On December 14, 2021, the Oklahoma City Dodgers were purchased by Diamond Baseball Holdings, a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. The Los Angeles Dodgers remain parent club affiliates but no longer have ownership. As you can imagine, the new ownership is not allied with any MLB team and wants to forge its own identity. To that end, they have dropped the name “Dodgers” and are going to be called the “OKC Baseball Club” this season. The new, permanent name will be announced at the end of the season. The process of establishing a new identity is already underway. It involves hosting meetings and focus groups and engaging with key community leaders and stakeholders for input. Team officials said they want to embrace the future of baseball in OKC with a unique, fun name that shows off OKC’s vibrant personality. There may even be a”naming contest” unless they already have a few in mind.
Maybe the Okies? I am 100% certain that it will not be used. The Cowboys? The Cowboy Museum is there. It’s the Horse Show Capital of the World, so how about the Stallions? The Bricktown Entertainment District is a vibrant area filled with restaurants, bars, shops, and entertainment venues. It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, offering a lively and dynamic atmosphere. So, let’s call it the OKC Bricks. OK, that’s all I’ve got! I’ll stop! None of it is good. So we wait! Tulsa has the Drillers – that is appropriate. Great Lakes has the Loons. Yep! Rancho Cucamonga has the Quakes. Yeah, I guess. What about OKC?
OKC Starpower
OKC will feature Andy Pages, Miguel Vargas, Andre Lipcuis, and Trey Sweeney as its prime stars, but Jonathan Arauz, Kevin Padlo, Chris Okey, and Hunter Feduccia are also names to watch. It seems Like Ryan Ward and Drew Avans have been in the Dodgers system forever. They are both 5th outfielder types, and it would not surprise me if one (or both) got traded for younger prospects before the season is over.
Last night, the oKC Baseball Club won 9-7. Here’s the Box Score. 3B Andre Lipcuis drove in 5 runs with his two home runs. Miguel Vargas also homered and was 2-4 with two walks. Striker Buehler starts the game today. HERE is the full roster. There are some pitchers who will be called up to the big club, including Dinelson Lamet, Landon Knack, Tanner Dodson, JP Feyereisen, Nick Frasso (later), Matt Gahe, Alex Gamboa, Kevin Gowdy, Drew Pomeranz (watch him closely), River Ryan, Ricky Vanasco, and Gus Varland.
Hunter Feduccia is in play if a catcher is hurt, and even Okey (he needs a roster spot). Pages and Vargas are the only two other position players who might impact the big club later this season. Trey Sweeney is a work in progress. This should be an exciting team to watch this year, and I will be watching it a lot.
Debacle at the Ravine
- I’ll summarize last night’s debacle in one sentence: “When you load the bases in the first inning with no outs against Lance Lynn and then proceed to let him strike out the side, you have no business winning!” Zero, Zilch, Nada. The Baseball Gods simply will not allow it! The Cards struck out 14 Dodgers. The Dodgers were 7-19 with RISP. and left 13 on base.
- Joe Kelly was a trainwreck, but Yamamoto redeemed himself. The Dodgers 5-7 hitters struck out 8 times! You aren’t going to win a lot doing that!
- That Gavin Lux is quietly going about his business while trying to get better is not unnoticed!
- I know that this is going to go against the grain and agansist analytics, but I think I would split up the lineup a little… like this (against RHP):
- Betts SS
- Lux 2B
- Ohtani DH
- Smith C
- Freeman 1B
- Muncy 3B
- Outman CF
- Hernandez LF
- Heyward RF
Yes, Freddie will get a few less AB’s but I think the scoring might be “smoother.”
i’m sure lynn was extremely motivated last night to shove it up the dodgers anal cavity!! but sometimes that scenario in the first inning is all too familiar. no excuse for not scoring at least 2 runs!! yamamoto was great. but why bring him back after the delay and not give him another inning? pitch count was good, and i don’t understand the logic. since most managers won’t bring a starter back after a delay. 14 ks? well the bright spot, mookie continues to rake, and freddie and ohtani haven’t really gotten going !! agree mark , spread the top 3 out a little. only thing i would do different is put Will S. in the 2 hole with freddie 4 and ohthani 3. get a win today! happy easter everyone!
All I wanted to see last night was a solid outing from Yamamoto and we got that. Mission accomplished. Too bad he didn’t get the W, but that will come soon enough.
One lesson learned last night: maybe don’t give a wet ball to Joe Kelly ever again? Lol. Good grief.
Happy Easter! He is risen!
Betts should have scored on Freeman’s single. Smith struck out on ball 4. You can’t spread out the ks. If u play Muncy, outman, Hernández, just get ready for the ks and Ohtani could be in there. The dodgers know this but they did it anyway. The trouble with putting lux 2nd is he can’t hit lefties.
The dodgers fascination with wild man Joe I don’t understand. He had a good World Series against us but he hasn’t done anything for La. All he can do is hit people and walk people. He will be hurt soon so that will take care of that.
Betts has been great Ohtani bad. I know his track record so it will change but against lefties he looks helpless. Oh well has the makings of a great starting staff, a mediocre defense, a good bullpen once and if Graterol and treinen get there. No playoff lefty. Our offense will the league in ks and chew up mediocre pitching. For all the money this team is going to have to make changes prior to the playoffs.
