We have reached about the “Halfway Mark” in Spring Training and Mookie Betts has been to the plate 14 times, but is “only” hitting .357 with a .500 OB% and .929 OPS as he is “quietly” getting ready for the season. At some point, I think we will just take for granted how good he is… and that’s a huge compliment. From MLB.com a Mike Petriello Quote:
“I was pretty tempted to just say “the answer is Mike Trout” and end my blurb there, but you know what, no, Betts is a much better outfielder, a better baserunner, he plays on a more interesting team, and he’s just more fun to watch. I wouldn’t necessarily say his plate appearances are absolutely-must-turn-on in the same sense that some of baseball’s best mashers are, but aside from maybe Tatis, I’m not sure anyone has a higher fun-per-second rate. Because he’s so good at every part of the game, you don’t have to target a plate appearance or particular moment. You can turn on any Dodger game at any moment and potentially see Mookie do something great. That’s exciting.“
If Mookie is not the best player in baseball, he’s one of the most exciting… probably the most exciting because of his skill in every aspect of the game. He also has that work ethic that makes everyone around him want to be better. He is OPSing .929 and he has only one extra-base hit! We may see Cody Bellinger soon and if he has fully recovered (and all indications are that he has) then the Dodgers have at least three position players who are in the running for NL MVP with Corey Seager the third one.
I also look for big seasons from Will Smith and Max Muncy and Gavin Lux has been solid. AJ Pollock has been off to a slow start, but he is healthy, and that bodes well. If Justin Turner can stay healthy and play 120-130 games, he should still put up good numbers, but he may be better-served hitting #5 as the season progresses. At some point, I could see Will Smith hitting #3 with Bellinger #4 and Muncy #6, but make no mistake about it – the Dodgers have been very good with JT hitting #3 and Mad Max at #4. I just think that Bellinger and Will Smith have the speed to hit towards the top of the lineup.
On Monday or Tuesday we could start seeing some cuts and re-assignments, but it’s possible we won’t see as many as in the past due to the AA and A players reporting later. We shall see soon enough!
I am anxious toe see if Julio Urias has put his first-inning blues behind him. He starts tonight and I think he’s ready to go four innings… maybe five. We have known what his talent level is forever, but he’s just 24 and likely is finally ready to pitch 150+ innings. I expect him to have an outstanding season. The Dodgers could have four starters in the Top 10 Cy Young Voting. “Could”
MLB Trade Rumors says that Joe Kelly is “questionable to start the season.” I think what they really mean is that Joe Kelly is “questionable.” PERIOD!
Dave Roberts is still treating David Price as a starter. It also appears to me that Dustin May is being groomed to pitch out of the pen with Gonsolin being the swingman. This song is for Tony:
I get the pun!
I agree that Julio could be in the Cy Young top 10. For me it all depends on how good his change up. Is. And there’s nothing questionable about Joe Kelly. He sucks! And what version of Cody Bellinger do we get this year? If it’s the MVP Belly then this team could be one of the best teams we’ve seen in MLB for some time!
The report on Kelly is that he is making progress. But he is the least of anyone on this site’s worry’s. It has been stated pretty much since the beginning of spring training that he would most likely start the season on the IL. So do not fret. He is not blocking any of the kids. I still firmly believe that May is going to start the year at AAA. I do not see the kid as a reliever. He has not pitched in a game in a while and the word is that he is working on his mechanics and I can understand why. He has a habit of losing them for an inning or so, or even for a few pitches. When this happens, he is wild, and he also gets hit pretty hard. It happened in the playoffs a couple of times. Gonsolin is more suited for that role, and the way Dennis Santana is pitching, I see him as a more viable bullpen option than May. Get the kid a little more seasoning. Leave him in a starting role, and sometime this season or next he will be a major force out there. There is absolutely no reason to rush him before he is completely ready with the depth of starting pitching on this team.
I think May should make the team and be a starter with Kershaw, Buehler, Bauer, Price. I like Urias as a multiple late inning reliever. It’s just what I like. It doesn’t have anything to do with a prediction, it’s just what I like and think is best for the team. Give May that valuable learning experience in the majors, while giving Urias a spot where he excels. Just my opinion.
