My Current Dodger Observations

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1. Why can´t Muncy be back for todays game `? Mother and child are fine. His team needs him badly in a pennant race.
   When our first child was born I went to the hospital for an hour, saw my wife and newborn and then went on a business trip the same day. How times have changed.

   Good to see that TG has regained some of his velo, working at 95,96 mph regularly. Made an immediate difference in efficiency. Was able to throw the fastball by some hitters instead of getting hit hard.

   Pages with a huge night yesterday. 2-4 with a HR and 2b, 4 rbi. Should promote him soon to AA.

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

2. Always enjoy your writing. For better or worse I suspect MLB won’t do anything until the PPD finishes there investigation. They could reinstate Bauer but they might not like the optics so I’ll be surprised if they do anything.

   The problem with LA this year is that none of the AAA players brought up have been able to do anything. It’s not just the amount of WAR they’ve lost, it’s the WAR that players like Rayley, Neuse and the like have produced. The number of strikeouts where anything else would win a game is beyond frustrating. It’s why several people on this site, myself included, suggest bringing up Ruiz and trying Barnes at second. Can’t be any worse then what we’ve seen.

   Read an interesting trade idea on another site. Charlie Culbertson for Neuse and possibly some low level prospect.

   1. Now, that’s a trade scenario I could get behind!

3. If the end goal is to make room for Ruiz, I would rather explore the possibility of moving Wil Smith to a less taxing position; perhaps, 2base? His bat would make the move much more palatable.

4. 2021 Dodger Draft

   Round Pick # Pos Player Bat/Throw Age* School Slot value Signed?
   3 101 RHP Peter Heubeck R/R 18 Gilman School (MD) $577,000 $1,272,000 Signed over slot

5. Interesting post Mark. A lot to digest there.

   First, I thought the basis of Blake’s trade idea was a good one. The Cubs are going to regroup. Bryant is leaving Chicago, and I think he would love being a Dodger. Davies isn’t Hendricks but would eat innings here and Kimbrel is who we want. We give up Ruiz, first round pick Miller, who if all goes right projects as a #2, and Busch, all top prospects that will be ready soon, and we take Heyward and $50 million. He’s only 31 and if Mookie is done would be better going forward than McKinney. Makes sense to me. It’s a lot to give up, but look at the return. That’s just an idea thrown out there. I was hoping someone here would refine it if they didn’t like it.

   Agree about Bauer, it’s time for something to happen. Why him to begin with? Well, some said his crazy had been tempered and who knew MLB would suddenly grow a conscience about sticky?

   I read scouting reports, performance updates and watch videos of our top prospects. I also read reports here. I’ve got an idea of who’s who but obviously don’t follow as closely as you and a couple of others here.

   I too listen to all trade suggestions. I get a kick out of yours because in my opinion you always offer too much, but at least you know it takes a lot to get a return.

   Yes, Muncy should be with the team today.

   Yes, what are LA’s plans? With all that has happened we are still playing at .600 and are favorites. I trust Friedman knows whether his players can finish the season on the field and will have a plan to improve the club when and where necessary.

   Yes. With the Dodgers, always, yes.

   1. Jef wrote it. Not me. It’s much too intellectual to be me.

      1. So he did. Didn’t sound like you actually. Too excogitative. No moron or Ray Charles references.

         Sorry Jeff. Great post.

         Now, will you tweak that Cubs trade for me please?

         1. Carillo, Uceta, and Landon Knack for Kimbrell and Heyward!

            1. Ok. That would work.

6. IF Bryant came to LA, where would he play?
   1B. Muncy
   3B. Turner
   LF. Pollock
   Another option would be to move Muncy to 2B, but then where would Taylor play?
   The only way Bryant would play in LA (if possible) would be if Betts is out for the rest of the season, and hopefully that doesn’t happen.
   And not even taking Heyward into account!!
   I don’t think it’s an acceptable and realistic trade
   So I think it would be better to forget that trade idea.

   1. During the broadcast last night, it seems that the Dodgers are considering having Mookie play second base to take some workload off that hip. That could open a spot for Kris Bryant in RF with CT3 returning to his utility role.

      Willson Contreras has just one more Arb year remaining, so he can be part of a selloff creating a need for a young controllable catcher. Maybe a Kimbrell, Bryant for Ruiz and pitching blockbuster isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

7. Very thorough coverage., Jeff.

   My only fear is that we are going to see 57 trade scenarios from Bumsrap to bring back Joc Pederson. 😉

   1. Only need one and I look forward to it. Rather see Joc than McKinney. Rather see Heyward than Joc. Not my money. And it’s only if Mookie is out for an extended period. There’s also Bellinger with injury issues.

      1. I’m with you on Heyward. Maybe we can get them to pay down half that contract. I can deal with that as a 4th outfielder for a couple of years. It’s not like we have better options.

         1. Yeah, I think he’s bored in Chicago. Playing on this team could light him up. If Mookie can play second, and I don’t know that it would be easier on his hip, Heyward in right would give this team a different look down the stretch. Maybe leave Bryant out of it. Kimbrel, Davies and Heyward might be an easier get.

8. Can you imagine if Kenley played in Cleveland?

   ”Cleveland pitcher Nick Wittgren reportedly receives death threats after rough game”

   https://sports.yahoo.com/cleveland-pitcher-nick-wittgren-reportedly-receives-death-threats-after-rough-game-204118309.html

   1. LOL – Or Philly, or NY?

9. Unlike a lot of people, I find those 1-0 nail biters very exciting. When the 9th inning rolled around, I wasn’t apprehensive about bringing in KJ. I guess I figured it was either going to happen or it wasn’t and who else were you going to turn to anyways? I was pleasantly surprised to see the KJ that’s been very effective. All of the sudden, he’s throwing hard again and some of his pitches actually wound up in the glove. Sure, there were some moments where he didn’t come close. But, he got the job done. When it was over, I thought to myself, where was that F’n guy the last three times they brought him in?

   He did not redeem himself in my book. My mind is made up. I’m not comfortable knowing that he revert back to the tire fire at any time.

