What Have We Learned?

Posted By on April 14, 2022

When the Dodgers went 1-2 in Colorado, all of the morons like Bill Plaschke and a host of bloggers wrote about “What we have learned about the Dodgers” and a lot of other drivel. We heard that they had pitching problems and that they were “overhyped.” The only thing they really learned was that they were morons, but we knew that a long time ago. Geeze… after 3 games, you really don’t know much. Really, after the last two games, we have not “learned” much. We already knew that the offense was superb and probably second to none in MLB. We knew that the pitchers were not stretched out and many of the hitters did not have their timing down.

There really was not much to “learn.” We just watched and observed. However, after five games, we have learned a little something:

  1. We learned that Andrew Heaney has a different pitch, different routine, and a different delivery… and the results looked good… at least in his first start;
  2. We learned that Clayton Kershaw is not finished and that he did not need to retire because of arm problems; and
  3. We learned that you should not count Cody Bellinger out!

I talked about Andrew Heaney yesterday – there is no need to repeat it. We just have to learn if he can keep building upon his success, or if he will slip back into his old habits. His success is not a “given” but it is certainly a “possibility.” Actually, Dodger Fans should now have a lot of “hope” that he can be successful. I am very encouraged by what I have seen from Andrew Heaney.

Now, here’s the BIG ONE: After Clayton Kershaw was shut down last fall and received a PRP injection, I was concerned. Then when the Dodgers did not offer him the Qualifying Offer, I “knew” he was finished. The only reason they would not extend him the offer was that both the Dodgers and Clayton were not sure of his health. I “knew” he would not play for another organization other than the Dodgers… I don’t care what he says. It wasn’t in his DNA. I proclaimed ALL WINTER that he would retire… that he was done. Boy, was I wrong… and I have never been so happy to be that wrong (I was just about as wrong on Gavin Lux and I love that too)!

There is one moron, namely a “Tanner Kern” who penned a piece called “DAVE ROBERTS SHOULD RECEIVE A LIFETIME BAN FROM MLB” because he took out Clayton after 7 innings with a perfect game. The idiotic piece can be found HERE. Tanner Kern evidently suffers from extreme brain damage to write such a piece. He went on to write:

“Rob Manfred has given six people a lifetime ban during his time as the commissioner od baseball, and Roberts should be the seventh.“

Here’s what Clayton had to say about it:

“Blame it on the lockout, blame it on me not picking up a baseball until January,” said the 34-year-old left-hander, who threw a no-hitter in 2014 against the Rockies. “My slider was horrible the last two innings. It didn’t have the bite. It was time.”

Even Clayton agreed with it. The Dodgers aren’t out to see if they can pitch perfect games – they are out to win a Championship. Forget the battle – win the war! That is their mentality. Tanner Kern is an idiot! Good day, to you sir! Clayton Kershaw pitched an outstanding game yesterday. He topped out at 92 MPH and had over 15 fastballs over 90 MPH, but not one of these 90 MPH + fastballs came after the 5th inning and his slider did not have the “bite” it had earlier. Reason? He was running out of gas. Roberts did the only thing he could and that was to take him out of the game. You could see Clayton knew it was time too.

The fact that Clayton hit 92 MPH gives me hope that in a few weeks we will see 93 to 94 MPH at times. Couple that with his slider, his Hammer Curve, and his “newfound change” and he could actually be back in the running for the Cy Young (if the PRP holds up). This was also great news. I love being wrong! So does Tanner!

The last thing we learned is not to count out one Cody Bellinger. Yes, his Double and HR, were impressive, but he also had the patience and understanding to take a walk in his last AB after his earlier success. This was as if on cue as fans were begging that he be sent to OKC. That would be Felony Stupid. Cody brings so much to the lineup. By the way, his BA is up to .222. Dodger fans should hope he continues this. There will be more bad days, that’s for certain, but there will also be progress. He is working too hard! This will only be “over” when he no longer has to “think about his stance.” It will be over when he can just do to. That will take more time. Patience Grasshoppers!

Trevor Bauer News

The La Times writes today “The expectation is that Bauer will be suspended and won’t pitch for the Dodgers again.” I believe the LA Times is wrong, but they have a long history of that! Bauer’s leave was extended another week (not a month) and I believe an announcement will be forthcoming in that time period. A lot has been made of Bauer throwing a ball over the CF fence, which was a big mistake, however, he admitted wrong and owned it. Terry Francona said this:

“I think he has a high bar set for himself, sometimes, actually, probably not attainable,” Francona said. “Everybody’s different. Everybody kicks themselves in the rear end a different way. I’ve been with Trevor for six years now. Again, I don’t want this to be his legacy. This kid is a good pitcher. When things happen in public, well then you have to answer in public. There’s a lot of things that happen on our team that nobody ever knows about that gets every bit as heated.”

Bauer said this after his debacle:

I can respect his sincere apology. Again, Bauer has been accused of horrible things, but the DA found no evidence worthy of prosecution and the Judge in the Restraining Order case found the alleged victim to be “materially misleading.” A Materially False Statement means any false statement, regardless of its admissibility under the rules of evidence, which could have affected the course or outcome of an official proceeding. I think MLB will pay a high price if they attempt to suspend Trevor Bauer.

