A Transition Year!

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1. Well at least this moron knows that the Baltimore Orioles don’t have the best record in baseball! And yes, we should have swept them! Thanks Julio! And Michael Busch will not be a Dodger come August 2nd. From chicken lips!

   1. Sorry, I meant to say in the AL.

      1. 1. More coffee!

      2. You did say in the AL. Cassidy didn’t read carefully.

         1. Cassidy did read it carefully. I went back and changed it!

            😉

   2. O’s way overrated. Take away Bautista and they’re in Brewers/Phillies area. Not impressed.

      The Ginger JT @ .290/15/61 /. 836

2. RC is 49-38 d espite that massacre last night.

   Tranistion year, Yes. For sure. But nice that the Dodgers are still leading the West and with a shot at a WS title, yet IMHO an outside shot if they do not improve at the deadline.
   Speaking of: Youth movement is fine with me but we probably have too many youngsters to keep them all. Better to part with some of them bringing in help at the trade deadline.
   If I would be in charge I do not trade Vargas, Cartaya, Bobby Miller, Sheehan, Bruns, dePaula, Frasso, Joelton Vargas, Rushing.
   Guys like Busch, Nastrini,Pepiot, Grove, Pages, Hurt, Rivers, Ramos, Vivas, Mann, Leonhard should garner some interest in the right package or two.
   Everybody else on the farm I would make available in the right deal.

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

   1. This is the site for misinformation today. I looked at Lake Elsinore’s record – not RC’s.

      Youth is becoming the way; Baltimore, ATL, TB, Arizona are all young,

      1. ATL is scarry good and if they made a play for Ohtani….. lights out!

         1. That’s what everyone said about the Dodgers last season.

         2. I hope they do. Then we’ll sign him in the offseason.

3. Mark you’re right about Tim Anderson, I was dead wrong! I believe with Arenado at 3rd, Rojas at shortstop, Mookie at s second, Freddy at 1st the dodgers would have a top 3 defensive infield! If Chris Taylor is healthy he can spell the infield and not miss a beat! Would be nice to see Vargas back up and hitting the ball. I might put him in left field and leave him there. Bullpen is coming around nicely, but I still believe we need another starter. Tough series this weekend, be nice to take 2 out of 3, but don’t get swept, giants and diamond backs are not going anywhere!

   1. Anderson is having his worst season.
      At his best, he’d be leading the AL in batting average. A electric, exciting player who makes lots of contact and runs wild. A lot of people here–not all of them morons– didn’t believe Lux could play SS. Or the Friedman would even try him at SS. Back then I bet many here would have felt great relief with a trade for Anderson that would have kept Lux at 2B.
      I liked the Willy Adames rumors better. He just seemed like a really solid, power-hitting SS, on offense and defense. Not flashy like Anderson, but more stable. But Adames isn’t having a very good year either. Our much-maligned Mas is hitting about 90 points higher than Adames’ s 702 OPS, and he has 22 HRs to Willy’s 17. It’s not like Adames is totally sucking–but he’s been better.
      Anyway, it’s nice to have Miguel Rojas. And Chris Taylor. And now Mookie too.
      When AF signed Mookie to his big contract, I suspect he always envisioned that age would eventually Mookie would move to 2B. All considered, he might be the Dodgers best SS too.

4. During Thursday’s game against the San Francisco Giants, Elly De Le Cruz launched a 99.8 mph throw to home plate to put an end to any hope Giants infielder Wilmer Flores had of scoring a run.

5. Tony Bennett remembered as ‘one of the greats’ after he dies at 96
   The singer passed away in his hometown of New York
   I was lucky enough to see him perform one of the last concerts at Shea Stadium with Billy Joel with 50,000 people. RIP Tony!!!

   1. Yeah everybody liked Tony Bennet, good guys, bad guys, the press and the gossip rags never a bad word about him. His voice constantly golden always and to the end.

6. Don’t always agree with Duke (esp. about the political stuff), but he’s a good sport, has good baseball takes, and dishes it back to Mark. Though there’s a possibility an actual Mormon might take offense, I find Duke’s description of Mark’s diatribes as the “Book of Moron” to be pretty hysterical.

   Yes, Badger and Bumsrap hang out of Jeff’s site and frequently make comments about “other sites” being “intolerant” …. yada yada. It’s tedious and immature.

   Ran into our old friend Scott Andes over on Jeff’s site not too long ago. He’s still his unhinged self. I think he really misses having someone to talk to. It’s pretty empty over at ladodgerreport.com

   Hey Scott! I thought of new way for you to monetize your site. Ya know, the government needs a place to hide all of it’s secrets from the Russians and the Chinese. Just have them post them all to your site. No one will ever see them. LOL.

   1. you sure did get Scott riled up a couple of weeks ago!

      1. Scott gets riled pretty easy. But his diatribes against Mark and this site are of epic proportions. As for Badger, we are friends and I get along with him well. I sent him a 52 Mantle re-print card for his desk. I think he was much happier when he was living in Arizona. I have many disagreements on here with many of you. I try to be courteous and not say mean things. Cassidy tests my patience sometimes, but that is cool. I do not make predictions; I really suck at that. I am pretty much old school when it comes to judging player performances. I think the stat geeks lost sight of some things that made most of us older guys love the game in the first place. We judged players by what we read on the back of their baseball cards and there was no room for OPS, OBP< SLG and many other stats they use today. I still judge players by the eye test. I can tell when someone is going well and when they are not. In all my years watching this game, Bellinger's struggles from the time of his injury until he left, and what Max Muncy is doing now, have been the hardest things to watch when I watch a game. Belli consistently swinging at pitches he couldn't hit if he used a telephone pole, and Muncy, letting balls right down the middle, just settle into the catcher's glove without swinging. That is just my opinion, and the only one who cares about that is me. What makes it hard to watch is the fact I have always liked the guy. These days his at bats are painful on the eyes.

   2. “Book of Moron”. Yes, that’s it.

      Good one.

7. Mark, thanks for the Tony Bennett video. He still had the great voice at 95.

8. Thursday scores
   El Paso 12, Oklahoma City 6
   Tulsa 8, NW Arkansas 2
   Great Lakes 3, Lansing 1
   Lake Elsinore 18, Rancho Cucamonga 0

   Friday schedule
   4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Maddux Bruns) at Lansing (Mitch Myers)
   5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Noah Syndergaard) vs. El Paso (Ryan Weathers)
   5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Nick Frasso) at NW Arkansas (Chandler Champlain)
   7:15 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Peter Heubeck) at Lake Elsinore (Henry Williams)

9. This is another excellent piece, Mark. I agree with everything about it. Fans keep pointing to the holes in the rotation; well, we have the core of a homegrown power starting five forming as we speak.