   I’m not so down on the Dodgers as Mark is and I don’t really think the days on the IL tell the whole story. It’s the quality of guys on the IL that make the difference and no one has had their stars on the IL together as much as we have.

   The Giants were not missing their entire infield. Solano and Flores were in there. Missing were LaStella, Crawford, Belt and Longoria. Belt is a platoon with Ruf and Ruf played. You can make an argument either way about Solano vs LaStella. Whatever. We were missing Seager, Betts, Pollock and Lux in game 1. In game 2, Muncy and Turner were plunked and taken out of the game, in addition to Betts, Seager and Lux. In the third game Betts, Seager, Lux and Turner were missing and Betts, Seager and Lux in the 4th game. And although Belli was out there, he’s been a shell of his former self because of injury. You can say what you want about Lux, but maybe he makes that play that CT3 didn’t make and we have a split.

   The fact of the matter is we should have won 3 of 4 if our closer didn’t crap his pants. With everyone healthy on both sides, I like our chances. With a better closer, we’re in first place right now with the best record in baseball even with all the other adversity we’ve seen.

   The farm system seems thin right now, but we’re ranked right in between SF and SD, the other two teams in the West that have the best odds at being the NL WS entrants. We’ve had late draft picks for about a decade now and are still right there against two teams that have much higher picks in the same time frame.

   There is nothing to be so down about except that our manager constantly makes bad decisions like not pulling Kenley when he had already given up a run and had the bases loaded after facing 6 hitters and not getting the no 8 hitter. Or starting that inning with the obligatory double-switch that put Nuese at second base instead of sticking with Albert at first and Muncy at second. And all the injuries of course.

   Right now it seems to me that the powers that be are making personnel decisions with an eye forward to the end of the season. Maybe they are being smarter than we’re giving them credit for, knowing that a 5-6 six game deficit is nothing to overcome with more than two months remaining in the season. This may be the reason why it seems they’re taking their time getting players back on the field.

   I’m not panicking, I’m just more impatient and disappointed that we’ve gone through the first 3+ months without seeing the full potential of this team play together.

   I’m interested to see what AF come up with in the final week before the deadline. Atlanta and Phillie could decide on selling any day now. Washington should already be there if it weren’t for such a bad division with everyone playing like a 500 team. The entire NL Central should be close to bowing out sans The Brew Crew. Cincy is the closest team to them and they’re 6.5 games out after playing 500 ball for their last 10. The AL Central is in the same boat as no one is within 9 game of the White Sox, but there’s a little less clarity with the second Wild Card.

   Supply is starting to increase and demand is starting to decrease. Hopefully AF can pick a pocket or two.

   On the bright side, SF’s DeScalfani and Gausman are starting to show some warts, as is SD’s entire pitching staff. We’re in the Dog days now and the cream is going to start to rise and the milk is going to start to curdle.

   1. Sorry AC, thought Mark penned that article. I should have known better since it was so thought out and well written. 😉

      1. I assumed by the headline it was Mark. I’ve never seen Jeff on a soapbox. Mark camps out on it. And why not? It’s his box.

      2. … and you must be stupid enough to still read my stuff! 😉

         1. Yes. Yes I am.

         2. I still love you’re style Mark. You shoot from the hip while AC plots the right time and place for a takedown.

   2. For me the best part of last night, since I am blacked out & have to watch the horrible Rockies broadcast team, was when they were talking about our lineup and noted how effed we are and offered as proof that Barnes was batting 5th where they noted he has no business being. Though technically correct,, the fact that he beat them offensively all by himself sure warmed my cockles.
      cheers
      pb+

10. Jeff, another outstanding write up. A lot of well thought out information and opinion. Maybe, some day AF will give us an explanation on their 2021 draft strategy with taking so many pitchers. I believe in the 2019 draft he took several college pitchers that he considered relief prospects. I know 2020 was a zero year for development, but these guys are in A and AA ball this year. I thought the reason for drafting a college age pitcher was that he would be able to reach the majors quicker. Thank goodness for the international signings, because the recent drafts have been unproductive so far. I’m anxious to see what happens this week with the Dodgers, but with all the other teams in contention.

11. Very thought provoking, as always, Jeff.
    MLB.com has an article out this morning, indicating that the Nats and Soon-to-be Guardians are thinking about moving some of their better assets.

    Nats are listening on everyone but Soto. We need to go after Trea Turner and Brad Hand. Hand is a free agent and Turner has one year remaining after this year. Of all of the shortstops out there my first choice would be to sign Turner long term over all the other guys (including Seager). He can also play center field.

    Indians are beginning to listen on Jose Ramirez. He can play third, second and DH. Two team option years at very reasonable prices after this year. Go get him.

    1. Trea Turner? A Dodger? Didn’t see that coming. Hell yes. But, he’s still arb eligible. He would be really expensive, wouldn’t he? Lay it out Jefe.

       1. Bellinger for Trey Turner. There, I did it for Jefe.

          1. Ok. Let me think about that one.

             Straight up or do we have to add some A talent?

             1. I don’t even know which team would have to add some A talent. I’ll stick to the big pieces.

             2. I looked real hard Fred, but I didn’t see any mention of Joc in that trade.

                I don’t think the Nats would do it because I think they assume they have as good a chance as anyone of resigning Turner in two years. They would have to be overwhelmed by an offer to trade him.

                Problem is with only one year after this year I’m not sure any team will give the Nats what they would want for him.

                OK, here’s my trade:
                Brad Hand and Trea Turner to LA
                Lux, Ruiz, Pages, Amaya, Beeter to Nats

                Who’s in? Who’s out?

             3. I’m in

             4. Wait… Lux too?

                Turner might leave.

                I’m out.

                Give them Busch and extend Turner.

             5. Can’t make that trade STB without knowing if either Belli moves to first or Seager doesn’t re-sign or if he moves to third.

                My trade puts Turner in CF to replace Bellinger and puts the Dodgers in a good position at short for 2022. If you want Hand too then maybe Busch and Bellinger for Hand and Turner.

                I’m always ready for In-N-Out.

