I Promise That Soon We Will Get Back to Dodger Baseball…

This article has 82 Comments

1. That was a dumb move by the As manager to bring in Kolarek who is a LOOGY to pitch to Pollock who hits lefties a lot better than righties. Not only that but two of the first three batters for Kolarek are righties.

2. Five game observations….David Price looks horrible. Lets hope he rounds into form. Bellinger with a 1-6 night with a leg single looks only so-so at this point. Seager will be the NL MVP if he keeps this up. McKinstry has been amazing. Is he for real? Lux looks legit. Will Smith can freaking hit. Beatty and Rios don’t inspire me with confidence right now.

3. What a fantastic Email from Ed, DBM’s husband. What a wonderful relationship they have enjoyed.

   This is a special site, frequented by decent folk.

   I just hope that it doesn’t implode.

   Mark you have created something special here, but it’s interesting that during ACs tenure in the hot seat, in the main, things seemed to sail along fairly smoothly.
   Your reaction to the MLB decision set the tone for what has followed.

   Politics and sport do not mix.

   1. We agree – The difference is I feel obligated to call them out on it. I had to make a statement and then we can get on with it. I will not beat this dead horse forever, but I am really outraged!

      1. Totally with ya, Mark Timmons. The complete absurdity, lack of reason, void of logic and decency is disgusting to have to witness coming out from MOST of the world is hard to take but it was all foretold long long ago. In fact, there is a book that tells it all. So I am saddened by what we are seeing but I am not surprised in the least, I have read this book several times, the more I read it the more I understand it’s truths and facts. Some have read this book and totally get it, sadly many have read it and have rejected it. In fact, this book even tells us that many will reject it’s truths but that some will accept it. Pray for this country, pray for this world and pray for each other.

4. Well I guess no one is questioning who our # 5 starter should be now! How good is your team when Mookie Betts is your third best hitter and the second best isn’t even a full time starter! Looking forward to seeing Kersh pitching tomorrow out of altitude!

   1. It could be argued our 4th and 5th starters had the best opening starts from the rotation, and it’s not like the other three were terrible. You gotta love it! Speaking of Smith, I’m still a little puzzled with his playing time restriction. I’m fine with Barnes getting starts, but why not work Smith at 3rd or 2nd base? Shoot, see how he handles 1st base even. Nothing is off the table after the Joc experiment. He no longer is just a capable RH bat to balance the batting order, he’s legitimately one of our best hitters who we’re, apparently, choosing to sit for 30 percent of the games. Unless, there’s something else we’re not being told, I’m left head scratching.

5. Beautiful, perfect, great day, I don’t care if it’s bad or inappropriate, no one died, so I don’t have to take it back, but it made me happy to see that stupid clown fall due to injury, you know who I’m talking about. That is what they deserve for speaking before acting, for believing that they are better than they will ever be, for saying that they are someone, when they are nobody, for being such an idiot to give such a large contract to someone with not even half a season.
   The new face of baseball?
   The team to beat?
   My fucking balls!

   1. I feel pretty much the same way. I’m not big fans of Tatis and Machado. In the words of Fat Albert, “They’re like Summertime – No Class!!!”

6. The shoulder injury to Tatis, at best, is probably going to take several weeks of rest and rehab and at worst, he will miss the season and impact his career. Either way, it is a shame because he is such an exciting and talented player.

   I also think we are seeing two former starters (Nelson and Price) having difficulty transitioning to the bullpen. There is a possibility the transition will not be successful and they may have to get a few starts to showcase their value, as in trade them for relievers.

   1. Or, it could be that neither have pitched in two years?

7. Once again I send my sincerest condolences to Miki’s family. She was a true fan and like MJ, she shall be missed. Tatis did something to his shoulder when he swung at the ball. And the Padres ended up losing the game. Former Dodger Jake McGee got the save with a Jansen style 9th inning high wire act. Getting 2 easy outs and then walking Machado and hitting Hosmer and going 3-2 on Pham before getting him out. So LA is 1 game up on SD. Kike got a hit last night and so did Verdugo. Joc did not play since Anderson started for the Brewers. Of more concern is the injury to Cody’s ankle and Taylor’s elbow. I am not worried too much about Price. He needs to be stretched out because he did not really pitch much in spring. And they had a huge lead so they could let him work out the kinks. When Bellinger swings, the earth moves. His swing looks way to violent right now. Not controlled and smooth at all. Beaty also seems lost up there. He has not made hard contact yet. McKinstry is fun to watch. Turner is having some throwing woes early in the season. That throw he made missed first base by a mile. And there sure is a lot of foul territory in that ball park. Oh yeah, that frippen drummer was annoying. I have to go to the Springs today, but will be back in time for the game. Thanks Mark for keeping the site open.

8. Stupid clown? Hardly. I like Tatis. I don’t wish injury on anyone, but if it were Machado I probably wouldn’t be saying this. I wish Tatis a full recovery.

   Bellinger looks to have a lot of holes in his swing again. I wonder if he’s not fully healed. The ump didn’t help him, with an expanded outside strike zone. When will baseball have had enough?

   Does anyone else feel an elephant in the room?

   1. Right now, I think Belli’s swing is more about timing than anything else. He started late and is still catching up. His glove plays in CF and is a threat to homer at any time. Leave it to Doc to move Belli back into the 4 hole before he shows he’s ready to hit. I think Belli gets punished by a lot of umps for his size. He always gets strikes called off the edges and high in the zone. Maybe he should adjust and not stand so upright.

      Every time I hear from people talk about the auto-zone, they say they haven’t dialed in curveballs yet. It won’t be long until we see it, but it isn’t going to happen this year.