   Miller looks untouchable and if we roll into next season with him as our #2 or #3 nobody should be surprised.

   Sheehan has promise. I think we’d be pleased to see him in the rotation next year getting 25 starts.

   Grove I like. He’s far from perfect but everything is there. Just needs a chance to go out there every five days.

   Later this year we could see Knack get a shot. Next on the list are high-end guys like Nastrini, Frasso & Ryan. Hurt probably profiles as a reliever but he’s been stretched out too.

   I think what Mark is hinting at is don’t view these guys as trade chips. View them as the future of the franchise. Will we cash in one or two in exchange for a veteran starter? Probably. I could live with Knack for Montgomery, for example.

   Postseason shots are what this sport’s all about. Any move we make has to be with that in mind. Getting a guy you want to throw against ATL.

   1. I predict a six-man rotation next season, perhaps something like this:
      Ohtani, Kershaw, Buehler, Miller, Gonsolin, Stone/Sheehan/Grove/Knack/???….
      Overlooked fact: Ohtani’s ability to play DH frees up a spot on the 26-man roster, making a six-man rotation easier.
      Donde esta Julio?
      Well, I sort of don’t want him back, and here’s why: I think he’s more likely to stay with the Dodgers if he pitches to a 4.50 ERA. I rather see him pitch great so Boras could get him a big contract elsewhere…which would make it easier for the Dodgers to invest megabucks in Ohtani.
      Maybe Kershaw won’t be back. Maybe he’ll retire or decide to play for Texas, now the Rangers are winners.
      If the Dodgers land Giolito or Montgomery–and they pitch well–perhaps the Dodgers would keep one of them.
      And maybe there will be enough $$ left to sign Matt Chapman to play 3B, assuming he wants to come home to SoCal and play for a winner.

10. Define plethora. No, AF probably won’t make a Plethora of trades, but then again what GM not named AJ Preller does so? He will make one or two trades to better the margins of the roster, or he might go big and get a SP, but a plethora of trades probably not and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make such a bold and prophetic statement.

    1. I see no SP on the perceived market that would make an upgrade to what we already have. What we need would be an ace like SP and there will not be one available.
       I´d go with two quality bullpen arms instead.

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

11. Transition?

    Yes, lots of one year contracts, nothing unusual about that, flexibility and all. Yes, there is some movement toward youth. Some will step up, some won’t. The Dodgers and Dave Roberts do like their veterans. Heyward, Peralta and Martinez have all been major contributors.

    I would want to keep Busch. He can hit. Next time up will be better for Vargas.

    I still see the Dodgers pursuing pitching at the trade deadline. Giolito would make some sense. Won’t cost a lot. So they will make some deals, depending on prospect cost. You can’t keep everyone.

    Most of the Dodger writers and baseball pundits believe the Dodgers will make a big play for Ohtani this winter. They are primed to make that deal. They will still seek bargains for one year deals in ’24.

    If they sign Ohtani, they move away from Urias, who just hasn’t been very good. Even without Ohtani, I’m guessing Julio won’t be back. But Walker Buehler will return to top form. This might be the year that Clayton retires. Or not.

    It will be interesting to see what they do with Muncy. So yes, this may well be a winter of transition. Some good young pitchers in the system and a couple of hitters who can make the jump.

12. Has there be any news how the operation of Dustin May on Monday went ?

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

    1. The prognosis is about a year for recovery. But never expect a truthful news report if the surgery went awry.

    2. 12 months estimate to return

       Not sure why it was written that way

13. Drinking a Dr Pepper for the first time in years the other night (not bad), I couldn’t help but hum this tune:

    I’m a moron
    You’se a moron
    He’s a moron
    She’s a moron
    We’s some morons
    Wouldn’t you like to be a moron too?!?!?!

    1. HA!

14. The amputa–I mean operation went fine. (Actually, I have no idea, but we won’t be seeing Dustin pitch for at least a year.) ….
    I expect the much-maligned Max Muncy to be back in 2024, with the club exercising its $10 million option.
    I also expect that Max will win back some of his critics. It puzzles me why so many fans have such little patience for a guy who has been so productive for the Dodgers over the past six seasons,, with multiple 35-HR seasons and two all-star selections while gamely covering three positions…..
    Has Michael Busch turned 26 yet? He is not old, but he is not young for a prospect.
    His best hope with the Dodgers is for a couple of key starters to get banged up and create an opportunity. He is blocked at every position he plays and the Dodger brass clearly hold Miguel Vargas in higher regard, despite his struggle–so Vargas is blocking Busch too. For all we know, Devin Mann might be better than Busch, if he’s given the chance to hit major league pitching. Coming up behind Busch are guys like Jorbit Vivas, Eddys Leonard and Austin Gauthier. It’s a squeeze play.
    For Busch, I think it’s “play me or trade me” time. He may well thrive in Chicago or Denver or Anaheim or some other city that has a player who’d look good in Dodger blue.
    Hell, if I was Busch, I’d be hoping for trade. His old OKC teammate Jamaih Jones opted out of the Dodgers organization–and landed a major league gig with the Brewers.

    1. Fans are impatient because over the last 200 plus games he has played, he is hitting well under the Mendoza line. I care less about how many times he walks; I care about all of the lost opportunities to drive in runs when he strikes out looking at a ball down the center of the plate or flailing at a pitch 4 inches out of the strike zone. Walks rarely drive in runs. Max may have a decent OPS, but actually hitting the ball where they isn’t he isn’t very good at right now and hasn’t been for quite a while. If he was hitting around his career average, we would not even be talking about him. Don’t get me wrong Duke, I like Max, I really do, but his spot in the order is a black hole and very hard to watch.

       1. Bear, you read my mind. You have perfectly stated my problem with Muncy right now. Duke, your claim of impatience by fans is laughable. This is a production business. Players are paid handsomely and expected to perform. You might cherry pick OPS or walk stats to attempt to prove he’s been productive. He hasn’t. Those stats are swell. But they don’t win games, especially in the middle of the order.
          The Dodgers have been too patient with underperforming players who are veteran. It’s commendable but in my opinion, its bit them in the ass during the playoffs. We actually stuck with Bellinger for 2 1/2 years underperforming at the plate, reaching a climax last year when he was benched for the playoffs. They gave Vargas a better than fair look the first 1/2. There’s still going to be a Thor sighting?
          Oh yeah, since our team is outperforming considering the injuries and the Transition Year, I guess you can justify an automatic out in the middle of the order? Heyward, Peralta, Rojas have been great with Mookie, Freeman and Smith carrying the mail. But that doesn’t allow Max’s lack of performance in the middle to continue forever. We all are waiting to see some signs of life. Move his ass down in the order and see if that takes some pressure off.