             6. I wouldn’t give up Busch for just a half season of Hand, Fred, but that’s just me. I expect big things from Busch.

                At this point, I’m assuming that Seager isn’t coming back and Turner is a far better defensive shortstop than Corey. He also puts speed on the bases. I’d love to hit him second behind a healthy Mookie next year.

             7. First three hitters in some order, Betts, Lux, Trea.

             8. This is interesting. Turner and Hand. If Seager is back we don’t need Turner as much as we need a starter, which brings me back to Scherzer. Of course I’d love to see Turner going forward but if it’s about this year I’m more interested in Scherzer, especially now that I see him connected to San Diego. I don’t want to face that guy wearing toilet bowl brown and diaper yellow. I know SF has played well, but SD and Preller worry me more than giants do.

       2. With one more year of control after the season, one would assume the conversation would have to start with our two top prospects; I.e. Ruiz and Gray as part of a 4-player package heading to the Nats. The other two pieces would likely be lower level prospects with upside.

          The Nats lack catching depth in their organization so one would assume they would have a natural interest in Keibert Ruiz. Given that not many teams possess the type of catching depth the Dodgers possess, AF might be able to raplace Jo Gray with a different piece; however, if the Giants were to involve themselves and make Joey Bart available, I envision the potential package not only including Jo Gray but at least one mid level prospect like Jake Vogel.

          In terms of the 4th prospect, it would have to be someone outside of our top 20 prospects. Someone young with upside.

          1. Yeah, I figured somebody was going to mention Gray. I almost did, but talked myself out of it. Gray AND Ruiz, is probably something Friedman won’t want to do.

12. Every team in our division has gone 5 & 5 over the last 10 games. With the team we have been fielding I think it’s all we can do to tread water until things change. Considering what we have been through this season we are in a great position. Andrew will do his stuff and eventually we will get healthy. I am hoping for a final 2 months that makes the crap we have been going through worth it.

13. Maybe Puig is available

    1. He is playing at Vera Cruz in the Mexican league, hitting a little over .300. He would not cost any players, only money. But pretty sure that ship has sunk.

       1. Veracruz

          1. My bad, the movie had it as Vera Cruz…good movie

14. I’m going to talk about something I know practically nothing about. This is pure speculation with a touch of experience and lots of observation but none live since 2019. As the injuries mount up with all teams, there are plenty of very good theories out there about why injuries have dramatically increased this season. You are all welcome to tell me I’m full of it and Probably right. But I’ll proceed anyway but have at it.
    What’s known right now is that soft tissue injuries, and not injuries due to getting hit by a pitch or sliding into a base, or jamming a finger, have exploded. Compared to 2019, muscle strains are up 117%, obliques up 83% and the most common injury, hamstrings up 194%. That is astounding. And bad for the game. Nobody wants to see the JV’s play with the Varsity sitting on the bench with injuries.
    So, the most identified cause is the big increase of games from last year to this year. The Major Leaguers played 60 games plus the play offs. The Dodger’s roster was relatively injury free which contributed to our success. So playing 1/3 of the games in a much shorter time frame is apparently much easier on the body, even after the covid interruptions, than the schedule this year. We’re sort of forced to except that theory as accurate, really, because there aren’t many better theories.
    Is it related to being vaccinated for coves. That’s a new one. It would seem that the vaccine specifically targets the hamstrings.
    I’m sure many teams are going to devote a lot of time and energy to come up with answers when they’re not treating all the injuries and rehabbing guys. It starts with training staffs of organizations reevaluating how players are conditioned for baseball, specifically.
    Here’s what I’ve seen. Players don’t run very much. They don’t run distance (which I had pitchers do the day after a start as a “flush run”, never picking up a baseball, along with band work and stretching with 2.5 pound weights) nor do they actually sprint train. I’m talking about a 50 yard type sprint while actually striding out. The kind of work out track coaches put their athletes though in a modified version. I don’t know if players run in the morning at spring training? I’ve never seen it when I could get in before covid. What you see pre-game is lots of stretching which is great. But no running to speak of. Oh, you see players start on a foul line, take an imaginary lead, cross-over and break like a steal. They “sprint” about 4 or 5 strides at 1/2 speed They walk back to the line and do it again a few times. Nothing of any length or at “game-speed”. During morning drills, PFP’s are done a 1/2 speed. ground balls taken at 1/2 speed, fly balls taken at 1/2 speed, frequently with no throw made. If they do throw, it’s at…guess what? 1/2 speed. They don’t take infield / outfield anymore so they don’t run and throw.
    Once the season starts, time is still made for weight training but I don’t see anything different pre-game. Lots or stretching and very little running. And when it comes to stretching, guys get stretched out pre-game but during the game itself they play in the field for a few minutes and sit for a few minutes. that’s done for 3 1/2 hours. That’s baseball. Having done little, players bat, hit the ball and then maybe are forced to run full speed for 30. 60 or 90 yards. It’s no surprise now, these days, when hamstrings go off like broken guitar strings because of the sudden max effort. Well the infrequent sprinting has been the case in baseball forever, so what’s different now? I contend it’s the lack of doing any practice, sprinting, or prep work at 100%. College football programs like Alabama use electronic monitors imbedded in the shoulder pads that monitor a player’s effort and exertion in practice that’s evaluated after every practice as a training tool as well as measuring a player’s effort.
    My dad believed lifting weights was bad, like most of his generation. It made one “muscle bound”. That has certainly changed. But are players getting too bulked up for the nature of baseball? Is the weight lifting baseball specific? Maybe it is. Are coaches and trainers from other sports, like track, being consulted on training methods and injury prevention? And not for just off-season workouts. Maybe they are. I don’t know.
    And I’m talking about position players and not the prevention and treatment of pitching arms which I do know a lot about.
    Have we looked in to other countries and their techniques and training? Have we studied Japanese or Korean baseball to see how they train? Have had a spike in injuries after the covid shutdown? I do remembering Ichiro constantly stretching and moving to stay flexible. I also remember USA players sort of mocking and criticizing the Japanese practice regimentation and repetition. Their hours and hours of baseball training was sort of a joke to the US guys.
    Has having huge investments in players caused teams to treat their players like porcelain dolls? Are players pulled, sat, rested and put on the DL too often instead of playing through injuries?
    I do remember personally taking a Bruce Kison heat-seeking fastball to my rib cage once that knocked the wind out of me, hurt like shit and caused a juicy black and blue bruise that later turned green with seams imprints on it, for a month. Today it would be an “upper oblique contusion” and I would be day-to-day or on the IL. I never missed a minute because it I left the game I might never have gotten back in. Got hit on the knee too. Same deal.
    I’m not trying to sound like a tough guy but are players asking out, or is it the training staff and coaches pulling guys that could be playing? Maybe that’s a good, cautious way to handle these valuable commodities? I don’t know.
    I don’t know much. I’m no trainer or trained medical professional or physical therapist. I’m not a coach GM or owner. I have no credentials at all. What I do have, is big curiosity about why Cody Bellinger can’t run around the bases without re-aggravating a hamstring.
    I think a complete reevaluation has to happen. Maybe it already is, so we don’t have to watch the Stars of the Game sit while we watch the JV’s play. I don’t know much but I know what’s happening isn’t working and it’s more than a year of bad luck.

