I’ll give you a better question… What do the Dodgers do with Joey Gallo and Chris Taylor? Joey Gallo is a great defensive outfielder, while CT3 is average to above average, but CT3 strikes out at a 40% rate, and Gallo strikes out at a 46% rate, Cody strikes out at a 30% rate while being the best Defensive Center Fielder in baseball. At this stage of the season, the Dodgers are a better team with Bellinger patrolling centerfield, but they are dramatically weaker with CT3 and Gallo on the team… unless they both can up their collective games.
Cody’s numbers are abysmal, but CT3 and Gallo may be worse overall because Bellinger plays a premium position at an elite level. However, last night Trayce Thompson looked a lot like Cody Bellinger in CF. He just keeps doing it. Of course, CT3 isn’t going anywhere. I guess we will see how the Gallo Project progresses. Cody will be on the playoff roster, but it is looking more and more like he will platoon with Trayce… even though his splits don’t add up.
Longer term, I think that after the season is over, Cody is going to have to consent to have his swing overhauled this winter. The Dodgers will offer him arbitration and hope that it works. Something is slowing down his swing. Maybe it’s strengthening exercises; maybe it’s muscle memory; maybe he just needs a clean slate; maybe he just needs a new voice or direction. I have not given up on his talent – he can hit the crap out of some pitches and others he has no chance on. We did see him change course in the playoffs last year… so there is that. For those of you who think Trayce Thompson is the future, remember that Bellinger is 27. He will be 28 next July. Trayce will be 32 next year and has a more extensive injury history than Bellinger. Bellinger had all his injuries in essentially one year. Thompson has had multiple injuries.
Can a “swing overhaul” work? Well, for a player with Cody’s talent, arbitration and the overhaul are certainly worth a try. Guys with that talent level do not grow on trees. But, right about now… the Dodgers have a Championship to win – that means the best players have to be on the field. You saw who played CF and got the game-winning hit. You also saw who closed. Dave Roberts’ mouth is going to praise Kimbrel, but when your closer has not gotten a single one-out save in a season, you don’t let him pitch in a game like last night. I would have demoralized the team! I cannot see him on the playoff roster, and I hope Yency Almonte hurries up and recovers.
Pick a RHP… Quick – Pick One!
The Dodgers have three right-handed pitchers who are all near major league ready. You have seen one: Ryan Pepiot, whose only issue is confidence and control of his pitches. He doesn’t always know where his pitches are going. When he misses, he misses BIG TIME, which means he wastes a lot of pitches. Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone also miss, but they don’t miss as wildly. Well, Bobby Miller does occasionally, but even when Gavin misses, he’s near his spots.
Gavin started his first AAA game and pitched a hitless four innings before he was taken out. Could it be he is being prepared to pitch some shorter stints with the Big Club? I am telling you: HE IS READY. Pepiot and Miller are close. Take Stone out of the oven – he’s done! I even have his “walk up” song ready:
Compare their stats. Tell me what you see!
Future Dodgers Down on the Farm
- OKC won Game 1 of their Double Header 4-1 and lost Game 2 by a score of 20-4
- Gavin Stone pitched four hitless, scoreless innings in Game 1
- In game two, Andre Jackson gave up Four Runs, Pedro Baez gave up Five Runs, and Yadier Alvarez gave up Eight Runs. Tommy Lasorda could have done better!
- Miguel Vargas was 3-4 (all doubles) in Game 1. He will absolutely be one of the call-ups in September.
- The Bazooka pitched .2 innings in Game 1 and gave up a hot and a strikeout in his scoreless stint.
- Carson Fulmer got his 10th save, but he has been struggling of late.
- Tulsa was NO-HIT 3-0 by 29-year-old Journeyman, Daniel Gossett
- Landon Knack had a decent outing: 4 IP, 3 Hits, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Move on- Nothing to see here.
- Great Lakes beat Lansing 12-7
- Vivas, Leonard, Ramos, and Keith all had two hits.
- Damon Keith hit his 4th A+ HR.
- Jose Ramos now has 91 RBI.
- Imanol Vargas was 4-6
- Rancho Cucamonga beat the Nuts 12-8
- C Yenier Fernandez was 1-3 with his 9th HR, 3 Runs Scored, 2 RBI, and 2 BB.
