Did You Learn Anything?

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1. Bobby Miller hit 100 mph 19 times and 101 three times in last night’s game. His last inning’s pitches had more movement. If he can be more consistent with his off speed pitches , the Dodgers have a number one for the future. Great performance by the kid. Keep the kids coming.

   The Dodgers have to figure out what to do with Barnes, Thompson and Taylor. They should NEVER be in the lineup at the same time. Thank God there are only 29% left handed starting pitchers in baseball.

   1. They also need to figure out what to do with Muncy.

      1. It increasingly looks that way

2. Agree about the parting shot, just unreal WOKE BS.

   Ill be in LA June 16-22, I will NOT be going to pride night, I will however be there for Fathers day.

   Freddie is 32 hits from 2K, man how cool would it be to get 2K on Fathers day in Dodger Stadium with his dad there, well and me too and my son, but he probably doesn’t care about that 🙂

   My son is playing for the Palm Springs Power this summer…

3. Yes, Muncy has improved on defense–just like you told us he would!
   I need a Magic 8 Ball.
   Seriously, kudos to Max, who has been such a grinder and valuable Dodger since his arrival. He arrived as a guy many thought should be a DH only–I remember Billy Ripken urging the Dodgers to trade him to the AL–and he turned himself into a top 5 first baseman and then moved to 2B and 3B to make room for Freddie. A real gamer. And by MLB standards, he is underpaid.
   Speaking of grinders who exceeded expectations, the Sporting News has an article about how Outman flew under the radar on all those prospect lists. The link:
   https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/james-outman-dodgers-rookie-slugger-fly-under-radar-heading-2023/qr9j4gf3t9qqck7l1ixmlkjn

   As Andrew points out, Miller was pretty phenomenal in his debut. Maybe it’s just his size–and maybe it’s nostalgia–but I get that intimidating Drysdale vibe. The radio broadcast described a stare down between Acuna and Miller. (Acuna is playing like an MVP after ACL surgery. Hope for Lux getting back to full strength and mobility.) I like how in postgame interviews Miller talked openly about trying to keep his poker face and hide his nerves.

   1. Mark just can’t help himself. Again he disses Outman… and again he insists he isn’t.
      But please. We all know Aesop’s fable.
      The hare, of course, is a LOSER.
      He gets out to a fast start because he’s a rabbit. But he gets such a big lead he starts goofing off, gets lazy, takes a nap…. And lo, the tortoise wins the race.
      But as the late great Texas Gov. Ann Richards once said, “That dog won’t hunt.”
      For starters, Vargas was supposed to be the Dodgers’ rabbit. He’s the can’t-miss international prospect who was the son of a Cuban star. The guy with the fabulous hit tool. The guy who was all but guaranteed a starting job before Spring training….despite his snail-like debut at the end of 2022. I recall Mark predicting that Vargas could bat high in the lineup and would win ROY.
      Outman, meanwhile, was 3 years older and was never the hyped prospect. He had an undistinguished college record in an undistinguished program (Sacramento State) and was drafted in the 7th round because a scout liked his athleticism. While Vargas was hitting .300 at every level, winning raves, Outman made his tortoise-like progress in the low minors before finding his stride in Tulsa and OKC. He improved at every level–and brought that improvement to the majors.
      But now Outman’s OPS is coming down–just like Mark told us it would!
      (Chicken Little comes to mind.)
      And Vargas’s batting is improving–just like Mark told us it would!
      Excuse me, but ..duh.
      Both of these trends are highly predictable. Pitchers would figure out Outman–and Vargas really couldn’t be that bad, could he?
      I’ve heard that progress is not linear. And neither is linear. Maybe Vargas’s stats will catch up to Outman’s and maybe they won’t. To the extent that Mark sees a competition between Vargas and Outman, we know who Mark is rooting for. Most of us, I trust, are rooting for both of them.
      Moving on….

