Arsonist

Posted By on August 23, 2023

Some people can’t stand prosperity. When August started, the Dodgers were 59-45 and two games up in the NL West. Now they’re 76-48 and 11.5 games up in the NL West. In yesterday’s Power Rankings from The Athletic, the Dodgers were ranked #2 behind the Braves in all of MLB. However, that changed slightly, thanks to Caleb Ferguson, who is certainly no fireman… more like an arsonist! Bobby Miller was saddled with his 3rd loss as Caleb got his 4th Blown Save! Caleb is evidently trying to pitch himself off the playoff roster. You can question the move all you want – maybe Doc should have left Bobby in – but he’s a rookie who has thrown 97 pitches, and if he had left him in and he got scored upon, the same persons who would criticize taking him out would have questioned letting him in.

Bruce Bochy is regarded as a genius because the moves he made in three World Series worked (for the most part), but the reality of the situation is that if a manager makes a move that works, fans seem to think that makes him a genius. In reality, when players deliver, the manager looks like a genius… because the players made him look that way. Caleb Ferguson has a way of letting the team down on the biggest stages. Next man up!

Bryan Hudson and his 8.10 ERA are also underwhelming. Hudson and Ferguson are but two of the lefthanders in the bullpen who seem more like arsonists than firemen. Caleb can pitch when there is a lead and no pressure but seems to crumble under pressure more often than not. Victor Gonzalez has not exactly inspired confidence, either. Alex Vesia has been up and down as well and does not exactly inspire trust. Ryan Yarbrough is a LH long man, but without Ferguson and Hudson, Vesia is not a reliable choice in the bullpen. There are 38 games to sort this out, and other than Yarbrough, which lefty has your confidence? There are none on the horizon, so it would appear that at least two of the following LH pitchers will have to be on the playoff roster:

  • Bryan Hudson
  • Caleb Ferguson
  • Alex Vesia
  • Victor Gonzalez

That’s kind of like asking how you would like to die: Would you rather be burned at the stake or hung? Not a good choice! There is still time for some of these left-handers to step up, but it is getting late. In my opinion, the Dodgers are in good shape with the righthanded pitchers.

  • Ryan Brasier has a 1.11 ERA
  • Joe Kelly (who may not be back)has a 0.00 ERA
  • The Bazooka has a 1.53 ERA
  • Ryan Pepiot has a 1.80 ERA
  • Shelby Miller has a 2.40 ERA
  • Gus Varland has a 2.45 ERA
  • Evan Phillips has a 2.49 ERA

The Dodgers may be forced to go with Caleb Ferguson in the playoffs, but he makes me very nervous. While he has a decent 2.87 ERA, he has given up more hits than innings pitched and sports a 1.45 WHIP which is horrible for any pitcher, let alone a reliever! A gentleman who used to post here as “TheOldtimer” (R.I.P.) would say, “Under pressure, his sphincter gets tight!” Alex Vesia will likely make it, so as of today, we can see this playoff roster:

  1. Urias
  2. Kershaw
  3. Lynn
  4. B. Miller
  5. Brasier
  6. Graterol
  7. Pepiot
  8. S. Miller
  9. Varland
  10. Vesia
  11. Ferguson
  12. Yarbrough
  13. Phillips

That means that Walker Buehler, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, Yency Almonte, Blake Treinen, Jimmy Nelson, Tyler Cyr, Daniel Hudson, and Michael Grove are on the outside looking in. Some are injured and have no shot. Kelly could be out… who knows? Injuries could change the complexion of everything. It’s not time to panic, but it’s about time to figure this out.

Bobby Miller deserved a better fate last night. By the way, Bobby Miller is having a better rookie season than Clayton Kershaw did. This kid is special. But it’s up to Clayton to right the ship today! Ryan Pepiot will likely start on Thursday, with Bryan Hudson being demoted (again). I know that Dave Roberts said that Walker Buehler would only be used as a starter, but if can pitch, maybe he is an option out of the pen. Walker is very effective against LH hitters!

P.S. It sucks that the Dodgers could not blast Thor into oblivion. Thor has been a little better with Cleveland, but not close to good. He was flat-out “lucky” last night, as he should have been pounded! Mookie and Will did their share, but the rest of the team failed. Busch looked disadvantaged in his at-bats last night. I am sure he is pressing… but this game is results driven.