      1. Yes, asi understand it, that’s the problem with robo umps. I have to wonder how the software works and if they’re using neural networks. If so they should be able to train their system to handle all variables.

         1. The strike zone for every hitter is directly over the plate. The definition of the lower and upper ends of it are clearly defined in the rule book. The technology can get it right. As I see it, the problem with the curve is with the spin rates we are getting now, and the catcher sitting several feet behind the plate, some of those curves will pass through the strike zone and look like balls by the time the catcher receives them. I read somewhere umps average accuracy is 84%. That’s a B- on the report card. I think it’s pretty obvious technology can do a whole lot better than that.

            1. I had read that pitches that might “clip” the zone but bounce in the dirt would be called a strike whereas everyone would call it a ball.

               As for spin rates and there effect on balls/strikes, I would think that can be included within any numerical model. A neural net can be trained to account for most situations. The problem is, what if a pitch is thrown that the model mis-identifies. At worst I guess you end up with Rios being called out on strikes like he was in Colorado when the pitch was 4 inches outside.

               If umpires are 84% accurate, what would the game consider acceptable for a robo ump? I would think a minimum of 99% is needed.

            2. It’s a strike or it isn’t. If the ball passes over the plate IN THE DESIGNATED ZONE, it’s a strike. It doesn’t matter what happens after that.

            3. That assumes the system can properly define the upper and lower regions of the strike zone. How accurate does the system see a batters knee cap? If the. After is wearing loose fitting pants perhaps not such much. Also when does the system set this portion? If the batter is upright but the crouches down when is it determining the zone?

               The other issue is error rate. All measurements have random error. Such errors should be able to be addressed through uncertainty analysis methods but I’m not sure we are all there.

               I’m all in on robo umps ( particularly after seeing the past few games). However, the fact that MLB is taking its time says it’s not quite ready for prime time. By the way, I know the Atlantic league was being used as a test case. Has the testing been expanded?

            4. These are legitimate concerns MP. My take would be where the knee bends is the bottom of the strike zone and the top is roughly 6”” above waist. I believe the definition is still the nape of the knee to the midpoint between the batters arm pits (shoulders) and the top of the uniform pants when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at the ball. It would appear that strike zone being called is from the navel to the top of the knees. I don’t think that will be difficult to dial in with computer technology. What they currently show us appears to be accurate. More accurate than 84%, that’s for sure. Another aspect of this to consider is the strike zone will no longer change from umpire to umpire. Hitters will appreciate this. Pitchers taking advantage may not.

            5. I would be happy with a strike zone that was the same for everybody regardless of height. So many inches from the ground to the bottom of the zone and so many inches from the ground to the top of the zone. Taller players would benefit at the top of the zone and have to swing at pitches a little below the knees but the zone would be consistent.

   2. I think he’s always had holes in that swing. He made a key adjustment and absolutely raked in the first half of 2019 until pitchers counter-adjusted in the second half. He still hasn’t figured it out and my fear is he never will.

      I don’t really like Tatis going down. I want the Padres to be good. I like rivalries.

9. Angels beat the Stros 7-6 last night. But the lead on the story was the fact that Angel fans threw an inflatable trash can, I did not know they even made those, and then a real one on the field. And the Stros were continually bombarded with cheater chants. Dusty Baker took um-bridge after the game saying we paid for it already. Sorry Dusty, you were not there and not part of it so you paid nothing. And the penalty’s slapped on the Astros were merely a slap on the wrist. They are extremely lucky that Manfred is the commissioner. Someone else would have taken away their title and a couple of people might have received a lifetime ban. Tatis will be re-evaluated today. Trout hit his first HR in 2021, a 417 foot shot to left.

   1. Dies anyone see the irony of Manfred’s actions with Atlanta and inaction with Houston?

      1. Irony? Missed that.

         In a stunning display of stupidity I saw a full house of mostly maskless people in Texas and Abbott refusing to throw out the first ball because of what MLB with Atlanta. I saw that a couple of trash cans were thrown on the field in the ‘stros game. I hope that continues for a few years.

         1. The irony is in his inaction in the face of an obvious cheating scandal that still is hurting the game, but his willingness to so quickly capitulate to current social pressure and weigh in on the political process of a state in the union.

            The cheating scandal is entirely within his purview, and is something that he was obligated to fix to repair the damage it caused the game he ostensibly manages. The Georgia law was passed by the Georgia legislature and reflects Georgia state politics, something he has nothing to do with.

            That’s the irony.

         2. I agree with your last two sentences, Badger. The well deserved shaming of the Asterisks should continue for a long time.

10. ” Beautiful, perfect, great day, ”
    No not another Dodger win, but a serious injury to a player on a rival team. Hardly something to rejoice about in my opinion, but I guess we are sinking like the Titanic.
    And as that book says, ” pride comes before the fall “

11. Well, either we get the politics out of our system and return to the Dodgers again or this becomes the new normal. Maybe this can be an experiment – albeit a risky one for reasons that Mark and AC have articulated in the past and Bumsrap eloquently stated in the email he sent to Mark. I think if I can glean anything from the discourse yesterday is that, on the whole, people were civil. My hunch is that it can’t last – when people let themselves get angry over politics it tends to devolve – but we tend to have a more mature and generally respectful cohort here than, say, Dodgers Digest, which is a great example of Millennial Woke mob rule. Those people are awful.

    …So, if people are willing to read carefully and respond respectfully, then maybe it could work. If discourse is to be constructive rather than just venting, then you have to concede a little. You have to first accept what is valid about an argument before you address the point specifically to either rebut or add to it.

