The Dodgers are the class of the National League once again at the midway mark for the season and with the All-Star game upon us. Voting is complete and the starters have been selected by the fans. The reserves are selected by a combination of a Player Ballot where coaches, managers, and players from all teams vote in the process and the Commissioner’s Office which selects 6 players in each league. There are 32 players in each league that will be selected for each roster, kind of. Because in the latest CBA the Commissioner’s Office was given the right to make Special Selections to honor active players with distinguished careers. This year, those players are The Tiger’s Miguel Cabrera and The Cardinal’s Albert Pujols. Each team must have one representative.
Unless you live under a rock, you know that the Dodgers are hosting the All-Star game this year at Chavez Ravine after missing out on hosting during the COVID Championship year in 2020. Upgrades were made to Stadium in preparation to show off the beauty of our home on the hill overlooking our great City of Angels prior to the 2020 season, alas after a two-year delay, we’re ready to show our home and players to the nation in the Mid-Summer Classic.
The Dodgers are starting off on the right foot with Mookie Betts and Trea Turner having already been selected by the fans as starters for the game. Already good representation, but there will no doubt be more Dodgers on the National League squad. Let’s see who else is All-Star worthy for a spot on the National League roster. There must be more deserving players on the team that paces the rest of the National League by 2.5 games heading into the final day of selection.
Will Smith
Will is a complete package when it comes to the position. He is everything you can hope for in a catcher, offensively and defensively. It’s a wonder that he hasn’t been selected before, so this will be his first All-Star selection unless something goes horribly wrong in the process. He’s tied for the top mark in all of MLB for Home Runs at the position and his OPS ranks 3rd for qualified players. You can often find him at DH when he’s not catching which speaks to his ability with the bat. With the glove, he’s tied for 3rd in the National league in Defensive WAR and 2nd in Fielding Percentage for qualified players. He also has a great reputation as a pitch framer and he’ll surprise you on the bases. Will will make his first All-Star team this year.
Freddie Freeman
It’s going to be a tough road for Freddie to make the All-Star team this year. The 5-time All-Star is having a very good season, but Goldschmidt, Cron and Alonso all have better cases. There’s 8 other NL first basemen with more homers, 4 with more RBI and 3 with a higher batting average. He’s 5th among NL first basemen in OPS. I wonder if Brian Snitker has any pull with the commissioner’s office to get Freddie one of those last picks. I’ll go ahead and make up some odds and give him a 50% chance of making the team.
Gavin Lux
Who would have thought that Gavin Lux would have the 3rd best OPS among NL second basement at the start of the year? After all, he was fighting for a spot on the roster this Spring and many fans wanted an upgrade over the off-season. None of his stats really stand out except for being one off the lead for triples in all of baseball. But, he’s solid in just about every offensive category. He’s a complete player and his power is just starting to show up. Without his throwing problem’s he’s developed into a plus defender at second base with a .4 dWAR and 3.1 Defensive Runs Above Average. Altogether, he’s just off the mark for his first All-Star selection and with so many other Dodgers on the team, he’ll have to wait a little longer.
Tony Gonsolin
Like Gavin, The Cat Man was fighting for a job in Spring Training and he answered the bell by becoming the top dog in all of baseball, leading MLB in Wins, ERA and WHIP with a puuurrrrfect 11-0 record. No need to elaborate further. It’s not a matter if he makes the team, the only decision is if he gets to start. The only knock on Tony is that he hasn’t pitched as deep into games as his competition which isn’t a requirement in the All-Star game.
Julio Urias
Julio won’t get another chance to make his case for this All-Star game before selections are announced. His ERA is 7th in the NL and is tied with fellow teammate and lefty legend Clayton Kershaw. His record sits just one game over 500 at 7 and 6 and hasn’t pitched particularly deep into games. Every pitcher on the ERA leader board in the NL has pitched more innings. He’s got a solid 8.5/9 K rate, but that just doesn’t shine like 9+ K’s per 9. Last year, he was the only 20-game winner and that could be the edge he needs to get in. Unfortunately for Julio, other teams need to be represented. I think he has an outside shot, but there are plenty of other pitchers with close enough numbers to make it a crap shoot.