    1. A few years ago the Dodgers hired a trainer from the Arizona Performance Center (something like that) and fired her after one year after too many players missed games with leg issues. Those injuries went away (mostly) after she left.

       One of bits of information I have always wanted was what each player was doing in the off season. Who they were working with and where.

       Good start to the injury conversation Phil.

       1. I assumed these guys do their workouts in the morning Phil. What we see before games is just stretching out. And Bellinger does not look like he does any heavy lifting. Baseball is a fast twitch sport so I also assume training targets those fibers.

          I was a PE, Special Ed Major. What I learned in upper division phys of ex class was that once you’ve achieved your off season level of fitness it takes just 1 day of intense lifting a week to maintain it. I would assume most still work the weights at least once, more likely twice a week, but they may believe playing every day maintains fitness levels they need. My education was achieved over 40 years ago. It may be different now.

          As far as I know there is no medical evidence supporting a vaccine connection to sports injuries. I think it’s something else, but I admit I don’t know.

    2. Excellent observations and discussion Phil. Maybe too much weight training? Maybe add yoga to a daily routine and even during the game. The suggestion about incorporating some track and field training could be a solid idea. I think Ichiro constantly stretching in between pitches might be something to consider. This season back to the regular 162 game schedule is a weak argument. The injuries were happening before the 60 game mark this year and have continued. With the huge salaries that today’s players receive I think they could be erroring on the side of caution. The slightest twinge or discomfort becomes a day to day, and then who knows what. It’s to the point now with the Dodgers that there are roster moves every day. This is something that teams should be investigating priority #1. We know Boob Manfred couldn’t be bothered with it because it would be good for the game of baseball. And we all know he doesn’t like the game he dictates over.

15. mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases. To trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies, but not mRNA vaccines. Instead, they teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

    These vaccines were brought to market in record time by Project Warp Speed. I am sure it has save thousands or millions of lives, but for every action, there is a reaction. Could it be that the “protein” an mRNA vaccine produces could have a deleterious effect on soft tissue injuries? I am not a Doctor, but I would think it was a possibility.

    However, in March of last year when I said that COVID-19 may have escaped from a Chinese Lab, I was ridiculed and Facebook removed my post. Now, over a year later, it turns out that may have been the source. I would not dismiss this.

    I was very sick with COVID-19 the second time. It took me three or four months to fully recover and I waited seven months to get the vaccine, but I had a severe reaction and the Doctor advised me not to get the second shot. There is a lot we don’t know, but I think the vaccines could play a role in the injuries. Even Ray Charles can see that!

    1. Mark, what compels you to toss out thoughts on vaccine that are so far fetched? Grandal had a better chance of hitting 40 home runs than this vaccine has of causing soft muscle injuries.

       1. What makes you think it is far fetched?

          1. You might be right but what makes it far fetched is what makes winning the lottery far fetched. It could happen but not newsworthy enough to tell anybody I bought a ticket.

          2. There was a scare regarding blood clots with the J&J, so I don’t think your theory is beyond the realm of possibility. But, if that were the case, wouldn’t we have a bunch of hammy’s in the NBA? I mean, besides Jabrone James.

    2. I used to own an auto repair facility. One thing we heard all the time was ‘ever since’. Ever since you replaced the brakes, now my a/c is not working.

       1. Good analogy David.

          Now, why won’t my car make the noise I bring it in for when I bring it in for repair?

    3. Mark, deleterious? There you go with those five syllable words again. How about harmful next time. LOL.
       Bumsrap, what compels you to ask such a question? Sure, it’s probably absurd. But, when there is no clear reason for these injuries happening then everything is on the table. It used to be called science. When I read Mark’s statement I thought that it was on the fringe, but I didn’t think “OK here we go, another negative comment on vaccines”. It was just an opinion or a possibility. It’s a harmless comment. Move on.

       1. Leave out your last two words and you are a step closer to winning friends and influencing people.

          1. Good to know.

    4. 1. The issue isn’t soft tissue injuries. It’s broken bones and strained ligaments.

       2. They were not brought to market in record time, in the sense that the science (and one of the scientists is in my family) has been in development on mRNA for 20+ years!

       There is zero chance an mRNA vaccine is having impact on soft tissue injuries. To even imply that conveys a striking lack of awareness of how a body functions and how RNA is processed.

       1. WOW! THAT IS SOME STUPID SHIT, BLUTO!

          Just because the GREAT BLUTO says it doesn’t mean I am buying it!

          1. The issue isn’t soft tissue injuries. It’s broken bones and strained ligaments.

          From USA TODAY: “Through May, there were 104 soft tissue injuries that resulted in stints on the IL, a 160% increase over the 48 after two months in 2019, according to Stan Conte, the former trainer for the Dodgers and Giants who now operates Conte Sport Performance Therapy in Arizona and consults for multiple MLB franchises and the league office.