    My single biggest frustration with the time in which we live is the complete inability and unwillingness to simply make a better argument – to persuade. Instead, If I don’t like what you say, I’ll just call you a racist, or a misogynist or a transphobe. If my side doesn’t win an election, instead of honestly assessing why my candidate failed, my side will go on a three year temper tantrum and claim the election was stolen. It’s toxic …and destructive.

    I have deep rooted ideas and opinions about how the world works, but like how any reasonable person should be, I”m open to changing my opinion if I see a better more persuasive argument.

    …So, good luck with the new format. It will be harder to manage. I’m not a real old timer on this blog, but I’ve been around long enough to see how destructive politics mixed with a clash of egos and personal rivalries can be (I’m looking at you, Badger and Timmons).

    Dodger notes: May looked good. I still think he needs to throw the four seamer high in the zone more. He did get a lot more whiffs with the cutter, though. I think the thing with May is his delivery is long and not very deceptive, so when the sinker comes out of his hand, and even though it has a crazy amount of movement and velocity, it is easier for the batter to pick up and time. I still see guys squaring up on his 98 MPH sinker. What has made Kershaw a 1rst ballot HOF is that weird, jerky hesitation in his delivery. He’s harder to time. May is easier to time, so if he can get command of a good mix of pitches and game plan hitters, he’ll be great. 6 shutout innings and 8k is outstanding … but it’s the As.

    Price looks rusty. I forget if the Dodgers are on the hook for his contract through next year or this year, but I’ll be a little glad when his 16 million is off the books. His velo was ok. His changeup wasn’t really effective. I think he’ll get better as he gets more work, but I’m keeping my expectations low.

    Bellinger worries me. His swing is too complicated and has too many holes.

    I think the dead ball is having an effect. Only three genuine out-of-the park homers. Lots of sharp singles and loud fly ball outs. I think Will Smith will have a breakout year this year.

    McKinstry is making it easy to forget about Kike. CT3 should start as many games as possible.

    Aside from a couple of errors, statistically Seager has been pretty not bad defensively so far. At least he has positive defensive WAR. If he can play decent defensive SS, he’l be the MVP frontrunner, AF will pay the big $$$, and he won’t pay Bellinger the big $$$ when he becomes a FA.

    So, just to touch on the politics one last time. Bumsrap had a couple of excellent posts yesterday. I’m guessing his professional background is psychology or psychiatry based on the second half of his first post. That’s actually not the first time he has taken that position and cited those studies … and I take some issue with them.

    Since we now seem to be preoccupied the the concept of bias and the hidden ways bias influences us and influences our culture, I would submit that studies such as these – and Bumsrap’s self-identity – are themselves fatally influenced by confirmation bias. This is really the primary issue the the social sciences versus the hard sciences. STEM is based more on the Scientific Method: you have a hypothesis; you test it. If if fails the test or is not repeatable, you ditch it and start over. Social science doesn’t have that same rigor, and the peer review process where studies cite other studies for validity runs the risk of influence by bias that becomes more pronounced the more agreeable studies are cited. That … and those social sciences – Psychology, History, Sociology – attract an overwhelming percentage of candidates who identify as progressive or left wing.

    So, in a nutshell, what you were claiming, based on the compelling research you cited, was that Republicans were simplistic, black/white thinking mouth breathers and Democrats were open, mentally agile, sophisticated, empathetic and cared more about people and society. LOL! You like this because it agrees with how you see yourself and how you see your place in the world. You’re on the side of good. We all do this. This is what bias is.

    Your position may have had more validity years ago. I would say there has been a great inversion of this. It reflects the reality that the left now has more institutional power. It controls education, popular culture, politics, corporate America … even sports. The left is now in charge in a lot of ways. In a lot of ways, the right is now the counter culture. They are the Beatniks. The Wokesters are the orthodoxy.

    A generation ago, Progressives were tireless advocates of free speech, now they scream and shut down those they deem problematic on college campuses and deem words as violence. They were advocates of free expression, now they destroy lives when they deviate from approved thinking. They used to be anti-war, now Tulsi Gabbard is accused of being a Russian asset when she advocates the US vacate troops from foreign conflicts. They used to advocate for the MLK dream of racial integration and judging individuals based on character, now they are race obsessed openly call for segregation. They are now for everything they fought against a generation ago. I call it The Great Inversion.

    Far from having a hardwired deference to authority as you claim, the modern populist/right is, if anything, more oppositional-defiant if you want to get all psychological. Progressives are much more likely to believe Fauci (my progressive neuropsychologist sister calls him St. Fauci, which should tell you a lot) as an authority figure, populist/right are much more likely to be COVID/mask skeptics and question authority. Progressive are much more likely to wear masks as a symbol of virtue and as a signal of their group conformity. Populist/rightists are much more likely to see mask wearing as a symbol of acquiescence to some nefarious authority.

    Something to mull over. I’m done.

    1. Holy crap.

       Way over the top patch. I’ll leave it at that.

       And Mark and I buried the hatchet months ago. We agreed to disagree and progress forward. He’s on the wrong side of this of course, but it’s important to let it go and move on.

       1. Well … if you want to add anything substantive, please do. If you’re unwilling to, don’t bother.

          And I truly hope you’re joking with that last sentence. LOL

          1. Of course I was joking. Maybe.

             Look, I could bring research after research, written by scholars, award winning physicians, investigative journalists and Pulitzer Prize winning reporters that support an argument but it would do no good. You and others would just bark “liberal bias!” Minds are made up. Of course I listen to Fauci. I listen to all the top experts who speak to this issue. Why wouldn’t I?

             My hope is that this eventually calms down and we can get to majority rule. We aren’t there yet but I think we are finally moving in the right direction.