Dodger Notes & News

  • Well, it was also good to see Mookie and Freddie also get two hits, but we knew that they were due.
  • The Indy Indians, led by Former Dodger Chase DeJong and two relievers pitched a no-hitter against St. Paul in the Saints Ballpark. Congrats Chase! I believe he now qualifies as the Pirates Ace! 😉
  • Zach McKinstry went 2-4 (again) and is hitting .438 (OPS is 1,299).
  • Bickford pitched 2/3 of an inning in OKC last night.
  • Marshall Kasowski is off to a great start in OKC (4.1 IP with a 0.77 WHIP). He’s 27 and the clock is ticking.
  • Kevin Pillar is playing like his hair is on fire!
  • Mike Busch had 2 HR and 6 RBI last night for Tulsa.
  • Andy Pages saw his BA drop to .250.
  • Carson Taylor is raking to the tune of a .417 BA
  • Mike Grove pitches 3.2 innings and allowed 3 hits, 4 K’s, 0 BB, and 1 ER.
  • Amaya and Mann are struggling with the bat… again.
  • SS Luis Diaz hit a Grand Slam for RC last night. He is off to a great start.
  • RH OF Damon Keith continues to rake – 10 hots in 19 ABs at RC.
  • Striker Buehler goes for the Blue tonight against the Reds.

Dodgers Press Release

DODGERS TO OPEN 60th YEAR AT DODGER STADIUM TOMORROW

Opening Day draws record breaking crowd ahead of seven-game homestand against Cincinnati and Atlanta

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers will kick off their 2022 home schedule with a star-studded seven-game homestand as they celebrate the 60th anniversary of Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles welcomes the Cincinnati Reds for a four-game series beginning with Opening Day on Thursday, April 14, presented by Bank of America, followed by the 75th anniversary celebration of Jackie Robinson Day on Friday night, followed by a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

The Dodgers will welcome back its dedicated fanbase for Opening Day, a 7:10 p.m. matchup against the Cincinnati Reds and just the second night home opener in Dodger Stadium history. The National Anthem will be sung by Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter Lupita Infante as members from all six military branches will unfurl a large American Flag in center field during the Anthem. Additionally, there will be a flyover from two F-35 planes as the Joint Color Guard Armed Forces will present the nation’s colors. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by decorated Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster, Jaime Jarrín, who is celebrating his 64th and final year as the Spanish-language voice of the Dodgers. Players representing each decade of Dodger Stadium’s existence will accompany the 2018 Dodgers’ Ring of Honor inductee, Jarrín, on the mound.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s (LADF) Opening Day in-stadium fundraiser, the 50/50 raffle, text to give initiative, and online auction will have its net proceed go towards providing 400 dorm beds for at-risk students attending SEED LA, the first and only public college prep boarding school in South LA. Fans can support the cause by purchasing a 50/50 raffle ticket, texting BEDS to 41623, or by bidding on autographed Dodgers memorabilia and experiences at Dodgers.com/Auctions. Fans can also stop by the LADF Homebase in centerfield to purchase $10 t-shirts and Mystery Bag Baseballs while supplies last.

Auto and Stadium gates open at 4:10 p.m. on Opening Day and the Dodgers encourage fans to arrive early, with the team working out on the field beginning at 4:00 p.m. and pregame ceremonies starting at 6:30 p.m. The free Dodger Stadium Express will start operating at 5:40 p.m. from Union Station. More information on parking and public transportation options to Dodger Stadium can be found online at www.dodgers.com under the Dodger Stadium tab at the top of the page.

Jackie Robinson Day will follow on Friday, April 15, as Major League Baseball is set to celebrate the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson on the 75th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier. Members of the Robinson family, including Jackie’s wife, Rachel Robinson, and his son, David, are scheduled to be in attendance for the pregame ceremonies as well as the matchup against the Cincinnati Reds at 7:10 p.m., which will air on Apple TV+. All Major League players, managers, coaches, umpires, and on-field personnel will wear Robinson’s iconic 42 during the game and for the first time ever, all MLB uniforms will feature a Dodger Blue No. ‘42’ regardless of their team colors. The first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance will receive a unique No. 42 Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers road grey jersey, presented by UCLA Health, adorned with a special 75th anniversary patch. Fans are welcome to stay in their seats after the game, as the season’s first Friday Night Fireworks, presented by UCLA Health, is set to light up the sky.