          Hamstrings are going haywire – already the most common injury in baseball, they are up 193% since 2019, with 47 IL stints compared to 16 through May 2021.

          Adductors are in disarray – there have been 16 groin-related IL trips, compared to two in 2019’s first two months.

          And oblique strains and tears are up 83% – from 12 after two months of 2019 to 22 in 2021.

          So, what you just said is BS

          2. They were not brought to market in record time, in the sense that the science (and one of the scientists is in my family) has been in development on mRNA for 20+ years!

          NO vaccine has ever been rolled out that fast. Regular vaccines have been in use for 50+ years, soooo?

          According to the CDC, here are the side effects of mRNA:

          From cdc.gov

          Common side effects

          On the arm where you got the shot:
          Pain
          Redness
          Swelling

          Throughout the rest of your body:
          Tiredness
          Headache
          Muscle pain
          Chills
          Fever
          Nausea
          COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection.

          Have you heard of hyaluronic acid soft tissue filler delayed inflammatory reaction following COVID-19 vaccination? I have. Here’s a white paper on it:

          https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocd.14312

          I can’t swear to it, but I think you one of the people who also told me there was no way COVID-19 was from a lab. I might go back and look it up.

          By the way, I have read a tremendous amount about mRNA (maybe you have read more, I can’t say) but I think mRNA will possibly be the cure to many horrible diseases in the future… and I took the vaccine.

          But the sweeping statements you made to dismiss my “theory” fall into the category of “thou do protest too much”!

          1. “methinks the lady doth protest too much”

             1. Yeah, that too

          2. This is like your dead voter thing. You are wrong, deep in a hole and keep digging.

             I am talking about the science behind the vaccine it has been around for 20+ years, it’s been tested and retested. It has BILLIONS of venture capital invested in it. Was it rushed to market, no.

             Your implication is that it was rushed to market. It wasn’t. It was facilitated by
             I was talking about Dodger injuries not being soft tissue, but I obviously wasn’t clear enough.

             As for the soft tissue and the white paper you cited. It’s moronic and stupid, and that’s a new low for your arguing.

             That shite paper centers around individuals who had or seek hyaluronic acid soft tissue filler injectors. Who are those people? People fighting wrinkles and the aesthetics associated with aging! This is the botox target audience. Not professional athletes. Let me guessed, you google soft tissue and COVID and just posted the first link that looked legit.

             I doubt you have read much about Covid beyond slanted news, but you can claim otherwise.

             I don’t really care where the Virus came from, but i’m a fan of people making a molehill out of that topic. Present company included.

             Quit while you’re behind, it’s embarrassing.

             1. I am well aware of the long history of mRNA vaccines. Your suppositions are more like suppositories.

                I am not saying the vaccines are dangerous, I am not saying you should not take the vaccines. I am saying that there are side effects as with any drug or vaccine… mRNA or not. I am not the only one who thinks there MIGHT be a connection between the vaccine and soft tissue injuries.

                Reactions to vaccines typically occur within 6 weeks of the vaccination. Why do they monitor you for 15 minutes after your shot? I think it’s embarrassing that a person who thinks they are as smart as you do, refuses to consider logical possibilities. That’s the real embarrassment.

                Remember this because in a few weeks or months, we may know otherwise. I have simply suggested the possibility that this could be an issue. Just a possibility. To jump all over it like you did smacks of “don’t mess with my worldview, but cause I am not open to that.”

                You are a master of illusory superiority, which is a condition of cognitive bias wherein a person overestimates their own qualities and abilities, in relation to the same qualities and abilities of other people. You may or may not outgrow that condition. If not, it may prove to be fatal.

             2. “Remember this because in a few weeks or months, we may know otherwise.”

                Throw in more conditionals!

                Won’t help you when you end up wrong.

                The science is sound, your loony theories are not.

                Yes, there may be people who think there might be a relationship between mRNA and soft tissue injuries.

                There are also people who think the Earth is flat and that Trump won the election.

                The presence of stupid people who share in theories isn’t anything to be proud of.

                The NYTimes recently looked into the rash of soft tissue injuries. They consulted experts. Somehow mRNA never comes up.

                https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/03/sports/baseball/mlb-injuries-soft-tissue.html

                I wonder why?

                Stick to Keibert Ruiz, it’s safer territory for you.

                IMHO.

             3. There’s nothing humble about your opinion.

                What are you compensating for?

16. On Trevor Bauer:

    Here is the problems the Dodgers and MLB face:

    If they suspend him, it will be looked upon as a finding of guilt… especially if the Police do not charge him. They HAVE to wait for the Restraining Order Hearing and whether the PPD charges him. Like it or not, that is way it probably has to be.

    1. That’s logical. Which is why I don’t anticipate it happening that way.

       This isn’t only about legalities. It’s about image. MLB has to do something or fans are going to snap. And frankly, not just female fans.

    2. The other problem, as DiGiovanna referenced in today’s article, is that his teammates may not want him back

    3. The other thing that can happen would be a settlement where she gets a grip of cash and he doesn’t admit any guilt.

       1. I thought that would have happened by now.

17. AC, I have more fun tossing out trade scenarios than you do reading mine and others. It’s not like I would make any of them. Mostly they are rooted in the comments people make here. If someone touts a player then I like to offer that player up for what I consider a much better player. Puts touting in perspective.

    I do like the idea of trading Friedman for Zaidi. That was a fun one.

    I agree about Bauer. Make a decision but if he is allowed to play, trade him. Trade him for Scherzer plus $$ or players that make the trade work. Bauer should be popular with many of those that work in marble buildings.

    STB, Bellinger for Turner.

    1. I always had the feeling your trade scenarios were rooted in balderdash just to get a rise out of people. That’s why I always responded with a trade that centered around Joc.

       1. Especially when I offered Grandal in trade.

18. Another very good column, Jeff.

    Just some observations from being at the game last night.

    The Dodgers were missing six starters: Will Smith (Barnes started instead and hit the game winning homerun), Corey Seager (hand), Max Muncy (paternity leave), Cody Bellinger (hamstring), Mookie Betts (hip) and Gavin Lux (hamstring).