             1. I don’t even dislike Fauci, and will give him credence and listen when he doesn’t say something that is egregiously dumb. Politics influences everything. The only way to come to reasonable conclusions is to accept this and have a nose for sniffing out agendas, due your own due diligence and fact check.

                “Trust the science! I love science! Fauci is an expert and your’e not! You’re anti-science! I believe the experts.” – Deference to authority.

             2. Deference to authority is not a deference to knowledge.

                Fauci knows more about infectious diseases than all of us combined.

                Does that him infallible? No.
                Does it make him someone who’s voice has more value on COVID than all of us? Yes.

    2. Patch, you are so right on and accurate, I love it and you expressed it so well that liberals like Badger will reject it without thought. The truth hurts, the truth stings and the truth is typically rejected without any true assessment of what is trying to be communicated and accomplished. Demonization is the objective when one doesn’t agree, personal attacks are revved up, demonizing instituted, all in the attempt to discredit with no thought of actually trying to understand, reason with, or resolve anything productive.

       Patch, you said it so well, I commend your effort and how you articulated our current status as a people and as a nation. The institutions that I once held in high regard have shown their true colors and loyalties and they have nothing to do with the betterment of mankind, sad to say. I simply won’t accept many things that now come out of our “sciences” , science left the dock long ago and really has very very little to do with anything that is being proposed these days. Due to this current state of affairs being espoused by our leaders, I reject most if not all recommendations they propose we follow, not because they tick me off with the truth but because I have done my own reading and research from many resources in an effort to learn about “both sides” of the story. The Truth Hurts and to read both sides of analytical data being presented and to hear from scientists from both sides of the fence is a real eye-opener, if one chooses to be willing to consider that there is two sides to the data in regard to all these matters. We have always had eagles and we have always have ostriches, I’m afraid the voices of the ostriches are running the show at this place in time, not only in the US but around the world. We do have a herd mentality, but it has nothing to do with immunities. The herd is following the Cancel Culture mentality and unwilling to do anything but cancel those that they don’t agree with.

       I commend Mark and Patch (and a few others in here) for standing up and not taking the easy path. I’ve read somewhere that there is a wide path and a narrow path, one leads to destruction and the other to leads to, well just call it “destruction NOT”. (wink wink)

    3. Outstanding post, Patch. Very well reasoned, and you included examples to support your assertions. Thank you!

    4. Thinking black and white isn’t any worse than thinking so nuanced that inaction results. Again, the middle is where conservative and liberal brains work best.

12. Dodgers are hitting .332 as a team. They are the only team with more than 60 hits. But the pitching staff has an ERA north of 4. HR’s are down a little all across the board. But the power guys are still hitting them. Bellinger still very vulnerable to that inside pitch. And he is not as open as he was in spring. McKinstry leading the team with a .545 avg. Muncy off to a hot start. A lot to like, and some genuine area’s in need of improvement, aka the defense which has been a little porous. Kersh hopes to be a lot better this time out. Bauer in the series finale tomorrow. Than an off day and then the raising of the banner on Friday, and the ring ceremony. It is a day game. Initial diagnosis on Tatis is a should subluxation. He will be re-evaluated today. It is basically the same problem Cody had with his shoulder.

13. Oh my.

    I find all this very sad. Losing Miki, she was a true fan, obviously enjoyed posting on this site, talking Dodger baseball. She will be missed.

    As to the other, politics is like the Blob, sooner or later it creeps into everything, including this site.

    I covered sports for seven years for a newspaper, then covered politics and government for another seven years. Then I worked in government for another 23 years.

    I understand what Mark is saying, the Georgia election law is not really a big deal. What President Joe Biden said earned him four Pinocchio’s from the Washington Post. But he kept saying it.

    One of the problems I have with all this is IDs. A week doesn’t go by without having to show my driver’s license for one thing or another. Had to show it to get a Covid vaccine. So what’s the big deal?

    A week doesn’t go by these days without someone trying to “scam” me, everything from social security, Netflix or the Edison bill. It’s constant. Seems like tightening the rules a bit makes some sense. Everybody needs to have confidence in the system, right?

    As to moving the All-Star game from Atlanta, time for Rob Manfred to go. All political nonsense, of course. Now I’m no fan of Manfred. The Houston Astros scandal, eliminating minor league teams and failing to implement the DH, when everybody wanted it. I fear he will botch up the upcoming negotiations and that will seal the deal for me. I will walk away from the game. Just growing weary of the nonsense. Followed the Dodgers since 1959.

    One of the things I truly appreciate about the game has been staying away from nonsense like this. Now Manfred has thrust the sport in the middle of a controversy that is further splitting the country, if that is even possible. What an incredibly dumb move. Did Manfred actually look at the law? Doubtful.

    One of the reasons I enjoy baseball is escape. Going to Dodger Stadium with the manicured green grass field, the lights, the buzz creates a relaxing ambience that most of us need. I’m angry that Manfred took something good and shoved into the middle of all this political chaos. Okay, I’m just going to say it, what a dumbass.

    Now about baseball, someone wrote the other day the Dodgers probably wouldn’t extend Corey Seager. I understand the logic, the dollars, the options — but baseball is not about logic or common sense. I believe they extend Seager. Why not? What else are they going to do with all the dollars in the money bin?

    Mark, I’m glad you decided to continue on. This site is exceptional. Fun stuff.

    Hey, you have to really like what we’re seeing from May and Urias. Yes, Bellinger needs to tighten up his approach, doesn’t appear to be seeing the ball well. Yes there are a couple of holes. But what struck me odd was the extreme shift and all he had to do was drop a bunt. Instead he goes 0-6. Makes no sense.