The Dodgers will wrap up their four-game series against the Reds with a 7:10 p.m. start on Saturday and a 1:10 p.m. start on Sunday. A Maury Wills bobblehead, presented by Bank of America, will be given out to the first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance on Saturday and the figurine is the first in the Legends of Dodger Baseball bobblehead series. Fans are invited to visit the first Viva Los Dodgers celebration, presented by Budweiser, of the season on Sunday. Held in the Centerfield Plaza, DJ Malski will spin tunes and a Dodger player will make a guest appearance. The Atlanta Braves will then come to town for a three-game set starting on Monday with a Will Smith bobblehead given out ahead of the 7:10 p.m. start. The ever-first Taco Tuesday at Dodger Stadium will follow suit on Tuesday night, as the first 40,000 ticketed fans will receive a Dodgers hooded sweatshirt, presented by Bank of America, upon entry and will enjoy music from Mariachi Garibaldi Con Julian Torres throughout the game. The seven-game homestand will conclude with a 12:10 p.m. matinee on Wednesday as 2,000 local students will visit the 76 Gas Station parking lot to enjoy a spread of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) focused activities ahead of the matchup against the Braves. 

Tickets are available for all seven games of the homestand and can be purchased at Dodgers.com/Tickets. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a host of activities and pregame ceremonies throughout the homestand. A full list of promotions and a schedule for games for the Opening Week presented by Bank of America is below:

Thursday, April 14, 7:10 p.m. vs. Cincinnati

  • Fans are encouraged to arrive early for pregame ceremonies, which start at 6:30 p.m.
  • Anthem: Lupita Infante
  • Pregame ceremonies will include:
    • Joint Color Guard Armed Forces to present the nation’s colors
    • Members of all branches of the military will unfurl a giant American flag in center field during the anthem.
    • Flyover from two F-35 planes
  • Ceremonial first pitch: Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín
  • It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Jaime Jarrín and former Dodger players
  • Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 50/50 raffle: will benefit SEED LA
  • Centerfield Plaza: Julian Torres con Mariachi Los Toros

Friday, April 15, 7:10 p.m. vs. Cincinnati

  • Promotion: No. 42 Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers road jersey, presented by UCLA Health (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
  • Anthem: Charles Jones, American blues and soul singer
  • Pregame ceremonies will celebrate the life and legacy of Jackie Robinson on the 75th anniversary of his Major League debut and breaking the color barrier:
    • Ceremonial First Pitch and It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: members of the Robinson family
    • Jackie Robinson Day Ceremony: 42 Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars and Alumni and 33 students from John Muir High School, Jackie’s alma mater, will take the field to honor Robinson
  • Centerfield Plaza: Fans will be transported back in time with retro-style music spun by DJ Jedi
  • Postgame: the first Friday Night Fireworks of the season presented by UCLA Health

Saturday, April 16, 7:10 p.m. vs. Cincinnati

  • Promotion: Maury Wills bobblehead, presented by Bank of America, the first installment of Legends of Dodger Baseball series (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
  • Pregame Ceremony: Maury Wills will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball
  • Anthem: Nikki Feroni
  • Ceremonial First Pitch: Jasmin Smith, Maury’s great-granddaughter
  • It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Members of the Wills family
  • Centerfield Plaza: 60s music played by DJ Antiq

Sunday, April 17, 1:10 p.m. vs. Cincinnati

  • Pregame: Viva Los Dodgers, presented by Spectrum and Budweiser, returns to the Centerfield Plaza and music will be provided by DJ Malski and Julian Torres Con Mariachi Cenzontle. A Dodger player will also make a special appearance.  
  • Postgame: Kids Run the Bases (kids 14 & under) presented by Nike

Monday, April 18, 7:10 p.m. vs. Atlanta Braves

  • Promotion: Will Smith bobblehead presented by Budweiser (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
  • Ceremonial First Pitch: Mark Smith, Will’s father
  • It’s Time For Dodger Baseball: Cara Smith, Will’s wife
  • Centerfield Plaza: Music provided by DJ Escalade

Tuesday, April 19, 7:10 p.m. vs. Atlanta Braves

  • Promotion: Hooded sweatshirt, presented by Bank of America (first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance while supplies last at guest’s point of entry)
  • Theme night: the first Taco Tuesday of the season with music by Mariachi Garibaldi Con Julian Torres
  • Centerfield Plaza: Special Taco Tuesday mix provided by DJ RAY

Wednesday, April 20, 12:10 p.m. vs. Atlanta Braves

  • Special Event: STEM day will feature a host of activities at the 76 Gas Station in the center field parking lots for 2,000 local students to enjoy.

A Little Pitbull

This article has 79 Comments

  1. You were wrong about Kersh and hopefully about Lux and I hope I’m wrong about Belli. Both pitches he drove yesterday we’re down in the zone which plays to his swing path. His future will be determined if he can hit middle of the zone and laying off of stuff up in the zone. With his long and uppercut swing he hasn’t shown that yet. But I’m hopeful. Two months should be enough of an indicator.

    1. With his long and uppercut swing he hasn’t shown that yet.

      I could have sworn that he won the ROY and MVP with that “Long and Uppercut Swing.”

      So how can you say that?

      1. Whatever he had before 2020 he’s lost it. How long do you wait for him to possibly find it. Right now with fastballs he just swings through everything middle and up in the zone. I don’t get how he lost it but he has.