      I do think Mark’s idea of trading for Salvador Perez to protect Smith’s noggin is intriguing. (Still, I an’t think of a catcher other than Mauer who was moved because of concussion issues.) But the Royals should be sellers and that would be a big contract to unload. Adding Perez and putting Smith in LF ould give the Dodgers another righthanded bat. The problem would be on defense. Smith might be serviceable in LF, but Peralta, Outman, Trayce and Taylor are all quality defenders. Smith could convert to 3B after the season. I don’t know if the Dodgers envision that, but a lot of us could see it happening. Catcher-to-3B is a classic transition.
      Perhaps Perez could mentor Cartaya.
      Or perhaps the Dodgers should deal Cartaya and keep Rushing.
      BTW, the Sporting News article about how Outman flew under the radar notes that Smith’s swing was “fixed” by the Dodgers too. He was considered a superior defender when he was drafted. And the Dodger coaches turned him into a dangerous hitter.
      What would KC want Perez?
      Perhaps Busch + Barnes + pitching?
      I think I’ve traded Busch three or four times already.

      1. To address your very interesting comment towards me the other day with all the achievements didn’t change my opinion of that subject. First to each his/her own. What I stated about parents of children and punishing parents was meant to be directed at parents who would allow their kids to alter themselves either by knife or chemicals is still my belief should be harshly punished. Did your friends father die with a prostate? How about a uterus? He admitted that it took more that pills or surgery to became a woman. I’ve seen a movie years ago titled ‘Shocking Asia’ it was along the lines of ‘Faces of Death’ garbage type movie and part of the movie was so called sex change operations and the finished product could never fool me as what I would recognize is a man going to extremes to fool me. However anyone else has the right to bite into that BS can go for it. You used the term ‘complexities’ and I agree. So many complexities that I’m certain not all are known. As far as rights and laws go I support those and feel freedom comes at that price. I still say you can’t make a woman out of a man, you can only pretend. I prefer not to. Legally I might not have that right but personally rights have nada to do with it from this side. And there is no hate from this – after all I’m a lesbian trapped in a man’s body

         1. I don’t know the precise cause of Bobbi Swan’s death, but she obviously lived a long life–or perhaps we should say lives. She was in her 80s. And my friend Mark says he and his brother had a great relationship with the woman who had been their father.
            The point is that people think gender identity is always, always, always a simple matter.
            But it ain’t. There are many Bobbi Swans in the world.
            So should society shun, stigmatize and ostracize these people?
            Why not an attempt at understanding and compassion?
            Oh, somebody out there might be ssnickering….
            So I’ll quote Elvis Costello,: “What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?”
            Another example: Back in the 1990s in LA, the veteran captain of and LA Fire Department station–more than 20 years of duty– took a leave of absence. He departed–and she returned. You can look it up.
            Nevermind–here’s the link:
            https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-20-me-2342-story.html

            I also know a woman who’s ex-husband had a “reassignment” after their divorce. They had a daughter and now they have grandchildren
            Right now there is a great national freak out about the transgender reality, mostly because it had been closeted and cloistered for generations. I just learned that the first clinic for gender change opened in the 1930s.
            Life can take some astonishing twists and turns.

4. Excellent game by Bobby Miller considering it was his MLB debut and against one of the top 5 lineups in all of baseball. On the road.
   Liked his stuff a LOT. A little more movement on the heater and this kid has ace written all over him. In the last two innings he was nails and with better movement on the 4 seamer.
   Stone-Age and Miller-Time. What a time for Dodger fans who are into home grown talent.

   Vargas will be a candiated for a batting crown down the line sometimes. Outman will be okay. Similar number to Belly but for the league minimum.

   Agree on the those Dudes of Indulgence.

   Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Update above!

6. Maybe fans should temper their euphoria over Miller’s great introduction. Yes, he throws hard, but he needs more late movement, and his fastballs were straight down the middle.

   He can get away with that in his first start, but MLB players, the more they see him, will eventually time and catch up to his pitches. There’s a reason he’s had a + 4.00 ERA in the minor leagues.

   Still a nice win by the Dodgers last night.

   … I have a to LOL a little at the fact the Padres have one of the worst offenses in baseball. Preller paid for an offensive juggernaut. Now the Pads are barely out of last place.