    1. I agree with pretty much all of this except for the part about the DH. Everyone wants it is definitely not the case. I for one hate seeing some fat guy with no glove come up to hit and run the bases sloppily. Last year, I mostly didn’t notice, and it made our idiot manager’s job easier, so I didn’t mind. This year is a breath of fresh air watching CK get a couple of hits and watching pitchers move runners up. I’m refreshed wondering if they’re gonna hit for a pitcher or pull him a little early to try to get a pinch hit. That intrigue makes the game more interesting for me. I may be in the minority on this site, but I like the traditional National League rules better. I have never heard anyone say, “I don’t really follow baseball because they don’t have the DH in the National League.

       If you really want to make the game more interesting, get rid of the shift and state that you must have 3 outfielders playing on the grass and 3 infielders play on the dirt. You’ll see way more hits and more players running the bases. If you want to open it up more, you state that 2 infielders must be on each side of second base.

       1. Hey, at least the fat guy can hit.

          For years I was against it. I think it’s clear it belongs in both leagues.

          About the shift. Bunt. It’s not that difficult to learn how to do it. I also think bringing the rover on to the dirt might be a good idea.

       2. I too am in favor of eliminating the drastic shifts. It makes too much sense so it is unlikely they will do it.

          The only way the Dodgers extend Seaver is with a 10 year $350 million deal. Otherwise, why would Borass do it? He might get more than that if he wins the MVP and he is headed the right direction.

          1. Extending Seaver would be a very bad idea. But I see your point.

             I think Corey might want to see what gnu yourk is willing to cough up. He might get more out of them. Maybe if he goes there we can get Gleyber and make Bums a happy camper.

             1. Easy button says Lux to short, Busch or Muncy to second.

             2. Not Muncy to second please. He’s fine where he is. Singing the Blue suggested that after Seager signs with the Yankees we trade for Torres for second base and put Busch in left. The only problem I had with that was he used Ruiz to get Gleyber. Probably a reasonable trade but I really like Ruiz.

             3. I did that on my iPhone and it kept autocorrecting from Seager to Seaver. I think I had it but it’s really sunny here.

             4. Sunscreen!

             5. I’ve decided to move on from Gleyber and instead want to add DC’s favorite Bo Bichette to play up the middle defense with Lux. Maybe add Carpenter to play third.

                I’m making Busch, Hoese, Muncy, Pollock, Ruiz available.

             6. Bold move Bum. Pre arb .900 OPS player. That’s gonna cost.

14. Mark. there is no reward for me to discuss politics here.. I write on a blog which discusses politics, and that gives me a chance to express my opinions, which I think everyone needs to do, at least at times. I see that here, most of the posters are on your side when it comes to politics, and they are certainly entitled, though I strongly disagree with much of what is said,; but of course everyone is entitled to express strongly held opinions. The only reason I wrote so much about politics yesterday, was because it bothered me that you reacted so angrily to the MLB decision, blamed it all on liberals or the Left, and then left the post up as a political clarion call. I think that things are almost at a crisis point in this country, and for different reasons than you might say that. So I wanted to respond. But obviously this blog is about the Dodgers and baseball

    Since you directly mentioned me today, I will just say a few things. There seems to be a tendency, actually more than a tendency, on the Right, to throw all sorts of things out there to deflect from what to me seems obvious. Republicans largely lost the election, by seven million popular votes for President. They lost the Senate in the Georgia runoff. Republicans do not accept losing. Their leader, Trump, called the election rigged before it had occurred. He called the 2016 election rigged, too., before it happened, then stopped when he ostensibly won. Everything that has ever happened to him, he calls rigged, a witch hunt, a terrible scandal, fake news, lies. That is Trump.

    So Republicans vowed never to lose another election. They are a minority party by numbers, but they have the power to suppress votes, because in the elections of 2010 and 2014, they piled up many legislative majorities in states. They are now using these, across the board, to push through absolutely draconian voter laws, WHOSE ONLY PURPOSE IS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS WHO CAN VOTE. That is the only reason. They didn’t do it in 2017, or 2001 or 2005, or 1989 or 1985 or 1981. They did it because they lost, and they insist on winning, by whatever means.

    They couldn’t pass bills which stated, “The goal is to suppress the Democratic vote.” They just did everything they could to do it. Cutting early voting. Making voting by mail much more difficult. Saying that ballots must be received three or four days before the election day. Having some kind of signature challenge provision. Anything they can do so that their people can throw out ballots from Democratic districts. That’s what they did in Jim Crow South, and that’s what they are doing today. Republicans here may wildly cheer at the prospect of never losing another election, but their party now seeks to do it through unethical means. Tell me why the Georgia law makes it a CRIME to supply water to someone standing in line to vote? Tell me why Georgia takes the oversight of elections away from the Secretary of State, and gives it to boards which its own legislature can control, and also gives them the right to overturn any election result they don’t like? That’s right; somehow a Democrat could actually win a race in Georgia, though that is very unlikely now, and the Republican Board can reverse the result. That is what this bill says. Does anyone think this is constitutional?

    Then you did something which is rather predictable, but I think beneath you. You took my comments about many Black people in Georgia not having IDs, and said that this somehow is a racist comment. It is a true comment.

    The most irritating thing is that there are all these lies about voter fraud. There is virtually no voter fraud. In California, if you are properly registered, you can vote in person, as I always did until this last year. You go into the voting site, your name is listed. You sign in. You vote. Do you somehow think that there are a bunch of shadowy liberals who show up at the voting booth and pretend to be someone else? How do they do that? Has anyone any actual data on this? Of course not. It is a chimera, something Republicans make up.

