also struck out on Jesen Therrien, who did not pitch this year. de Geus is the type of pitcher the Dodgers are looking for. They are now looking at pitchers who may have a better aptitude for relieving. I look for de Geus to get to AA in the very early part of 2020, and then make AAA.
I came across a short video clip online of the game #5 wrap-up show on MLB Fox w/ Kevin Burkhardt, A-Rod, Papi and Frank Howard. Burkhardt asked if the Dodgers failure was solely a Doc issue, a CK issue or an organizational issue. They were all over the board but one of them opined poignantly; why was is it fans and pundits seldom blame AF for the debacle and why does he he consistently get a “free pass.”
He pointed out the AJ and Kelly signings and the failure at the deadline to improve the BP. I suspect next week in the interim days between the end of the LCS and the start of the WS we’ll get an idea as to whether or not AF is coming back, and I believe he will be brought back.
It’s time to name a full-time GM, name a new bench coach with someone who can provide different insight and perspective for Doc, elevate Mark Prior to the pitching coach. If AF is not brought back I don’t see that as an insurmountable loss. Maybe a new voice, a new direction would be a good thing.
Frank Howard ? You probably meant Frank Thomas !!
Wow! I’m old and you’re are correct
Castellanos would be a nice addition. Many rag on his defense, but he has only made 6 errors in 320 games playing the outfield (.990). With the Dodger’s success in positioning players I’m sure that would improve his defense as far as getting to more fly balls. Where his defense was awful was at third base. I think that’s where his “can’t play defense” may have developed. What does concern me is that he averages 130 strikeouts a season (25%). And, who gets moved, Verdugo or Pederson? And, what to do with Pollack? Gerrit Cole has to be the #1 target for the Dodgers. They may lose a first round draft pick, but it can afford to do so with the strength of our farm system. And, a Ryu QO may recoup that lost pick. Regardless, Cole needs to be pursued. With Rendon, it would be a great addition, but I don’t see the Dodgers spending the money to bring him aboard. Especially if they can sign Cole.
I think the Dodgers will look hard internally (minors) to restock their bullpen. We know AF doesn’t like to spend or trade for “current” top relief pitchers. Which is understandable. Over and over we witnessed many of 2018 shutdown relievers fail big time in 2019.
I’m very disappointed that the Dodgers retained Roberts. All the trades, signings, and rookie additions aren’t going to make any difference when the playoffs arrive and Roberts is given the opportunity to continue to make inexplicable, heading scratching, stupid, and WTF moves to undermine the chance for victory. I still walk around thinking “WHY” ?
Here’s to a successful 2020 season and “a light comes on”post season for the starship that is Doc Roberts.
I’m ready to move on from both AF and Roberts. We all know the idiocy of how the back end of the pitching was managed. Now, let me point out that the biggest chokers were all given new contracts by AF this offseason. Kershaw and Doc signed extensions, Poolock and Kelly were the “big” free agent acquisitions. The entire world knew that the pen was a problem and all we do at the deadline is pick up a cast-off loogy, who was good, but was also standing in the pen when the game tying homer was launched by a lefty. That’s a whole lot of failure for a couple of guys that get to keep their jobs.
I’m clearly in denial hoping that AF moves on and the new guy comes in and fires Doc. I was chastised by suggesting Scioscia, while most are suggesting the obvious choice of Maddon. I think we need a different perspective than the analytics driven disciples of Friedman. When you build an organization, you need people with different opinions and insights, not a bunch of people who see things the same way. Scioscia got a bad rap from dissenting from Dipoto. What the hell has Dipoto done? Scioscia, on the other hand, has a ring on one hand as a player and another on his other hand as a manager.
Team needs Old School manager like Sciossa or Dusty Baker type. AF has to go. Need to go back to Dodger Way all this sabermatrics nerds dont win championships. Doc has been an extension of the FO. Does not have the charisma or mentality.
The Astros and Red Sox are both led by Sabermetrics nerds, genius.