I will also add I just like what Gavin is doing with his swing. If he stays focused and committed to it, the results will come.
Such a winnable game, but was lost in the first inning. We have to have better at bats with risp.
How many runners has MM already left on base in the first 5 games ?
Dodgers just could not get that big hit when they needed it . Happens.
The real Yamamoto stood up last night!. Great stuff. Will only get better.
Will watch the OKC game today with WB starting.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, thanks for the tip on Walker Buehler starting today!
He just gave up a HR
The only problem with Kelly is that he has no idea where the ball is going. But he’s a good number picker. Tho only deserved a bike and not a Porsche.
Ironically that is what makes Kelly effective. Hard to scout a guy and develop a strategy against him when he doesn’t even know where the ball is going.
Only problem is when he’s off, the outcome leads to yesterday’s performance.
7:10 PM ET
Cardinals (1-2)
Dodgers (3-2)
SP Steven Matz L
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Gavin Stone R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
RF T. Hernandez R
LF Chris Taylor R
3B E. Hernandez R
CF James Outman L
SS Miguel Rojas R
C A. Barnes R
70% Rain
59° Wind 10 mph R-L
Buehler has a ways to go to get back to ace like status.
Mark. Glad you’re back. I read Bear’s stuff on the other site.
Last night’s loss was 100% on Roberts. Kelly failed miserably. You could tell after his first 3 pitches that he did not have it. Then Roberts failed miserably by not pulling Kelly. He should have pulled him after the second or third batter. He waited until 5 runs scored.
You’d need a really big pitching staff to start pulling pitchers after 3 pitches. When we get Brusdar and Treinen back, I really like our bullpen. Then Kelly will get injured and drive off in his Porsche!
14 comments barely make it anything I want to keep open.
Most posters would rather be a GM than a fan
Some great AB’s and a stolen base by CT3. Outman might be pushed for CF playing time if CT3 continues his quality AB’s. For all the Doc Roberts hate, he sure pushed all the right buttons in this game.
Great win for the dodgers tonight!! I can’t stomach the cards. If they win I have to listen to all these cards fans in my area. We won 3/4. Gave away last nights game and tried tonight but our offense bailed us out. In particular Muncy n Hernandez with Hernandez doing it off a right hander.
Vesia and Kelly cannot throw strikes. Always holding your breath on those 2. Vesia inning 2runs no hits plus he threw 30 pitches probably. 0-2 pitch and hit a guy. Where is Graterol n Treinen? I know they are on the il but Chrismatt was the unsung hero with 2 innings. Terrible to learn Sheehan is on the 60 day. Another lie from Roberts saying just minor blah blah blah. Buehler apparently was not good today. Come on Paxton we need you.
Without Sheehan and looking less likely on Buehler our depth is depleting. Hudson looked good tonight. His ball looked lively. We have to find a dependable lefty somewhere.
Happy Easter!
Great info on OKC, Mark.
Big comeback win by the Dodgers. Huge hits by Muncy and Teoscar!
Buehler wasn’t perfect in his rehab game, but did throw 4 innings. At least some progress.
Interesting comment by muncy when interviewed on ESPN about how he anticipated the pitcher changing his approach once Taylor stole second (before muncy’s HR) …with Taylor on 1st and 1 out muncy assumed he’d get sliders hoping for a GIDP, but once Taylor stole 2nd he assumed the pitcher would try something different and that it would be something muncy could lift better. Do others think the SB by Taylor was on his own, a sign from the bench, and if a sign was it just to play small ball or to try and get better pitches for muncy to handle? However it happened glad it worked out!
As good as the top three are, I think it’s going to be the other guys who win it for us. And as for the rotation, I think it will go through a transition with Glasnow/Yama/Miller/Paxton/Stone being buffered by Buehler/Kershaw/Sheehan/Knack/May.
We could see some piggybacking in the postseason if all goes well.
So much depth–and quality depth– in the rotation…
I was surprised to read that Vargas played DH in this game for OKC.
Don’t the Dodgers now hope he can play left? I assume the LA front office has some influence over the decisions in Oklahoma.
Why would you be surprised that Vargas DH’ed one game? He started the other two in LF. In the second game, evidently, they wanted to get Ward, Avans, and Pages, along with Vargas, into the game, so why not put the guy with the least OF experience at DH? It makes sense to me.
I don’t think we write Buehler off after his first outing. Give him some time. As long as his velo gets back to 95+ he’ll be fine. He’s a gamer and an October stud. Though with all the talk about how good our home grown prospects are and have been, only Smith and Kersh have “got paid” by the Dodgers in the last 15 or so years.
Who is writing him off?
And Jansen, tho no longer with us.
Latest on Sasaki.
It’s no surprise, then, that several MLB teams are showing interest in Sasaski. However, the two-time NPB All-Star might have already decided where he wants to pitch in 2025 and beyond. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “several GMs” are under the impression that Sasaki “already has plans to sign with the Dodgers” during the 2024-25 offseason.
According to one general manager, “There’s no way he’s going anywhere else but the Dodgers. We all know it.”
What a rotation that could be next seson! If we resigned Buehler and Kersh(probably not) our 2nd string starting five would be one of the best in baseball.