- Yunior Garcia hir 3 HR and was 5-5 with 6 RBI
- Maddux Bruns got smoked. Don’t talk about it! Move on!
Man, so excited to see how Dustin May looks tonight!
After seeing how clutch Trayce has been this year, and then that catch to gift Phillips a save, I’m thinking Trayce gets a shot to play every day. He starts in CF at times, and in LF at times, and Belly and CT3 can play when the matchups suggest.
Gallo seems like a nice person, but it’s time to get ready for October, and not have tryouts and fix it sessions.
Well, ending the shift should improve Cody’s numbers. Same for Max Muncy.
Still, Bellinger is incredibly inconsistent. Probably part mental, part swing mechanics. He always seems to be tinkering with this and that. He is an elite defender in centerfield. He’s a young guy who can bounce back. They know he can be an impact bat since he has done it before.
I think the Dodgers will continue to work with him, hoping for a bounce back. Obviously, the shoulder, then the leg injury set him back. Maybe he improves in the post season.
He’s not going to be a mega deal player unless he has a super 2023 and even then there will be doubts. No team wants to get stuck with a non productive bat.
I’m still hopeful, but some of his at bats are difficult to watch. He usually doesn’t catch up with the high fastballs.
If I had to choose one of the three pitchers, it would probably be Gavin Stone. But Bobby Miller had a really good outing recently. Ryan Pepiot just looks off right now.
Unless Craig Kimbrel has a turnaround I can see him getting left off the post season roster. He’s always on a tightrope, almost never a clean inning. I can’t imagine handing him the ball in a close playoff game.
Billy Hamilton is a good center fielder? I don’t know how much difference there is between the numbers at bat between him and Bellinger, I know that there is a whole difference in home runs…. What I want to say is if the team would lose a lot (defensively) having Hamilton instead of Bellinger, at least in payroll there would be a minimum difference of $15 million!
Bahahahahahahahaha!
Billy Hamilton makes Belli look like Ted Williams. How the F does a guy hit .077? If he bunted every time, he’d do better than that! One single in 13 AB’s. I’d rather have you play CF than Billy Hamiliton. Geez.
The most disappointing thing about the Cody situation is that he sat for a couple of days and when he came back, he was clearly frustrated at the plate. If he does that again, option his ass to AAA so he can fight against himself without affecting his teammates. At AAA, you can assign him a personal hitting coach to work with him until he gets his head, I mean swing, straight.
With another lefty on the bump today, he’ll have some more bench time to do a better job trying to figure things out. I love his defense. He comes up with a big hit from time to time. But, this fighting against himself, arguing with umpires, is something new. He’s clearly reached a new low.
I’m really looking forward to seeing May tonight. Although, I may have to “see” the first part of the game with my ears on the radio broadcast due to dinner plans.
Mark, you say you’re positive that Vargas will be a September call up. That would mean that Rios won’t be brought up, which is certainly possible, but they can’t both be here because there will only be one additional position player.
If Trayce continues to perform as he has and if his splits against righties stay anywhere near where they have been, the best solution might be to say good-bye to Gallo and bring up both Rios and Vargas.
Could be the way it goes down.
In all my years of watching baseball, I’ve never seen an inning even close to the OKC 6th inning last night against Sugar Land. Hard to believe that 4 pitchers could combine for such futility.
“The game was tied at 4-4 in the sixth inning of a seven-inning game when Sugar Land scored an incredible 17 runs in the inning. The Space Cowboys sent 23 batters to the plate and scored the final 12 runs of the inning with two outs.
During the 17-run inning, the Space Cowboys scored the first five runs before an out was made. They had the bases loaded with two outs when they proceeded to score 12 more runs, as each of the next 12 batters reached base. Throughout the inning, there were 10 hits, nine walks and a hit batter. The Dodgers used four pitchers who combined to throw 108 pitches, with 50 strikes and 58 balls. The inning lasted 58 minutes.”
Pedro Baez – 1 walk, 4 hits, 5 runs, while recording no outs
Zamora – 2 walks, 1 HBP, 1 hit, 4 runs, while recording 2 outs
Y. Alvarez – 4 walks, 1 WP, 4 hits, 8 runs while, recording no outs
Burrows – 2 walks, 1 hit, no runs (except those charged to Alvarez) while recording the last out
It may just be time for Baez to join Betances in retirement. His ERA is now over 14.00.