Clayton “The GOAT” Kershaw
As mentioned, he’s tied for 7th with Julio on the ERA list. The trouble is, his IL stint has him nowhere close to qualifying for an ERA title. Like Julio and Tony, he’s not pitching deep into games, averaging just 5.7 innings per start. His 6-2 record is solid, his 2.40 ERA is excellent, and his 9.75 K/9 is very good, but not elite. He’s a very good, borderline great pitcher this year and like Julio is worthy of selection. As worthy as about 12 other starters in the league. The trouble is it’s doubtful that 12 starters are selected and even more doubtful the best 12 starters are selected due to the requirement that all teams are represented. With Roberts on the coaching staff and the game being played at Dodger’s stadium, I’ll put my money on The GOAT getting his 9th All-Star appearance.
Mookie Betts and Trea Turner have already made the team and Will Smith and Tony Gonsolin will be there barring travesty. Clayton Kershaw has home-field advantage and a body of work that should get him there. Freddie Freeman might get the sentimental nod from his former manager. Urias is deserving in a crowded field and Gavin Lux is just on the outside looking in. Which Dodgers do you think will make it?
Future Dodgers Down on the Farm
- Oklahoma City Dodgers
- OKC Lost 4-3 to Las Vegas
- Miguel Vargas was 1-4 with a double, a Walk, and an RBI
- Mike Busch was 1-4 with a BB and Double
- Carson Fulmer pitched an inning and dropped his ERA to 1.56
- Andre Jackson continues to be a trainwreck – he needs to move to another organization
- Tulsa Drillers
- Tulsa Lost to NW Arkansas 6-3
- Jonny DeLuca was 2-5
- Andy Pages was 1-5 with an RBI
- Ryan Ward who moved to AA this season is having a hot July. He is being challenged by AA pitching but is rising to the challenge. (.259/.819 OPS). He was 1-3 last night with his 18th HR and 2 RBI. Keep an eye on him
- Clayton Beeter pitched .2 innings and was roughed up for 2 runs on 1 hit and 3 BB
- Great Lakes Loons
- Great Lakes beat Lansing 7-3
- Nick Nastrini pitched 6 magnificent innings, allowing 4 hits, 0 R, 1 BB, and striking out 7. It was his most impressive outing!
- Alex DeJesus was 3-6 with 3 RBI
- Jorbit Vivas was 2-4
- Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- RC lost to IE 14-4
- Nothing relevant to report
Gavin Lux just might be the best hitter on this Dodgers team at the moment. Hope he can continue that trend. Raised his average to almost .300 now with an OBP of .370.
And his defense keeps getting better and better at 2b. Saved another run last night with a great play to bail out Clayton. I would keep him at 2b for good.
With a LH starter going tonight I bet Roberts will cool him off and sit him despite a good average against LHP .
Kimbrel again made it interesting in the 9th. Walking the leadoff hitter and then just avoided a tying 2 run shot .
How long can the Dodgers go with him closing games ?
For the sake of my health and blood pressure I hope not that much longer.
Clayton was money again . If I had a vote I would make him the All star game starter. He deserves it in his stadium.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
That was a hell of a play at second! It’s good to see him start to look like he did in the Minors.
Looked like vintage Clayton for most of the game yesterday. No walks, 10 K’s just missed 8 innings on 102 pitches. It looked like he was lobbying for that spot on the All Star team.
Kimbrel is an enigma. Lot’s of hits, mostly cheap, lot’s of walks, lot’s of K’s (45 in 29 innings).
Will smith is NOT a good pitch framer. This year he is ranked 48 out of 58 catchers. In fact that’s probably his biggest weakness.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/catcher_framing?year=2022&team=&min=q&type=catcher&sort=4,1
Hopefully one day they will have an automatic ball/strike calls. So framing(cheating) will be a thing of the past.
This year, he’s been off the mark. Last year, he was 17th overall with more innings caught than anyone above him on the list.
In his incredible HOF career Kersh has never started an all star game. Travesty! Not only should he make the team he should be the starter and let the Dodger Stadium crowd love on him for a minute or two!
Agree 100%. Clayton on the hill, at home, to start what might be his last all-star game appearance. That would be awesome to see for all MLB fans, but more importantly for the Dodger faithful.
Lamb has played himself onto the rest of the season roster. When future transactions are needed to create room for returning IL players, I can see Alberto’s hold on a reserve role to be tenuous at best.
Dodgers have some players currently on the 40 men roster that could be DFA or traded.
Trade candidates: Grove, James Outman, Jorbit Vivas, Eddy Leonhard, Jacob Amaya, Andre Jackson
DFA candidates: Eddy Alvarez, Moronta,
There should be enough room if the Dodgers want to bring in reinforcements via trades.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!