        1. We wait until Mother’s Day.

          I don’t believe we “learned” anything really. By that I mean I don’t know what Kershaw will be capable of doing over 30 starts, or if he will even get 30 starts. I’d be happy with 25 and 150 innings. I don’t know if Heaney has found an unhittable pitch. I know this, if the Twins would have let that pitch go Heaney would have walked half those guys. If he can throw it for a strike he’s got something. And Bellinger? I’m hopeful, but he still looks like an easy guy to pitch to.

  2. Yesterday was certainly a treat. I really wanted CK to stay in and get the perfect game, possibly the most perfect game in the history of the sport. The calendar did not cooperate. I don’t blame Doc for this. In fact, I have some newfound respect for our sometimes, oftentimes, bumbling manager who seems to get in the way of the game at the most inopportune times. This was not one of them.

    On one hand, 80 pitches isn’t very many. When I first started watching baseball, it was a milestone that would be reached by the 6th inning on the way to a 130 pitch complete game. A perfectly plausible number if you’re built up for it. Nowadays, no one is built up for it. That’s the other hand, we just don’t see 120 -130 pitches anymore. But, that is the subject for another day.

    Either way, the game was a treat and I thank Clayton for it. I totally agree with Mark, we might see a renaissance with CK, if he can sit in the 90’s and touch 93, with a new pitch change while mixing in his slider / cutter / 4 seam and curve, he will be a dominating innings eater once again.

    I don’t want to get too excited about Cody Bellinger, but why not? Because his OPS was slightly less than 800 in the COVID season? Plenty of guys had bad years that year. Because he flat out sucked last year while being injured the entire season? This isn’t very common. But it’s also not very common to come back from shoulder surgery only to break your leg immediately after coming back. He’s still very young, this year is his age 26 season. It’s probably more likely he returns to MVP form as he’s just starting to enter his prime, than it is that he totally flames out. Let’s enjoy the ride.

    Speaking of enjoying the ride, we’re once again witnessing a very athletic and dynamic Gavin Lux. He’s very quietly putting up a very nice streak to start the season with a 353/400/588/988 while settling in nicely at second base showing off the glove to help keep CK perfect. Yes, it’s just 5 games. Yes, it’s early. But, this is what he did the entire time he was in the minors. And there was a ton of length to that bomb he hit yesterday. Absolutely incredible.

    5 days in, what have we learned? To start, we would be 4-1 without that sloppy D in the 2nd game of the Rockies series.

    Walker and Urias are not built up. Both showed less velo than we’re used to. On a side note, I hate it when players make drastic changes to their physique during the offseason. I can’t recall a time where it ended well. I remember Russell Martin bulking up one year, slimming down the next. Both years were suboptimal to say the least. Urias’ pants rubbed together last year, his best year. Now they’re falling off.

    Tony Gonsolin is dirty, but still throws way too many pitches. If he can attack more, he’s very well suited to be a dominant 5th starter.

    Heaney looked great until Kershaw showed him up. Both look like they have top of the rotation stuff. The rotation is very good.

    The offense is off to a slow start, but we had a nice 3-2 road trip nonetheless. Mookie is warming, Freddie hits everything, but right at people for now and Trea still has blinding speed. The bottom of the lineup is carrying this team right now. But, the whole team can hit.

    The bullpen is very good is an understatement. V-Gone had a very good Spring and he isn’t on the roster. Kahnle looks like he’s throwing 95 MPH wiffle balls and he isn’t on the roster. Daniel Hudson is a great setup guy as is Treinen. Kimbrel is way less taxing on my blood pressure than Kenley.

    Right now, I’m feeling really good about this team even though we’re just 3-2 after facing the Rockies and Twins. We still need to face some good teams at some point. But, what’s to worry about? This is a great team. It’s full of stars and the question marks to start the season have answered the questions for the most part.

    We have a 4 game series to start the homestand against a not very good team, then we get our first test against a Brave’s team that’s coming out the gate a little slow and a Padres team in their yard. The month of April should be kind to us as we finish up against the D-Backs and a Tiger’s team that’s on the rise.

    All is good, it’s Spring! There’s baseball! And the good guys look more than fine. And to put the cherry on top, the minor leaguers are getting closer and starting hot.

  3. It’s good to be a Dodger fan! The past 10 years have been amazing and the future looks just as bright! So happy for Kersh! AF should be embarrassed for what he’s paying him! The best pitcher in baseball! At least till his next start!

    1. C’mon. AF deserves a refund after the last contract. 3 year deal $31 M per year. 29, 10 and 22 starts. 178.1, 58.1, 121.2 IP. 3.03, 2.16, 3.55 ERA.

      After one start he’s perfect, bet he hasn’t throw 180 innings since 2015. I’m happy to see that flash of brilliance, and I certainly hope for a return to dominance. I don’t want to poo, poo him after this start, but I’m not putting in a bet for a Cy Young award just yet.

  4. I too was in the don’t resign Kershaw camp. So far, I was way off base with that opinion. Anyone with any baseball sense couldn’t even think for a moment that Roberts was going to let CK finish that game. The writer Mark mentioned above is a moron and a complete click bait whore. Same with Plaschke from the Times. Really?? After three games? I had a subscription to the LA Times that cost me $1 for six months as a special offer. I cancelled early because I wasn’t getting my monies worth.