    Again, there was a massive study of potential voting fraud in 2016, they found at most ten cases out of millions of votes. Republicans cannot accept this, they are so sure that they are right about everything, that they think that the only possible reason that they could lose an election is that there are hordes of tricky liberals pretending to be other people, grabbing thousands of ballots and stuffing them in ballot boxes. This is absurd, it cannot be done. Georgia’s Secretary of State definitively said there was no voter fraud in his state. But still, the Republicans passed this bill, because the ONLY reason for it is to make it much harder for Democrats, particularly poorer Black Democrats to vote. Why are the lines in rural White Georgia districts very short, you can vote in fifteen minutes, whereas in urban Georgia, people were standing in line for eleven hours to vote?? Just happenstance? Blacks are too inept to vote correctly? No, t is because Georgia, as most Republican run states, makes sure to have insufficient polling places in urban districts. In Kansas there was a noted change in the last election where they closed their area’s one polling place and people had to walk two hours to get to the nearest one, there was no auto traffic allowed. This is how Republicans plan to win elections.

    I could go on but will not. If these bills are not overturned, Republicans will win the next national election, because the Democratic vote will be sufficiently diminished. They will win the Senate and the White House. They will never lose it. If you keep a sufficient percentage of Democrats from being able to vote, you win, and forever. T hat is how the Jim Crow South worked; I read from the Smithsonian that by 1905, virtually no Black person in the South could vote. That is winning, to them. They want those days back, and may get them.

    The one problem is, that once you have a totalitarian state where only one side can hold power, that side might just do things that you do not like, take away some of your rights, too. And there will be nobody to stop it. I think that America is on that precipice. I am hoping that a Voting Rights Bill will be passed which affords everyone the right to vote in a protected manner, which is what this country should stand for. Lose that, and you lose the country. I don’t like it when my side loses an election, but if everyone had a fair right to vote, without their ballot being tossed out because some Republican voting official decided some signatures did not match (I doubt if my signature ever completely matches, my handwriting is not good), or having to face standing in line for eleven hours to vote, and if someone brought you water, you would go to jail, I would accept that, as one should. What is going on now is anti-American, at least as I learned about our democracy in early school, and our constitution and laws in law school.

    Thank you for the opportunity to respond. I am sure that everyone wants to get back to Dodgers baseball; but of course the external world can encroach. I don’t love the idea of moving the all-star game, but if there is no recourse for protesting these voter suppression laws, we are at the mercy of totalitarians. I seem to think that there were a lot of people who refused to watch NFL games because they didn’t like the kneeling. I didn’t like it , either, but it is protected speech. Who were those people burning Dixie Chicks records some years ago? That was protected speech, too. This is supposed to be a democracy, and that must include a protected right to vote.

    1. ” I read from the Smithsonian that by 1905, virtually no Black person in the South could vote. That is winning, to them. They want those days back, and may get them.”

       I won’t comment any more, and I won’t go through point by point and address your post, but if you really believe this sentence you just wrote, I’m not even angry about that. I just think it’s sad.

       I will make no bones about the fact that I lean politically conservative, but neither me nor anyone that I know wants anything but for black folks to thrive in this country. It’s demoralizing that yours is the message that keeps getting repeated over and over again. There is so much opportunity in this country, and black people have endured so much to get to this point. It’s just a pity that this type of divisive rhetoric is internalized by so many.

    2. William,

       I am not certain what universe you live in, but it could be more easily said that the Democrats are trying to make it so that a Republican can never win again. From adding two states with Democratic Majorities, to stacking the Supreme Court, to eliminating the Fillibuster (which are all in the process of being implemented), the Democrats are much closer.

       Trump wanted to end the Fillibuster when he was elected, but the Republicans said it was bad for the country – now the Dems have changed their minds. You can point the fingers at the Republicans but you have more pointing back at you.

       There has been some discussion in this country about the decline of civility and the deterioration of the quality of public dialogue. Both have occurred, and both have occurred mainly because of the left’s routine resort to insult rather than logic.

       When confronted with arguments they cannot answer, they hide their inability to answer the argument by attacking the person. This desperate resort to name-calling is a logical fallacy known as argumentum ad hominem.

       Thus, if you do not think American taxpayers should reward illegal immigrants for breaking our laws by putting them on welfare and providing them with free education, you are called a racist.

       If you believe in equal opportunity rather than mandated racial, ethnic and gender quotas, you are a racist and a sexist.

       If you do not agree with a legislative agenda, you are a right-wing extremist. In the liberal lexicon, there are only moderates (themselves) and right-wing extremists. For some reason, no such thing as a left-wing extremist exists.

       If you think American education should instill in American students pride in their country and culture, you are called a jingoist or a nativist.

       If you think Congress should restrict legal immigration, you are a racist and a nativist.

       If you think the First Amendment allows people to dance naked, talk dirty and burn the U.S. flag, you are a civil libertarian.

       If, however, you think it allows prayer in public schools, you are right-wing, fascist, fundamentalist Christian.
       If you think the Second Amendment means what it says – that people have a right to keep and bear arms – you are a gun nut.

       If you think children within the womb deserve the same protection as children without, you are an anti-choice, religious fanatic.

       If you think America’s trade laws should ensure that American manufacturers have an equal playing field, rather than being destroyed by overseas slave or sweatshop labor, you are an isolationist and a protectionist.

       The left has positioned themselves as the Intellectual Elite who are smarter than those on the right who are therefore incapable of governing themselves. The marginalization has started and when half or more than half of a population is marginalized, the next thing that happens is WAR. If that’s what the Elite want then they should keep on this road, because that is what will happen.

