No, not that Bear… the proverbial bear! I guess you are going to lose one-third of the games. It’s baseball… and sometimes it is maddening. The bottom of the lineup continues to be a problem. Vargas got a nice hit but now has to demonstrate that he can keep it up. Lux was 2-4 and is now at .203, but Teoscar is in a slump, having hit .219 in his last 30 games. Andy Pages is struggling, but there’s no reason for alarm… yet. By the time Max Muncy comes back, I think things will be a little clearer. I cannot see CT3 on this team past this month.
Vargas will have to seize the day if he wants to stay up, and while it was only one hit, the piece of hitting on his double last night shows his skill level. He quickly adjusted, got his hands in, and just went with the pitch…not trying to loft it. I think you will see that he can be a professional hitter. The onus is on him.
I still wonder about Andre Lipcius…
Down on the Farm
OKC BOX – Lipcius hit his 13th, and Outman was 1-2 with two walks and two runs scored. Feduccia was 3-4 with four RBI, and Gauthier had three hits as well. Casparius pitched five solid innings as well.
TULSA BOX – Dalton Rushing left the game early with a shoulder injury.
Taylor is the 26 man on the team. He is not costing them games. He plays once a week, maybe.
He is going to be valuable come October, you just don’t toss him aside.
No better teammate than CT3 either. He aint going anywhere.
How do you come to this conclusion that CT3 will be valuable in October ?
Frankly, I do not see it . He is in a slump for years now. Yes, he had some big hit and plays in the past in the postseason but that is a loooong time ago.
You could say the same about Kike btw.
Dodgers have too many bats like that on their 26 men roster. If they do not correct it this will likely be their downfall in October. Again. Top of the lineup can not do it all by themself. Not in the playoffs against top notch pitching.
Go Rams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because he has done it before in October, multiple times.
So has Reggie Jackson. If you know what I mean.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not even close to being relevant
We were also told Kershaw was going to step up last October, with a “bank on it”
I’m still waiting for Kershaw to get the first out of Game 1 of 2023 playoffs.
Bobby,
That’s not relevant either.
Obviously.
Of course, to consummate trades there has to be willing partners. But the fact remains, if Friedman is going to make a trade (or 2) to address the Dodgers 5 to 9 production problems, then he’d better not wait until near the July 30 trade deadline to do it. By then it will be much harder for him to get whatever player(s) he covets.
Agree 100 percent.
But with the WC spots so many teams will still be in the hunt right down the wire. WE saw it last year again. You only to get in and everythng is possible in the playoffs.
At the moment I would try to get Roberts jun. from the WS. They likely have no chance this year and are already way out for the last WC spot in the AL. Yes, he is injury prone and a risk but when healthy he is just what we need.
Excellent OF with pop and speed.
And with his injury background he probably would not cost the farm.
Knack, Outman plus another lower level arm could do it. Or one of our surplus of catchers.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, we’d love to see Roberts in a Dodgers uni, but very unlikely the WS would trade him–or like Friedman’s offer.
But we can still dream…
I have the same concerns about Robert Jr. that I have about Buxton, who some have advocated for the Dodgers to acquire for some time. Robert is a real talent, if you can keep him on the field. And that so far has not been the case. Last season is the only time he has played more than 98 games in a season. He is currently on the IL and is expected to start a rehab assignment today. He has felt good running. How good will he be when healthy? Anybody’s guess. But he is the Sox most bankable player with a couple more years of control. Right now, the Sox are pretty banged up. Robert is essentially a center fielder. What the Sox might ask for in return? Who knows, but he would not be cheap.
I was just thinking the same thing this afternoon about Robert’s often-injured history.
Some steps to take now:
Move freeman to 4 behind Smith. At 35 Freeman is trending the wrong way.
Betts ss
Ohtani dh
Smith c
Freeman 1b
Teo rf
Muncy 3rd
Vargas lf
Rojas 2b
Pages cf
With smith out move Freddie back
Against righties lux in Heyward in
Seems a bit hasty to tinker with the lineup, but it’s something to consider. Although Freddie is in a mini-slump, I suspect that rival pitchers and managers fear him more than they fear Will.
Both Freddie and Will are known for the quality of their ABs. Both get on base, and both deliver occasional power.
If they swapped positions, the move would complement the R/L rhythm that Roberts likes on his lineup card. I’m not sure it’s important, but the lineup you propose would go: R-L-R-L-R-L-R-R-R.
Who would sit when Heyward plays? Pages or Vargas? I assume it wouldn’t be Teoscar…
The season isn’t even at the 1/3 mark yet. Perhaps the Dodgers should give Pages, Vargas and Lux more of that “runway” to prove themselves. And if they don’t, some moves can be made in summer.
Like Mark, I find Lipcius intriguing. He’s in his mid-20s, and he is now flexing more power than ever before.He’s about the same age that Max was when the A’s released him. He was considering stepping away from baseball when the Dodgers offered him to a minor league contract. Max’s career was reborn had his breakout season in ’18 and later became an all-star.
Like Max, Lipcius had some unremarkable major league experience before joining the Dodgers. He didn’t come off the DFA scrap heap like Max did, but it seems that the Dodgers’ coaching or culture has breathed some new life in his swing.