   I’m not sure how I feel about that. I am enjoying the schadenfreude, I admit, but having a legitimate rivalry is good for the Dodgers and good for baseball. San Diegans were embracing baseball, which I think is a good thing. The Preller experiment appeared at first to be a success. If things continue the way they are there’s now a risk that Preller gets fired and/or they blow up the team. Machado’s underlying offensive metrics are already declining, and they’re stuck with him.

   If Eric wants to describe the Dodgers as a “mess,” be glad you’re not a Padres fan.

   1. I agree with all of that, and I think Miller will improve even quicker at this level. Working with Prior and McGuinness will speed up his development as it will for Stoney!

   2. Dago fans still whimpering about losing the Chargers. They’re stuck in 1984.

      When your best team is a D1 b-ball team – haha.

      Great surf tho!

      1. It’s a nice city. I’d love to live in Encinitas.

         1. Hell yeah Encinitas – great surf & views. San Elijo!

7. Yes, pitchers have adjusted to James Outman throwing him more breaking balls and high fastballs. But I also noticed he’s swinging and missing at pitches, he used to hit. Maybe he’s pressing and lost confidence. Slight mechanical adjustment? Thoughts?

   1. It’s all of the above and there is no one rooting harder for him than me. The Dodgers need the “early season James Outman!”

   2. I have to laugh, not at you, but it always seems the same. A player comes up and I guess the first time around they throw him fast balls down the middle. So if he can’t hit that they keep it up. Once he shows he CAN then I read that pitchers are throwing high fastballs and more off speed and breaking stuff. Jim Bouton wrote that his book sixty years ago

8. Mark, when it comes to chest-pounding, you are the champ.

   1. Of course! My record speaks for itself!

9. From what I have observed:
   Sheehan has, to the best of my knowledge, not or never gone beyond 4.0 IP.

   From what I have read of more informed analysis:
   There is concern that his fastball heavy repertoire doesn’t play as a starter.

   1. Sheehan went 5 innings 4 times last year and 6 innings once.

      He has went 5 innings 3 times this year.

      But, I tend to agree – I see him as an Andrew Miller-type pitcher.

      1. Thanks for the correction, I was lazy.

10. From The Sporting News article about how Outman flew under the radar….

    Outman came off the bench as a freshman at Sacramento State, then was a starter as a sophomore and junior. His numbers both seasons were remarkably similar, to the point a person might double-check secondary sources to see if there was a copy-and-paste mistake. But, nope. He hit exactly .253 (literally, 58-for-229 both years) with 11 home runs and three triples both seasons. He had an .862 OPS as a sophomore, an .852 OPS as a junior. He had 16 doubles and 11 stolen bases as a sophomore, 15 and 12 as a junior.

    In Baseball America’s draft report card, Outman was chosen as the best athlete in the Dodgers’ 2018 draft class. But there were questions.

    “When you talk about college numbers,” Baseball America senior writer Kyle Glaser said, “it’s extremely rare for anyone who doesn’t hit over .300 in college to go on to major league success. That’s especially true when you’re talking about mid-majors, but it’s true for guys even in like the SEC, Pac-12 and ACC.

    “Obviously he had tools, he had physical athleticism. The question was just ‘Is he gonna hit?’ and generally speaking, the track record of similar players is they’re not.”

    In his first full season in the Dodgers’ organization, Outman had 19 homers and 20 stolen bases, but batted just .226 with a .322 on-base percentage and a .729 OPS in the Low-A Midwest League. In his Age 22 season, he was among the older players in the league, and the questions that were asked when he was drafted — can he make enough contact to show the power, speed and athleticism at higher levels? — still seemed very valid.

    “But one thing the Dodgers have been excellent at is swing changes,” said Glaser, who has written about the Dodgers’ system since 2017. “Will Smith hit .232 in High-A (at 22) and was a defense-first catcher. They changed his swing and now he’s one of the best offensive catchers in the majors. Obviously, Justin Turner, Max Muncy and all those guys, their swing-change work is famous. With Outman, they saw athleticism and aptitude. He’s always been a very, very smart, focused kid who was going to work hard.”