15. Looks like Dodgers will sign all the picks except for Jelkin and the QB. I haven’t heard one way or the other on Luke Fox, who I think was going to be a tough sign.

16. Google news reported that the Dodgers are not out of the Ohtani talks. Maybe someone in the Angel FO told Moreno, he could get a haul from LA for his star rather than just lose him and get nothing but a draft pick when he walks after the season.

    1. Or maybe the Angels are floating “the Dodgers not out of…” rumor to increase their leverage with other teams in the Ohtani trade talks.

       AF will do his due diligence and kick the tires around in case Ohtani is available, but just hope Moreno stays hard-headed and holds onto his franchise player the rest of this season. We don’t need the headache of having to compete with others for him at the deadline.

       1. Exactly. I think they will definitely kick the tires when he becomes a free agent. Some of the trade rumors are just total fantasy. There was a trade today as the Cardinals sent one of the relievers to the Blue Jays. Cabrera, a lefty reliever was traded for minor league catcher Sammy Hernandez. D-Backs interested in Giolitto. Some pundits saying that Dodgers might trade Sheehan.

          1. Yeah, just finished reading the D-backs/Giolito rumor.

17. Once again, no way will Ohtani be a Dodger. Dodgers should not make any deals, unless Arenado is brought in. The young pitchers are loaded with talent. The rotation could be set for several years. Dustin May….possible closer? I like the idea.
    Atlanta is going to be tough to beat. Are they the best organization in baseball? Right up there.
    2 out of 3 against the Rangers would be nice. Rest In Peace, Tony Bennett …one of the greatest crooners. Every time I hear “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, I flash on the 1962 play off loss to the F-ing Giants. Still hurts.

    1. Dustin May is out at least until the middle of next year. I’ve always liked the notion of him closing. If it could help him avoid injury, so much the better.
       Ohtani will be a Dodger if he wants to be a Dodger. May not happen until next season, but all signs indicate that the interest is mutual. Why wouldn’t it be?
       Fully agree that Atlanta looks like the team to beat. And they are young and should be good for years to come.

18. Roberts must have been reading LADT…
    Muncy dropped to 6th in the lineup, behind JDM at cleanup and Taylor at 5th. Also, Mookie is back in RF with Yonny getting the start at 2B. DeLuca in CF and batting 7th in place of Outman.
    Loaded up with righthanded bats to face Heaney. (Yonny is a switch hitter.) Freddie and Max only lefty
    bats in the lineup

    1. Oops, I meant Freddie and Max were the only lefty bats in the lineup.
       I’m liking the idea of getting Grichuk from the Rockies. Hits lefties well and can play all 3 OF positions.

       1. A Grichuk trade seems doable.

       2. Fixed it for ya. I prefer Renfroe if they could get him. More power and kills lefties,

19. 8:05 PM ET

    Dodgers (55-40)
    Rangers (58-39)

    SPTony Gonsolin R
    5-3 3.72 ERA
    SP Andrew Heaney L
    6-6 4.43 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    DH J. Martinez R
    LF Chris Taylor R
    3B Max Muncy L
    CF Jonny DeLuca R
    SS Miguel Rojas R
    2B Y. Hernandez S

    In Domed Stadium

20. Next year like to see Matt Chapman in Dodger Blue Amed Rosorio as shortstop in dodger blue and Lux back at second base in dodger blue. Mookie goes back to right field and in free agency we get a left fielder or center fielder and that will determine where James outman plays in 2024 if he is the Leftfielder or centerfielder. Urias will be gone Kershaw will retire or go to the Rangers and we will have buehler Miller and Sheehan as are straters so there going to have to either trade for starters or sign free agents because down on the farm I don’t see anyone that could come up and be like wow look at this kid.

    1. Are you related to Rosorio?

       Do you owe a large debt to him?

       1. He is a free agent and a good one. Look over the years for the Indians and in the playoffs he produces an every day player like Freeman like Betts that’s what they need at third base and shortstop.

          1. He is a worse SS than Rojas, who is signed for next season, and Lux will be back and most likely be at SS. No, they do not need Rosario. He is hitting .262 with no power. He has made 11 errors to Rojas’s 4. He is 27 years old, which means he will be 28 next season and Lux will be 25. He is a 270 career hitter who averages 8 homers a year. He has only been in 2 playoff series and hit .241 overall with 1 homer and 2 driven in in 7 games. That is not impressive at all. Lux has played in 18 postseason games. He has two full seasons in the majors and is a .253 hitter averaging 9 homers and 52 RBI’s a year. His OBP and OPS are higher than Rosario’s. As a SS, he has a better fielding average than Rosario, So despite what you think, the Dodgers have an in house solution to their so called SS dilemma.

21. Total bonus pool: $7,274,600
    MLB rank: 24

    All Dodgers Draft signings

    CB-A (36): Kendall George, OF, Atascocita HS
    Pick value: $2,362,700
    Signing bonus: $1,847,500

    2 (60): Jake Gelof, 3B, Virginia
    Pick value: $1,336,900
    Signing bonus: $1,334,400

    3 (95): Brady Smith, RHP, Grainger HS
    Pick value: $705,500
    Signing bonus: $703,000

    4 (127): Wyatt Crowell, LHP, Florida State
    Pick value: $516,800
    Signing bonus: $647,500

    4C (136): Dylan Campbell, OF, Texas
    Pick value: $473,700
    Has not yet agreed to terms

    4C (137): Eriq Swan, RHP, Middle Tenessee State
    Pick value: $469,000
    Signing bonus: $466,500

    5 (163): Joe Vetrano, 1B, Boston College
    Pick value: $364,400
    Signing bonus: $397,500

    6 (190): Bryan Gonzalez, SS, Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy
    Pick value: $290,100
    Signing bonus: $397,500

    7 (220): Patrick Copen, RHP, Marshall
    Pick value: $228,000
    Signing bonus: $225,500

    8 (250): Jaron Elkins, OF, Goodpasture Christian School
    Pick value: $189,300
    Signing bonus: $407,500

    9 (280): Ryan Brown, RHP, Ball State
    Pick value: $173,600
    Signing bonus: $171,100

    10 (310): Sam Mongelli, SS, Sacred Heart University
    Pick value: $164,600
    Signing bonus: $47,500