I get it, Urias has done well there. But I still think May needs more seasoning. I would rather see Gonsolin take that 5 role. If Nelson is healthy, he could even slot in there. May is too inconsistent in his mechanics,
Today’s lineup
1. Betts RF
2. Muncy 1B
3. Turner 3B
4. Seager SS
5. Smith C
6. Pollock LF
7. Taylor CF
8. Beatty DH
9. Lux 2B
Pitching – Urias
Seems like Beaty might be leading the team in ABs. Honest evaluation or trade showcase?
Probably both. Right now, besides Taylor, he is the most experienced bench player on the team. He also is one of their better pinch hitters. Situations have not bothered him in the past, and I think a lot of people are really off about how much he is valued by the team. He is also having a very good spring. Raley and Reks have not impressed or done well at all, so Beaty right now is the best LH option in LF. Oh yeah, Seager and Lux are leading the team in AB’s with 19. Beatty has 18 and a .333 Avg.
Per Juan Toribio
Dodgers pitchers scheduled to pitch behind Julio Urias tonight:
Jimmy Nelson
Victor Gonzalez
Kenley Jansen
Blake Treinen.
The game is scheduled to be 9 innings.
Watch Nelson’s command.
His stuff looks good enough.
I see him as taking Stripling’s multi-inning role.
Give Gonsolin #5 job and move Price to pen as 2nd lefty. Cleavinger still in mix.
Santana probably in.
I expect Nelson to take the 40th spot when Kahnle moves to the 60 d IL
Padres catcher Austin Nola Fractures Finger
Yep, and their only other catcher with MLB experience on the 40 man is Caratini.
Strasburg out with a calf strain. Gray most likely to start the season on the IL.
Julio got his first pitches in for strikes but couldn’t execute again in the first. He could not get out of the inning. Disappointing!
He doesn’t do that in relief. That’s why I like Urias as a multiple inning high leverage reliever.
It was a weird first inning. He threw 29 pitches… 23 for strikes and struck out 3, but had 2 errors to boot!
Yep. I mean he’s good as both a starter and a reliever but man is he really good as a reliever.
Wow! Just Wow!
See you at AAA, Alex!
As I expected, Clayton Kershaw has been named Opening Day Starter.
I wonder if they will “manipulate” the rotation so that he starts the Home Opener too? That would not be his normal day to pitch, but I would think they might do that!
I wouldn’t cry if the guy who got made the last pitch in October threw the first pitch of the year at Dodger Stadium
That was just a great AB Witt put up against Julio to start the game, It was a weird inning, Im not worried about Julio at all. But Nelson and Gonsolin lookincredible, It’s a nice “prob;em” to have!
I think Mark is right about Neuse that was a great at bat going with the pitch and driving it the other way.
Noisy has a shot at being very special for the Dodgers this year.
The bench for the Dodgers is (so far):
Taylor
Barnes
McKinstry
Beaty
Noisy
Dua Lipa I see you
A lot of guys here talked about trading Ruiz. I always found him a keeper. Eventually a Smith Ruiz catcher duo.
Cleavinger, see you at AAA also. The LHP RP behind Gonzo might be trending Alexander’s way. Vesia and Cleavinger…..meh!
The biggest difference I see in Urias when he comes out of the pen instead of starting is the way he attacks hitters. Like Maeda before him, he has more intensity out of the pen. And maybe that is where he should be. But he has the talent and the stuff to be a great starting pitcher. He could be an ace. I am impressed with the Jimmy Nelson we are seeing. I would almost bet he gets Kahnle’s roster spot when he is placed on the IL to continue his healing process. Neuse is hitting the ball well, but he still does not have a single extra base hit. Like I have said before, I want to see some of his so called power before I am a believer. Right now to me, he is the 27th man. I would not trade Ruiz. I think he and Smith will be the tandem next year. I am thinking if someone needs a catcher, they will trade Barnes. They posted a revised 26 man opening day roster on dodgers.com. But I still do not think that May is going to break camp with the big club. If he is not in the starting rotation, I think he needs to be pitching regularly, and he does not really have the experience and tools I believe a reliever needs.