Another exciting come from behind win last night. The offense isn’t really taking off, but they’re doing enough to pick up the W.
Lux is really coming into form. He’s impacting the game with his baserunning, glove and bat. Although he was caught stealing last night, it was about as close as you can get to swiping another bag. I’m really starting to fall in love with this kid. Too bad he won’t be playing 2B for us next year. He’s going to play SS.
Jake Lamb made a pretty nice running catch in deep left field last night. I think he’s taking to the outfield and with his second bomb in as many games, he’s a nice addition to the lineup. I’m not a huge fan of platoons, but you can do a lot worse than Jake Lamb and Trace Thompson right now.
Will Smith keeps getting clutch hits, as does Freddie Freeman.
Clayton looked like The GOAT last night when he came out in the first and K’d the first three hitters he faced. I still think “The Catman” is a more worthy starter for the All-Star game.
All-Star game rosters will be revealed at 5:30 PM ET on ESPN.
As Andrew Friedman so aptly put it:
“We’ve expended a lot of future talent in the last five, six years. Obviously, we’re going to explore anything and everything, but we’re not looking to empty — we have confidence in the group we have here. It’s not something that will be a necessity in our minds.
If something lines up, great and we’ll be around the backboard. But hopefully, it’s something that we can continue to fill internally.”
Now, I know better than to believe everything stated by a President of Baseball OPS, but Andrew knows better than anyone that if you quit moving talent, you can fill many sports from within. The Dodgers have one of the best and deepest farm systems in MLB. If you quit raiding it, it will produce what you need for years.
There comes a time when you have to trust what you have and I think that time is now. I would not trade a single TOP 10 Prospect! If the Dodgers need a hitter, call up Vargas. If they need a starter call up Stone.
Grove, Outman, Vivas, Leonard, Amaya, and Jackson will get you a bag of balls, although if they took Grove and had him use two pitches in the bullpen, he might be a closer. Teams who want to trade with the Dodgers want those players in the Top 10.
I can see a small move or two at the deadline, but the five prospects for Machado move or the Scherzer/Turner trade for two ML ready minor leaguers (Ruiz and Gray) and two prospects is not something I see AF doing this year.
If what we read is indeed accurate, the Dodgers can expect a return of May, Duffy, Treinen and Kahnle for the second half along with Walker and CT3. Don’t see a big move happening this year and I don’t think we have to.
I agree, but at the same time, if something falls in AF’s lap, he’ll pull the trigger.
I just can’t see them going after Montas or Castillo. It could bite us in the ass if Kersh gets injured again or setbacks with Buehler or May. But, it’s hard to imagine them making a deal for a Starting Pitcher when they already have too many if all / most are healthy.
Can they pick up a bat? Much of the same story. Where would you put that bat? Cody seems to be doing just enough to keep his job. Trayce, Lamb and CT3 have LF covered, the infield is set with JT and Muncy starting to produce. If an impact player falls in their lap, maybe?
Buehler, V-Gone, Hudson, May, Nelson, Treinen, and Duffy are all pitchers on the 60 Day IL. Nelson and Hudson are the only ones not expected back at some time this year. Some of the surplus starters will have to be moved to the pen.
There’s bigger names on our 60 day IL then there are on the deadline trade list.
Agree that our injured players won’t cost us anything when they come back and better choices than trades.. As for Max–One good game (2-2 plus two walks). After that– last 4 games 0-15 with 6 Ks. plus only one walk. Beli a little better. Just enough 1-4 games to keep average above .200
Bellinger was horrible all last year and turned it up a notch in the playoffs. I think Belli and Muncy will eventually come around. JT is old. He’ll slump and have some good streaks as well.
The flip side to that argument is that you can’t bring up all of them. There just isn’t enough room or what you have doesn’t always line up with your needs. Freeman, Mookie, Smith and Lux look like they’ll be here for the next few years which might mean a position change for Smith. Busch, Pages and Vargas look like keepers for now. Vivas, Diaz and Leonard don’t look like sure things. Cartaya might force a position change for Smith.
We have 7 hitters in the top ten, which is really unexpected for the Dodgers who are usually very pitching-heavy. That will change as 6 pitchers are in the 11-20 spots.
You still have to line up for any trades. The A’s already have their sights set on Miller in a Montas deal and I’m sure that the Reds will do the same. I’m not trading Miller for anyone. His floor looks a lot like Montas or Castillo.