Baez – slow to the plate and slow to retire.
Mark –
I agree with your approach with Bellinger – he is still a young guy so rework his swing in the off season in hopes that he can make the adjustment to his new MLB reality. In the meantime, Trayce should be getting as many looks as possible in September and his playoff playing time be based on his performance. Bellinger is on the playoff roster but not the starter if Trayce earns it. Like many on LADOT, I have been a big Bellinger fan since he came up but his current mindset on the field is not helping him and sad to see.
CT3 could use an overhaul.
Joey Gallo. You people has been unfair in your assessment.
This is a his numbers as a Dodger:
26 at bats
12 SO
3 BB
.231 BA
.333 OBP
.615 Slugging
.949 OBP
3HRs
1Double
5 RBI
Yeah, he still is striking out at a 40% rate. Many may say the fellow boricua Edwin Rios can do that but Edwin is just a DH in September and Post Season.
If you DFA Gallo, we will then will have to play one of CTaylor or Belli in the case Trace plays. If not you will have to play both or bring back Lux to LF and that ship has long gone.
It is 949 OPS
I watched the recap of the Padres loss and Hader’s melt down in the 9th. It was awful. And the kid they traded to the Nats for Soto had a couple of clutch hits. Those Padre cities connect uniforms are about the ugliest thing on the planet. Trayce Thompson at this point should be playing every day in one position or another. He can give Betts a blow, or just stay in CF. He has reverse splits and his hitting righty’s better than lefties at this point. I have to believe the 2023 version of Cody Bellinger is going to be a lot different than the guy we are seeing now. He has had a lot to deal with this year, and by next season, his shoulder will be fully healed. He will be past the new dad phase, and he will have had a entire winter at full strength to get his collective shit together.
Some fans will say, “Why does Friedman even mess with washed up guys like Betances and Baez?
A year or two from now, you may hear a pitcher interviewed after a game. And when asked how he suddenly became more effective, he may say, “Well I played with Pedro Baez for a few weeks and he showed me a new grip for my …”
That’s part of the reason.
Or he showed me how to take half an hour to throw a pitch! Still plenty of time left to make playoff decisions on Kimbrel, Bellinger and Gallo
I would encourage all on this site to go the MLB.com and read Mike Petriello’s article entitled “Dodgers on a run not seen in decades”. Mike is a very brilliant baseball analyst and his writing will give all of us the perspective of just how great it is to be a Dodgers fan and how great this organization is from top to bottom. I know I have been on the stop with the Doc bashing in the past, but please realize our record over the past 6+ years couldn’t have happened without him managing, without having a team of great talent, without having an incredible front office and scouting and developments departments, without ownership willing to give Friedman the autonomy to do the job, and without the great minor league staffs and all the peripheral people that help make it happen. As they say, it takes a village. Take it all in and appreciate what we have as Dodgers fans is extremely rare, if not borderline impossible.
Jay – read it this morning.
Gonna post it here.
https://www.mlb.com/news/the-dodgers-are-on-a-run-not-seen-in-decades
Yeah, Mike is a great writer. His live appearances on television do not do him justice for how good he really is. He talks too fast. Well it could be I think too slow. It takes a little more time for things to sink in this brain.. I miss MSTI, at least his work there. Always a fun reading.
Yea,I don’t think you can consistently win 100 games a year without being an overall really,really good coach.I disagree with him a lot,but he is 10 times better coach than I have been.We are lucky to have such talent.
Who gets cut off the 40 man roster and who is optioned off the 26 man roster today to make room for Dustin May?
I think we have one open spot. Remember we waived TWolters.
The #2 NL team, the Mets have a run differential of 122. The #1 Dodgers are more than double that at 250. Some say RD is the best indicating stat in the playoffs. I think it was Bill Ripken that said that, or maybe it was Brian Kenny. Myself, I don’t know but I do know that’s a pretty wide margin and if that is so I’ve been watching that stat more of late. Christopher Russo said Mets are a better team because they have better pitchers. Well we had one of their so called better pitchers and he didn’t fair so well in the 2021 playoffs for us. Said he was out of gas. I don’t see Mets letting up as the season boils down as the defending World Series champion Braves are presently just 3.5 games back in their same division. So Max might just run out of gas again, DeGrom is a bit more fragile and could fall off the grind, At any rate I’m hoping our batters wear em both down and take some of their wind later this month. It’s gotta be a hot clubhouse topic and maybe why the bats cooled off during this point getting ready to take their wind. Do we have a magic number yet? It feels like we should.