What did the Red Sox do this year ??
The year after they won the World Series?
Didn’t make the playoffs, like the Astros did.
Read this, Einstein…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeigel/2016/02/26/whats-on-deck-after-boston-red-sox-send-sabermetrics-analytics-and-moneyball-to-the-showers/#2940cc692a11
So interesting and so relevant! It’s more than three and a half years old.
Here’s one from the year they won the Series:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/10/29/analytics-scouting-money-alex-cora-how-red-sox-became-one-historys-great-teams/
And another from this year:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2019/04/06/red-sox-among-teams-committing-increased-resources-analytics/40Jg5ZXZbVjdpHcrbBHQiM/story.html
I liked Scioscia for manager here at one time, but not now. I like Maddon better. But it’s moot, they will bring back Roberts. And if Byrnes is GM, I have no confidence in him at all, based on his short term as GM at San Diego. He would be a corporate, no-waves type of hire. Maybe ownership is tired of spending money on the front office? Remember the dream team we had in the front office? They all left but Byrnes, we did not replace any of them.
The FA acquisitions this last offseason were poor. I always wonder how much of that is the ownership’s refusal to offer a long-term contract to a major FA, thus leaving Friedman to search around in the lower tier of FAs. I think that the worst gambles around are those lower-tier FAs, I’d rather save the money on two of them and spend it on one top-tier FA. Friedman is not perfect, few are. But I really wonder how someone not as smart as he is would implement the ownership’s vision of cost-controlled prospects and a few odds and ends picked up cheaply from other organizations. It really could all collapse under someone else. As to rehiring Roberts, I’m sure that was ownership’s decision, Kasten assured everyone all last season that Roberts would be coming back. Supposedly, Roberts was Mark Walter’s original choice, while Friedman wanted Kapler, for better or worse.
If Friedman leaves, the Dodgers are in big trouble, unless they hire a top GM from another club, which is unlikely. They are likely to promote Josh Byrnes. Friedman has made mistakes, is not perfect. But he has very well implemented the owners version of “Moneyball.” To be a top MLB franchise, you need to spend a lot of money, or you need to spend a fair amount, and have a very smart GM navigate things. Without either, you fall behind several franchises, and that may be the result for us.
Announcing the return of Roberts was an insult. His managing in the playoffs was ludicrously bad. He did not do a good job in the previous playoffs of this last two years, but using Kershaw here, when virtually everyone thought it was a bad idea, and it was, reflects a stubbornness and and arrogance. Managerial decisions are always subject to second-guessing, but that doesn’t mean, as the on-air Dodger flaks say each year, that it’s all silly. The fans do not pay the salaries, but in some sense they do, of course, and they also put their time and support behind the team. To let the manager virtually throw away the entire season’s work because of some kind of hunch, or idea of a grand gesture, is unacceptable.
Roberts seems like a bright man, has a UCLA degree. But that does not make him a good strategist. I’ve heard enough of his postgame reviews, to realize that he does not seem to be able to game ahead, or to figure out what the other team might do. Joe Torre may or may not have been overrated, even with his five championships, but I heard his postgame reviews, and he knew what all the better managers do, that if you make one move, they will make another, so you have to figure out what matchup you would prefer. In one game this year, Roberts inserted Kolarek when it was obvious that the other team would use a right-handed pinch hitter. They did, and Kolarek gave up a hit to him, and then Roberts took him out. And he has very little insight as to when to take out pitchers, witness yanking HIll twice in WS games, and having the bullpen blow the leads. This time, he put in a pitcher who is not a reliever, was not pitching very well, has problems in the first innings. The result was not at all surprising, And then he stood up there and told everyone that he felt very good about his decision, blah, blah. Why would you want him to come back again and screw up more key games? Maybe the ownership figures that we won’t get that far again, so we do not need a good playoff manager? This was not just one of those things, it is a manager who simply does not have a grasp of percentages, of the best choices available, but who games out a strategy in advance, and then sticks to it.