Cartaya, Miller, Busch, Vargas are the only untouchables that I have in the top 10. Pages is close, but I would trade him in the right deal. Soto anyone?
Soto certainly is intriguing. If we could get him without giving up Cartaya and Miller I would do it.
maybe Bellinger, Pepiot, Grove plus Busch for Soto ? Maybe throw in a Jackson or Amaya or Outman as well.
I dont want Montas. I think we are pretty much settled with starting pitching especially with WB and May due back sometimes late in the season . Plus Montas might be damaged goods with his recent injury.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark, I am little surprised because not too long ago you were pretty high on Grove and Amaya and Outman.
I think the Dodgers could package some of those minor leaguers for another bat or arm.
But my point was that those players could rather easily be removed from the 40 men roster to make room eventually.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!
Grove is number 23, Amaya 19, Outman 17. What GM is going to trade a better arm or bat than we already have for 17, 19 and 23? Those guys are more like the 2nd or 3rd prospect received in a package.
Outman is hitting 188 in 9 games since his callup to AAA.
Amaya is hitting 195 in 24 games since his callup to AAA.
Grove has a 5.91 ERA in 5 AAA starts.
Wishful thinking, not gonna happen.
I think Grove can be a reliever… a good one. I would have moved him out of the starter model long ago.
Amaya started to impress me early this season, but has regressed to (1) Great Baseball IQ; (2) Great Defense; (3 Light Hitter. I see him as a Nick Ahmed Clone.
Outman is a 5th outfielder… 4th at best! Of course, that is what I sad about Joc too.
The Dodgers are going to need a right-handed, power LF, and maybe one more bullpen arm, better to have and not need than to need and not have.
A power outfielder and an arm wouldn’t get in the way of the team.
It’s true that Lamb and Thompson have helped so far, but against what pitching and in how many games?
And counting and trusting that Vargas and or any other rookie is going to help in the playoffs, well….
Miguel Vargas is #3 in RBI in the PCL. The two guys ahead of him are 4 years and 5 years older.
Vargas has a Knack for driving in runs. He also leads all of AAA in runs scored!
His power will come, but he has 4 triples, 19 doubles, and 13 HR to go with 9 SB’s.
I’m not talking bad about Vargas when I say this, but RBIs and runs scored are not good stats to evaluate guys on. RBIs are dependent on guys on base in scoring position and runs scored are dependent on guys driving you in. Not exclusively of course.
I’m just a little bit more optimistic about Outman than you are. I think he will be at worse a 4th outfielder.
Eddie Rosario put up MVP numbers for the Braves last season.
Before Trade with Cleveland .254/.296/.389/.685
After Trade with Braves .271/.330/.573/.903
Postseason .383/.456/.617/1.073
Jake Lamb .263/.417/.737/1.154
Trayce Thompson .316/.381/.579/.960
So, why not Jake Lamb / Trayce Thompson?
Baseball is a weird sport. We see All-Stars suck after a trade to a contender and Journeymen play like an MVP in the same situation. You just never know.
If there is an elite player like Soto that you think you can sign, go a head and pull the trigger. But, I wouldn’t force a trade to try to fill a perceived need by picking up a guy like Drury unless you can trade from a surplus.
If they can play near the level they’ve started at, a Thompsom/ Lamb platoon in left would be very good. It would put Taylor in a sub roll when he comes back, but that might suit him better than starting every day.
I cannot understand the total lack of respect and pump for an All-Star slot for Tyler Anderson. He has been the Dodger second best starter all year and he is 9-2. He almost threw a no-hitter, and has been one of the better under the radar signings AF has ever made. When Joe and Orel were talking about potential All-Stars during the broadcast last night, they did not even mention the guy. And he gets one more start before the All-Star game and can be 10-2 at the break. Dodgers get next Sunday off.
Totally agree with you Bear. I was thinking the same thing after their conversation about potential All Star pitchers from the Dodgers. I thought “your promoting Urias? What about Anderson?” I could see him being dissed by the national media, but our own home team announcers to overlook him. He has been an unexpected, solid pitcher for a an often injured staff. Not to be nitpicky, but the Dodger site has his record at 9-1.
The Bellinger AB in the seventh inning is another example of the value of him making contact and putting the ball in play. A simple ground ball perfectly placed which allowed Cody to use his speed to get a hit and eventually score on Freddie’s single. Just.Do.That. Make contact! Add his GG fielding and an occassional HR it’s all good. That may not be a MVP or superstar player, but a solid major leaguer. At this point that ain’t bad.