    Nice production from Cody yesterday. It looks like Lux is relaxed and having fun playing baseball which is reflected in production. The first four games were a snooze feast offensively, so it was nice to see an onslaught of homeruns by our main power source…the 7-8-9 hitters!

    This Bauer saga is another embarrassment for Boob Manfred. Make a damn decision dude!! He has no credibility so why is he afraid to decide TB’s fate. He’ll look bad no matter what he does so just pull off the Band-Aid and get it over with. If he reinstates TB the holier than now crowd will be pissed. If he doesn’t Bauer will probably sue MLB for a billion $$. So there’s that.

    Carry on

    1. I was beginning to think Manfred’s plan was to keep Bauer on Admin leave for the duration of his contract ( and avoid the two scenarios you mention. However, with just a 1 week addition, it sounds like some resolution if coming.

      1. I’m convinced Bauer is being used as punishment for the Dodgers. Owners were pissed at the short high annual contracts that were given to Bauer and now Scherzer. I can see no other reason for how this has played out. The union won’t step in because, well, any show of support for Bauer will unleash the Twitter mob. They found him guilty 90 seconds after the allegations became public. I can see no other reason for how this played out. I can’t stand Manfred but we should be under no illusion that he makes these decisions autonomously.

        Give the Dodgers back their pitcher or let them drop $35m from their payroll. Putting the team in a position like this is unprecedented. To the Dodger’s credited, they made great moves in the off season despite the situation.

        But I can’t help but think this is being used as a warning to teams do avoid these types of deals. It’s really a ridiculous situation.

  5. The media space is highly competitive. To get eyeballs (and clicks) you have to constantly have Hot Takes, which, owing to their inherently lower standards for quality, are also often Stupid Takes. Plaschke has made a career out of being stupid, deliberately or incidentally. The market incentivizes such Hot Takes at the expense of Reasonable Takes, which, owing to their inherent reasonableness and common sense characteristics, are often also boring. In such an environment, you get takes like the one by that person that I’ve never heard of and don’t care about, but was nevertheless given digital ink in today’s article.

    But, we talk about it because such stupid Hot Takes make us angry. Ever hear of “sex sells?” So does outrage. “What an idiot!” Maybe, but it might stimulate a vigorous discussion with lots of comments. It’s called Engagement, and it’s what every content provider covets. Meanwhile, Bear might spend hours researching some figure from Dodgers history and it’s crickets here, not because it wasn’t a well done article or that people didn’t read it, but because it didn’t stimulate some hormone or neurotransmitter in our lizard brains.

    I saw several posts yesterday by folks getting all heated because they saw “people” commenting that Kershaw should’ve been left in the game. Who? It wasn’t on this site. Every comment I saw, including my own, went something like, “I woulda liked to see Kershaw pitch the 8th, but understand why he was pulled.”

    Were all a bunch of schlubs with our own Hot Takes, Mark included.

    LOL! “Gavin Lux is a bust and should be included in a trade for a bag of balls. How can I tell? I can see the ‘deer in the headlights’ look in his eyes.”

    Lux is raking …

    “The deer in the headlights look is magically gone!”

    I dunno. Maybe, and this is just a thought, there are better ways of assessing a professional athlete than some perceived and transient facial expression. But what do I know?

    Here’s my Hot Take:

    The Giants are off to another great start and have an outstanding pitching staff. They lost Gausman but picked up Rodon. They are going to make life hard for the Dodgers all year.

    1. If 4-2 is a hot start, what is 3-2? If ERA 2.62, WHIP 1.15, Ave Against .221 is Outstanding, what is 2.72/0.98/.193? They opened at home, us on the road in a couple of really bad places to pitch.

      Did that $20 turn you into a Giants fan? I have another $20, we’ll be ahead in the standings after April games are played. What say you?

      Here’s my hot take. The Giants suck, and in the end, they’ll finish in 3rd or 4th place in division and miss the post-season entirely.

      1. But the Giants FIP is 2.54. FIP explains all.

        “Did that $20 turn you into a Giants fan? I have another $20, we’ll be ahead in the standings after April games are played. What say you?”

        Not sure I’d want to take that bet because I think you’re right. Now, you saying they’ll finish 4th place – I’ll take that bet.

    2. Reading this through again, I’d like to clarify some things. I want to make it clear that I’m not implying that the stories Bear writes are not engaging or boring. They’re very well done and are quality content. My comment was more about our tendency as people and consumers to react to low brow content that stimulates the primitive parts of our brain. Thoughtful pieces appeal to the more cerebral parts of our brains and are, ultimately, healthier in that respect.

      Bear’s articles are like a meticulously prepared healthy multi-course meal. Some throwaway article from some clown named ….*scrolls up to check the name* …Tanner … are a Doritos Locos taco from Taco Bell – except those Doritos tacos actually taste pretty damn good!