Similarly, I have hopes Gauthier because his career path is similar to Zach McKinstry’s. Zach was a late draft pick and Gauthier was an undrafted free agent–and both swiftly proved themselves as UT players. Zach is now with the Tigers.
If the Dodgers decide to bid farewll to Chris Taylor, either Lipcius and Gauthier could help round out the roster.
Duke Not Snider –
I really like and respect your comments on LADT. I agree with almost all of them. Thank you for your insightful observations……
Love Chris Taylor. I’m not an expert, but he looks done! How can the dodgers win in october with that bench? Is there any body on that bench you feel good about pinch hitting in the postseason? Barnes? Taylor? Even Kiki? Why not bring Lipcius up?? Maybe he catches fire like Pages did! …. It seems. the pitching in the minors. always delivers, whereas the hitters never really shine. Knack, Sheehan, Stone, Miller, even Grove to an extent all have performed. i’m still not convinced they don’t need to bring in a big bat if they are to win in October. The Bichette rumors won’t die!! If the blue jays continue to struggle he very well may be moved. Not just me saying that.
Without looking who was on the Rangers bench last year, that did anything in the playoffs….
Grossman and Ezequiel Duran were their two most productive bats. Duran with 14 bombs and Grossman 10. But they did not have a strong bench in the series. Their starters did all of the damage. Bichette is not going to be traded to the Dodgers. A. They do not need a SS. They have one who is hitting .330 and playing decent defense. Bichette is hitting in the .220’s with 2 homers and an OPS below .700. Please leave Mookie alone. He is athletic and working his butt off to be better every day. If you want to dump Taylor, it is going to cost you 24 mil plus. Taylor was the Dodgers best hitter in the 21-playoff run. And he has been decent in the playoffs when the big guns all fell on their collective butts. But loyalty to a player struggling this bad only goes so far. Personally, I would call Feduccia up and DFA Barnes. I do not care if the pitchers love the guy, his bat has become a black hole again. If they are going to make a trade, get a full time second baseman who can both defend and hit, and either play Vargas or trade him for a power hitting left fielder.
The Dodgers aren’t playing Vargas regularly like they’re doing now with Pages, so I’m puzzled by what they’re attempting to accomplish with his recent call-up. No doubt the FO obviously factored Lux having a productive year at the plate into their championship-formula. Lux still has time, and he’s shown some life lately, but if things don’t work out for him soon, I think a trade will be needed to remedy the situation.
We lose one game and people lose their minds around here.
Debatable how much of a “mind” many of the posters have/had.
Happens every time. Just fans being fans. Trade everybody! We suck, even though we have the largest lead of any division leader in the majors.
Yeah, people overreact.
But there are clearly flaws in the Dodgers roster, and of course we speculate about how to fix them.
And why shouldn’t we? AF & Associates get a lot of stuff right, but also a lot of stuff wrong. Remember: The plan heading into ’23 was to have Lux at SS and Vargas at 2B.
Now Vargas is trying to make it in LF and Lux is platooning at 2B….
Another non-genius move: signing Taylor to a four-year contract.
So what should be done?
Taylor is not the only black hole in the lineup. Clearly a four-year deal was over-reaction on the front offices part. But for most of his Dodger career, Chris has been a valuable piece. But with the resigning of Kike, you have two utility players who are basically the same guy. I really thought re-signing Kike was redundant. As for what is to be done. Well, the players they have haven’t really changed their approach. I think one of the problems is that neither Freeman nor Smith are hitting right now. Teo has been in a slump for a couple of weeks. Betts and Ohtani are carrying what little offense they have had. Earlier the bottom of the lineup was contributing some, now it is pretty much a black hole. Changing hitting philosophy will benefit the all or nothing guys some, but Ohtani, Betts and Freeman don’t hit that way and neither does Smith. The bench is weak. Barnes is never going to be a great hitter. Rojas is ok, Vargas is untested. They miss Muncy a lot. He gets back and it lengthens the lineup. Yeah, he strikes out too much, but he also goes on tears and can carry the team. They need a contact hitter or two and maybe one with an attitude.
T. Pham has an attitude
Yes, he does Wayne. The knock on him has been that supposedly he is not a very good clubhouse guy. But I think the Dodgers have enough leadership on the bench to keep him in check. He is a good defender and has decent playoff numbers.
From the Dodger’s Official Page:
“RHP Bobby Miller (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Early June
Miller completed three innings during a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on May 21. The right-hander faced Gavin Lux, Chris Taylor, Miguel Vargas and Minor Leaguer Juan Alonso. He threw around 50 pitches, using his entire pitch mix.
The next step for Miller is to pitch in a rehab game with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on May 26, according to manager Dave Roberts. That start is scheduled for four innings. Miller will need at least a couple of rehab starts before returning to the Dodgers’ rotation. (Last updated: May 21)”
Should I take that to mean Bobby Miller is stepping in competition from Lux/Vargas/CT3 to Single A guys??
Facing those 3 players is a definite confidence booster. If he didn’t fare well against those 3, he shouldn’t advance to Low A Rancho Cucamonga.
They just want him to throw and are just keeping him close to LA.
Nothing more… nothing less.