    11 (340): Carson Hobbs, RHP, Samford University
    Signing bonus: $150,000

    12 (370): Noah Ruen, RHP, Tyler JC
    Signing bonus: $247,500

    13 (400): Alex Makarewich, RHP, Northwestern State
    Signing bonus: $150,000

    14 (430): Jaxon Jelkin, RHP, South Mountain CC
    Has not yet agreed to terms

    15 (460): Jordan Thompson, SS, LSU
    Signing bonus: $197,500

    16 (490): Javen Coleman, LHP, LSU
    Has not yet agreed to terms

    17 (520): Luke Fox, LHP, Duke
    Has not yet agreed to terms

    18 (550): Sterling Patick, LHP, South Hills High School (CA)
    Signing bonus: $347,500

    19 (580): Spencer Green, RHP, Richland High School (WA)
    Signing bonus: $150,000

    20 (610): D.J. Uiagalelei, TWP, Oregon State
    Has not yet agreed to terms

    1. Some extremely interesting signing bonuses here. I need to digest some interesting numbers. Kendall George, as expected, agreed to a big discount in slot money. Ryan Crowell at 4 got over slot. Byran Gonzales, a high school SS got way over #6 slot $. At #8 Jaron Elkins, a high school OF got 210K over slot. They must really like him. A big over slot bonus went to the 18th round pick Sterling Patrick a high school LHP. He got $347K. I’ve never heard the 550th pick getting that.
       And a kid from my hometown, Spencer Green got $150,000 as the 19th rounder. I saw him pitch and I think this is an overpay. ESPECIALLY since he didn’t graduate from high school. He never attended much and had about 10 credits. He supposedly had committed to Oregon State which should be a nice bargaining chip. But what I know about NCAA Eligibility is that a kid has to graduated and have qualifying test scores to be eligible. He had neither so that’s all bullshit. Those rumors always persist about high school players. There’s always some unsubstantiated rumor that Bob Bitchin is committed to pitch at USC or someplace. UCS wouldn’t know young Bob if they fell over him.
       Good for Spencer Green. This is his ONE big gift and I hope he is mature enough to bust his ass with this opportunity.

       1. The draft is always interesting.
          I read that the Dodgers want Elkins to convert to catching full-time, according to his high school coach. Reportedly a terrific athlete–all-region running back–and they really sweetened the deal to get him.
          Rooting for all of them, of course, but especially for Kendall George. Would love to see him and his speed get to LA.
          The need for speed is needs also why I think AF should monitor the market for the O’s Jorge Mateo. The O’s talent might push him to the side. I’d love to have a gold glove-quality SS who could steal 40 bases batting 9th.

22. Enough with the Rosario talk. The guy is not an upgrade. If they want a SS, I can think of several better options than that guy.

23. OK, want to go “all-in” this year? Here we go:

    The Dodgers send James Outman, Michael Busch, Jonny DeLuca, Max muncy, and Nick Frasso to the Angels for…

    Shohei Ohtani
    Anthony Rendon
    Mike Trout

    It’s not much of a haul for the Angels, but they get out from under three big contracts!

    Think about it!

    Lineup:
    1. Betts 2B
    2. Freeman 1B
    3. Trout CF
    4. Ohtani DH
    5. Martinez/Peralta LF
    6. Smith C
    7. Heywood RF
    8. Rendon 3B
    9. Rojas SS

    Betts plays RF when a LHP is throwing and Vargas plays 2B.

    The Dodgers average 93 runs a game!

    1. Put down the crack pipe, Mark!

       We are here for you . . .

       1. I don’t see Ahmed Rosario in that lineup…..

          1. And you won’t see him ever in a Dodger uniform.

       2. I am not saying I would do that, but it has been suggested in The Athletic!

    2. Nice lineup for opening day.
       Day 2 – Rendon out for the rest of the year with a hangnail.
       Day 3 – Trout out for the rest of the year with back problems.

    3. Now do a fantasy trade for Arenado.

    4. That would be one hell of a transition.

24. Everyone talks and thinks that the Dodgers could get Ohtani and/or other good pitchers, only to end up getting someone like Kenta Maeda! Someone totally off the radar, cheap, who could help get the innings loaded … And it would make sense, since most believe the Dodgers DO NOT NEED TO MAKE ANY TRADE.

    1. Jorge, I believe the Dodgers will make at least two trades at the deadline. One for a starting pitcher, and another for a reliever. And yes they do need to make a trade. Their bench is pretty thin right now.

       1. Hope they get another righty bat too, cause Deluca in the lineup for LHP won’t cut it come playoff time.

       2. His bat is suspect, but he can shut my mouth with his glove.

          1. The kid has an uncanny resemblance to Ron Cey. If I did not know better, I would think he was Cey’s clone.

             1. I’m pulling for him to make it as a Dodgers player, so we can be reminded of the good ‘ol days!

25. He never ever learned to read or write so well

    But he roams centerfield like he was ringing a bell….

    Go Jonny go go

    Mr DeLuca

26. 1. Dodgers will likely trade for a starting pitcher and a right handed bat but they should not and probably, will not expend much prospect capital to do that. I do not think they will stand pat but I do agree with the overall point in Mark’s comments.
    2. Looking at this line up tonight, a right handed hitting outfielder like Grichuk or Pham and the eventual return of Vargas (hoping) will be enough to balance the line up. I would like the ability to sit Muncy against lefties and not have both DeLuca and Hernandez in the line up.
    3. With Gonsolin and Urias being inconsistent as they are and three rookies after them in the rotation they have got to add a starting pitcher in my opinion. They have nine right handed starting pitchers in the their rookie year, at AAA or at AA – you literally can not keep them all. I am not counting on Buehler returning in September though that would be icing on the cake. A rotation of Urias, Kershaw, a trade acquisition, Gonsolin and Miller should be enough to win the West if this offense keeps producing. Will disagree with Mark in that Giolito in this rotation would not be a number 5.
    4. Really intrigued by the young players at Rancho Cucuamonga for Dodgers in their everyday line up. I think the average age in low A is 21.0 years and Dodgers have DePaula, Doncon, Liranzo, and Diaz at 19 years of age or younger. Their IFA signings these past five years seem to be progressing very well.
    5. A potential line up next year with Betts, Freeman, Smith, Ohtani, and Lux gives a nice cushion for young hitters like Outman, Vargas, Pages, Busch, etc. to develop as ML hitters.