I agree with sbuffalo that unless something dramatic is done, a major pickup or two, the fan base is going to be more than upset. We won 106 games over a long season and then only two playoff games, and the manager blew the last one. Also, some key players did not hit at all. How exciting would it be if Bellinger or Pollock or Seager got a big hit in an early season win over Arizona? Not very. Does anyone look forward to hearing Roberts give us his postgame reviews, which consist of repeating what happened in the game? One can say all one wants about how it was a great year, a lot of wins , etc., but the end result was unacceptable. Many fans are not going to feel inclined to be as involved in another long season. And if they hire Byrnes as GM, and if they don’t do major things to give us one of the best rosters, we may see a good deal less interest overall, which is a shame, but certainly understandable.
There’s a lot of assumptions that you’re making. The first is that the next guy will not be as smart as AF. Right now, I’m not so sure that AF is any smarter than Ned and certainly there’s a list of guys who have actually won championships where AF has not. Another assumption is that it was Doc’s decision to go with Clayton, afterwards we here it was a consensus decision, meaning it was not his decision alone. If that’s the case, what the hell is he supposed to say if it wasn’t his decision? I am by no means defending Doc, but I’m done giving AF the benefit of the doubt. It’s time for him to put up or shut up. Yet another assumption is that they give the job to Josh Byrnes. I’m not sure that’s automatic. Does Dave Dombrowski have a job right now? I know that he’s got two things that AF doesn’t have, just like Scioscia and that’s two freaking rings.
Moneyball is bullshit! The best chance of winning the World Series is to get there often? That’s a Billy Beane quote. What the hell does he know? How many rings does he have? I think it’s time to develop a new philosophy.
Who has heard it was not 100% Roberts’ decision to go with Kershaw??!?!?!?!?!!?!?
David Freese has announced his retirement. It is time, but I will miss him.
Me, too. It was great to have him as a Dodger. Professional i all respects, and the kind of smart and effective. hitter we have had too few of in the last decade or more. Why that is, is not an easy question to answer.
Give Matt Kemp a chance. Sign him to minor league contract spring training invitee so he can replace Freese role. How bad of a 1b can he be as Freese could barely play on the field anymore.
He would be really bad.
29 other teams passed on Kemp but magically Kemp will be great again?
I’ll have what he’s smoking.
Kemp is outta baseball for good.
With respect to Clayton Kershaw, I think he has come to grips about his playoff miscues ( I am being nice). But he is still Clayton Kershaw and he deserves to be a lifetime Dodger. But he is no better than a #3 or #4 as he is right now. He seems to realize that his legacy needs a WS championship and that he needs to change for him to be a positive force in that endeavor. While Dallas is his home, the Rangers are not close to being contenders, and Clayton is a 10/5 player so any talk about trading him and his salary is ignorant as he will not waive his no trade rights. He will be a Dodger for the next two years, and his ability to adjust will determine his overall legacy. But the team needs that co-Ace to go along with Buehler, and that is not Clayton anymore. Gerrit Cole is the obvious choice and the Dodgers need to go all out and sign him.
Good post, AC. Gerrit Cole would be a perfect fit for this rotation and the help that he would give the up and comers like Urias, May, & Gonsolin, would be invaluable for the team’s future. It is the future that we all are looking towards and good baseball acquisitions are essential for a team. Make a few mistakes, and you find yourself in the Dodger’s position, sitting in front of their TV watching the playoffs.
From the comments I’ve seen about JT, it seems like most of you expect him to be gone after his contract expires in 2020. Yes, he’s been out with his share of injuries but remember the odds are pretty good that the NL will have the DH beginning in 2022.
I’d love to sign Rendon and move JT to first for next year and then try to keep him around as a first baseman/utility guy for 2021 and as the DH for a couple of years following that. I could see him hitting well into his late 30’s. It’s playing in the field everyday that’s going to be a hardship for him.
I think JT will end his career as a Dodger. I do believe that the NL will get the DH, and JT will be a great candidate. I think he is the Chase Utley for the Dodgers after 2020.