    That’s exactly what he did. There was no minor-league season in 2020, obviously, during the pandemic, and Outman spent the time well, working hard on fixing the holes in his swing.

    The next spring, that’s when he first caught Roberts’ eye.

    “It was probably two years ago in spring, just seeing him and having a conversation with him, seeing the raw power, realizing he could handle centerfield,” Roberts said. “And just the baseball acumen, the curiosity, he was engaged, and just the sheer talent, all those pieces. And then I was just eager to see him perform. And so you look at two years ago, you look at last year, he just really performed and then all the guys, credit to them for developing him.”

    Outman split the 2021 season between High-A — where he was almost a year-and-a-half older than most of the ballplayers — and Double-A. The power and speed were still there, but the rate numbers jumped up, to the tune of a .379 on-base percentage and .869 OPS in 104 games. After that season, Baseball America ranked him as the No. 15 prospect in the Dodgers’ system, which as always was stacked, because a spot in the majors, maybe as a fourth outfielder/DH, started to seem possible.

    “And then 2022, the swing changes and everything kind of clicked,” Glaser said. “I wrote about that in his scouting report for Baseball America; he controlled his leg lift a little more, adjusted his hand position and all the sudden the holes that were there, particularly on the inner half, where he really struggled, disappeared and he was getting through all that stuff.”

    Outman split the season pretty evenly between Double-A and Triple-A, and the numbers were eye-opening: .294/.393/.586, with 31 homers, 106 RBIs, 31 doubles, 13 stolen bases and a .978 OPS in 125 games. The 2022 season, of course, included the dream debut in the bigs on July 31— he homered in his very first at-bat, and finished that game 3-for-4 with three RBIs and just a triple shy of the cycle. His stay there always was temporary, and after just four games Chris Taylor came off the injured list, and Outman went back to the minors.

    He was entering his Age 26 season in 2023, which is old for most “prospects” but Baseball America bumped him up to No. 10 in the Dodgers’ system rankings.

    “This is where context is important. You’re not just looking at age, but what’s the background?” Glaser said. “He’s a multi-sport guy who went to a mid-major and also lost a year during the pandemic, so you treat him more like he’s really 24. And the background, this isn’t a guy who was baseball-only, drafted out of high school, trying since he was 16 and has never hit.

    “We ranked him the No. 10 prospect in the Dodgers system, which is kind of like being the No. 5 prospect in like half of the other systems in baseball.”
    The talent around him was obvious.

    “It’s pretty humbling, you know, just seeing the guys that we have like coming up to the system,” Outman said. “You look around and it’s like, ‘Damn, this guy’s a stud. And this guy’s a stud. And this guy’s a stud. So to be able to come up and debut with the Dodgers and play it’s an honor.”

    It’s a richly deserved honor, the product of years of hard work.

    “The athleticism and power was there from the moment he was drafted. We all knew it, it’s in the draft report card,” Glaser said. “It was just a question about whether he was gonna hit, and to his credit, he consistently improved his swing, made adjustments and changed how his swing operates. And it took years. It wasn’t like one minor tweak unlocked everything. I mean, he needed a pretty significant overhaul, and that’s not easy.

    “We talk about the successes of the guys who do that, the (Justin) Turners, the Max Muncys, but I’ll tell you right now, for every one that succeeds, there’s 10 more guys who try it and fail, and you never hear about them because they never make it out of minor leagues. It’s very difficult, and he did it, which is a testament to him.”

    And remember how he hit exactly .253 for Sacramento State his sophomore and junior seasons (2017-18), with an OPS of .862, then .852?

    For the Dodgers this year, Outman’s batting .252, with an .850 OPS, to go with nine homers, 28 RBIs, eight doubles, three triples and 28 runs scored in 178 plate appearances.

    And the pitching he’s facing now is just a bit better than the mid-major arms he faced back then.