    1. Giolito has been a good pitcher for a bad team. He should be a better pitcher on a good team.
       The question is, which team? Just about every contender wants pitching.
       Jordan Montgomery looks like a good option too. Maybe Flaherty.
       In Friedman we trust.

    2. Excellent points NH Dodger!
       Use the excess minor league pitching prospects to acquire a veteran starter who is more reliable than Syndergard and Grove. We also need to insure against Kershaw, Julio and Tony not being available for the playoff run.
       I would also strengthen bullpen with depth to have lockdown options in 6,7,8, 9 innings.

       Great road trip by Dodgers so far. Hope to get another series win against a good team today.

    3. We see a lot of that cushion in the current lineup.
       Growing up, a lot of us here pored over the standard baseball stats–BA, HRs and RBI. Now we understand that OPS is probably the best single metric for batter performance.
       Right now, the NL’s Top Ten for OPS includes four Dodgers, with Freddie at .970 second only to Acuna, Mookie third at .955, Will 6th at .899, JD Martinez 10th at .867.
       The usual top of the lineup–Mookie, Freddie, Will–are in the top seven in on-base percentage. No other team has more than one player in the top ten.
       The Dodgers’ top four hitters, all of whom were on all-stars, are so good that fans express disappointment with Max’s slump and Outman’s Ks. But the current average OPS in MLB is .730. Max is at .775 and Outman at .761. As for key part-timers, Heyward is at .815, Taylor at .728 and Peralta at .718.
       In case you’re wondering, Rojas is at .561 and Barnes at….sheesh… .320.

27. What fantastic hustle by Muncy!!

28. Oh, yeah…. Mookie is pretty good in the outfield too.

29. 9-6-2 double play? Wow

30. Who needs starting pitching when you have an offense like this!

31. The minute before the season started there were several here that were stating Dodgers had no chance to make the playoffs but were at least smart enough to not take me up on my bet offer of the field against the Dodgers for the division, So how do you like me/Dodgers now? They sure looked good tonight! Huh? Hope Seager is OK. He’s still a Dodger to me and I think we’ll see him on the Dodgers. Shame on me for gloating……..OK, I’m over it.

    1. Dodgers are nobody’s little brother!

32. Would Pepiot and Outman be enough to bring Bellinger back???

    1. Yes

33. I wasn’t able to watch the game and just learned of Seager’s injury.
    His latest injury, that is.
    Some people think injuries are just a matter of dumb luck, but I’m not sure. “Injury-prone” seems like real thing to me
    . What did Cal Ripken have that made him so durable? Certainly he played with pain at times, but he must have been blessed with muscles and tendons that were hard to pull and tear. He must have been careful to do all his stretching, and avoid reckless physical moves (like Lux’s in the spring). When Seager is healthy, he’s been a stud. But he has often had trouble staying on the field.
    That’s one of the reasons why I was OK with the Dodgers letting him move on. Another was having Trea in the wings. A

    1. All good points on Seager and his injury history. I was one who hated to see him go but he does tend to get dinged up. Thanks for sharing a different perspective.

       1. In order to keep his bat in the lineup, many believed, including me, that an eventually move to 3base is going to be necessary. His bat far out-ways his glove in terms of value.

    2. Duke – I agree with the premise of this post. I wouldn’t have signed him to a ten year deal with his injury history, and was glad the Dodgers passed.

       However, I must’ve missed the part of Lux’s injury that was reckless, unless you are referring to the piling on of so much muscle (weight) in such a short amount of time, That was reckless IMO.

       What has become increasingly apparent over the past few series against the cream of the crop, is that the Dodgers will be competitive against anybody in the Post Season.

       However, they are gonna need Julio and Tony to be on their game and certainly be more consistent.

       1. 8 pounds.

          Mookie did the same thing!

       2. Look at the replay. Lux made an unnecessary movements to try to avoid a throw that he feared would hit his head. He later said he wished he had put his arms up in front of his face.
          He also could have also just slid to avoid it.
          I don’t think the extra weight was a deciding factor. Adds a bit of stress, but he’s a professional athlete who was already doing a lot of running on that weight.
          Seriously, how often do we see a baserunner get hit by a thrown ball? It’s rarity, especially for a runner approaching the thrower. The defender doesn’t want to hit a baserunner and alters his throw. It was an avoidable injury.
          It not as dumb as breaking your foot kicking a water cooler, but it didn’t have to happen. I’m guessing Cal Ripken had a tougher ACL.

    3. What did Lux do that was reckless? He was just running in a straight line when his knee blew out.

       1. In his own words… .
          He suffered the torn ACL while running the bases during a February 27 game against the San Diego Padres. “I tried to duck out of the way of the throw, and I think my cleat kind of got stuck into the ground a little bit,” Lux explained.
          On the replay it looks to me like the did more than just duck but altered his path. He also said he wished he had put his hands up.
          Do you think the fielder would have thrown the ball deliberately into Lux? Or would he have altered the throw?

    4. In his record breaking 2130 consecutive game streak, Lou Gehrig was reported to have played with broken and sprained fingers. I sprained my thumb diving for a ball once, I couldn’t hold a bat for a week. I have no clue how Gehrig could do that. Had to be able to handle the pain of just gripping a bat, let alone throwing or catching a ball.

34. Tony just can’t seem to put guys away like last year. Gutty effort though! I’m with you Bear on Renfroe! As much as I love the idea of Arenado probably isn’t happening. Will Ohtani take less money to be a Dodger? That’s the only path I see for him to wear the blue!

35. Vargas with a HR last night.

    Syndergaard went 5.

    Jimmy Nelson pitched 1 perfect inning. Struck out the side.

    Giles pitched again, but was roughed up. doesn’t mean much… yet!

36. Angels won their fourth in a row last night. They are 8 games behind the Rangers, but only four out of the second wild card spot. I think this will change their mind set on trading Ohtani if they keep winning.

    1. GO ANGELS!, hehe

37. I’m not giving up Outman and Pepiot for 2 months of Bellinger. I’m convinced it was more of an issue between the ears for Bellinger and now he would return to the scene of the crime. It would be a big load for him. I’m happy for him in Chicago wher there is no pressure on him. Lets see what happens when he gets traded to a contender. Let’s hope the Angels hold pat with Ohtani and he doesn’t end up in SF or SD.

    1. Amen Cassidy

38. Cassidy –

    As someone who wanted the Dodgers to stick with Bellinger another year, I now agree it was best for him to move on in his career with another team.

    I always liked Belli and followed his career closely (i,e., checking his line daily in the box score). Last year, I was blaming the Dodger hitting gurus for not getting him back to MVP form. I was wrong based on what has happened this year with Jason Heywood.