  6. I’m quite pleased I was dead wrong on Kershaw. I also believed he was looking at surgery or retirement after he wasn’t offered the qualifying offer. I can’t think of many times when I’m so happy to be wrong. Kershaw has been a much better than average pitcher the last few years. But we haven’t seen the Kersh “magic” in quite a while. When the game was over and I had to get back to work, as I was walking out another Dodger fan (total stranger) gave me a fist bump and said “happy Kershaw day”. I haven’t heard that in years.

    1. Jayne Cobb, I’m in your camp with your Kershaw views. You’re correct that CK has been very good when he does pitch. The issue has been a lack of availability the last few years while collecting pre-injury years amount in salary. Add Bauer’s salary and unavailability last year there’s tens of millions of dollars not producing. Fortunately, the front office has filled those gaps to a certain point with low cost players. With the pitching talent in AAA it should be easier to overcome any further injuries or absences by the current staff this year. Hopefully, we won’t have to see that happen.

  7. Wow, what a performance by Clayton.
    I have not seen a better game pitched by him , not even his no hitter vs COL back then.
    As most of us I wished he could have completed the perfecto but I understand that Doc took him out.
    Winning another WS is the top priority for the team. But what if Clayton should go down again at some point of the season anyway ? Then he lost out on a piece of baseball eternity. It was a tough decision no matter how you look at it. Docs face around the 6th and 7th inning said it all.
    80 pitches is not that much and he probably would have needed 20-25 more to finish it. Dodgers could have scaled his workloud down in the coming starts to make up for it maybe. But you never know. So it is what it is: Another great pitching performance by one of the All Time Greats.

  8. That Turner-Lux dumbbell could end this season with a 20-20 I don’t know if that has happened before, I would like that dumbbell to last many years in the team, let the good players go and retain the special players, there are good players many, very few special players, those are not born under the stones, Trea Turner is a special player that I trust the Dodgers will extend.
    I’ll leave this here for the record:
    “Gavin Lux has everything to be the left version of Trea Turner, if they both stick together, when the dust settles, they could end up being the best SS and 2B in team history in Los Angeles.”

  9. What a great performance by Clayton Kershaw!
    I have had the opinion that Clayton plays for the Dodgers as long as he wants to.
    Even after injury last year, I fully supported bringing him back.
    He is the best pitcher of this generation, and has given so much to the organization.
    He deserves to leave the Dodgers on his terms(hopefully when retiring).
    Similarly, Kershaw deserved the discretion to decide whether he pitched the 8th inning. It is his health and he knows his arm better than anyone. The outcome of the game was no longer in doubt, and if he really wanted to leave the game then that is fine. However, my impression is that Clayton was just supporting Roberts’ decision and would have preferred to stay in the game.
    Bulldog makes a good point that the Kershaw performance yesterday was on a trajectory to be the most effective pitching performance of all time. Clayton struck out 13 of 21 hitters, and only one ball was hit over 90 mph.
    There have only been 23 perfect games in history, compared to 120 World Series champs.
    I understand the rationale for Roberts to pull Kershaw yesterday. He had thrown 80 pitches or 11 pitches per inning. He would likely need over 100 pitches to complete the perfect game. But if health and pitch count were the major factors, then why did Clayton pitch the 6th and 7th innings?
    Is it really more dangerous to extend from 80 to 100 pitches compared to extending from 60 to 80 pitches?
    The Dodgers are a clear betting favorite to win the World Series with odds of 5:1 or a 20% chance to win the WS.
    If Clayton were to get injured yesterday, the WS odds would probably move very little.
    And in reality, the Dodgers need to prepare for the possibility that Kershaw may miss some time this year.
    Overall, I would have given Kershaw the option to try to complete the perfect game, but I understand Roberts’ call.
    In any event, a great game for Clayton and the Dodgers which hopefully bodes well for the rest of the year!

  10. Don’t forget my hot (hot as hell) take before 2021 started: that Gavin Lux would be the last Dodger ever to wear #9

    1. And I thought I was bold when I said he would be the regular second baseman starting with game one. If you are right, then I think he becomes the shortstop next year or sooner.

      1. I like both of these takes. I will remind everyone that the guys that get paid to write about baseball penciled in Muncy at 2nd and a Lux/CT3 platoon in LF. How wrong they were. Doc, don’t feel the need to mess with the lineup. No one needs a rest this early except maybe Muncy. And don’t even think about sitting him the day after his first homer.

        I’ve been on the Lux bandwagon since before he had his first major league game and never got off. His athleticism is special. Let’s see if he can keep his head in check.

  11. It’s 5 games. Let’s reserve judgement on successes and failures until at least a third of the season is over.

    1. Can’t we just declare it a success and not worry about anything else baseball related for the rest of the season?

      Would make it so much easier.

      1. Ok. So declared.

        Even Kershaw admitted his slider was losing its bite and it “was time”. He threw 80 pitches. Will the next 80 be anything like that? I doubt it. Again, I’m looking for Kershaw to be a solid back of the rotation starter. Realistically, 150 innings of 3.5 would be outstanding as far as I’m concerned.