My comment was sarcasm
😉
Still asking, who do you use as a batter off the bench? The platoons don’t go away when the playoffs begin! Sure its a long time till the playoffs, but does anybody believe Taylor and Barnes will be all fixed by then? …not going crazy over last night’s loss. Just saying sooner or later that bench has to be addressed. And yes Bear, Barnes needs to go!! There i said it! First time in a long time! Hell, call up Feduccia. and Ship. Taylor out(il) or something and give Hunter some at bats! Can he be any worse than Taylor or Barnes?
Barnes is a black hole in the lineup as a bat for sure. He also does not do well throwing out runners. The Dodgers bench which will usually comprise, Barnes, Kike, Taylor and Rojas, does not scare anybody. I have considered the bench a problem for several years. AF’s big bench acquisitions started with guys like Callaspo, Heisey, Ruggiano, Thompson, Reddick, Granderson. One good pickup was David Freese. Freese was picked up at the end of August, they cannot trade then anymore. He made more trades at the deadline last season than I have seen him make since he got here. In order to just get rid of Taylor, they have to eat what is left of his deal for this year, say 2/3rds of his 13-million-dollar salary, plus all of his salary for next year and the four-million-dollar buyout of his option. That comes to about 25 million dollars. No team is going to trade for him unless the Dodgers eat most of that deal. He cannot be sent down unless he consents to it. They aren’t going to carry three catchers, so unless they unload Barnsie, fat chance of that, Feduccia stays where he is.
Xander Bogaerts has a broken shoulder. He was placed on the IL and the Padres brought up David Peralta to take his place.
10:10 PM ET
Diamondbacks (23-26)
Dodgers (33-18)
SP Ryne Nelson R
2-3 7.06 ERA PRIM
SP Tyler Glasnow R
6-2 2.90 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
LF T. Hernandez R
2B Gavin Lux L
CF Andy Pages R
RF J. Heyward L
3B E. Hernandez R
63° Wind 9 mph Out
Look at who is batting 6th tonight,Gavin Lux
The Dodgers could’ve sat Heyward, and played Teo in RF, and Vargas in LF.
Or they could’ve sat Pages, and played Heyward CF, Teo RF, and Vargas LF.
Clearly, the Dodgers have no intention of playing Vargas “regularly” in this recent call-up.
,,, or maybe they want him to earn it when he gets a chance.
If they send him back without more opportunities, then I think it is wrong, but I have no problem with ramping him up slowly. Maybe it’s what he needs. I don’t think they are stupid when it comes to player development and maybe this is what they have learned about Miguel. I am open-minded at this juncture.
So you say you’re “open-minded” at this juncture, but you also say you think it’s wrong if the Dodgers send Vargas back without more opportunities, but your fine with “ramping him up slowly.”
So to get it on record — Are you willing to say you’re NOT fine with the Dodgers sending Vargas back to OKC.. if they only give him sporadic AB’s and don’t “ramp him up” with more opportunities ..before they send him back down? …just like they did with Busch last year?
Yes, I am not fine with sending him back.
Maybe he’s broken his fingers!!!
You say that as if broken fingers are not a thing.
“Just rub some dirt on it.”
Wednesday Dodger Minor League Schedule
3:05 p.m. PT (doubleheader): Tulsa (Yon Castro & TBA) at Springfield (TBA & Max Rajcic)
3:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Jacob Meador) vs. Beloit (Emmett Olson)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Hyun-il Choi) vs. Reno (Cristian Mena)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Garrett McDaniels) vs. Modesto (Ashton Izzi)
The other teams wouldn’t keep using the lefty openers if freeman and smith switched. Neither hitting right now but smith is owning lefties. But I know Doc has already figured that out . He is playing chess.
If you think Doc makes out the lineup on his own, you don’t know…
Right now it doesn’t really matter. Only 1 guy in the lineup hitting.
Exactly, it’s a total collective decision on who starts every night. Whoever thinks it’s Doc alone hasn’t been paying attention the last 7 or 8 years.
Both Mark and Roger dodged your point Therealten. But as to your point – line-up changes won’t really make a difference if Freeman continues to show he is no longer the elite hitter he’s been the last 3 years. ..if indeed a “new normal” has set in for Freddie.
Arizona puts 2pitchers out here with about 8.5 era. I guess they are due.
Cassidy needs to start mouthing the offense to get us started lol
Dodger offense is scuffling for sure. Freddie Freeman is on pace to drive in 90 runs with Betts and Ohtani hitting in front of him. Underwhelming given his spot in the order and past performance.
The bottom six position players on the roster , as a group, have been an issue all year. Hope Dodgers look to internal options first before going outside the organization. There is no reason, in my mind, that Teo needs to play every day. They can find at bats for Vargas if they want to and given the struggles, no reason not to. Maybe Lipcius, Gauthier, and Feduccia get a look before all is said and done. But I would not hold my breath.
Bigger picture, the Dodger farm system has not produced an everyday position player in four years. Will Smith is the last one by my recollection. As good as this FO has been developing pitchers and as highly regarded as their player development program is by baseball executives, they have not been able to consistently develop young position players to help the parent club. Could be a lack of patience or opportunity at the big league level but it is a problem.
Well, to be precise, the Dodgers HAVE produced everyday position players within the last 4 yrs, ..they’re just not playing for the Dodgers.
But I get your point.