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
#Dodgers #MagicNumber to reclaim NL West crown is 25
Carrasco is dinged up now. Oblique strain”…3-4 weeks…”That’s not what they want now.
Mets starters healthy – top shelf. If not, lotsa long relief outings. Might work but….
Brewers are much better than I thought. Don’t kick those dogs. Got bite.
Yankees look totally lost.
Dansby Swanson’s agents happy he’s getting pimped nonstop on Pods entering his ‘big offseason’. Seriously? A Gamer but no Stud. Throw all your money at Trea.
Braves tossing Grissom & Harris 3 into the fire. We’ll see. Very good Braves team if the starters are healthy.
Note to Acuna Jr: watch Mookie in right. Learn your position. You are average at best with the glove.
Today’s Dodger’s transactions:
08/20/22 Los Angeles Dodgers designated RHP Reyes Moronta for assignment.
08/20/22 Los Angeles Dodgers sent LHP Danny Duffy on a rehab assignment to ACL Dodgers.
08/20/22 Los Angeles Dodgers activated RHP Dustin May from the 60-day injured list.
* Exciting finish last night after a slow start. Mookie came through in the clutch with a big triple.
* I don’t know if Luzardo and Okert were that good or our bats were that bad for the first 8 innings. We strike out way too much. But great pitching always seems to keep us in the game until we wake up.
* Where the hell was the catcher going on Smiths ground ball to third, scoring Mookie. Weird play.
* It’s Doc’s job to put guys in the right spots to succeed and it’s the player’s job to produce. I don’t think that Doc/ the Wizard is doing that with Trayce Thompson, who’s play in center was a game saver. Trayce is 1 for 10 the last week with 6 K’s. He has big splits which creates a dilemma for Doc and his platoon system. Thompson is hitting .323 on the year versus RHP and only .186 versus LHP. Guess who he’s been seeing lately? You guessed it; he’s only had 2 AB’s against RHP.
* I’m no fan of platoons in general. I like a regular, everyday guy who gets spelled occasionally. But Doc is trying to keep 4 outfielders, for 2 positions, happy and getting PT. But our outfielders right now, other than Mookie, haven’t been very good. Let’s look at August.
CT3 (splits RHP=.234, LHP= .216) since coming back for the last 12 game he’s been horrible, 19 K’s, batting .170. He’s killing us with runners LOB.
Gallo (splits RHP=.185, LHP=.102) last 10 games 12K’s batting .230.
Bellinger (splits RHP=.208, LHP .197) 13 K’s batting .182. And benched.
So I don’t have the answer on who the platoons should be with this group. But let’s see if Thompson’s .323 is legit and play him in center or left against RHP on a daily basis and see what he can do.
* Orel’s groping to find reasons why Kimbrel wasn’t being used in the 9th; like he’s pitched 4 of 6 games. How about he’s shitty and they need a new closer and Phillips seems like the logical guy. Finally a clean inning with 9 pitches without all the theatrics and drama.
DODGERS ACTIVATE DUSTIN MAY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers activated right-handed pitcher Dustin May from the 60-day injured list and designated right-handed pitcher Reyes Moronta for assignment.
May, 24, will make the start tonight, his first appearance in a Major League game since May 2, 2021, at Milwaukee, when he suffered a season-ending elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He made five rehab starts prior to joining the Dodgers with Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA (4 ER/19.0 IP) with 33 strikeouts. He has been in the Major Leagues parts of three seasons, and he is a combined 6-5 with a 2.93 ERA (37 ER/113.2 IP) with 111 strikeouts in 31 games (19 starts). He was originally drafted in the third round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Northwest High School in Justin, TX.
Moronta, 29, made 22 appearances for the Dodgers, allowing 11 earned runs in 23.2 innings. He struck out 27 batters and limited hitters to a .198 batting average. He has been in the Majors parts of five seasons with San Francisco (2017-2021) and Los Angeles (2022), posting an 8-9 record with a 2.88 ERA (50 ER/156.0 IP) and 189 strikeouts in 158 games. He was signed by the Dodgers on March 12, 2022.