    I think Belli needed a change in scenery and I wish him a long and successful career.

    P.S. I now check Outman’s line in the daily box score. I begin this practice with my favorite players starting with Maury Wills in 1959 when I helped him reach a .260 batting average and he ultimately changed the game with his base running.

    1. Can you help Outman to stop striking out so much?!!! And next stop for Thor…….. Tulsa!

       1. As a veteran human being, I don’t interfere in other people’s lives anymore….

       2. He has cut them down some. He has struck out in 6 of his last 16 at bats. But he is also at least getting some hits and walking more.

39. * Fun game last night to watch until the Ranger’s bullpen sputtered late. That appears to be their Achilles Heel.
    * Nice to see every single player in the order get at least one hit
    * Jonny Deluca was a star. I’m good with him platooning with Outman if that keeps them both playing on this team.
    * Yonny Hernandez has such fun playing the game. He reminds me of Hanser Alberto.
    * Rojas seems to emerged into a more vocal leader, as time goes on. He isn’t afraid to initiate mound visits and give some pep talks. He feels very comfortable in his role, and he’s done a great job.
    * I guess Cory Seager has a sprained right thumb and x-rays negative. He’s day-to-day. But then again, aren’t e all? Good new on Cory. He’s having a great year.
    * I’m not a fan of the new on-base celebration. Is it a hula girl bobble-head or side straddle hops or something? I’m not anti-fun but we don’t need to do. The freight train thing is fine. I’m kind of proud that the Dodgers act like they’ve been successful before. Nice normal home run celebrations in the dugout. No Tridents or Samurai Helmets or grocery carts. I hope we never resort to that stuff.
    There are still folks suggesting Seager moves off SS. It’s like a bad penny. Seager should have the ultimate say in where he plays. If he feels he needs to more to 3rd, fine. It should be his call and he still looks fine at SS to me.

    1. Why would you have Jonny D platoon with Outman, Phil, when Outman hits lefties far better than either Peralta or JHey?
       Have him platoon with one of those two, but give the guy some at bats and don’t yank him every time the opposing manager brings in a righty reliever (even though that strategy worked last night).

       You heard it first (or second or third) here! Miguel Rojas will be an MLB manager some day. He’s been a very valuable contributor to this team and he has many qualities which make him a prime candidate to manage a team.

       1. You are right STB. My comment was off the cuff . My comment was based on my desire to see both DeLuca and Outman get playing time and not spot duty. With more thought, I could come up with better platoon combos, as much as I am luke warm, in general, with platoons. Mookie at 2nd, makes this easier and I like him at 2nd.
          Good call on the splits.

          1. If Mookie is at 2B, Taylor and DeLuca could platoon with Peralta and Heyward. Outman should stay on the field, either in center or right. (So much of this is possible because of Mookie.)
             DeLuca has been impressive in the field. And his second homer today! Bodes well for the future, both his and the Dodgers. He may be a keeper but he’s also enhancing his value in the trade market.
             I suspect AF would still want to get a proven veteran like Grichuk or Renfroe for the stretch run and the playoffs. He has to be happy with how Heyward and Peralta have performed. If the Nats are selling, Lane Thomas might get a really good return.
             And let’s not forget that Trayce Thompson should be back in action soon.
             Hard to see a spot for Trayce with this group, but he’d be a good 4th outfielder for a lot of teams. The Angels won’t deal Ohtani, but with Trout eventually coming back they might be willing to part with Renfro or Ward. Perhaps Trayce could be part of the package.

    2. That’s good news with Corey. The way his arm was dangling, I had much worse fears. I’ve purposely avoided watching Seager play since leaving the Dodgers, and after watching him last night, I’m still not ready to see him. Still generally agree with the decision, but doesn’t make it any easier. Same with Bellinger.

       Deluca needs to make an impact any time he’s in the game, I think it’s the only way to convince Roberts to play him more. The occasional homer and run saving glove work are good, but I think it will have to be with his wheels. Get more Trea Turner cheapies beating out dribblers, steal a couple bags, score on a passed ball. It will warm Roberts heart.

40. 4:05 PM ET

    Dodgers (56-40)
    Rangers (58-40)

    SP Bobby Miller R
    5-1 4.25 ERA
    SP Dane Dunning R
    8-2 2.82 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    2B Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    3B Max Muncy L
    DH J. Martinez R
    LF D. Peralta L
    RF J. Heyward L
    CF James Outman L
    SS Miguel Rojas R

    In Domed Stadium

41. Don’t look now but Trayce Thompson began his rehab assignment in Arizona last night. He went 2-5 and played all nine innings of the game in centerfield. He will play several more games before being re-evaluated. Trayce could possibly be ready by the end of August. If he does make it all the way back, he would most likely play against LH pitchers only, although he has reverse splits this season.

42. Friday scores
    El Paso 6, Oklahoma City 3
    NW Arkansas 3, Tulsa 1
    Lansing 8, Great Lakes 6
    Rancho Cucamonga 7. Lake Elsinore 6

    Saturday schedule
    4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Yon Castro) at Lansing (Jacob Watters)
    4:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan) at NW Arkansas (TBD)
    5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Matt Andriese) vs. El Paso (TBD)
    5:15 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (TBD) at Lake Elsinore (TBD)

43. The Giants are interested in Verlander if he waives his no-trade clause.

44. On Outman and DeLuca;

    1. Outman is raw as a defender and hitter. That means he should improve.
    2. DeLuca is a better defender – he could be a Gold Glover in CF. He has yet to hit. Give it time.
    3. Outman may be best suited for a corner spot.
    4. Ryan Noda leads all MLB in strikeout % with 34%. James Outman is 2nd at 33.8%, but has a lower OPS and OB%.
    5. Outman has a very short swing for a guy who strikes out a lot and has a lot of power. This gives me a lot of hope!
    6. Since Outman hits LHP so well, I see him as a regular – LoDuca is a LHP Killer!