Dodger Farmers

  • Miguel Vargas has rebounded and, after a 2-5 last night, has his BA up to .295. Whether he gets the call in September is the question.
  • Gavin Stone pitched three innings in relief of Alec Gamboa (the opener). Gamboa is a 26-year-old LH who has had a nice season: – 9-1 with a 2.29 ERA. His walk rate is a little high with OKC, but on the year, his WHIP is 1.00. We could see Gamboa and Stone in September. Ken Giles and Shelby Miller also pitched last night for OKC.
  • Diego Cartaya (.191 BA) was 1-5 with his 18th HR – a two-run shot.
  • Josue De Paula (still 18) was 4-5 last night (.288 BA) for RC.

This article has 117 Comments

  1. I don’t know, this isn’t second-guessing, as soon as Miller gave up that first hit in the 7th I verbally said Roberts should pull him right then. Seemed like the right time to me.

    1. Agree. Doc should have pulled Miller after the sixth, he was out of gas., Looked like earlier in the year- Blue gets an early lead, doesn’t build on it, relief failure, no offense. Winnable game, ugly.

  2. Surprised Doc let Bobby go out for the 7th . Even more surprised he let him stay in after he gave up that bullet up the middle after getting the leadoff batter.
    Too bad the ball was dropped on that stolen base attempt. Would have been the second out and wiped the bases clean.
    At that stage Doc really should have taken Bobby out. Was at 90 plus pitches already and At worst he gets a no decision. Now he got tagged with the loss and a bad feeling despite pitching a very good game overall.
    Ferguson is either lights out or he gets hit hard. Young man is very inconsistent still. Bad luck Rojas could not turn that ground ball into an inning ending dp. Game of inches, if the ball comes up a little faster he will turn it probably.

    Dodgers need Treinen and Kelly to be available for the playoffs for those high leverage situations.
    I would rather have a lockdown RHP than a lefty like Hudson or Ferguson only because they are LH.

    Buehler could be the ace in the hole for us. If he is ready to give us 2-3 innings, be it as an opener or somewhere in relief that would be a difference maker.

    Young kid dePaula is doing fantastic at RC. Only thing missing is the power but experts say his swing is so good and natural that the power eventually will ccome.

    Cartaya this year is boom or bust. 25% of his hits have gone for HRs but his K rate is flat out horrific. Swing is long and vulnerable to high velo.

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

  3. Happy Kershaw day, lets get a W!!

    Nothing to see yesterday except we hit into some bad luck….

  4. Every time Caleb Ferguson comes in, I get nervous. His lack of consistency is problematic.

    I’m sure Michael Busch feels like he’s auditioning for next year. What they need to do in 2024 is give him the opportunity to start and allow him to get comfortable. Maybe then he performs at a high level and earns a starting position. Building confidence is the key and I think he can play, given fair opportunity like the Dodgers accorded Miguel Vargas.

    With JD Martinez out the Dodgers need another hitter in the line-up, that’s obvious. Not just a mix and match hitter, but somebody who is in the line-up everyday. Not sure who that would be so I guess it’s a mix and match line-up until Martinez returns.

    Love Bobby Miller’s stuff. The more experience, the better he will get. Amazed how many really good young pitchers the Dodgers have in the system.

    Since the team went to Guardians as their name, shouldn’t Groot be the mascot? After scoring early, the Dodgers just couldn’t get untracked last night and Thor was better, but not great.

    No question Diego Cartaya has had a season to forget, but with a couple of adjustments he should get back on track. I still believe he has big upside.

  5. * Some losses sting more than others and yesterday’s loss left a bad taste in my mouth solely because we let Syndergaard have a quality start. I thought we’d knock his ass off the mound and run wild. We kinda did. For 3 innings.
    * Our top 4 were 5 for 15 but 5 – 9 forgot how to hit with 2 days off. 1 for 21 was a surprise I didn’t expect.
    * Like Orel, I thought something special was in store for Bobby Miller. His stuff early, was awesome. Then in the 4th he went from Cy Young to Sayonara. He hasn’t figured out yet how to minimize the causalities and stay away from a big crocked number. He got it back the next 2 innings and went 3 up, 3 down, which was nice to see. I love his stuff and his make up and he’ll figure it out. His line became worse as Ferguson was horseshit.
    * Just one of those days and we have had few.
    But I thought we would feast off Noah and I’m disappointed that we missed an opportunity.
    Let’s hope CK brings it today.