Annoyed I’m going to miss the game tonight. My son has a tournament and we pulled the late games and the field is an hour away.
I wish I knew what was wrong with Belli. On a side note, my son starts catching lessons next week to get ready for the HS season. His coach is a buddy of mine who played D1 ball. It just so happens his brother (a AAA catcher) is Cody’s best friend. I’ll ask him what’s up. If it’s not anything too personal (if anything at all) I’ll report back.
I’m really not sure why all the recent criticism of Bellinger. It it because he got frustrated and failed to run out a ground ball? Is it because of his meeting with Doc? Is it the benching? What’s changed?
He still can’t hit but why is that news? He hasn’t hit since the 2nd half of 2019.
Bellinger’s production began to slow after the All-Star break in 19; he batted just .256 in the second half of the season, with a .906 OPS and only 13 home runs in the final 51 games of the year. Bellinger’s drops in batting average and slugging percentage, the latter of which fell from .670 in 2019 to .354 in 2020. In 2021 he hit .165 with .542 and 2022 .204 and .654.
So why all the fuss now? He will be in the post season line up because of his other skills.
I haven’t recently but would be happy to discuss what’s wrong with his swing. I had hoped he would address it last off-season and he didn’t. So what’s new?
I want to know
9:10 PM ET
Marlins (52-67)
Dodgers (82-36)
SP Bryan Hoeing R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Dustin May R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
SS Trea Turner R
1B F. Freeman L
DH Will Smith R
3B J. Turner R
2B Max Muncy L
LF T. Thompson R
CF C. Bellinger L
C A. Barnes R
Clear-day
1% Rain
77° Wind 7 mph Out
Bobby Miller makes his first start for AAA Oklahoma City tonight
Does anyone know what is going on with “Dodgers Nation”? It is one of my favorite blogs and it has been inactive since the 17th.
Dodgers Nation tries so hard to break a story first that they frequently get it wrong.
At Dodgers’ Nation, just a few days ago, they had this headline:
Danny Duffy Suffers Setback, Unlikely to Pitch This Season
Duffy pitched tonight.
They are one of the most unreliable blogs I know of. All Fluff. No Facts.
You must be their only fan…
Pedro Baez has been released from his minor league contract by the Dodgers.
Wow, May’s stuff looks fantastic
How do you DFA, instead of option a pitcher (Moronta) with a career .179/.290/.292/.582 slash line and very similar splits, instead of others with way worse slash lines on the 40 man roster?
The powers that be know of a lingering problem from his past surgery? That’s all I can think of.
You DFA a player when they are out of options or you just don’t want them anymore.
Is there a new rule about options because Moronta has options last time I checked?
I found the new rule.
Lol, Wendle have to hate Trea Turner!
This is fun!!!! The spin rate is CRAZY! Welcome back Big Red!
Ain’t this much better than renting some lesser pitcher at trade deadline? And still more to come!
Yes, it is.
AF always knew May would be back and was shaping up in fine form–and he’s just the most exciting part of the SP depth. Assuming he can stay healthy, Dodgers now have Urias, Gonsolin and May lined up for a short series, with Anderson in the wings.
So if Kershaw returns, that complicates matters.
The sentimental move would be for Kersh to start–but is really better than what the other three can deliver? He’s pitched well this season when he’s been able to pitch… but I think the younger guys might simply be better now.
As for the OF, the Dodgers have a few weeks to really worry about the final the playoff roster. Injuries could have an impact, of course. Right now I rate my CF and LF options, in order, as Trayce, Belli, Taylor, Gallo.
Gotta admit, my loyalty to Belli wavers with each at bat. Sometimes he just looks awful. But today was a very good day: a double, a rare walk, and ZERO strikeouts! He battled–and nearly homered.
If Gallo continues to hit–if the change of scenery and coaching keeps clicking–I think he’ll get the nod over Edwin Rios for that lefthanded bench spot. Sucks for Rios that the Dodgers are playing so well now that he is stuck in OKC.
I think even Kimbrel could pitch a clean inning against these guys!
Albert Pujols went 4-4 with 2 homers in the Cards win over the D=Backs. He now has 692 HRs in his career. Way to go Tio Albert. Grandal carried off of the field after injuring his knee on a slide. Think the White Sox regret that contract. Thompson with another hit, Bellinger is choking up on the bat. He got a booming double and just missed a homer.