    1. I don’t think Outman has a great arm for CF, but he’d be fantastic in LF.

    2. I was surprised to read that Noda and Outman ranked 1-2 in K%, with Noda at 34% and Outman at 33.8%. I knew Outman’s K rate isn’t pretty… but is that bad?
       So I took a closer look…
       Noda and Outman are 1-2 among “qualified players,” but if we look deeper we’ll find several regulars and platoon players with worse rates.
       Our old friend Joey Gallo is at a whopping 41%. He’s the K King!
       Down farther still we find both Brandon Belt and Patrick Wisdom at 37%, Nick Pratto is at 36%, Brent Doyle at 35%, and Connor Wong, Micheal Taylor, Jose Siri, Jake Rogers and Blake Sabol at 34%.
       Of course we don’t like our hitters to strike out.
       But is a K really worse than a pop-out or a weak grounder to first?
       Noda and Outman are 1-2–at least among qualified players–in part because their production keeps them on the field and in the batter’s box.
       Outman’s OBP right now is .333, which is not bad at all for a rookie who is usually batting in 7th or 8th spots in the order. His OPS is .759, while the league average is .730.
       Noda’s positive numbers are better–a .375 OBP and .793 OPS.

45. Cody, I’m sorry……please forgive me…..please come back home. Name your price…..consider it done!

    President of the “We Want Cody Bellinger Back in Blue”
    TM

    1. I like Cody too, but that is not going to happen TM.

46. Dodgers need to finish this pitcher now.

    1. They heard you…..nice call.

47. Um if Dodgers go after Stroman why not a right handed hitting bat from the Cubs as well. There’s Bellinger that could help the dodgers there Ian Happ that could help the Dodgers and Wisdom plays 3b and 2b and I heard if Roberts from the White Sox goes to Houston why couldn’t dodgers get him and Giolitto Roberts plays centerfield every day. Then platoon Outman and Peralta in leftfield or rightfield with Heyward. If Astros get Luis Roberts and we didn’t even try to get him that will be crazy.

    1. Bellinger hits lefthanded Bradley, or did you not notice that the entire time he played in LA???? What you heard about Robert Jr. is not true. If there is one untouchable member of the Sox, it is Robert. Houston needs a left handed hitter simply because their lineup is righty heavy and their best LH hitter is on the IL, Alvarez. Happ just signed a extension and Wisdom strikes out way too much and is not that great of an infielder. Robert actually plays all three outfield spots. He is signed through 25 with two options. He would cost them a lot in prospect capital. But he was named as a player they are not going to trade. They will put the guys who are in the last season of their contracts out there on the market, but Robert is someone they can build around.

    2. Can you re-phrase that? Think about it…

       1. Not happening. You have to know that.

          1. I like it. The right handed Bellinger in CF and Ahmed Rosario at SS.

             We’d be a much better team.

             1. If only. No to Rosario though.

    3. I’m telling ya. This guy is a shill. He’s somebody else. Maybe Bull&Pen in disguise to see if he can get you guys to correct him every time. You’re swallowing the bait.

48. Dodgers are hammering Texas. 4 homers already. Freddie 2, Muncy, and Martinez. Dodgers have four hitters now with at least 20 homers. Muncy, Mookie, Freddie and JD.

49. Just turned the game on

    10-1 in the top of the 4th

    WTF!

    1. Hey Wat! I’m headed to Vegas next Sunday to watch that Man U friendly!

       Can’t wait to be in that atmosphere (and 115* Vegas weather)

    2. 16-3 final, 5 homers, Freeman 2, Muncy JD and DeLuca.

50. I’m going to the game Monday.

    As Orel just mentioned, I will be joining in the Freddie dance any time we get a dude to 2b.

    1. Wasn’t the Freddie a dance in the 60’s? Freddie and the Dreamers did that tune I think.

       1. There was a safety dance in the 80s

          1. Men Without Hats

             Enjoy Bobby – you are a proper sports fan.

             Looking forward to getting that beer one day.

          3. There is a video on Youtube of Freddie and the Dreamers doing a song called “Do the Freddie” I do not know how to get the video on here, but maybe Mark can. The song came out in 1965 and got to #18 on the charts.

51. Calling all Muncy haters . . .

    1. One good game doesn’t mean he is back to being Max. Lets wait and see if he can keep it up.

       1. Max is streaky. Hope he keeps it up.

          1. If he is getting hot, that will boost the offense a lot. Mookie has been cold the last few games. Freddie is heating up. Outman is getting more hits now since he cut down his swing a little. Peralta cooled off some, but still gets a crucial knock now and then.

52. While Dodgers don’t currently have the best record in MLB this season they are on pace for 112 wins (is my math correct?) Someone else check and correct if they kindly will. and if they continue leaping the improvements offensively who knows?

    1. At last check the total was 95. Giants losing big and the Reds already beat Arizona. Lead up to 4.

       1. Yes thank you 95+. But if they keep up the offense like these last couple days the pace will have to be around 122 or so. Haaaaaaa! Not really I don’t even hope they win every game from here on……..just nearly.

          1. They would have to win out to get to 122. To get to 100 wins, they need 42 out of the rest of their schedule. I would think they finish with about 95 or so. 100 seems just out of reach. The D-Backs have 2 less games left than the Dodgers. They have played 99 games to the Dodgers 97. Same with the Giants. Padres would have to play well over .700 ball just to have a chance.

53. Okay so you guys think Bellinger wouldn’t help in the lineup and Stroman as a starting pitcher. That’s funny because the Yankees and the Astros sure think they would help there team. So all you haters that think my trade ideas are bad others think they would be good. Oh I forgot only if Bear or Mark make that trade projections then there great. If the dodgers need an everyday shortstop okay name a good one out there to replace Rojas. Let’s see Adamme Rosario Mateo Farmer thera four because there bats would be better in our lineup. Name four outfielders that could help us Bellinger Pederson Hernandez O’Neil Yulich and four starters that could help us Stroman Sherzier Gilotto Lynn Flarethy Montgomery so who would you like to add. Go ahead pick what you think would help the team.