        I’m a believer in Lux. Always have been. A shortstop with elite speed who was Minor League Player of the Year, what’s not to like? I had him penciled in at second base, then the Freeman Pollock moves kinda changed the dynamics but I believe with his athleticism he could play anywhere. I prefer a young player be given a role he can focus on, and if they want him in the outfield, I’d rather not, but, ok. He can put up more WAR at second base and short. I really don’t want him left. Positional adjustment for a second baseman is +2.5, for a left fielder is -7. He’s too good to waste his athleticism in left field. He’d make a great centerfielder with all that speed. Maybe when Bellinger goes to Oklahoma after Mother’s Day we can put Lux in center.

  12. Bauer will definitely be suspended, the question is how long.
    There’s zero chance he’ll pitch for the Dodgers again.
    I’d say there’s probably at least a 40% chance he never pitches in the majors again.

    Nothing has changed.

    1. I’d say there’s a 50-50 chance he pitches for the Dodgers again and a 2% chance he never pitches in the majors again.

      That said, I don’t consider myself any more of an expert on the subject than you are, Bluto, so it will be interesting to see which of us is closer to being correct.

      2. I don’t believe people that say things like zero chance and never. Especially when they don’t offer anything to back up those statements.

    2. Use of the “definitely” adverb to create adversarial certainty – check

      Use of “zero chance” another declaration that comes across as adversarial, thus inviting pushback – check

      40% a specific percentage prediction that invites challenge – check

      “Nothing has changed.” More absolutist language that stimulates disagreement – check

      Yup. Definitely a Hot Take. 😉

  14. Greetings fellow fans,
    I really have nothing to add that you already didn’t say. I do prefer to visit here after a win so here is my visit. I do have a few thoughts general going through my brain:

    1. After seeing Jansen nearly blow a 4 run lead, I feel dirty saying this, but I’m now okay seeing him not wearing a Dodgers uniform. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’ve embraced Kimbrel as my man, but I’m hoping he is not the guy that pitched out in Chicago last year.

    2. Freddie hits the ball hard, doesn’t he? Too bad many of them have been at somebody or somebody is making a great catch.

    3.,The bullpen may actually be a lot better than I thought….especially after we lost 2 of our top 3 guys from last year.

    4. I’m not a Gonsolin fan…he seems to work too hard with men on base all the time. I am a huge Dustin May though. Can’t wait to see him back in action.

    5. How great is this- having Lux in the shadows should TreTurner bolt next year?

    6. Will we ever see Bauer? I think it’s more likely we see Jack Bauer before we see Trevor Bauer.

    7. Can’t wait for the Braves to stop by. I especially hope Freddie greets them with plenty of hits and RBIs.

    8. I friggin love Austin Barnes. What a class act who also is not an automatic out besides being a top notch catcher.

    9. I saved my best for last….CLAYTON KERSHAW HAS TO BE A DODGERS FOR LIFE. GIVE GHE MAN WHAT HE WANTS FOR HOW LONG HE WANTS. He stands for everything good about baseball and about playing in LA.

    Later,
    TM

        1. “Not an In N Out fan, I prefer Carl’s JR.” Said no one ever, until now.

          I guess if you prefer factory frozen beef that’s cooked, then put in a pile under a hot lamp until they put together you burger, over fresh, never frozen beef that’s made to order, that’s your prerogative. But, this explains so much about you. 😉

          1. I appreciate In N Out. It’s a privately owned corporation that pay its employees well, hires from within and has consistently great service – and their burgers are awesome. I can always smell the grilled onions when I’m riding by. Gotta say, though, I’m not a huge fan of the fries.

            I’ll give Carl’s one thing – they do grill the burgers.

          3. Char broiled burgers Nuff said,,,,,but I prefer FAT Burgers greasy chili burger to anything In N Out makes…hell, I like Toms Better, They make mine the way I want them anywhere I eat, or they don’t get paid,Monks, which is right down the street from my sis’s house makes better burgers than In N Out. Hell, I prefer a JUMBO JACK to IN N OUT. LOL

          4. Actually, I forgot about TK Burger. There’s one on PCH in Huntington. I know the guy who owns them. He’s a cyclist like me. I love it when the charbroiling smell wafts over PCH when I’m riding by.

        2. “Not an In N Out fan, I prefer Carl’s JR.” That’s why bears eat out of trash cans–They are not particular.

          1. Never ate out of a trashcan in my life. Most bears, the real kind, prefer natual foods. But if a trashcan is the only thing they can find, they might raid it. That is the bailiwick of racoons. And since I doubt you have ever seen a bear up close and personal unless it was in a zoo, you are in no position to say what bears eat. We have black bears here and some have even come into town. My friend Patti has one that regularly visits her yard.

  16. There has been a lot of talk here about the signing of Trea Turner and I fall into the category of being a person who does not think he will re-sign with the Dodgers.