Dodgers have an Achilles heel: their offense just don’t score many runs at Dodger stadium. Their opponents exploit this all the time. I have noticed this for a long time. That is why they keep losing in the playoffs! It doesn’t matter who is wearing Dodger white uniforms. Has anyone besides me notice this? “Dodgers baseball” just don’t cut it
Holy shit.
Just the dumbest posts.
They never end these days.
Mark, Pluto is hurting our feelings!
I can recommend medication.
Bluto is consistent. Take it or leave it!
He is not intentionally disrespectful.
I do not mind it when it is focused at me.
The Bear got us again.
This team struggles when Freddie struggles.
I like Ward the Angels outfielder he would be a nice addition and willie Calhoun would give the dodgers some bench depth for like say Vargas and Outman and Taylor. Let’s just look at that those three players to the Angel’s for Calhoun, Ward, and a infielder easy trade. Or go to the A’s Gelof, Rooker, and there shortstop Diaz makes are bench better in the playoffs oh and Miller. So there are some outfielders that would make us better bat wise. If they do it or do they go with these minor league guys Pages Outman Lux Vargas in the playoffs. Turner Ward Willie Colhoun and a infielder that just sounds like playoff names the dodgers go after and do something in october.
Comedic Relief!
Where is Willie going to play? He can only DH.
I believe Vargas and outman will be better than Ward!
Why would they take CT3?
That is beyond Delusional.
Ward could play every day in LF, but Calhoun is limited to DH and 1B these days.
This will be an interesting month for the Dodgers as they approach the trading season. It’s not yet fully clear what the Dodgers’ needs are, and also not clear which teams will be sellers and which players will be available.
Questions:
–Should Mookie or Miggy play SS, or should the Dodgers go after a guy like Bichette if he is indeed he is put on the market. What other SS options could be in play, and would they represent an upgrade? (I don’t see any obvious candidates now.)
–Who besides Teoscar should be in the OF? I remain optimistic that Pages will be OK, though an Outman-like swoon is possible. Will Vargas get enough ABs to prove that he at least should platoon with Heyward? I hope so, but Roberts also seems committed to getting Taylor ABs as well. It’s also possible that the brass isn’t satisfied with the incumbents and goes shopping for upgrades. Who will be on the market?
–Whither Chris Taylor? If he doesn’t start to hit, what’s the fix? Would the Dodgers be willing to eat his contract in a trade? Would he accept an OKC assignment to work on his game?
–Could we see a big opportunity splash. The Dodgers have a really good bullpen, but if the A’s put Mason Miller on the market, why not go after him? It’s funny to me when somebody says, oh, AF would never trade 3 prospects for a reliever. But right now calling Miller “a reliever” is a bit like calling Shohei a “a DH.” Miller has established himself as the best in the game. Do the Dodgers need Miller? No. But Roberts was comfortable with a true closer like Kenley or even Kimbrel. Imagine a bullpen with Phillips , Treinn and Kelly setting up Miller. Come October–and the next 5 Octovers to come–would you want Phillips or Miller to face Soto and Judge with the WS on the line?
Is there an injury risk? Of course. But that’s true with every player. If there’s a chance to get the best player at a position, why not go for it?
Freddie in a funk is hitting .286 with an OBP of .395 and an OPS of .839.
Bo Bichette in a funk is hitting .233 with a .289 OBP and an OPS of .638.
Bo’s career stats are better, of course, but this season Miguel Rojas seems much better.
In 2021, Freeman was hitting .286 with 12 homers and about 30 RBIs in the middle of June. He hit close to .340 the rest of the way. Freeman will find it. Freddie has said several times that he just does not feel right at the plate yet. The Dodgers if they decide to trade for a SS, won’t do that until the off-season. Betts is comfortable where he is. And he doesn’t want to move around to different positions. I am not worried about his errors so far, and the one he made last night did not affect the outcome of the game. Playing SS is difficult, and Mookie knows that, but he has improved as the season has progressed. And he is also the hardest working player on the team. I would like to see them trade for a very good outfielder who can hit.
HR’s and players with multiple-hit games have virtually ceased for the Dodgers; consequently, their offense keeps grinding to a halt. Age is now probably affecting Freeman’s swing; he’s still a good hitter, but no longer a great one. He might prove me wrong later, we’ll see. Pages now doing his best Outman 2.0 impression. Lux is the only one trending up, but frankly, he had nowhere else to go but up. If the offense continues this downward trend, RVS should be scrutinized more and more. .
Last night was the final game of a 13-game stretch without an off day. The Dodgers have plunged in their stats from being the #1 offense in Runs, BA, OB%, and OPS, and have fallen all the way to #2 in all of baseball. OMG! They are sinking like a stone, and RVS should be crucified. Roberts should be fired and Friedman relieved of his duties… or maybe this is just a blip in the road?
I do agree that CT3, Barnes, Kike, and maybe Lux (although he is showing signs of life) are the same player. The Dodgers can afford to keep two, but not all four. Let it play out. CT3 should do what Jose Abreu did and voluntarily go down to work on his swing.
Freddie could be in decline… or he could just be in what is a slump for him. Time will tell.
This is baseball. I try and not get too excited or depressed this early in the season.
I trust Freddie, he will be fine.
Probably working with his dad today.
162 folks 162….