    If they run that line-up out during a spring training game, MLB fines them.

    No surprise, the offense was missing, just five hits. No real threats were mounted. Still, it was a pretty exciting game. Great performance by Tony Gonsolin, his velocity back up at 95.

    Big excitement when Joe Kelly entered the game and struck out the hitter to end the inning. Lights out stuff.

    Blake Treinen was dominating. Then came the moment the bullpen gates opened and out walked Kenley Jansen, a nervous murmur rolling through the crowd. But give Dodger fans some credit, they rose to their feet applauded and offered words of encouragement. He delivered and it was like all was forgiven and normal again. Oh yes, the Giants lost. So did the Padres.

    The feeling among fans I talked with, no one expects Trevor Bauer back. A Times article this morning said pretty much the same thing. Apparently, according to sources in the clubhouse, players don’t want him back. No real surprise.

    But I agree it’s time for MLB to step up and make a decision. The police investigation and the court may drag on. I’m guessing the Dodgers want a decision too, one that suspends Bauer without pay, essentially taking them off the financial hook. They still owe Bauer around $75 million. Stan Kasten did say the Dodgers would have more to say when the MLB decision comes down. Expect Andrew Friedman to address the situation.

    One point I will disagree with Jeff on. If the Dodgers want to keep Seager, they will. The Yankees won’t be the reason Corey leaves LA. But the central question becomes, what’s his value? No question a full season of MVP like play would set him up for a big contract. The fact the hand issue is still a problem is a source of concern. Still, Lux hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. The 50/50 estimate is probably about right. The Dodgers will certainly want him back, they really need his bat, but there is some history injury to consider.

    May depend on what they see when he returns. There will other options this winter. At this point, other than Jon Gray or Kyle Hendricks, the starting g pitching market seems somewhat limited. Will Max Scherzer be moved? Maybe, maybe not.

    But bullpen arms will be easier to make deals for and the Dodgers need to address the pen.

19. Joctober – .400/.400/.400/.800 against SD in NLDS, .389/.421/.556/.977 against ATL in NLCS, and .400/.500/.700/1.200 against TB in WS. Who replaces that?

    Kike’ in the critical Atlanta NLCS series – .308/.357/.769/1.126 with two very key HRs.

    Now for Pollock:
    Career post season: .176 .243 .294 .537
    2020 Post season .220 .273 .268 .541
    2019 post season .000 .071 .000 .071

    1. Yep. Pollock never has filled me with confidence. When he’s hot, he’s impressive. But he has cold streaks. Who wouldn’t rather see Kris Bryant in there?

       1. After a blistering start, Kris Bryant is morphing into his 2020 persona over his last 30 games.

          Kris Bryant :
          Season – .266/.354/.494/.848
          Last 7 games – .234/.435/.471/.926
          Last 15 games – .273/.385/.455/.840
          Last 30 games – .191/.296/.340/.636

          AJ Pollock
          Season – .277/.337/.511/.848
          Last 7 games – .292/.346/.333/.679
          Last 15 games – .345/.410/.709/1.119
          Last 30 games – .307/.369/.634/1.003

          Jason Heyward
          Season – .204/.282/.339/.622
          Last 7 games – .130/.130/.217/.347
          Last 15 games – .239/.271/.348/.619
          Last 30 games – .259/.330/.339/.622

          AJ Splits:
          March/April – .264/.312/.389/.701
          May – .318/.400/.682/1.082
          June – .222/.273/.375/.648
          July – .338/.411/.738/1.149

          vs RHP – .272/.325/.523/.848
          vs LHP – .288/.360/.488/.847

          RISP – .286/.400/.460/.860
          RSIP w/2 outs – .242/.390/.364/.754

          Kris Bryant
          March/April – .322/.412/.667/1.078
          May – .327/.400/.561/.961
          June – .114/.205/.241/.445
          July – .292/.393/.493/.842

          vs RHP – .272/.325/.523/.848
          vs LHP – .288/.360/.488/.847

          RISP – .250/.410/.500/.910
          RSIP w/2 outs – .176/.282/.324/.606

          AJ sees less than 2X the number of RHP as LHP
          Bryant sees more than 3X the number of RHP as LHP

          I would suspect that Roberts would sit Bryant against RHP more than he is presently being sat.

20. Per True Blue LA, “Jansen this year in nine games with no days rest has a 7.27 ERA with as many walks (10) as strikeouts (10). In his other 30 games, Jansen’s ERA is 1.76 with 35 strikeouts and 17 walks.”

    So don’t use him on consecutive days

    1. I am sure that they have all seen the computer printouts showing this trend. But I think this has more to do with Doc’s arrogance than anything else. He did the same thing with Pedro Baez. When Baez kept getting lit up, Roberts stubbornly kept trotting him out to the mound to the boos of the crowd, prompting your moniker of El Gasolino.

       Managers are not supposed to have favorites, but methinks Doc does.

       1. Yep!!! Well said Jeff.

          1. He’s not doing his favorite any favors by ignoring the obvious and setting him up for failure.

             1. Thus his arrogance.

    2. You know Rick not dissing your post but the use of KJ was discussed at length early in the season when he started pitching better. The pervasive though was he can be effect for more than one inning in a game and he can’t be effective on consecutive days. Slowly as time passed, Doc started to break those rules. That’s continued until KJ finally showed us all why we proposed that in the first place. Back to square one for my money. No back to back appearances and 3 outs max.

21. Great read this morning Jeff! I don’t think anyone thought we would have so many of our best players on the il this season. Depending on AAA so much seems like a merry go round for guys like Raley but the experience they are getting is fantastic , Alex Vesia for example.
    Looking forward to Jo Jo starting today. I’m thinking he is going to be a valuable starter down the stretch once he gets his innings built up to 6 plus.

22. Looks like 2 shades of Gray today.
    We really need that win, especially in a 1 run game. I have been especially questioning of Doc’s moves at time but I’ll give him credit, he and whomever make decisions basically told the discontented fan base to FO and they did it their way putting in KJ again in that situation. I bet someday in KJ’s book he will describe how much he respected and appreciate Doc for sticking with him when half the fanbase wanted him traded to the farthest location from LA.
    So what would you have said in early April if I told you our out field just after the all star break would be Raley, Pollock in center, and McKinney with Neuse and Pujols on the right side?