    #1. When Trea Turner was a National, he and his wife and son lived in Virginia. When he was traded to LA, he did not move to LA, but instead moved back to Florida, where he was born. He was born in Boynton Beach, and now lives in Palm Beach Gardens.

    #2. I think he would like to go back to Florida. He could take considerably less money with the Marlins or Rays and make more money in a state without income tax than he could in LA.

    #3. MIke Busch will be ready to play 2B next year and I believe he will rake!

    #4. If Lux can handle SS, then that makes the most sense.

  18. SP Walker Buehler R
    1-0 3.60 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    SS Trea Turner R
    DH J. Turner R
    2B Max Muncy L
    C Will Smith R
    LF Chris Taylor R
    CF C. Bellinger L
    3B H. Alberto R

    0% Rain
    63° Wind 7 mph Out

  19. Nationals To Promote Donovan Casey
    By Mark Polishuk | April 14, 2022 at 5:10pm CDT

    The Nationals are calling up former Dodger minor outfielder Donovan Casey from Triple-A. Casey was one of 4 players in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner trade.

  20. Trivia question, one Dodger has broken up two perfect games without getting a hit. Who is it?

    $86: Average purchase price for MLB Home Openers in 2022.
    $231: Average purchase price for Dodgers Home Opener in 2022.

    Wow! With at least 50K seats sold, that’s a cool $11.5M for a single game.

    I’ve spoken about this before. Post season games are very lucrative and if you’re playing 10 of them per year, you are raking in money, enough to cover payroll for a whole season for most teams.

  21. Dodgerpatch next time you go to In N Out order your fries “extra crispy”. You might enjoy them a little more.
    Go Blue! Hope to get down from NoCal for a few games this season.

  22. Note to self:

    Never discuss food with Bear ever again.

    The stadium looks beautiful. I wish I could post a pic. If anyone is here , please let me know and I’ll buy round 1!!

    3. Note to you, I do not discuss food. I eat it. Now, I may not have expensive or discerning tastes like some of you, but I know what I like. And I do not like In N Out. Their burgers are nothing special. You want a great burger???? Try a buffalo burger like some of the restaurants in Colorado serve. And in our little town, we have a place called Big Burger, and they are very good. Char broiled too.

  23. Bush in AA already has problems against left-handed pitchers, not even Joc had that problem in the minors and on defense at 2b he is not a good player, I think the Dodgers will involve him in a trade in the future.
    This line up seems very likely to me:
    C Cartaya
    1B Freeman
    2BLux
    SS Turner
    3B Vargas
    LF Mookie
    CF Belli
    RF Pages
    DH maybe Muncy, very remotely Bush.
    Smith will hit free agency in his mid-thirties and when that time comes he’s possibly the best catcher in MLB and he’s going to get his star-level money but it won’t be from the Dodgers, they’ll have Cartaya ready.

    1. Busch has only had 122 minor league games. 107 in AA. Joc’s splits were MUCH WORSE in AA and that was his 3rd full year in the minors. His fielding isn’t as bad as you think it is. The reports are that he’s average to above average now. He was a first baseman in college, so he needs some time to learn the position.

      1. I watched Busch last year and this year. I wasn’t convinced he could play 2B last year. This year, I know he can.

        Insofar as `hitting LHP, it’s way too small of a sample to make any determination.

        I like his hit tool and see him as a young Max Muncy!

      2. He is already over 25 so he has to hurry, if he stays with the Dodgers I see him in the new role that Muncy has, a DH most of the time and being able to cover other positions from time to time.
        If the Dodgers trade for a player in July, I don’t see them trading Cartaya, Miller, Vargas or Pagés, it’s more likely they’ll trade Bush.
        The 1B and DH positions are filled, if Lux goes to SS I see the Dodgers more likely to go with Taylor at 2B than with Bush.

        1. And it’s possible that wear and tear could move Mookie to 2B–another reason Busch seems more expendable than the other top prospects.
          A future infield could have Cartaya C, Freeman 1B, Betts 2B, Lux SS, and Will Smith 3B…

  24. Adrian Beltre is here in a dodgers jersey

    This sucks. We never should have let him go

      1. It is! Was! Still is!

        I was really hot on Adrian Beltre since 1997 when he was at Vero Beach (A+) . He made the Dodgers a year later!

    2. I never got over Beltré’s departure, he was my favorite player and worst of all, he signed with Seattle on December 19, the day of my birthday, that was my worst birthday present.

    1. Those are great pictures.
      I especially like the second photo with the two jets in the background.

    1. Nice to see the bats really come to life. Six guys with two hits each.
      Meanwhile, I decided to catch up on the Angels’ highlights, and this was fun: Corey Seager hit an HR against the Angels–and the Rangers’ color announcer twice referred to him as “Kyle.”

    1. Nah, they will keep it up. It’s a compulsion they cannot control.

      Sorta like the Bauer haters.

  30. Freddie comes from a team that only has fans in his city, in his state, now he is coming to a team that has fans practically all over the world where baseball is played, a world-class team, when Freedie knows and feels that then he’ll know who the Dodgers are, then he’ll know the size of the Dodgers.

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