    1. Doc yesterday certainly did not help him with the growing pains.

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

      1. I think that sometimes growing involves having pain and then figuring out how to mitigate it in the future.

        It is like a parent watching their kid learn to ride a bike. You don’t want them to fall… but that is how they learn. I watched Bobby on the bench, and you could see the wheels turning.

        I call it baptism by fire!

        1. Yeah, but when you see your kid has done a tremendous job riding but is tiring you get him off the bike to make sure he/she does not get hurt.
          IMHO Bobby Miller had done more than enough yesterday to receive a little protection from his “dad” to get off the bike with a good and confident feeling.
          No need to make it tougher than it already is.
          Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!11

  7. Gonzalez was huge for us in 20 and pitched well in some big moments. I still have some hope for him to pull it together this year.

  8. Syndergaard knows the Dodgers are a great fastball hitting team. So, after giving up three runs in the first three innings, he changed his strategy and began using his off-speed stuff more. Result, less hard-hit balls, more soft contact, and the hitters did not adjust. Muncy hit three balls very hard, not one of them fell for a hit. I felt Miller was done after six. He should not have been sent out for the seventh inning. I trust Ferguson more when he starts an inning than when he comes in with men on. I also think the Dodger catchers, usually Smith, when Miller is pitching, should immediately head out to the mound after he gives up a hard-hit ball or a walk, and get his head back in the game. He seems to lose concentration. The kid has great stuff. He needs to have a tougher mentality set. Shelby Miller could be back soon. Treinen might even make it back. But if they do not, I trust Vesia more than I do Ferguson. I think the reason Gonzalez has not been very efficient or effective is simply because he is not pitching much. 38 games left. D-Backs getting hot again. From Cleveland, aka, the mistake by the lake to Beantown next. They need to win four of the next five at least.

    1. Need to win 4 of 5 for what? To catch ATL?

      The West is over…yeah I said it the Division race is done….

      1. No, to have a winning road trip. And do not count your chickens so fast. Teams, including our beloved Dodgers, have collapsed before. I don’t care about Atlanta. Until they put that little X by your city on the standings, nothing is over.

        2. Like I said, teams have collapsed before. Not saying the Dodgers will, but it can happen. When that little X is there, then you can say the division is over.

    2. Miller should watch Drysdale in Game 4 /‘65 WS.

      Big D gave ‘em 9 innings of tough, smart pitching. No whining, aggravated looks home – just ..’give me the rock & make the plays.’

      Miller gets nicked up and he just starts throwing. Maturity will come.

      He’s an Ace in the making.

      1. I too believe Miller is an Ace in the making. I don’t question his toughness and don’t see him whine. I like his mound presence. He shows nothing to me that says panic. He needs to learn how to pitch out of jams and you’re right; that maturity will come. And he needs to be left in jams to learn to pitch out of them. I don’t know what watching a game from 1965 would do for him since he has a couple of professionals in Kershaw and Lynn who who have pitched out of more than a few jams in their careers.
        I won’t argue whether to not he should have been allowed to start the 7th. He still had his velo, was well under 100 pitches, didn’t looked fatigued to me and had just retired 6 straight hitters. So maybe your eye is much keener than mine but I had no problem with him starting the 7th. So he gave up a single, a stolen base and a walk. Okay, so now he pitched his way out of the game, you know like the old days when pitchers got pulled when they got into trouble. Not because a computer predicted the possible outcome.
        That’s why they have relief pitchers. And that can be in the middle of an inning to pitch out of trouble. I’m not sure where the idea came from that a relief pitcher should start an inning to be effective? So Miller leaves after one poor inning. If Fergie had come in and done his job we wouldn’t be having this conversation about Doc staying with the kid too long or how badly he reacts when “he gets nicked up”.
        Bryan Hudson wasn’t worth a shit either.
        You guys need to replace Mark Prior and coach Doc up on when to change pitchers – after the fact.

        1. I am with you but, Ferguson is one of those relievers you want starting an inning especially the last few weeks. 3 blown saves says I can’t trust you.

        2. “He needs to learn how to pitch out of jams and you’re right; that maturity will come. And he needs to be left in jams to learn to pitch out of them. “

          Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

  9. Caleb seems to perform better when he gets to start his own inning. When he comes in with men on base he tends to sh*t the bed. Not cut out to be a leverage guy it seems. Thought Doc should have pulled Miller after the 6th.