       Finally, if you think voter fraud does not occur on both sides, you are very naive or have never thought about it. I personally know “criminals” (I mean like the worst-of-the-worst) who get paid up to $10 for a single ballet and they collect thousands. It is “subbed out” to violent criminals who no one wants to cross, such as gangs and mafia-types. When you send ballots to everyone, without some form of ID or signature required, then the criminals (on both sides) will exploit it.

       1. “but it could be more easily said that the Democrats are trying to make it so that a Republican can never win again. “

          The way they can best accomplish that is to ensure majority rule.

          Take a close look at your political affiliation Mark. It is ever shrinking around the edges. Gerrymandering and voter suppression is how Republicans are staying afloat. I think you’re like the Marlins. You need a total rebuild every few years.

       2. Mark, I agree that both sides go too far with labeling. It unfair, and polarizes them further. One can have a position and not deserve to be called a racist or a sexist or socialist. The social media has caused much of this.

          A good and open discussion can always be worthwhile. But there now has developed massive disagreement about what constitute facts. There is far too much anti-science. Science is certainly not always right, but relying on science is what got us out of the Dark Ages of superstition, and burning witches. If people cannot generally agree on facts, there is no ground from which to argue. We’ve got people who refuse to wear masks, refuse to get vaccinated, either out of superstition, or spite. We don’t want the virus to keep mutating, and be around for centuries, like the bubonic plague. We need to find the truth, and rely on it, to get back to some normality.

          I blame the Right for most of this, and you may blame the Left. Both go too far, in my opinion, particularly in accusing the other side. I don’t know how we get out of this. This may be what 1858 was like, though other issues are present now as well. We do not want another Dark Ages, but we may end up there , if many people prefer to get all their news from one source and reject anything else. Baseball is a nice refuge, but of course sports does not exist in a vacuum, outside issues intrude. I would prefer that the All-Star game stayed in Atlanta, and that Georgia did not pass its election bills. Moving the game will not change the fact that the bill passed. Something must, though, in my view.

          1. Just want to say I especially appreciate William’s comments here, and I want to add another point.
             Georgia’s law is deeply controversial WITHIN Georgia itself. The majority of Georgians who voted to elect President Biden and Senators Warnock and Ossof are not impressed by this extremely partisan effort to alter election rules that, according to Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Raffensperger, produced a fair election with scant evidence of fraud.
             The larger question in Georgia now is whether former President Trump should be indicted for his attempts to persuade Raffensperger and other Georgia election officials to join in a conspiracy to “find” just enough votes to tilt the election against the true choice of Georgia voters.
             Republicans disingenuously keep pushing the big lie that Democrats somehow “stole” the presidency from Trump despite the certified results in more that 50 states and territories and the rulings by some 60 judges (including several Trump appointees).
             Beyond that, remember that Trump, unlike every other president, NEVER enjoyed a popular approval rating at any time in his presidency. He entered office AGAINST the will of the plurality that supported Hillary, and he exited by losing to a clear MAJORITY that favored Biden.
             The tragedy is that Covid-19 provided him with a chance to rally Americans in a united front to suppress the virus. The failure to do so, as Dr. Birx recently suggested, probably resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths that should have been averted.

15. I know I’m days late as I wasn’t aware this site was back up. And I’m so glad it is. Thanks Mark for reconsidering and others who have had a hand in this. I’ve said many times that Manfred is an idiot and nothing he does now surprises me.
    But I really need to say Goodbye to DBM. I was struck by the news of her passing As mentioned by many, she was the calming reasonable voice on this site. I always appreciated he positive comments and enjoyed trying to answer her very good baseball questions. We share stuff about Salt Lake and the Roseville area. I felt a real bond with her. It’s amazing how attached and impressed one can get with someone they’ve never met through postings on a website. She touch my heart and I will miss her greatly.

16. That last post by Philjones was a welcomed refreshment to the soul. Few and far between lately. Thank you PJ

17. Mark; you mention the racial breakdown of Denver and suggest then why move the game there. Perhaps it’s because Colorado has what has regularly been hailed as a beacon of voting laws. Not only does it routinely rank among the states with the highest turnout — it was nearly 87 percent of registered voters (and 75.5 percent of eligible voters) in 2020 — but it also has one of the safest systems in the country, if not the safest. Turnout depends on a lot of things, including voter interest, but it’s difficult to argue that a state that ranked No. 2 in turnout in 2020, even as many other states expanded their mail-in voting, is somehow comparable to a state with significantly lower turnout that is adding restrictions.

    As for ID’s; Colorado has what the National Conference of State Legislatures calls a “non-strict” voter ID law for in-person early voting. Voters can produce a number of different types of ID, including ones without photos. And if they don’t have ID, they can vote via provisional ballot, at which time elections officials are charged with verifying their eligibility.

    Georgia’s in-person ID requirement, by contrast, is a “strict” law, requiring photo ID. If a voter doesn’t have one, they can cast a provisional ballot, but they still have to produce a photo ID to a county registrar within three days.

    Also, in Colorado, most people vote by mail and ballots are mailed out to all registered voters.

    That’s why MLB chose Colorado

    1. There are a couple of things wrong here. The law requires a driver’s license or free state ID number, which 97% of registered voters already have. Anyone without a valid ID can easily obtain one for free. The voter ID requirement replaces the state’s controversial signature match program that led to the disqualification of thousands of votes in 2020.

       Here is the bill in it’s entirety:

       https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20212022/201498

       Don’t believe the lying media. I read it myself.

       

       1. Colorado has 16 forms of acceptable ID’s, Georgia 6. Inner city people may not have a drivers license. I know I didn’t the first 5 years I voted.