Will Smith has been my favorite Dodger since he arrived with the Dodgers. He is so unassuming and quiet. Put him in a clutch situation he seems to produce more often than not. Joe gave a stat last night on Smith’s situational walk off batting average. I think he said it was somewhere in the mid .300s. Many of those hits came in his first season I believe. With his slow start offensively he might hurt his All Star chances this year. He has been on fire the last few weeks. We’ll hear later today whether or not he made the squad.
You are right, they came back to win that game.
Bear –
Good point on Anderson; he is the forgotten man who has been a major contributor to the team’s success this year. Nevertheless, if it comes down to a choice between him and Clayton I have to go with Clayton.
Lux is becoming a favorite of mine; he is playing the game the way it should be played. #35 could learn from him!
Sounds like the Dodgers will be standing pat at the trade deadline which is good for keeping the young talent. No more Yordan Alvarez’s.
Made it to Dodger Stadium for the first time in many years last night. Got there early and joined the crowd gathering around the statues of Jackie and Koufax and taking in the historic displays. These improvement were long overdue and really add to a festive spirit.
Seats near the right field fair pole, and yeah, Kimbrel made it interesting with that walk. Cubs just missed on a couple of swings, including the ball that flew over our head into the second deck. A split-second later on contact and the score is tied. Earlier, Kersh was nails, and Lamb and Smith delivered . Trea shaky on defense. Great moment when Freddie reacted to the Freddie chants with the two-run single–but certainly other first baseman deserve the All-Star nod more.
In Dodger alumni news, a big game for Jeter Downs and Verdugo against the Yankees. Look up the highlights. Heckuva comeback win for the Sox.
Muncy can’t seem to catch a break lately. Sure he’s been awful so far this year. And when he does make contact it seems like he hits into the shift or the other team makes a great play to rob him. How much longer can Roberts (front office) keep him in the lineup? He needs some R &R right now. I know JT can’t play 3B everyday. Play Max when JT does need a day off. Or Lamb could fill in at 3B with his left hand bat. I don’t know the solution but Max needs a mental break.
My opinion of Roberts standing as the manager with the best winning percentage in the history of baseball is that that stat is misleading. I’ve believed for the past several years that the front office, not Roberts, is making most of the game decisions. Such as lineup construction, fielder placement, starting pitching rotation, and reliever options for each game. I think Danny Lehmann makes more in game decisions than Roberts. That’s on top of the unbelievable talent he has had available to him during his tenure. Roberts’ main job is player communication to help the front office defend their sometimes head scratching decisions on why a player is or isn’t playing. Also, to be the face of the organization with the media. Spitting out cliché after cliché and rarely telling the truth about injuries to players or reasons for in game moves.
So, much of the bad stuff isn’t on Roberts. The only in game decisions he might make is changing pitchers. And how often has he screwed up many of those decisions, especially during the postseason? His actual game managing moves are many times faulty. Then, again, did the pitcher/player fail to perform or were they put into a position to fail? If much of the bad stuff isn’t on Roberts then most of the good stuff isn’t on Roberts either. With that thinking Roberts’ record should come with an asterisk. It’s mostly the record of dozens of front office personnel, coaching staff, and the manager. Let be real here. In looking back at all the incredible managers in history of baseball and you’re telling me Dave Roberts is the best? In my opinion that’s absurd. Should the Dodger get rid of Roberts? Why? And replace him with who? He isn’t going anywhere. He’s the perfect soldier for the organization.
But, hey the team is in first place and is playing more entertaining baseball lately. When they fall behind early I’m very confident they’ll comeback to win the game. It’s fun to watch a different player step up to get a game winning hit.
Carry on.
The lineup is what makes the manager ‘great’. Don Mattingly had a ‘great record’ also. Joe Torre was one of the worst , then he went to the Yanks with those great players and he is one of ‘greatest’ managers ever. Who knows how much input front office has on lineups? All managers make great and bad calls. When players come thru they are geniuses
Comparing Urias to Anderson.
Urias
ERA GS IP H HR BB SO WHIP Ave Record
2.57 16 87.2 69 13 21 83 1.03 214 7-6
Anderson
ERA GS IP H HR BB SO WHIP Ave Record
3.15 14 79 79 5 15 77 1.03 232 9-1
Urias is better than Anderson in just about every category except Record and HR. I think ERA holds more weight than W-L record. Hard to justify Anderson being All-Star worth when he’s tied for 13th in the league in ERA, but has the 4th best on his own team.