  10. 7:10 PM ET

    Dodgers (76-48)
    Guardians (60-66)

    SP Clayton Kershaw L
    11-4 2.48 ERA
    SP Xzavion Curry R
    3-1 3.24 ERA

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    DH Max Muncy L
    LF Chris Taylor R
    3B E. Hernandez R
    CF James Outman L
    2B Amed Rosario R
    SS Miguel Rojas R

    81° Wind 10 mph Out

    1. No Busch??? Roberts lied then. He told Watson Busch was going to start at third today. Kid needs regular at bats not bench sitting. He will never show shit that way.

        1. In the pregame yesterday, Watson stated that Roberts had said Busch was DHing yesterday and that he was playing 3rd today. I go by what I heard.

  11. Tuesday scores
    Albuquerque 9, Oklahoma City 6
    Tulsa 7, NW Arkansas 4
    Great Lakes 5, Fort Wayne 2
    Rancho Cucamonga 10, Lake Elsinore 1

    Wednesday schedule
    4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Adolfo Ramirez) vs. Fort Wayne (Henry Baez)
    5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Mike Montgomery) vs. Albuquerque (TBA)
    5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Kendall Williams) at NW Arkansas (Tyson Guerrero)
    6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Jared Karros) vs. Lake Elsinore (Jose Reyes)

  12. DODGERS MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
    Dodgers minors: Blake Treinen begins rehab assignment,

    Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen pitched in his first game of the season on Tuesday, starting a minor league rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League.

    Treinen struck out his first two batters faced and induced a flyout in a perfect first inning against the Cubs at Camelback Rancho. It was the first game for Treinen since undergoing right shoulder surgery in November to repair his labrum and rotator cuff.

  13. I was shocked. I say shocked when Miller came out of the dugout for the 7th. Then when Roberts pulled him with 2 on. That is exactly how old school managers did it for decades.
    Unfortunately, the bullpen did not do the job.
    Noting the Dodgers are about 4 and a half back of the Braves I would be playing every game to win. Roberts should keep his pitchers on a tight leash. Including the bullpen.

  14. I just checked Baseball Reference.com. Caleb Ferguson has the highest leverage index in the entire bullpen – higher than Phillips or Graterol.

    League average for inherited runners scoring is 32%. For Ferguson it’s 35%. Phillips 11%, Graterol 28%, Almonte 18% (in low leverage work), Brasier 0%, Vesia 33%. There’s a reason that Phillips gets the toughest assignments.

    Ferguson’s numbers have taken a significant dive in the 2nd half. His WHIP before the All Star Break was 1.206 – since then it’s 1.977. OPS against was .611 before the break, .856 after. Your eyes do not deceive you – he’s getting beat up lately. August has been the worst – his OPS against is .987 in August – it’s like it’s Mookie or Freddie up there when he’s pitching.

    But what choice does Roberts have when he needs a lefty? It’s not like bringing in Vesia or Gonzalez is a better option right now.

  15. LADT complains when Robert’s takes a starter out and similarly complains when he leaves one in.

      1. Yep.
        FWIW, I was fine with Miller starting that inning. No need to handle him with kid gloves. Roberts didn’t put two guys on base, and neither did Ferguson.
        If there are some questions about our lefty BP options, perhaps the Dodgers could see what Gamboa can do in the majors.
        Back in 2020, Victor Gonzales came up in the second half and became the go-to lefty in the pen. I hope he finds the groove–or that perhaps a guy like Gamboa steps up.

  16. Doc will have to come up with some lefty he can trust in higher leverage situations, or not. If he can’t trust any of them, the brain trust needs to find his best RHRP who has the best splits against LHB, at least to pitch out of jams. It’s unconventional but in those situations you go with your best option., even against the book.
    Multi inning closers of yesteryear came in and were effective against any hitters, left or right.

  17. Well I guess that’s why Kiki is starting over Busch tonight! Does Robert’s get any love when a move works out or just grief when it doesn’t?

  18. Is it just me, or does Outman get a bad strike call almost every at bat ?
    Usually a back door breaking ball well off the plate.

  19. A lot of ugly OPS numbers in this Cleveland lineup. Kersh is back livin at 90 mph on his fastball. Hopefully he can build that back up by October.

    1. Listening to David Vassegh on the dodger radio broadcast. 35 minutes since the tarp came out and not a drop of rain yet.
      Vassegh is calling foul play

    2. Turner has played 72 games as a DH and 51 in the field. He has played first base 34 games, second 10 games and has played 7 games at third. Of the three, he is worst at third. He has 3 errors and a .842 fielding percentage. He also has three errors at first. He is not the same fielder he was. As far as third base goes, the Dodgers definitely made the right move. He has more value as a DH than he does as a fielder.