    While the umpiring behind the dish has been remarkably poor, last night Carrapazza made a point of staring into our dugout just looking to pick a fight between innings. Just walk the other way and don’t instigate a confrontation after CT3’s K. Dick

    We are all upset, taxed, pissed or worse over the last 5 losses. But I would still like to try to enjoy watching a ball game because it’s a nice night for baseball. And it turned out to be a great game. Actually the 4 previous games were exciting too. We just lost. Last night, Orel and Joe wouldn’t stop talking, lamenting, reviewing analyzing and whining about Friday night’s game. Relentless. I know wtf happened. Call this game.
    We all look to AF to look for players, make trades. Get us better. Tough job right now. And I assume he’s responsible for all the player movement trying to compete with all the injuries. And it hasn’t been productive. Maybe these guys were all overrated. They have to be capable of executing at a competitive level and so far they haven’t. As I mentioned the other day, the guys who have been up and down have hit a buck forty and now Raley and Neuse are back with another 0 for 6 last night. Can’t we get some production from any these guys?

23. 2021 Dodgers draft picks
    Round Pick # Pos Player Bat/Throw Age* School Slot value Signed?
    1 29 LHP Maddux Bruns L/L 19 UMS Wright prep (AL) $2,424,600 $2,197,500
    3 101 RHP Peter Heubeck R/R 18 Gilman School (MD) $577,000 $1,269,500
    4 131 RHP Nick Nastrini R/R 21 UCLA $430,800 $497,500
    5 162 RHP Ben Casparius R/R 22 UConn $318,200
    6 192 RHP Emmet Sheehan R/R 21 Boston College $247,000
    7 222 RHP Ryan Sublette R/R 22 Texas Tech $194,400
    8 252 LHP Ben Harris L/L 21 Georgia $162,700
    9 282 LHP Lael Lockhart S/L 23 Arkansas $149,800 $2,500
    10 312 RHP Michael Hobbs R/R 21 St. Mary’s College $142,200 $2,500
    11 342 LHP Justin Wrobleski L/L 20 Oklahoma State
    12 372 LHP Ronan Kopp L/L 18 South Mountain CC (AZ)
    13 402 RHP Antonio Knowles R/R 21 Florida SouthWestern State College
    14 432 RHP Jordan Leasure R/R 22 Tampa
    15 462 RHP Madison Jeffrey L/R 21 West Virginia
    16 492 SS Michael Sirota R/R 18 The Gunnery School (CT)
    17 522 LHP Adam Tulloch L/L 20 West Virginia
    18 552 OF Damon Keith R/R 21 Cal Baptist yes
    19 582 RHP Gabe Emmett R/R 20 Folsom Lake College
    20 612 RHP Charlie Connolly R/R 22 Navy
    Totals $4,646,700 +$245,100 (5.27%)
    *age as of June 30, 2021

    1. How does #9 and 10 sign for only $2500 each? That’s $140K+ under slot value. Because they were college seniors? They must have some top notch agents.

       1. 5th year seniors. They have no leverage, and no place to go.

24. Great stuff Jeff. I had read many times the last few weeks about the uptick in injuries and especially soft tissue stuff. I am not really educated very well on the subject. So anything I would say would not be very relevant. The number of stars suffering injurie this season is astounding. Toronto, who’s big ticket signing was George Springer, have barely seen their star on the field. The White Sox have lost some pretty good players to injury as have most teams in MLB including my favorite whipping boy, Grandal. And we are not the only team with a player suspended for some sort of misconduct or accusations of misconduct. The Braves are missing a huge piece of their offense in Ozuna, and the Nats are without Starlin Castro. Mean while, Kike continues to have an impact in Boston, he is hitting a little over .240. He had not reached that average here for quite a while. Joc, now with Atlanta had a stellar day yesterday with 4 hits and 4 RBI’s including a 3 run shot in the 9th. It came off of a position player, Ronald Torreyes, the Phillies SS. Tauchman pitched the 9th for the Giants last night. 2 position players finishing out blow outs. Old friend Rich Hill is pitching for the Mets today. Wearing # 21.

25. Today’s Lineup:

    HITTERS H-AB RBI HR SB AVG
    C. TaylorSS 92-330 53 14 9 .279
    B. McKinneyRF 41-193 20 8 2 .212
    J. Turner3B 101-335 58 18 0 .301
    W. SmithC 66-254 45 13 2 .260
    M. Beaty1B 39-154 30 4 1 .253
    A. PollockCF 64-231 36 13 2 .277
    Z. McKinstry2B 34-149 29 7 1 .228
    L. RaleyLF 9-53 2 1 0 .170
    J. GrayP 0-2 0 0 0 .000

    1. That ought to put the fear of god into the Rockies.

    2. Smith has got big shoes to fill. I hope he is up to it. ☺

       1. I assume the cleanup spot in the Dodger lineup is cumulatively pathetic.

          1. Usually, but Smith hit the game winner in that spot today.

26. Red Sox being no hit by the Yankees into the 7th. Padres losing to Miami 4-2.

27. Brandon Lewis just hit another home run to pull the Loons even at 2-2. Justin Yurchak followed up with a home run to go ahead. The Loons have 19 home runs in this six-game series with Lake County.

28. I am not looking forward to this trade deadline, I would want no trades by anybody, but of course that will not be the case. If the rumors Jeff posted are right, then we see SFG with Kimbrel, and SDP with Scherzer. That may not get SD over the top this year, but it sure will make them better than the Dodgers next year, with the best starting staff in baseball. Kimbrel is better than Jansen, and he probably would give the Giants the best relief corps in baseball, far better than ours.