18. I’ll keep this short. Truth Hurts said there is a book written long ago that describes what is going on today. Amen to that. And that’s all you need to know to understand EVERYTHING.

    Now to the Dodgers. I am a big fan of Ruiz bat to ball skills, but I’m a bigger fan of Will Smith, who is my favorite Dodger. I think the powers that be should try Ruiz at a different position while he is still in the minors. I like Busch, Hoese, Lux and McKinstry, so it seems like we have a lot of depth in the infield especially 2B and SS. So why not try Ruiz at LF or 1B or 3B. Make Ruiz versatile but also the backup catcher too in the future. Any Thoughts?

    1. “there is a book written long ago that describes what is going on today. Amen to that. And that’s all you need to know to understand EVERYTHING.“

       The Bhagavad Gita?

       Politics and religion. Light match, throw into kindling.

       I got Ruiz and Smith splitting duty, maybe until Pollock is gone then Smith can spend some time in left. We have options going forward but Ruiz is my catcher of the future. I don’t see any catcher playing 150 games anymore. There’s about 1600 innings in a Dodger season. Divide them up so both catchers are rested and available for Game 7 of the World Series.

       1. I was going to guess the Farmers’ Almanac.

          1. Ah… good book.

       2. The Bhagavad Gita is really interesting.

19. Belli and Taylor are day to day. Turner will be the DH tonight. For every game a pitcher does what Kersh did on opening day, there are 10 games when the pitcher does not do squat. Get them out of the lineup. The DH is here to stay. As for the shift, they are experimenting in the minors at one of the levels where the infielders have to be on the dirt, they can not play on the grass, and two infielders have to be on each side of 2nd base. So you could play one right near the bag on the SS side, but he could not be directly behind the bag. Barnes is 30. Ruiz and Smith are the future at catcher. Not sure if Smith has played any other positions, but I am pretty sure Ruiz has not. Electronic K zone cannot get here soon enough. 5 games into the season and I have seen more balls called strikes and strikes called balls than I care to count. Some of the replacement umps for the guys who retired are just flat abysmal. And all of them seem to have short triggers. Castellanos got a 2 game suspension that is ridiculous. He did not ever swing at anyone. Yankees got Odor from the Rangers.

20. It is never a good thing when a player goes down to injury. Especially when they are as gifted as Tatis is. I think part of his behavior is because he is playing alongside of Machado who is one of the bigger blowhards in the league. A little of that attitude has had to have rubbed off. But when you see a player lose time and a part of their career to an injury that could affect them for years it makes you think a little. I myself have never had an extended stay in a hospital, or an injury that was in any way debilitating. But I look back over baseball history and see how some very talented players had their careers or even lives cut short by an injury, well it just makes you stop and think. Karl Spooner was Koufax before Koufax was good. And an arm injury cost him his career. But what a start he had. Pete Reiser played flat out hard all of the time, but running into walls before they had padding, well, Pete was never the same player he was his first couple of years. A ankle injury made Tommy Davis into a 4th outfielder instead of the star he was in 62 and 63. Even though he played well into the 70’s, he just never was the same guy. Bill Buckner got hurt and it cost him whatever speed he had prior to the injury. Pete Guerrero got hurt in spring training and never was the same player again. There are players I really dislike, but I never wish for them to come to any harm……well maybe Bumgarner. I think I wished he would step on a rattlesnake once or twice.

    1. A land mine would’ve been better Bear.

21. Happy to see we’ve briefly left the violence of political discussion behind and are now discussing the blowing up of players we don’t like.
    At least we’re back to baseball.
    And yes, I know you guys were kidding (sort of).

    1. Rattlesnakes and land mines.

       Can’t we all just get along?

       Anybody see that Laker score?

       1. Laker score? I’m keeping my eyes and ears covered until LBJ and AD get back.

          1. we need all the cheap wins we can get until Lebron and the AD’s return.

             1. They were up by over 30. Won by 9.

22. Two interesting facts:
    1) Last night’s homer was the first time that Justin Turner has ever homered before April 27th.
    2) Apparently Trevor Rosenthal has what could be a serious shoulder injury. Those of us (myself included) who were hoping that AF might sign him this winter should remember that he knows more than we do.

    And one more:
    At this point, Tatis is not contemplating surgery and will return after the 10 days on the IL. First opponent? The Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles.

23. Sure hope Kersh is still #1 in rotation after tonight, he sure does have some tough competition on this club to keep the spot. Lets go CK !

24. The two question marks that I have about the starting rotation are:
    Is Kershaw feeling his age and what about Bauer and his average career stats.

    1. Well Kershaw had a little trouble in the first inning but since then all good.

25. Might be feeling his age but not showing it tonight. Looking good.
    Averaging less than 13 pitches per inning. And then comes that 7th inning.

26. Man………Treinen is getting pinched on the strike zone. That was not a walk.

    1. Ya. That was a horrible AB by that ump

27. Kershaw will be fine. Reports of his demise are greatly exaggerated. I care less what Bauer has done before, I care what he does for his time as a Dodger. Everything else means nothing. History is in the past. You can not always base what you believe a player will do on past performances. Why? Simple. some players are inspired when they go to a new team and reach down deep to be better than they have been. Bauer has a lot of talent and some nasty stuff. Lets see him pitch 10 or 11 games before we worry about his performance. Case in point. Since his bases clearing double in the first game of the series, Seager is 0-10 with 5 K’s.

28. Dodgers win 5th in a row. Tied with Asterisks for best record in the majors. McMahon of the Rockies hits 3 HR’s in a row, and they still lose to Arizona.

Comments are closed.