When will AF and Roberts end the Muncy farce?
Even a Juan Soto trade is one AF will not do. Are we going to paid the 400mil or is he going to be a rental?
4:10 PM ET
LAD
Cubs (34-51)
Dodgers (55-29)
SP Julio Urias L
7-6 2.57 ERA 87.2 IP 83 K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
SS Trea Turner R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B J. Turner R
DH Max Muncy L
CF T. Thompson R
2B H. Alberto R
LF Gavin Lux L
Clear-day
0% Rain
84° Wind 8 mph Out
Muncy again in the lineup.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At least Muncy isn’t batting cleanup!
Did you happen to see the Padres City Connect uniforms? I saw a picture, as I refuse to watch them live unless I have to. You either love em or hate and I’m the latter. They look like an explosion in a paint factory. I wonder if they have mesh caps, as well?
Funny with the mesh caps again. I bought the Spring Training one and love it. I wear it more than all the others because it’s much cooler on hot days. Very comfortable pro-fit. No snap back.
What unis are you talking about? The cammo one’s look like your description. The City Connect uniforms look like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air meets Bay Watch.
I want to apologize to tedraymond for my comments yesterday. I was having a horrible day yesterday. I’m sorry.
Chill Eric – don’t over think things.
You are a much liked and respected member of our community here.
Thank you Watford dodger you are always nice to me. I appreciate that very much.
Count me as favoring Kershaw as the all-star starter.
He’s not the best SP in the NL this year, but he’s been one of the best for many years. (But please, drop the GOAT stuff…) So Kersh deserves it as a career honor, and also as a salute to the LA fans.
This is an exhibition, after all. That’s why it was great last season when Ohtani started AND batted leadoff.
And I will continue to fantasize Ohtani in Dodger blue….
It won’t happen this year, but at some point Arte Moreno’s hand will be forced. If the Angels were winning, Ohtani might be willing to sign an extension.
But they ain’t and the Angels may be forced to salvage Ohtani’s value in a trade.
What a blockbuster that might be…
He’s the active career leader in ERA and Winning Percentage and I’m pretty sure those are also the top marks for anyone to play after the dead-ball era. He’s in the conversation for the GOAT.
I agree about him not starting the game. It should be Gonsolin, who has a ridiculously low ERA and a perfect record. Jeff Passan made a case why Alcantara should start over Gonsolin. I thought it was pretty weak, because it was almost entirely on one point, that he pitches more innings than Gonsolin.
The one reason why Gonsolin should start the game is this. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any game so far this season. This gives the team a chance to win every time out and it shows in his record.
Passan has made no bones about the fact he doesn’t care for the Dodgers. Even as he ages and approaches middle age, I will always consider him a snot nosed punk. I hate Passan.
I’m with you. I can’t stand him either.
Lux is a superb defender at 2b, why not play him there ? Robers is hurting the team deploying him in the outfield.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, whoever deployed him and left pretty much can take responsibility for five runs in the first. I don’t think all this happens if lux makes that catch, not even close.
Cheers
You guys are right Dodgers don’t need a LF they have Lux, I was so wrong!
Today I will not say that this game is over early, but…
Lux is an infielder or at least should be considered only an IF. Muncy can get his playing time at 3B or DH or in a spot start at 2b but Doc needs to put Lux at 2b every day and stop the OF experiment. Really bad outfield play on the fly all and the sinking liner, both should have been caught by a real OF.
The reality is you should have real outfielders in Dodger Stadium Sundays.
There’s Lamb, Thompson and Taylor will be back soon, what else do they need? With them is more than enough.
Oh, I forgot, Vargas will also be there…
Oh man, that was clearly a ball!
I’ve said for awhile now that Lux should be the everyday 2nd baseman and don’t weaken the D by putting him in left to give Muncy or Alberto or anybody a place to play. Muncy has earned nothing nor has Alberto. Lux should not suffer due to loyalty to Muncy or to get Alberto AB’s. I’m afraid I’ll be bitching about this the rest of the season.
Lux is no outfielder. He does not have the natural instincts. He misplayed two balls an experienced outfielder would have made easily. Urias should be pissed.
I do not think it’s too early to say that this ump definitely sucks!