  25. Game is called for tonight rescheduled for tomorrow 9 AM and then tomorrow’s regular scheduled game.

  26. Ohtani pulled from his start after 26 pitches. Arm fatigue. If that issue persists, his only value to any team will be as a hitter.

      1. No, but Scherzer is not a two-way player, he has a long history of success. Ohtani does not have that history to lean on. And if he cannot pitch at a high level, then his only value is as a hitter. And since he has rarely played any other position, teams can only value him on what their needs are. Front line pitchers get big money for starting plenty of games. He has made only 22 games and pitched 130 innings this season. Hardly the stuff of Aces.

  28. Like to get Mark or Bear’s opinion or anyone else. Doesn’t our lineup seem much shorter than in the past couple of years? Especially without Martinez. After our four top players in the lineup the consistency doesn’t seem to be there. Losing the Turner’s Bellinger before he hurt his shoulder, the lineup seem lethal from 1 to at least 8. I don’t know the answer but we could use better and more consistency from Martinez down. It’s real noticeable when they give Smith a breather. Do you guys feel it’s more noticeable this season? I interested in your thoughts.

    1. The last few days no one except Betts is performing well. The entire lineup was contributing before that. Peralta, Outman, Heyward have all performed better than most expected. Rojas was hot for a while. Martinez has not really been a factor for a while. His last homer was in the Baltimore series. He had been struggling with his groin and hammy problems. The lineup when the players are all doing well is pretty deep. Hernandez and Rosario have been making solid contributions since they were traded. Hernandez had a 2 run double tonight. Maybe when Bellinger was performing at his 2019 level it was deeper. But Smith is about as clutch as Turner in the three hole. JT is having a resurgence in Boston, but he rarely plays in the field and is not nearly the defender he once was. This team can be pretty productive and deep. Don’t judge them on the last week or so. This run has been pretty impressive sine the All-Star break. Despite his low BA, Muncy does contribute now and then. Even Barnes has had some good games lately. I credit the pitching they have faced for limiting them production wise starting with the Marlins series.

    2. Losing an All-Star caliber DH like JD for (probably) the remainder of the season, ..or even getting him back, but in a diminished capacity,.. DOES hurt the Dodgers offense moving forward. Somehow, the supporting cast among the rest of the batter order will have to collectively make up the difference. It’s a big concern.

  29. Is the lineup “shorter”?
    Heading into the 111-win season, there was a lot of chatter that the Dodgers had one of the greatest, longest lineups ever, with a former MVP batting 8th. But Belli didn’t deliver. He was terrible. And through the first half of 2022, Max, JT and Taylor slumped badly. Somehow that team won 111 games–but in the postseason Trayce Thompson supplanted Cody. (You might also recall someone suggesting here that Mookie didn’t really deliver “superstar” performance, even though he hit a career-high 35 HRs, deliver gold glove defense, etc etc. Yet somehow that team won 111 before collapsing in the postseason.)
    The current lineup is certainly much weaker when Smith sits and Barnes plays. Huge drop in offense. And of course JDM is missed. But I’d argue that Outman, Peralta and Heyward are exceeding expectations. On offense, Rojas is what he is.
    But I think the perception of imbalance in this lineup also reflects just how spectacular Mookie and Freddie have been at the top. They form one of the best lead-off duos ever. Another factor: the perception that Max is stinking up the batter’s box. But while his average is low, his production is solid, as reflected in HRs, RBIs and runs scored.

  30. In alumni news, Trayce Thompson homered and doubled today to go with a diving web gem. Nice to see

  31. Wow, huge Ohtani news. Angels announce Ohtani has torn his UCL and won’t pitch the rest of the season.

      1. The new Ohtani free agency calculation focuses on his bat.
        Start with the fact that, right now, he is the dominant slugger in the game.
        No. 1 in OPS at 1.069, with Mookie now No. 2 at .995. No. 1 in HRs at 44, one more than Olson.
        No. 4 in OBP at .405. No. 7 in BA at .305 No. 4 in runs scored at 97. No. 5 in RBI at 91.
        And he’s produced those numbers while Trout has missed about 44 games. Ohtani has received more intentional walks than anyone in the game.
        If Ohtani keeps up this pace with his bat, he will finish with stats slightly below what Judge produced in 2022. Judge earned a long-term deal at $40m AAV. Of course, Judge is also getting paid to play the outfield. Then again, there is zero possibility that Judge, unlike Ohtani, could resume his two-way ways after he recovers from this injury.
        Still a lot of questions, but at first blush, I’d say the price for Ohtani could reach a Judgeian levels, and the contract would be structured to address whether Ohtani resumes pitching.
        I still think a lineup that starts Mookie, Freddie and Shohei would be pretty sweet. And perhaps in 2205, we can go with a six-man rotation.