Willie Calhoun could DH and play some 1b so Freddie doesn’t have to play every day and nit be worn down by October ee just like Betts. If I was the dodgers I would put Teo and vargason lf Betts in Centerfield all the time he is the captain right and Hayward and Pages in rf then Muncy 3b and keke Miguel Rojas shortstop and lux tayor keke at 2b Freeman and hayward 1b and Smith and Barnes C. Look at that what do we need a better consistent shortstop a bettee hutting second base man and a better fielding third baseman and a centerfileder or veteran outfielder. Now are you laughing at me why would it be wrong to make Betts the centerfielder then the wear and tear playing shortstop and Freddie playing every day.
Betts is not going back to the outfield. Period. He is not a centerfielder anyway. He does not want to keep changing positions. He works every day on his fielding. Freddie is not going to sit more than one day in a row. He likes playing every day and prefers it. Why would they want a guy like Calhoun to DH? Their DH is Ohtani. All those changes you suggest are not going to happen. Muncy is the third baseman period. He has made a lot of progress and is better over there than he has ever been.
Because in the playoffs you need more consitant hitters then what the Dodgers have now so that’s what I was looking for a guy tha could hit in late innings thats not ohtani freeman or betts. Ward can hit a bomb Calhoun a bomb but yiu would rather have Barnes Rojas taylor in the playoffs or Vargas. OH please I can find better bench players the those guys. Can I ask you why do the giants get guys that are bettee bench players ad the come up and hit and dodgers get guys that strikeout. The other nite one out Lux gets a double then the next two guys strike out you have got to get that run in and they didnt that’s what I don’t like strikeouts. 7,8, 9, hitters
I agree with you that Freddie will be fine.
Hopefully he get his funk out of the way and has his normal 2nd half. Save the hits for October!
is it possible that the dodgers are trying to “showcase “ Vargas? i’m not suggesting they trade him. , just wondering. Even with Max struggling a little , when he comes back, the dodgers are pretty dad gone good 1-6. It’s 7-9 to worry about! Pages looks like he’s on a slow road back down. Gavin might be coming around , boy that would be huge!! Really could use another outfielder! (one that can hit!)
To “showcase” a player, you would actually have to let him play.
Baseball is a game of adjustments. The next two weeks will define Pages season. Can he adjust?
On Freddie Freeman: He is hitting .286 and Dodger fans are suggesting he is in DECLINE. BS!
Matt Olsen is hitting .228 and Ronald Acuna, Jr. is hitting .247 and we don’t hear that kind of drivel about them.
GET REAL!
The player who worries me the most is Chris Taylor. He could double his hitting and would still be bad.
CT3 plays once a week he is not costing the team games…play the long game here…
Agree with everything else you said.
If he could hit, he would paly more than that. He only plays once a week because he can’t hit. It’s a waste of a roster spot.
Beg to differ that the next two weeks will define Pages’s season.
Last season Outman started fast but then slumped for nearly two months. The he battled back and finished the season with a .790 OPS and finished 3rd in ROY voting.
Like Vargas, Pages has long been perceived as more talented than Outman. Assuming the Pages maintains a positive attitude and work ethic, he should get a chance to work through his recent struggles.
I hope he gets the chance.
Anyone look at JT’s stats lately?
Still miss the guy…
.225 BA – He’d be right at home in LA. He is making right at $20M this year. $6.7 M buyout by Boston and $13 M from Toronto.
Kike is a bargain at $4 M.
Problem I see: Mookie and Ohtani and Smith are hitting over their respective career averages. In the case of Ohtani about 80 points higher. Can those three keep their torrid pace up threw the season and playoffs ?
Should they drop into their career marks we need help from the bottom of the lineup and the bench.
With MM, Heyward, CT3, Kike, Lux, Barnes we have 6 (!) bats at the moment among the 13 hitters who are at or below the Mendoza line. And the jury is still out on Pages if he can stay above water.
In all likelyhood this likely gonna fail.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes. If nearly everyone underperforms, there is a chance the team may underperform.
I like the idea of getting Willie Calhoun back and since he really is best suited to be a DH, maybe we should include Shohei in the trade and if that isn’t enough toss in Mookie. And, of course Vargas and Outman.
If they aren’t willing to take CT3, maybe we could include Freddie to encourage them.
That makes as much sense as the other trade! 😉
You’re probably right about Vargas Mark. But why bring him up just to sit??
I think he’ll play at least a couple of games against the Reds this weekend. I’m going to try to go tomorrow night. I can’t do Saturday (going to the Pacers-Celts game) or Sunday (our annual Indy 500 Party).
AF sent Jordan Leasure to the White Sox in the Lance Lynn trade.
“Leasure, 25, has made 21 MLB appearances for the White Sox this season, and has a 2.29 ERA across his 19.2 innings. ”
Win some, lose some.
Decimated by injuries to the Starting Staff last year, AF had to do something. Lynn at least ate some innings. You have to give up something to get something. It’s also much easier to pitch when your team generally loses. No pressure.
Lynn is doing much better this year. He as a 3.68 ERA and has only given up 6 Big Flies. Shoot, last year he’d give up 6 in an inning! 😉 The Dodgers thought they could FIX him, but St. Louis did.
Agreed, and good point about pitching under pressure. Maybe that’s part of the reason why Lynn has improved as well. Hard to say.
Many thanks again for keeping this great blog going, Mark!
You are welcome. I appreciate you.