Zaidi to interview Gabe Kapler for SF managerial position.
Wow, never thought about Gabe in SF but it makes sense. That said, I bet he doesn’t get the job.
Maybe Andrew would like to become the new Giants GM under Farhan. Great opportunity to help rebuild a struggling franchise. 🙂
1st Priority of business : Trade Joe Kelly !!
Watching the Nationals breeze through the Cards lineup makes me still rue Roberts blundering.
Totally agree.
This has been the hardest one to take.
Nats did pretty much the same to the Dodgers after the 2nd inning in game 5. Or maybe they’re really using an unjuiced ball in the post-season. Game 1: 2-0 and now after 8 innings Game 2 it is 3-1. Not to mention Will Smith’s drive to the fence in the 8th inning that the entire Dodgers bench thought was a walk-off that would have had them playing at Dodger Stadium tonight.
You can’t walk off in the 8th. There were plenty of opportunities to play in this series and Will Smith’s fly ball was just one of them. I still can’t believe Roberts isn’t answering for this. Maybe they don’t feel right firing him because it wasn’t his decision to pitch Kershaw. That and the fact that he won 106 games.
Urgh, this is going to be a really long off-season. They had better change something.
Looking at the bright side again, they’re going to have to spend some money with all the money coming off the books. I would be surprised, and it would be very ballsy of the front office to have a middle of the pack payroll after missing out once again.
59,
The 8th inning reference was clearly an inadvertent error. And I agree that you sometimes (most of the time) have to win when you have a 3-run lead. However, the Dodgers also squandered several opportunities to tack on runs. They needed to keep their foot on the Nats’ neck. But that being said, I also recognized the pitching failures at the end of the game. But I was uneasy throughout the game that the Dodgers were not applying more offensive pressure.
I’d like to see the Dodgers make a major effort in the FA market this year. It has it’s risks, but there is no doubt that if it’s done right, it could serve a significant revenue booster.
Nats win 3-1 to go up 2 games to 0. Total of 6 runs scored by both teams in those 2 games. Not proof that the baseball has been tampered with, but it is suspicious.
If memory serves, Will Smith hit that ball in the bottom of the 9th. The game went 10 innings. And I was only commenting about the ball being used. If you read anything I wrote, you know that I complained more about the Dodgers inability to tack on runs after the 2nd inning than anything else.
You’re memory serves right, it was the 9th, but you wrote the 8th. That’s fine to complain about not tacking on runs, but sometimes you have to win with a three run lead. Ask the Nats who just won two games without tacking on runs.
Bluto, maybe I’m just reading between the lines about it not being Roberts’ decision about putting Kershaw in there. It was announced that they were going to do it before the game, so it sure seemed like it was a group effort. I thought I saw a quote that it was a consensus decision for Kershaw to follow Bueller, but I don’t know where I read it having read dozens of articles on the subject.
My issue with Roberts is not using Kershaw for the 1 batter, it was bringing him in for the next inning.
Same with Kelly. Bringing him back for a second inning when he had other options.
I put those decisions on Roberts. Bringing in Kershaw as the first reliever was probably discussed prior to the game. When to take him out is not a decision that can be made in advance. That is on Roberts.
DR has a lot of strong points but in game decision making is not one of them
AF will be speaking to the media Monday AM. Should be interesting.
Wow, I wonder if he has a new flavor of snake oil. **sigh**
We have a lot of money coming off the books and the only really productive free agent is Ryu. It’s gonna be better next year. Roberts will learn from his mistakes. It’s gonna be better next year. Corey and Cody will improve and Pollock will finally be fully healthy. It’s gonna be better next year.
AC – great post… I’m not venturing out in this minefield… MT I hope you got your flak jacket on!??! I’m going along with BB and Idaho’s takes for now…
AC – Now that was a game!!! I Said you can throw out all the stats and odds and just play the game…
#6 for ND and #30 for USC were worth the admission…
C U next year at the Coliseum…