    1. Bradley, you said a right-handed hitter. Bellinger is left-handed. Now no one said he would not help the Dodgers, but you specifically said a RH hitting outfielder. Get your facts straight before you go accusing anyone of anything. I haven’t made any trade predictions. Adames, Rosario, Mateo, Farmer as replacements for Rojas. Okay, lets look at that. Rosario might be hitting for a higher average than Rojas, but he can’t carry his glove. He has 11 errors to Rojas’s 4. Farmer has played exactly 18 games as a SS this year. Most of his playing time has been at second and third base. He is hitting almost .250, with 6 homers. Just slightly better offensively, but again, he is not a SS. Although supplying power, 17 homers, Adames is hitting .211. Almost 20 points lower than Rojas and he has 9 errors. Not in Rojas’s league defensively. Mateo is hitting .215 with 6 homers. Yeah, all these guys have more long balls than Rojas, none of them are in his league defensively. Mateo made 17 errors last season. He has improved some but has 7 so far. And to tell the truth, there is little chance the Orioles would put him on the market. He is young and has some years left under team control.
       The Astros need Bellinger because their roster is RH heavy, their only left-handed power hitter, Yordan Alvarez, is out. The Yankees need Bellinger because their outfield is a mess. Bellinger is having a very good bounce back season, and he would help the Dodgers if they decided they needed his help. But there are no guarantees he would do as well in LA as he is in Chicago. He needed a change of scenery, and the Dodgers rarely, at least in my memory, trade for a player they let walk in free agency just the winter before. Yelich is left-handed also as is Pederson, who is not playing the outfield all that often anymore. Pederson has played exactly 11 games in the outfield this year. He has started 51 as the Giants DH. I assume you are talking Teoscar Hernandez in Seattle. Hernandez is having A decent season, 16 homers, .249 BA. But I seriously doubt he is on the trading block and the reason is simple, the Mariners are having problems keeping healthy players on the field. They just put Pollock on the IL after having to put Kelenic on the 10-day IL. O’Neill has spent a great deal of time on the IL. He has played in only 32 games and is hitting just .235. Why would the Dodgers waste any prospects on a player who has played so little and not done anything?
       Scherzer is not coming back to the Dodgers simply because there is no way they take on that much salary. Stroman, Giolitto, Flaherty, and Mongomery could all probably be had. But so far according to reports, and this is from more than one source, Giolitto is the only one who has been mentioned as a player the Dodgers have interest in. I like your passion for the team Bradley, but your logic is all out of whack. I suggest you read more instead of just throwing crap against the wall and hope something sticks.
       By all reports the Dodgers are looking only for pitching. Starting and maybe a back end of the bullpen arm. They might trade for a RH power bat if one were available, but so far, no one knows exactly who is going to be on the market. Quit being so butt hurt when an argument is presented against someone you think they should trade for. The Dodgers are perfectly content with the job Rojas is doing. He has been praised by players and the manager and the front office. They have two perfectly capable players, Taylor and Betts, to spell him. And next season, he is still signed to be Lux’s backup. Many of the players you suggest they trade for are simply not on the market. The Giants are going to be buyers. Seattle is still in the wild card hunt.
       Both the Chicago teams will probably sell the players who are free agents at the end of the season. The Mets will no doubt unload some of those same types of players. If I was looking for a RH power bat, I would pursue maybe Tommy Pham, who is having a very good year and would not cost much. Hunter Renfroe if the Angels were to make him available. Great power bat. If you want a high average guy, Randal Grichuk of the Rockies makes sense. Not some injured player like O’Neill. Verlander and Scherzer, no way. Bradley, get it through your head that the Dodgers do not feel they need a shortstop. You are pissing in the wind suggesting they trade for one. Also, they are pretty happy with the left-handed bats they have in the outfield right now.
       And finally, I have not seen Mark make any suggestions for trades. He made a trade proposal that was already on the internet by some baseball writers whose mind was definitely under the influence of drugs. It involved getting Ohtani, and we all know Moreno is not trading him to the Dodgers.

    2. No one hates you Bradley. Some just think your trade proposal’s are not realistic. You just throw names of good players out there and expect them to be tradeable. That is not the case. I see many rumors. But that is all they are. With 9 days left until the deadline, even the baseball writers are not sure who actually will be available come August 1st. Some of the Dodger players you offer back in these proposed trades do not have that kind of trade value. Muncy might be valuable to the Dodgers, but not many teams want a guy hitting under .200 no matter how many homers he has. And you push for guys who are just not that much better than what the Dodgers already have. Peralta is hitting over .270, and playing solid defense. Heyward has 9 homers. Outman has 12. Nobody would trade for Taylor simply because he is owed 30 million over the next two years and many teams would feel that is too much for a utility player. You also think Mark and I pick on you. Not true. I like the passion you show for the team. But I also think you do not really read all the information we do to make more informed statements.

54. Nice win, let us hope they saved some of that offense for tomorrow. They are facing a lefty who has not been all that good this year. Martin Perez is 7-3 but his ERA is almost 5. He is also prone to giving up homers. The Dodgers will probably start their RH hitting lineup tomorrow with Taylor, Betts and DeLuca in the outfield. Freddie will be at first. Since Outman actually hits lefties better than righty’s, I would suggest putting him in the outfield and putting Betts at second. Barnes will probably get the start behind the plate.

55. Quality start by Bobby Miller. Did not give up a BB which IMHO is a very good sign.
    If not for that bobble by Peralta which should have been called a double and an error he would have only given up 2 ER. Nonetheless a good outing against a top 3 offense on the road .
    Looking forward Bobby Miller has ace stuff and at the very least will be a very good Nr. 3 or 4 starter , even in a top rotation like the Dodgers.

    Excellent road trip already with a chance to finish it 7-2 . Considering the opponents that is one of the best road trips in recent history IMHO.

    Lets get em agains today!
    As far as possible trades are concerned:
    If we get Clayton and possibly Buehler for the stretch run and postseason the need for another starter is not pressing. I´d be good to go the rest of the season with CK ,JU, jTG, BM and Buehler and Sheehan
    I would rather load up on two high leverage bullpen arms
    Imagine replacing Bruehl and Bickford with two trade aquistions and our bullpen would be something special.

    Offense is good enough as it is. A big RH bat would be the the icing on the cake but it not a necessity . I would not overpay for that.

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

    1. It is an impressive road trip so far. They face a lefty starter today, which has been a weak spot for them lately. But Perez is prone to giving up homers and this is a home run hitting team. Picked up a game on the Giants and D-Backs. Rancho got clobbered last night and lost by 18 runs again.

       1. Yes, another RC massacre. Second in the last 3 days.
          I hope they give Johnny Be Good another start today. Kid has been amazing the last two days with his D and a 3-run homer.

          Will not be able to watch the game live today. We are going to the Springsteen concert in Munich’s Olympic Stadium tonight. Weather is gorgeous, no rain in the forecast and 70.000 expected. Only negative: Hungry heart is not on the playlist. One of my favorites.
          Always wanted to see The Boss live! On my bucket list for some time.

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

          1. Uhm the homer was off of a position player. Brad Miller is not exactly a world class pitcher. But the kid has some skills, he looks a lot like the Penguin, and he plays hard. There is a lefty starting today. The kid will be in the lineup. Enjoy the concert, The last time I was in the Olympic stadium in Munich, I was there for the memorial for the fallen Israeli athletes in the 72 Olympics. We sat by the stadium while the police and army surrounded the Olympic village. Armored cars everywhere, We were camped near the airport and heard the gunfire and explosions early the next morning. That afternoon, they held the service.

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