    1. Outman has a chance to be a star!

    2. Great bio on Outman’s journey to the big leagues, Duke. Thanks for sharing the Sporting News piece.
       This article points out to me the different opportunities between the US players and the Latin prospects. I think the latin kids have a huge advantage that shows up in the number of young players starting and the increasing percentage of latin players.
       The #1 export of the Dominican Republic isn’t rum, sugar or tourism; it’s baseball players. It’s their pathway off the island. A young prospect there signs at 16. Through the Academies, professional coaching and playing on one of the 33 teams in the DSL before arriving in the US MiLB, by 21 they have 5 years of pro ball under their belts.
       By contrast, at 21, James Outman was at Sac St hitting .253. He’s benefitted from player development and is now an MLB regular @26. Under different circumstances, he would be in his 10th year of pro ball.
       Not to take anything away from Latin American players but due to the culture and different rules, I think they have a major advantage over US kids.

11. Nice first act for our top pitching prospect. After his shaky first inning, he settled down a lot just like Stone did. Kid has a bright future. Dodger bats can still bludgeon teams. Four homers in the two games, 3 of them by Martinez who is starting to heat up. As for Outman and Vargas, belay that ROY talk. Neither is in the running right now. Carroll with the D-Backs, and Morel, with the Cubs would be the front runners right now. Morel, 23 years old, has 9 home runs in 12 games. He is hitting .367. With Bellinger out, he is playing CF for the Cubbies. He has also homered in 5 straight games. MLB pitchers will find holes. When you are vulnerable to the high fastball like Outman is, they will exploit that weakness. Vargas has gotten better as he has gotten healthy. Now that his thumb seems to be healed, he is hitting the ball with more authority. Bullpen is turning it around again. After some brutal outings, Almonte struck out the side last night following a clean inning on Monday. May is now said to have an elbow strain. Not a good sign.

    1. Who said elbow strain?

       1. The Dodger web site

    2. On the homepage they are still saying elbow pain due to flexor pronator strain in his right elbow.
       Lets hope it is that and not the precursor to another UCL leading to TJ surgery. That would be career threatening IMHO.

       Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       1. Few pitchers get back to what they were after a second TJ. Buehler is coming back from that. But remember Hung-Chi Kuo? He had 3 of them.

12. If dodgers come off this road-trip 5&5 i thy that’s a very good outcome. With all the injuries to go 5 up and 5 down in those 3 cities is not a disappointment! Could have been even better if not for that horrible 3rd strip call on Mookie in St. Louis. Watching outman last night I got the feeling for the first time this season he could continue to struggle. He is having trouble laying off pitches outside the strike zone. Miller has a cockiness about him! Not saying it’s a bad thing, but he gives the impression that you can’t hit what I’m throwing. Seems to get irritated easily over the strike zone. But overall a good nights work. Is Barnes catching tonight? We need this sweep! Got to have Will and jd in the lineup! Rest will in Tampa if needed, top 5 spots in lineup doing just fine. Gonsolin has an opportunity to make a big time statement tonight, but needs a better pitch count, need him to go 6-7 innings tonight. Hurry back Clayton!

13. This is what this disgusting organization has become : Dodgers sold out to wokeness and the diabolical
    Rubio to MLB: Dodgers Aren’t “Inclusive and Welcoming” to Christians
    MAY 15 2023
    In June, the Los Angeles Dodgers plan to give a “Community Hero Award” to an anti-Catholic group of activist drag queen performers. The LA Chapter of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence features men dressed like Catholic nuns who mock the faith with the motto “Go forth and sin some more!”

    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred questioning whether the League is “inclusive and welcoming” to Christians.

    “The ‘sisters’ are men who dress in lewd imitation of Roman Catholic nuns. The group’s motto, ‘go and sin some more,’ is a perversion of Jesus’s command to ‘go, and sin no more.’ The group’s ‘Easter’ ceremony features children’s programming followed by a drag show where adult performers dress in blasphemous imitation of Jesus and Mary. The group hosts pub crawls mocking the Stations of the Cross and even the Eucharist, the sacrament that unites more than one billion Catholics around the world.”
    “Do you believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers are being ‘inclusive and welcoming to everyone’ by giving an award to a group of gay and transgender drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians—and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others?”
    The full text of the letter is below:

    Dear Commissioner Manfred:

    Recently, you stated that Major League Baseball needs to “make decisions that are as inclusive and welcoming to everyone as possible, and keep us as apolitical as possible.” I write to ask whether your League wants to be “inclusive and welcoming” to Christians, and if so, why you are allowing an MLB team to honor a group that mocks Christians through diabolical parodies of our faith.