        1. Also, if Ohtani was not able to pitch again he’s a superior athlete who could certainly play more than one position in the field as well.

          2. I agree with that. He probably becomes a 35 to 40 million dollar guy at that point.
            Cheers

  32. LATEST NEWS
    Aug. 23: RHP Blake Treinen (right shoulder) headed to Triple-A Oklahoma City for rehab assignment; RHP Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery) still throwing to hitters; RHP Tony Gonsolin’s (right forearm inflammation) MRI pushed back
    The day after going to the Arizona Complex League for a rehab assignment, Treinen is headed to Triple-A Oklahoma City for another rehab assignment in the hopes of a September return. Manager Dave Roberts said that he’s still classifying Treinen’s return as a “long shot,” and that he likely won’t be 100% when he returns.

    While Treinen moved out of the Arizona Complex League, Roberts said that Buehler will remain in Arizona for the time being, as he’s throwing to hitters but has yet to throw more than an inning.

    Gonsolin was scheduled to have an MRI for his right forearm injury on Wednesday, but it was pushed back to later in the week.

  33. FACT: Respect is earned. It is not given.

    I am writing this in response to this:
    “You might also recall someone suggesting here that Mookie didn’t really deliver “superstar” performance, even though he hit a career-high 35 HRs, deliver gold glove defense, etc etc.”

    Anyone who thinks Mookie was delivering “Superstar Performance” in 21 and 22 fails to understand simple math!

    2021: .264 BA/.854 OPS – Not Superstar Numbers!
    2022: .269 BA/.873 OPS – Not Superstar Number!
    2023: .300 BA/.995 OPS – Superstar and MVP Numbers!

    In 2018, 2019, and 2020, Mookie played at a Superstar Level. He did not in 2021 and 2022. Quit embarrassing yourself by pretending that he did. In 2021 he had injuries and in 2022, he underperformed! In the 2023 offseason, he did something about it. He trained harder, put on weight, and re-dedicated himself to being the best. Why did he do that? Because he did not perform as a superstar in 21 and 22.

    It worked, and he is now AGAIN performing at Superstar Status. I felt that Mookie was better than how he performed in 2021 and 2022. Evidently, he did too. So he changed!

    Why is that so difficult to understand?

    1. According to your OPS “superstar” status, Altuve was 4th in OPS IN 22 at .920. Is he a superstar? OPS isn’t the one and only stat determining a superstar! Defense matters! Leadership matters. He was 5th in NL MBP vote in 22. Top 5 is superstar to me.

      1. I have read numerous posts where Mookie himself stated he was not playing up to what he felt he was capable of. He made an adjustment this season and is finally playing up to what he feels are his abilities. Don’t knock Altuve Cassidy. We may all dislike the guy for what happened in 17, but he is a career .300 hitter, he has an MVP award, just like Mookie, and for such a little guy he hits a lot of homers. His career OPS is .833. So yeah, he is a superstar and the engine that drives the Astros. Might be a jerk, but as a ball player, he has few peers at his position. A lot of players have seasons where they finish in the top 5 of the MVP votes, and then are never heard from again. Is Bellinger a superstar again????

        1. Doesn’t matter Bear. Altuve is a cheater, he will always be a cheater, and that’s all he’ll ever be.
          Cheers

  34. It appears that Shohei Ohtani will need his second Tommy John Surgery.

    This changes everything and is exactly why I was fearful of singing him as a two-way player.