This umpire actually gets paid for this. How could it be that he advanced to major league level?
not over yet
Lux continues to hit, did not take the defensive miscues to the plate. Good sign for the kid, but Roberts has to finally stop playing him in LF just to keep Alberto or Muncy in the lineup.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, one of those days it looks.
I think I will go to bed now, already 11.30 pm over here in Germany .
Bickford is pitching himself off the team, 5.50 ERA now, time to bring up Fullmer.
Good night everybody.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Completely agree, Dram.
That’s one of the reasons why we need someone good to get back from the IL like Treinen and bump someone like Bickford to AAA.
…in the 3rd inning.
So Doc is forced to use at least a decent pitcher in that situation like Vesia instead of bad ones like Bickford or Price.
Unless that little bit of extra speed on Price’s fastball recently changes his performance.
I’m not convinced.
Kershaw makes the All-Star game
One run game 8 to 7
Just took the lead 9 8
Bickford was much better last year, it looks like his fastball is missing a tick or two. It’s amazing how much of a difference 1 or 2 mph makes for most pitchers.
William Contreres over Will Smith? Seriously? d’Arnaud’s backup makes it? What Bull Shit!
You can say that again. Heck I’ll say it for you. What BULL SHIT!
So we got a closer!
DODGERS WIN!!!!
So you’re telling me the two guys tied for fifth in BA in the NL are not all stars? Not to mention Will Smith! And all three are plus defenders! Bulltwinkie! And Price had a bit of a hiccup tonight but still had five good appearances in a row. And I wouldn’t call a back end reliever with a .338 era bad.
Bottom end of bullpen rotation. Time for Fulmer
His underlying numbers for the year are bad Cassidy. Also ERA is not a good stat, the next pitcher can bail you out or the next pitcher can bloat your ERA.
Increase not bloat. My fault.
Up 8 on the Padres, 12.5 on the Giants. Good times!
Notes from Internet:
Mike W: Gavin Stone not slowing down in AA, has he passed up Bobby Miller? Keith Law: Stone’s a good prospect but he’s not close to Miller. That’s stat-line scouting. Miller was in my preseason top 50 because he has a very good chance to be not just a starter, but a good one.
Justin: Does trading Bryan Reynolds make sense for the Pirates right now? Do you think they’re at all close to winning if they keep him or do they stand to gain more by obtaining the haul they would get in a trade? Keith Law: I think they have to trade him now – both from a rebuilding perspective and that of his likely value going forward.
RTJ: What do the Dodgers do with Max Muncy? A healthy amount of walks, but can they really keep trotting him out therewith a .170 BA?
Ben Clemens: They can!
I actually think he’s starting to get back towards normal, even. Looks better at the plate in recent weeks. I still think he’s hurt, so I’d be considering giving him an IL stint if the lead widens out in the division.
Justin Is Andy Pages shaping up to be a Joc Pederson/Kyle Schwarber/Rhys Hoskins type who hits .240 with 30 hrs? Or is Pages expected to have a better hit tool?
Jay Jaffe I’m not the prospect guy but Eric’s write-up of him intrigues me (https://blogs.fangraphs.com/los-angeles-dodgers-top-51-prospects-2022/). Definitely seems like he’s got the power and contact issues to fit in that camp but he also has more defensive ability. “His speed under way and his defensive instincts give him a chance to stay in center field, which would obviously give Pages a little more margin for error as a hitter. If he stays in center, he has a star-level ceiling. If not, then he has a whiff-prone, traditional right field profile driven by obvious impact power.”
Smiling Politely: I remember using Mike Brito as a landmark at Dodger Stadium to give my friend directions to our seats because everyone could spot him with the hat and the radar gun. He was the Polaris of the park, and it’s hard to think about it without him and Vin in it. Anyways — Gavin Lux is quietly approaching a .300 avg/380 OBP. Do you think his power creeps up over time? I think of him as a guy whose development got interrupted by COVID and ppl forgot about.
Jay Jaffe: Maybe a bit, but I think that even with the strong grades (65 raw, 60 game from 2020) it’s worth noting that he’s only sustained his power numbers in hitter-friendly environments. The guy’s 24 year old with a 122 wRC+ and the ability to play competent-or-better defense at multiple positions. That should be plenty.
BettsBellingerCaruso: Kimbrel! Will he perform to his 2.00 FIP level or do you think there’s something off w/ him that just gets him unable to deal w/ a runner on base?
Jay Jaffe: He’s got mechanical issues (“too rotational” is a term both Cubs and Dodgers coaches used) that he can’t seem to shake and that seem to manifest themselves more when he’s got men on base. I’d think he could clear them eventually but here we are.