    On June 16, 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers will host “LGBTQ+ Pride Night” at Dodgers Park. As part of the pre-game ceremony, the Dodgers will give its “Community Hero Award” to the Los Angeles chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a self-described “order of queer and trans nuns” that has mocked and degraded Christians, and especially Catholics, since its founding on Easter Sunday in 1979.

    The “sisters” are men who dress in lewd imitation of Roman Catholic nuns. The group’s motto, “go and sin some more,” is a perversion of Jesus’s command to “go, and sin no more.” The group’s “Easter” ceremony features children’s programming followed by a drag show where adult performers dress in blasphemous imitation of Jesus and Mary. The group hosts pub crawls mocking the Stations of the Cross and even the Eucharist, the sacrament that unites more than one billion Catholics around the world.

    Dodgers Vice President of Marketing Erik Braverman said that the team’s LGBTQ+ Pride Night is meant to “foster an atmosphere of acceptance for all.” Los Angeles’s many Catholics surely find that claim outrageous, but his words resemble your own closely enough that I am addressing you now to clear up any confusion about where the League stands on this matter.

    Do you believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers are being “inclusive and welcoming to everyone” by giving an award to a group of gay and transgender drag performers that intentionally mocks and degrades Christians—and not only Christians, but nuns, who devote their lives to serving others? Do you believe such an award is “apolitical”? Do you believe it is a sound business decision, in a city with more than four million Catholics and countless other people of faith? Finally, setting aside financial considerations, do you believe it is morally right for the most important league of our national pastime to honor a group that mocks religion, and one religion in particular?

    Major League Baseball, as a private organization in a free country, can give awards to whatever groups it chooses, no matter how loathsome. But baseball has always been tied to our nation’s values, at the heart of which is faith in God. It would be an outrage and a tragedy if the MLB, in pursuit of modern, secular, and indeed anti-religious “values,” rebuked that faith and the millions of believing fans who cherish the sport.

    Sincerely,

    1. Old news, we discussed that at length the other day, Nothing to see here, move on.

    2. Interesting letter, thanks

14. * Smith is just such a good hitter. I love his balance. He took another shot to the mask last night and I wince every time. He also took a shot to his thigh which was all meat. This could be eliminated if he wasn’t on that knee. I get that it supposedly gives the pitcher a lower target but I hate how that exposes the catcher. And I always have, even going back to the days of Tony Pena and Manny Sanguillen. Then it was more showmanship than functionality.
    * One of the Dodger’s strengths was depth at the catcher position. Cartaya is struggling but before considering a trade for a $20 million a yr catchers like Sal Perez, I would get a look at Hunter Feduccia who makes considerably less and isn’t 33.
    * I love the classic uniforms like the Dodgers, Yankees and Braves. Just like Hank wore. All except the horrible yellow Quikrete patch on the sleeve. It looks cheap and doesn’t fit the look at all. I hate it and hope the Dodgers never go there. A Walmart patch wouldn’t cut it for me.
    * Great work by Bobby Miller. I was happy to see him get through 5. I was rooting for him like he was my kid. I didn’t see him in the spring so I had never seen his stuff and I’m impressed especially when he settled down and got more movement on that big heater. I really like that little extra life. Nice beginning.
    * I’m so old school to even notice this. So Miller is in the dugout, bottom 7 watching Graterol, 2 innings removed from his outing; No sleeves, no jacket. No nothing.
    I guess they don’t recommending ice and warmth after pitching anymore. It’s just different now. Anything past 75 pitches, we changed out of sweaty tops, iced and put on a jacket. But here’s a kid with a golden, 100 mph arm who had just exceeded his previous season long pitch count, is sitting in the dugout with exposed arms. At least put on a hoodie.
    That stuff doesn’t seem to matter anymore, yet they limit pitch counts now to 85 to 100. After 100, it’s DEFCON 1. We got out of sweaty clothes, cooled down, iced, put on a warm top and had a flush day the next day. All after a normal 125 pitch count. It seemed like fewer arm issues but then again, fewer guys threw 100. Who know the answer but I’d still recommend a jacket.