      1. Mark was singing a lot about Lux in centerfield and Vargas as ROY material.
        I am singing the blues for Ohtani. This sucks–but he is still the most dangerous hitter in the game this year. As great as Mookie, Freddie and Acuna have been, Shohei has been better.
        Right now, Ohtani has a 1.069 OPS, followed by Mookie at 1.010 and Freddie at .988. They are the top three in the major. Imagine a lineup that starts Mookie-Freddie-Shohei.
        And right after Ohtani got the bad news about his elbow, he was in the lineup for the second game of the doubleheader. He’s a gamer.
        Obviously Ohtani’s asking price has gone down a lot…. but what would you pay for the best prime-time DH in the game who might resume his two-way exploits.
        Eovaldi came back strong from his second TJ surgery, and don’t most of us here expect Buhler to come back strong from his second as well?
        And who knows? Perhaps Ohtani will return as a closer.
        I wouldn’t bet against him.

    2. Tough break for a class individual and an all time great talent! Could you imagine if that happened one year from now into his first year as a $500 mil Dodger!

      1. Yes, I can, first off, every poster on this and other sites would be ripping Andrew Freidman for making such a monumentally bad signing. If the Dodgers ended up losing the division because of his being out, fans would go bonkers. It wouldn’t abate until he was back on the field pitching and hitting. His real value is as a two-way player. Right now, he is worth about half of that 500 mil.

      1. Patch, you are something buddy. He is damaged goods, of course they could get him at a discount. But he probably won’t be able to pitch for at least two years. Then he will be 32 and more prone to breaking down. I think they pass.

        1. As a pure hitter and he can play other places besides being a pitcher, he’s worth more than half that.

        2. It’s a blessing. The Dodgers sign him to an 8/37.8 mil contract instead of a 10/50 mil, he comes back in 2025 better than ever, the Dodgers win at least two WS, and, most importantly, Bear eats crow for being wrong about his greatness.

          I call that a win/win/win.

          1. I never eat crow. Bears are partial to berries and honey. I don’t care if he signs with LA or not, at a discount or not, in my opinion, he is not worth 400 million bucks.

  35. With the suspended game resuming today and then a full game to follow………do the Dodgers get an extra player like they would on a traditional doubleheader?

    1. Aug. 23: RHP Ryan Pepiot to start Thursday
      Pepiot, who has been in Cleveland on the taxi squad, will start for the Dodgers on Thursday. On Aug. 19, the 26-year-old rookie threw five scoreless innings against the Marlins.

      “His last [appearance] was as good as I’ve seen him,” Roberts said.

  36. Just heard the Ohtani news.

    Tell me if I’m right. TJ surgery requires a 12-18 month recovery period. And perhaps that period is less for a designated hitter. In any case, Ohtani will likely be out for a part or all of next year. Seems to me that the equation has changed, and that the Dodgers and other teams are going to have to reevaluate before making any decisions.

    1. This changes the whole calculus. If Ohtani can come back as a two way player in full form it will likely be in his age 32 season. He could still be quite productive with the bat, for most of the next 2 years. But when he comes back from his second TJ surgery, he likely won’t be able to take on a full work load for the rest of that season. Just as Walker is trying to come back this year. It’s an open question just how much workload he can handle.

      Ohtani likely just lost $150 to $200m off his contract next year.

  37. Ironically, I said to a buddy yesterday before the Angels game that I didn’t understand why Ohtani is still pitching at this point. Angels are out of it. He’s had issues off and on for a few weeks. He could give the fans one hell of a ride chasing 61. Why take the risk?

    I’m sure that was his call. He’s a competitor.

    1. Most likely Jayne. Some guys want to be in there no matter what. They are their own worst enemy. I read a story about Bellinger today on google news. Belli stated that he had never been injured before and did not know what to expect. So, he pushed himself to come back as soon as possible. He realizes it was not the right choice. His shoulder was not strong after the surgery, and he came back too soon after the ball he hit off of his leg broke it. He could not swing properly, and it caused bad habits. There is a very good chance that Bellinger will re-sigh with the Cubs. He has really enjoyed his time there.

      1. Cubs are showing themselves to be ahead of schedule on the rebuild. They are right in the hunt for their division and are in good position for a wild card sport. And what I have read recently they have improved their minor league depth considerably. I agree that there is a good chance he resigns. Cubs might run away with that division next year.

  38. The injury to Shohei changes the entire dynamic of his free agency. As a two-way player, his value is much higher. We all know that. He is an offensive force. But if he needs TJ surgery again, will it affect his swing? How soon after TJ surgery can he begin swinging a bat? Is swinging a bat going to affect his recovery as a pitcher? I am not a doctor, so I can’t answer these questions. I do know that this injury makes all of the 5 to 6 hundred-million-dollar contract talk a moot point. All teams who want the guy are going to have to make judgement calls as to his worth. At any rate, at his age, I am not committing 40 million dollars a year to a guy who only hits.