Tony: At this point, if I set the over/under at 0.5 for the HOF chances of Kimbrel, Chapman, Jansen, which side are you taking?
Jay Jaffe: Under. Very rough year for Kimbrel and Chapman. Jansen was pitching pretty well until being sidelined by an irregular heartbeat again.
On hearing the news about Jansen a couple weeks ago it occurred to me that people forget Atlanta is 1,000 feet above sea level, which makes it one of the higher-altitude parks, and altitude can have an effect on arrhythmias. I wonder if that’s been a factor.
AnotherAnnoyingDodgerFan: What kind of starter (e.g. Ace, #2-3, 4-5) do you think Tony Gonsolin settles in as long-term?
Jay Jaffe: I don’t think anybody really knows but 2 or 3 seems possible right now, particularly as he’s going 6-7 innings routinely these days.
Chase: Luis Castillo or Frankie Montas good fits for the Dodgers? Another package for Juan Soto possible at the deadline?
Jay Jaffe: I don’t think the Dodgers are going to go that big at the deadline. Definitely not big enough to land Soto
The LA Times had a piece on the Dodgers’ prospects who are going to the Futures Game. It was highlighted with quotes from Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2022-07-07/dodgers-prospect-miguel-vargas-mlb-futures-game
Rhymes said Vargas has also shown improvement defensively, both at his primary spot at third base, as well as in the outfield, where he’s played a handful of games recently for the first time in his pro career.
“He’s just growing into the total package,” Rhymes said.
It’s been noticed by others around the organization, too.
Dodgers veteran Jake Lamb said he and Vargas grew close during Lamb’s time in Oklahoma City this year, despite their nine-year age gap.
“He’s an elite, elite bat who can just freaking hit, but I just love how he goes about the game,” Lamb said. “Obviously he has some things to learn here or there when he gets to the big leagues, but he’s having so much fun just playing baseball.”
“He’s just growing into the total package,” Rhymes said.
It’s been noticed by others around the organization, too.
Dodgers veteran Jake Lamb said he and Vargas grew close during Lamb’s time in Oklahoma City this year, despite their nine-year age gap.
“He’s an elite, elite bat who can just freaking hit, but I just love how he goes about the game,” Lamb said. “Obviously he has some things to learn here or there when he gets to the big leagues, but he’s having so much fun just playing baseball.”
“We’re thrilled with Diego,” Rhymes said, noting that several of Cartaya’s advanced statistics, including the all-encompassing wRC+ metric, rank him “as the best hitter in our organization.”
“For a guy in his second full season, we absolutely love Bobby’s progress,” Rhymes said. “What he’s working on is sequencing and finding his arsenal and how to harness the power arsenal he has. Against both lefties and righties, and how to navigate a lineup multiple times. But he’s getting better.”
Thanks Bluto, but it seems like something is missing and also doubled up.
You can say that again!
So the concensus in these discussions, I think, is that the Dodger pitching has been surprisingly strong while the offense has been surprisingly meh, thanks mostly to the struggles of Muncy, Belli and JT…. and let’s not forget Taylor’s strikeouts.
But after today’s game, the Dodgers suddenly have three of the top ten hitters in the NL by batting average–and one of them is Lux! The others are Freddie and Trea.
Now I realize that OPS is a better metric. And lookee here, Mookie at 6th with .890 and Freddie 10th at .875 are among the NL leaders. So overall, that’s four batters a fairly high level–and both Will Smith and now (suddenly) Justin Turner moving on up.
So perhaps the Dodgers hitters (overall) are starting to catch up with the overachieving pitchers.
This was a strange game. Julio did not pitch well, but Lux failed to get two very catchable balls in the first. Yeah, Lux is still learning, but those plays were ugly. Is this part of a subconscious campaign to return full-time to the infield? I prefer to think it isn’t–but Doc did make the shift during the game.
Best lineup now might have Lux at 2nd with the Thompson/Lamb platoon in LF, while Muncy and JT share the 3B/DH duties.
When Taylor comes back, perhaps he’ll revert to the super UT role and Alberto be sent down or DFA’d.
Nice to see Graterol deliver the 2-inning save.
Yikes…. Just read this from the LAT’s Mike DiGiovanni:
“Left fielder Gavin Lux had one ball sail over his head and another drop in front of him — both with catch probabilities of 90%, according to Statcast — for key hits in the first.”