15. Great back to back wins in ATL!
    Miller threw great after giving up some hard hit balls early. Hopefully, Stone can find his form in the next start.
    The jump from AAA to the MLB is huge for most players. I hope both Outman and Vargas become all stars, but early success in MLB does not always translate to the long term. While I think both can be MLB players, I agree with Mark that Vargas has a better chance to stick long term. He is younger with a better track record and a much lower strikeout rate. The MLB pitchers learn how to get players out. Look at last years ROY, Michael Harris from ATL. He hit 297 with 853 OPS as a rookie. This year he is hitting 163 with 486 OPS in 100 plate appearances. He will probably bounce back but hitting MLB pitching is very difficult.

16. There is a very informative article about Dalton Rushing and other prospects at Great Lakes on The Athletic, written by Zach Buchanan. https://theathletic.com/4546806/2023/05/24/mlb-prospect-notes-dalton-rushing-dodgers-tigers/ If you subscribe to The Athletic it is a must read.

    1. Thanks Campy , that was very informative and an excellent read

17. A’s have reached a tentative agreement with Nevada lawmakers for funding for a new stadium. Dodger Dad. Please repost your post. Accidentally deleted when I was editing something.

    1. The location of that stadium is great, at the location of the current Tropicana Hotel and on days the roof is open, you’d get a nice view of the strip.

       Definitely easier access than Allegient Stadium (from what I hear)

18. RIP Tina Turner. Dies at age 83.

19. 7:20 PM ET

    Dodgers (31-19) 1st place NL West
    Braves (29-19) 1st place NL East

    SPTony Gonsolin R
    2-1 1.13 ERA 24IP 19K
    SP Bryce Elder R
    3-0 2.06 ERA 52.1IP 45K

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    3B Max Muncy L
    DH J. Martinez R
    CF J. Heyward L
    2B M. Vargas R
    LF D. Peralta L
    SS Chris Taylor R

    Partly-cloudy-day
    3% Precipitation
    78° Wind 7 mph In

    1. I thought “why is Outman not starting?”

       Heyward against RHP: .241 BA/.354 OB%
       Outman against RHP: .226 BA/.304 OB%

       Outman against LHP: .308 BA/.417 OB%, but it’s a small sampling. Maybe he should platoon with Thompson.

       Thompson hits against RHP and Outman against LHP.

       1. Outman hit RHP like crazy in the minors with a big sample.

          Dodgers need another outfielder that hits LHP. You cited DeLuca’s very very small overall sample in AAA. Do you know his slashline against LHP in AAA? I’m going to try to find it. Not that it really matters because it’s a very very small sample. Taylor has SLG against LHP but not BA. I don’t know why Taylor isn’t platooning.

          By the way, I really like Bobby Miller as a person and he did good yesterday.

          Andre Jackson can’t be tipping his pitches forever. It’s something else. Maybe like I said before, a trade chip if he still has value.

          I’m high on Sheehan by the way.

          1. DeLuca is hititng .409 with a .500 OB% against LHP, but it is 22 ABs!

             1. Thank you for finding that because I couldn’t. So he’s keeping up what he has done his whole career and that is hit LHP good. Actually excellent. The key take away is his whole career against LHP.

                I think he would be an excellent platoon guy that the Dodgers are desperate for.

             2. I think they go for experience if they look to replace Thompson. Not going to put all their eggs in a basket owned by a kid.