Dodgers much needed day off today. Begin a 6 game road trip tomorrow against the Reds and Mets before returning home next Friday the 31th to face the Rockies.
Thursday Dodger Minor League Schedule
3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Chris Campos) vs. Beloit (Cade Gibson)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Jared Karros) at Springfield (Ian Bedell)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (TBA) vs. Reno (Tommy Henry)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Payton Martin) vs. Modesto (Brody Hopkins)
Outman is OPSing at 1.000. Time to bring him back up?
Outman is batting .200 with 1 hit in 5 ABs and the the high OPS is due to 4 BBs. He also struck out 4 times in 5 official ABs. Nothing to see here. My opinion is trade him and Vargas for a big outfield bat before the deadline. They’ll never get a legitimate shot to play for the Dodgers everyday. AF prefers veterans up and down the lineup. The way the team is presently constructed it will be an early exit in the playoffs again.
Sadly, I think your last sentence is right. As for available outfield bats by the trade deadline — one possibility is Connor Joe from Pittsburgh. He’s just okay defensively but hits both lefties/righties fairly well (similar slash to Teo H), with 5/yr player control, and won’t cost a heist to acquire.
Perspective:
Outman has 9 Plate Appearances. He has 1 hit (a double). He has struck out 4 times and walked 4 times.
HA!
Sarcasm alert!
The Seattle Mariners claimed pitcher Eduardo Salazar off waivers from the Dodgers on Thursday. Salazar, 26, threw two innings and struck out three batters without allowing a run in his only appearance in the majors this season, May 15 in San Francisco.
if i’m a dodger minor leaguer, i’m begging for a trade to Pittsburgh!! lol!! ….. Gosh i hope we miss Hunter Green this weekend! Haven’t checked the schedule, but i imagine he pitches tomorrow. ……Freddie Freeman is good!! Like Ole Bear says, leave him the hell alone!! ……Clayton Kershaw is my favorite Dodger ever!! …. Austin Barnes is not my favorite catcher of all Dodgers! But he has one really big hit!!
We face Greene Saturday night with Buehler pitching for the Dodgers.
Trading now the Dodgers would have to overpay. Every team but maybe three are in the playoff race. Owners tend not to trade if they have a shot at the playoffs and fans become enraged. Patience is a virtue, In a month or 6 weeks things will shake out a little more and owners will be more willing letting a high priced player or a player with a contract coming to an end go for a more reasonable price. Leadership looks at the whole picture not just snap shots. We need to hope that our prospects to excel. If they are blocked to make the Dodgers, they will bring more talent in trades. It’s to early to call the Division over but we are certainly in the drivers seat and only trade from a position of power. It would be foolish to give up on Lux who sat out all year and still is young, the same with Vargas and Outman. If they are traded it would certainly be better to trade them when they are hitting well. If they don’t turn it around we have the talent to win the World Series. Our pitching needs to come together with the injured pitchers coming back in a contributing mode and our Big five and hopefully at least several other players pick up their offense.
I decided not to go to Cincy tomorrow. They are calling for heavy thundershowers all evening.
Dang it!
AVF – explanation please
You said above that we should trade Outman and Vargas for a big outfield bat.
Why do you want to trade them? Because you don’t think they’ll ever amount to enough to help us on a permanent basis.
So why, pray tell, would another team give us a “big outfield bat” for them? For purposes of this discussion would you please give me a couple of examples of a big outfield bat that you would like to get.
I don’t believe either Vargas or Outman have a future in LA. The Dodger brass prefers veterans on the roster. If you’re a rookie or young player you will be patooned and will not flourish or succeed by not playing everyday.Pages is the exception and his stats are declining rapidly.
I would like to see Roberts of the White Sox now that he is healthy traded to the Dodgers. In that trade you include Vargas Outman Karros Bruns Knack and another pitcher of your choice.
As the roster stands right now the Dodgers will playing golf in early October rather than baseball.
I like Roberts jun. from the WS too but that is too much what you would give up. His injury history has to be taken into consideration when talking about a trade here.
Outman, Knack plus another pitcher or one of our surplus of catchers.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!
But you can’t have all veterans. AF knows he has to mix in some rookies. I would not be opposed to trading for Robert, Jr, but his injury history concerns me. I suggested this deal last winter, BTW.
I agree that you should have a star rookie or two everyday player on the roster for payroll control each year., but that has not been the case because we draft so low each year and haven’t hit the lotto on an international draft signing yet. Th Dodger’s forte,no pun intended has being drafting pitching that makes its way to the Show and thrives. More concentration should be put on everyday players.
Our outfield roster right now will lead to an early exit in October.
Not even stressing. Trolled a few websites, if you want to know how the true blue spoiled Dodger fan base rolls, just check out Spectrum after every Dodger loss,. Never seen so much vicious anger toward Doc and the players , even when they win there is still somebody popping off. New breed of win now fans, most of them have no clue how the Dodgers are run from Freidman on down,, all they see is a loss as a total organizational failure. Tried to reason with a few of them but just gave up. These toolbags don’t want to hear about the long game , preparing for October, all they live for is game to game and the Dodger shortcomings. Feel like I’m on a permenate acid trip .
Veteran left-hander Drew Pomeranz was released. Could be related to an opt-out clause, but the 35-year-old was also released on April 19 and re-signed a new minor league contract with the Dodgers the next day.