  39. David Vassegh
    @THEREAL_DV
    Dave Roberts said he will use the rest of this game tomorrow as bullpen game. Ryan Pepiot will start the finale of series in Cleveland. #Dodgers #Guardians

  40. Miguel Vargas has bounced back from an 0-19 stretch and is now hitting .299 with a .402 OB% and a .867 OPS. It looks to me that his swing is shorter, and even though the Dodgers promoted Jorbit Vivas to OKC, Vivas is playing 3B right now with Vargas at 2B.

    1. It will be interesting to see if they give him another real shot this year. He certainly will if there is an infield injury of any kind.

    1. These last two games might be what put Mookie over the top in terms of the MVP race.

  42. Rain in Cleveland should be ending right about now. The power they give to this ground crew in Cleveland is pretty ridiculous. They very likely could have played the 9th and then had their break.

  43. That is why I have been saying no to Ohtani for some time, and that it would be better to try to sign Soto… And speaking of the one who many insisted on signing…

    https://www.albat.com/eldugout/Equipo-de-beisbol-arabe-ofrecio-contrato-multimillonario-a-Shohei-Ohtani-para-dejar-MLB-20230822-0013.html

    Supposedly a team from Dubai offered him close to 2 billion to play 3 months… I don’t know how real the news will be, but it involves Pujols too

  44. #Dodgers lineup for game 3 vs. Guardians

    Betts 2B
    Freeman 1B
    Peralta LF
    Muncy 3B
    Heyward RF
    Outman CF
    Busch DH
    Hernández SS
    Barnes C
    Ferguson LHP

  45. Albuquerque 8, Oklahoma City 7
    Tulsa 9, NW Arkansas 6
    Fort Wayne 6, Great Lakes 3
    Rancho Cucamonga 6, Lake Elsinore 4

    Thursday schedule
    4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Justin Wrobleski) vs. Fort Wayne (Austin Krob)
    5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) vs. Albuquerque (TBA)
    5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan) at NW Arkansas (William Fleming)
    6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Chris Campos) vs. Lake Elsinore (TBA)

  46. A good win with Mookie absolutely on fire.

    Been saying NOhtani all the way and thank goodness this has happened now and not when (or if) we’d just inked him to a 10 year deal. This is exactly the reason you don’t put $500m worth of eggs in one basket.

    With all the money coming off the books AF has so many directions in which he can Pivot.

    Gonna be a really interesting off season, but I think we will see a premium third baseman next season, and personally I’d make a run at Snell, and try and resign Julio who I think enjoys being a Dodger.

    1. Could happen. We’ll have a better idea later whether Ohtani is done as a two-way player, or it this is just a one-year hiatus in his greatness. I wouldn’t bet against Ohtani.
      The market for Ohtani will cool but still be healthy. I suspect the injury could improve the Angels’ chances of keeping him

  48. So with one dinger, Busch goes from trash to smash. Hopefully he settles down now at the plate.

  49. Steven Strasburg is going to retire. He is battling a rare condition. He has not pitched in quite a while. Understanding is that he will be getting the rest of his contract paid to him.

  51. 19-3 in month of August. Any month when you when 20 or more games is special. Betts is playing great. Enjoying the season. Still think we end up with the #2 seed. Should be fun series with Red Sox and seeing some old friends (Turner, Verdugo, Jansen) and loathing at that bastard Cora. Thank god we don’t play on Sunday Night Baseball.

  52. In just approximately a month or so, Mookie’s BA has risen over 40 pts. To do that this late into the season with an already high # of PA’s ..is flat out INSANE!

    1. Over the last 23 games, Mookie has hit .460 with a 1.323 OPS.
      Yeah, that’s pretty insane.
      People forget–or at least I forgot–that Mookie was the AL batting champ one year. He’s now delivering extra power too.
      Not bad for a utility player.

  53. Bellinger’s hitting is “Suspicious” How in the hell does he re-become a 300+ hitter after being soooo friggen terrible? The first memory of being a Dodger Fan is sitting in a barber shop in Van Nuys getting a Butch and on the TV Maury Wills stole his 82nd base. I’m sure there are a few examples of players getting dumped by the Dodgers and becoming MVP material including a few idiotic trades. What happened here? Was he advised by his ahole agent? Does he secretly hate LA and therefore purposely tank? Was he betting on other teams? WTF

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