20. Tuesday scores
    Oklahoma City 7, Sacramento 4
    Tulsa 6, Northwest Arkansas 5 (11 innings)
    Peoria 3, Great Lakes 2
    Lake Elsinore 4, Rancho Cucamonga 3

    Wednesday schedule
    4:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Ronan Kopp) at Peoria (Tink Hence)
    5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Landon Knack) vs. NW Arkansas (Noah Camron)
    6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Chris Campos) vs. Lake Elisnore (Jagger Haynes)
    6:45 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Matt Andriese) at Sacramento (TBD)

    3 of the 4 Dodger teams are in first place in their respective divisions and Tulsa is now tied for first place.

21. David Vassegh
    @THEREAL_DV

    Dave Roberts said Julio Urías will throw a bullpen session in Tampa Bay on Friday or Saturday. #Dodgers

22. Not like putting all your eggs in one basket at all Bear. Because there aren’t any eggs in that basket right now As much as I sympathize with Thompson, he adds nothing to the team. Johnny Deluca is already on the 40 man. There would be no risk at all, giving him a shot to see how he does. unless you think Thompson is going to miraculously turn it around somehow
    Seems to me the Dodgers don’t have any experienced options available. If they were somehow to find someone in a trade that fits Deluca could always be sent back down
    I would give Thompson till the middle of June, and then sayonara but then again, what do I know?

    1. I didn’t know Deluca was on the 40 man roster. And now knowing that, I agree with you.

    2. nonicnamebumfan

       “but then again, what do I know?”

       You know a lot nonicnamebumfan. Your post made a lot of perfect sense. On the 40 man roster, no risk at all, give him a shot, DeLuca can always be sent back down. You said all of that and it makes perfect sense.

       Speak up more.

       Just my 2 cents.

23. 8 pitch first inning I think that’s a record for Gonsolin. Maybe he can give the bullpen a break tonight.

24. Muncy, Taylor and Outman. Just ridiculous!

25. Heyward replaced Outman today. Notice how Outman’s absence against RHPing is becoming more frequent. An ominous sign for him and the Dodgers.

    1. ominous????

       1. Yeah, ominous, as in not good.

       2. role reduction, beginning phase-out as a full-time outfielder/batter

    2. EDIT: Actually Outman’s increased absence from the regular line-up is for BOTH LHP & RHP.

26. Gonso ruined his evening by throwing one stupid pitch to Ozuna. Of all players it had to be Ozuna!

27. Hey, Joe Davis….. I don’t need you to tell me how hard the wife beater Ozuna works, and how much he cares

28. Muncy is one week molten magma and three weeks frozen glacier.

    1. And his molten magma done mostly against sub-par pitching

29. Why is Bickford pitching in a tie game

    1. And with a day off tomorrow.

30. Too many missed chances led to this loss. They left way too many men on base. 1-10 with runners in scoring position. 12 hit and 2 walks and a hit by pitch.

31. This is a response to Quasimodo:

    I don’t know the precise cause of Bobbi Swan’s death, but she obviously lived a long life–or perhaps we should say lives. She was in her 80s. And my friend Mark says he and his brother had a great relationship with the woman who had been their father.
    The point is that people think gender identity is always, always, always a simple matter.
    But it ain’t. There are many Bobbi Swans in the world.
    So should society shun, stigmatize and ostracize these people?
    Why not an attempt at understanding and compassion?
    Oh, somebody out there might be ssnickering….
    So I’ll quote Elvis Costello,: “What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?”
    Another example: Back in the 1990s in LA, the veteran captain of and LA Fire Department station–more than 20 years of duty– took a leave of absence. He departed–and she returned. You can look it up.
    Nevermind–here’s the link:
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-20-me-2342-story.html

    I also know a woman who’s ex-husband had a “reassignment” after their divorce. They had a daughter and now they have grandchildren
    Right now there is a great national freak out about the transgender reality, mostly because it had been closeted and cloistered for generations. I just learned that the first clinic for gender change opened in the 1930s.
    Life can take some astonishing twists and turns.

    1. For the record, I have no issues with it… except that it should not be practiced on children. That is frought with so many issues that it is not even sane to discuss.

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