My opinion is that there is no room at the inn with lefty relief pitcher Anthony Banda in the fold.
Sorry to see that about Pomeranz. I really think he could have helped us here. Hopefully he re-signs again the next day, same as last time, but I have my doubts.
He has a much longer and more successful track record than Banda, although Banda could very well be a good addition also.
Mark , did I see a comment by Eric that appeared and disappeared the same day?
It’s the last post before this one and it’s still there.
There was no need to respond.
10th NL West title in 11 years years and the year we didn’t we won 106 games. Total organizational failure!
Model of consistency.
If not for the cheating…. 2 titles since 2017…..
Gonna be a fun ride in 24. Hang on tight
I’d rather have WS rings than West titles. Right now we look like Stan Kasten’s Braves, Unless major changes are made to the outfield roster, we will all be disappointed again.
Right now all the players that played the outfield in 2024 the WAR (Wins Above Replacement )is under 2,with Theo carrying the load at 1.3. Not sustainable to win a cham[pionship.
Dbacks won 84 games and got to the WS. Give me a break with this….
You have NO idea what will happen in Oct.
Enjoy the ride….
I don’t enjoy winning the West,just to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. World Series ring or nothing else will please me in 2024. Right now we are not as good as the Phillies or Yankees.
The Dodgers outfield for sure is a growing concern, and Lux’s bat has to be better too.
100% agree!
Fans are fickle. Fans come up with the most ridiculous trade scenarios. Fans lose their minds when the team loses to a team that is floundering. The lead is down to 6.5 over the Padres, let’s make some trades and fill all the holes. Mookie needs to move back to the outfield. They need a SS and a centerfielder, a good hitting second baseman and a backup catcher that can hit. They have played 52 games, they are 33-19, and leading their division comfortably. They have the largest lead of any division leader. Only the Phillies, who lead Atlanta by 6 games, are even close. They are in a team wide scoring slump. Two of the top four in their lineup are slumping a little right now, hurting the run production. One of their power bats is on the IL. When Muncy returns, the lineup gets longer. Hernandez is in a little slump right now too. The good hitters, Freeman and Smith, will figure it out. Hernandez is who he is, high K rate, lots of power, streaky. They do not need a SS. Mookie is a happy camper right where he is. He is not going to move back to the outfield, and sure as hell not during this season. If they decide this winter to go get a very good defensive SS, my guess is that Mookie would simply move over to second next year. They do need an outfielder who can hit consistently. But who??? Who is going to be available at the deadline? The White Sox at this point are probably going to unload several players at the deadline. But what would be the cost of say, Robert Jr? He is injury prone, has played more than 100 games just once in his career, and is currently on the IL but due back soon. The Sox outfield right now consists of Pham, Benintendi, Grossman, Julks and Fletcher. Jiminez, their DH, just went on the IL also. Robert is only 26 and can become a free agent in 2026. He is owed 15 million next year and has team options for both 26 and 27 of 20 million. He would be the most expensive in terms of players sent to Chicago. Pham is hitting .333 in his 25 games with the Sox. He has 3 homers and 12 driven in. He would not cost a whole lot in prospect capital. But as stated many times, he supposedly is not good in the clubhouse. The Pirates are not going to trade Reynolds, Colorado would not be inclined to trade with a division rival unless they could pick their pockets on a deal. The only outfielder they have that interests me at all is Nolan Jones. But I would bet that AF is not only considering all of his options, but he has also probably had more than a few high-level meetings with staff to discuss ways to improve the team. I think they are still high enough on Lux to give him some more time to get comfortable playing again. His fielding has not been the problem, it has been his hitting. As for Vargas, Miguel is going to get some chances to prove he belongs. Whether that is to showcase him for a later trade, or simply hand him the leftfield job for next year, no one knows. Heyward, Kike, Hernandez, all are free agents after this season. As for Barnes, I believe he is here for the foreseeable future. Taylor? They have to reach some decision on him very soon. He just is not playing enough to get the reps he needs to improve.
Remember when Dean Smith was at North carolina?? He often substituted for all 5 players at the same time. Basically the second 5 weren’t that less talented than the 1st 5. Wait!! you can’t have players as good as Mookie ,Freddie,Ohtani, Will on the bench. No but you can have 3 really good bench players. So no matter who I or anyone else suggests might be an upgrade it’s just silly and we’re panicking! Barnes is bad. no matter how much the coaches “love” him. Taylor is probably unfixable. Vargas? Will he get enough playing time to find out? Kiki has won me over with his play at 3rd. (still a bit of a liability at the plate). So no, there is no panicking at the moment. But there is a big problem with quality depth. The talking heads always gush about the Dodgers depth! Sorry it ain’t there yet!!……. Everyone have a wonderful Holiday weekend!! Take time to remember your loved ones that aren’t around any more. My parents have been gone several years. They loved my brother and me so so much! we were both adopted and so proud of it too!!!
It isn’t the coaches who love Barnes. It is the pitching staff. There is a reason that he was Kershaw’s personal catcher a few years ago. CK loves the guy as do most pitchers who have pitched to him. His bat limits his chances behind the plate, but he will give Smith the occasional day off. With Ohtani on the team, Smith’s chances of playing as the DH are limited. Today’s Reds lineup features only two hitters who are above .250. Stephenson and De La Cruz. No one else is over .224. Memorial Day is dedicated to the remembrance of those who lost their lives in the service of this country. As a vet who served during the Viet Nam war, I lost several close friends and buddies. RIP.
Friday Dodger Minor League Schedule
3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Jackson Ferris) vs. Beloit (Karson Milbrandt)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack) vs. Reno (Humberto Castellanos)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Justin Wrobleski) at Springfield (Tink Hence)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Cam Day) vs. Modesto (Tyler Gough)
3 very good starters on the mound today, Knack,Wrobleski and Ferris.
7:10 PM ET
Dodgers (33-19)
Reds (20-30)
SP James Paxton L
5-0 2.84 ERA
SP Graham Ashcraft R
3-3 4.25 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
RF T. Hernandez R
2B Gavin Lux L
LF Chris Taylor R
CF Andy Pages R
3B Miguel Rojas R
81° Wind 6 mph R-L
We were discussing the release of Pomeranz above.
Sometimes answers come quickly.
He just signed a major league deal with the Giants.
In his last outing for OKC he struck out 5 in 2 innings.
This one may come back to bite us. Time will tell.
I was hoping we would take a flyer on Pomeranz. It seems we have taken one on every other relief pitcher. I figured when we signed Banda that would signal pomeranz to leave. Unfortunately, the Giants snagged him. I could still c the Giants making a move. With Snell coming back and Webb I would not want to face those 2 in the playoffs. If they get healthy they could make some noise. The whole west is capable of being in the playoffs but Colorado.
For the first time in a long time, they have three leftie relievers on the roster, Banda, Vesia and Yarbrough. No room. He probably figured there was not much chance of them calling him up.
I’ve never actually heard a pitcher saying that about Barnes and I listen to all interviews I can. Not saying they don’t but if I’m pitching would much rather have smith and his bat back there especially with the current bottom of our order
It has been mentioned several times by the announcers on the team when Barnes lack of offense comes up. Kershaw has said several times how he likes pitching to Barnes. The pitchers might not come out and say they prefer pitching to a certain catcher, but when a guy with a bat as weak as his is has been kept around for almost 9 years, you have to believe they enjoy having him as a catcher. Before Barnes ever arrived, Kershaw preferred Ellis over all the other catchers the team had.
My dad served in korea. and no he didn’t lose his life there , i still cherish his service and memories! …. guess i’m confused Bear. you said Barnes was a black hole and i agree. Does not throw any runners out and he doesn’t really impress as a receiver. Other than that , he’s ok.
nice swing Chris!!!!
2-in-a-row sub-par outings (Glasnow/Paxton) for the SP’s.
Why exactly did AF acquire Yohan Ramirez? They have to have a kid at OKC or Tulsa who could have done that and we gave that POS a spot on the 40 man roster.
….Feyereisen gets sent down and sits in OKC while Ramirez gets a roster spot. Ain’t no defending AF in that move, just makes you shake your head.
Well I am sure that Mark will put it all in perspective. With cliques like AF is playing chess.
It’s one game.
How’s that for perspective?
1 game as part of 3 losses in a row against 2 bad teams.
Sure it does. JP has options and will be back.
Ramirez is another pitcher that Prior thinks he can turn around.
Just because it doesn’t make sense to you…
garbage!
Vesia 1.61 era can’t throw strikes either. In his defense I don’t think he was warmed up. I just point the era to say that certainly doesn’t always tell the story. I have to agree why is Ramirez on the roster? But I am sure we will hear the usual. This is one game we are playing the long game blah blah …Cincinnati has been one of the worst teams in the league with a terrible offense with 9runs by the fifth.
Lux opens his hips too soon, timing off, makes his swing loopy when he tries to pull pitches.
Lux is trending up, not worried about him. Beside the hit he got he made good contact in two more at bats. Easily could have gotten another 2-hit game.
there are other bats who are trending down over the last few weeks. Kike, Barnes, Muncy (before he got injured), Pages, Freddie plus CT who appears to be slumping since forever.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
CT actually showed less swing ‘n miss his last 2 games than he’s shown in the past.
Still, as a whole this team has been slowly degrading offensively over the last 14 games.
Vargas, Outman, Pages have yet show they can hit ML pitching well.
And tho just marginally better, Busch has been better with the Cubs.
Don’t yet know what it is, but a fundamentally deep-rooted problem lies somewhere.
Game is in the balance Doc, use a high leverage reliever. The game is not always decided in the 9th inning.
Seems to me, Doc should have used one of his more high leverage relievers in that situation..
Down 4 runs? – You must be a comedian.
But it worked out, didn’t it?
If he had used one and needed another tomorrow, he would have been wrong, too.
Doc can never make a right move in the eyes of all-knowing fans. Damn, they are so smart!
He brought in Ramirez when we were ahead 5-4 if I recall it correctly. Then Ramirez gave up 2 HBP, 1 BB , 1 hit without getting an out. Then Vesia surrendered the grand slam.
Both Ramirez and Herandez would not be in our pen without all those injuries.
Still I would like to see the Dodgers aquire at least one more big arm for the pen. Scott from the Marlins or Mason Miller would be my prime candidates. Both would make me jump up and down though unlikely to happen.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!