    I am expecting us to pick up one or two players, but no one of that caliber. Maybe Kennedy, and a mid-level outfielder like Turner, whom I am not a big fan of. I hope I am wrong. This trade period is not just for this season, but the next few; and I think that SD and SF are going to try to build a better roster than we have, while we re stymied by the Bauer contract and various free agent uncertainties. So I don’t think we will be relatively better compared to either of them, when the deadline is reached., an we could be appreciably worse off. This is what Preller has been going for every since last season, and the offseason. How will we, will we try, to preempt him?

    1. It’s possible this may be remembered as the Curse of Bauer year. If those two moves are made those two teams will be significantly improved. The Dodgers are limping, everybody can see it and Friedman needs to do something, if for no other reason than change things up. I believe he will.

    2. Don’t buy into those baseballtradevalues proposals. They are from fans who throw names into a computer to try and match value. They have no basis in reality when it comes to what GMs may or may not be thinking. The Pads may in fact get Scherzer and SFG may get Kimbrel. I doubt from those trade proposals.

       I do not think Preller is sitting as pretty as many do. He overspent at last year’s deadline and last winter. He is down to 4 untouchables (his position, not mine) and will try to get elite talent by giving quantity over quality. The Pads have a limited number of 2nd tier prospects, and if they are unwilling (again per Preller) to spend any of Gore, Abrams, Campusano, and Hassell, then they have very little to offer for elite talent. If it is only going to take quantity, that is a game LAD can outspend SD (If they want to).

       I like trade proposals, and I have thrown out more than my share, but I knew I was way out of my element in 2017 when Dodgerrick was pushing for JDM, and many of us came out with some strange proposals that were considerably more than what Detroit actually received from Arizona. Then you see what Minnesota got for Nelson Cruz. It is clear that JDM was not nearly as valuable at the trade deadline as some of us thought, and undoubtedly not as valuable to the DBacks as was Cruz to Tampa Bay.

       William, I agree that Bauer is an obstacle, but if any team can handle the financial abyss he is projecting, it is the Dodgers. They made a mistake, albeit an expensive one. They need to move on. I am only hoping that Manfred helps LAD by suspending him without pay for the remainder of 2021. Maybe he will opt out after 2021 (doubtful).

       Unapprove | Reply | Quick Edit | Edit | History | Spam | Trash

       1. Jeff wrote:

          Don’t buy into those baseballtradevalues proposals.

          I write:

          Especially the nonsense I come up with!

29. This is silly, but there is a large dark place in me that would love to see the Giants win the west, the Padres come in second, and the Dodgers get into the playoffs by winning the 163rd game of the year to sneak in as the second NL wildcard, then proceed to win the chip. There’s some dark magic in that scenario that satisfies an itch that just running away with it can’t reach. The crowning touch would be a whole winter of listening to midgie fans whine about the unbelievably lucky Dodgers.
    I know, it’s an impossible dream.

30. Mookie on the IL and will miss the SFG series. Not great news, but are they telling us with all of the doctor reports, they could not make this determination at least during the first SFG series so at least LAD could get another player on the roster?

    1. Nelson was activated. Red Sox came off of the mat in the 8th inning. Verdugo spoiled the no no with a double, then the Sox got 4 more hits, a ground out and a sac fly to take the lead. Barnes shut the Yanks down for the win. Padres getting crushed by the Marlins. Jake Reed plucked off of waivers by the Rays.

       1. Jake Reed is the perfect pitcher for the Rays.

    2. Retroactive to Thursday, so he’s out another week. What does the MRI show? They aren’t saying. We could pay several team payrolls with what we have inactive.

       Preller is warming up. I can feel it. Farhan is smiling. He’s already ahead of schedule.

31. SD lost to Miami again today (9-3).

    After being no hit for 7, Boston comes back to score five on NYY in the 8th to win 5-4. Alex Verdugo got the first hit with a double to lead off the 8th, and Kike’ had a key double and scored the go ahead run.

    1. I posted that earlier Jeff….you stealin my stuff??? LOL…..Gray gives up another long ball. This is going to be a close game I think.

       1. I steal from the best!!!

          1. Thanks buddy.

32. I always enjoy reading stuff from Jeff. A lot of good stuff. A lot of knowledge.

33. After a great post by Jeff, the Reverend and Bluto take us to where no Dodger fans wanted to go!!!
    Although it is refreshing to think/hallucinate that Covid caused the IL from hell this year!??!
    But the there’s Bauer Curse dammit….
    My mood ring has officially turned dark!!!

    1. I have not said that it caused it. I have suggested the possibility which seems to be heresy.
       

       1. I’d like to hear somebody other than your sports nut doctor friend make the correlation. Looks to me like it’s just baseball players who are breaking down. Football, basketball, hockey and soccer are being played, the Olympics are going on, why just baseball?

       2. Just like saying “the science is settled” means there is no longer any real science on the subject.

       3. Not heresy, just stupid.

          1. That’s what they said about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity for forty years until it was finally proved to be true. Just saying.

34. Miguel Vargas – 8 RBI so far today with Tulsa and a triple short of the cycle.

    1. But the Drillers are up by two touchdowns and a field goal!

       Mike Busch is 2-4 with 4 runs scored as well.

       Today was James Outman’s 3rd game at AA and he is 3-5 with his 1st HR and has also scored 4 runs.

       It’s a good thing they are scoring. Mike Grove gave up 7 runs in 3.2 IP.

       YIKES!

35. I have a question – when I played and coached, if you are on third with less than 2 outs and the infield is in, you have to wait for the ground ball to clear the infield before scoring. That’s why the infield is in, to prevent the run. I’ve seen this time and again with this team and the only guy I’ve seen make is Mookie and that was because he had a huge lead. To no surprise Pollock was out by 10’. When did this strategy change?

    1. Today! 😉

    2. It depends.. Sometimes they decide to “run on contact” and they give the runner that sign. It comes from the manager and they hope it is a weak groundball or not directly at a fielder. Not a bad play when you aren’t getting hits. It is manufacturing a run and like a stolen base, it doesn’t always work.

       1. That IS the play – run on contact. I’m saying it’s a stupid play. If the ball is hit at one of the drawn in infielders you are an easy out. All that work to get to third and you give them an out at home plate? Dumb. Just wait to make sure the ball gets through. If it doesn’t, you are still on third.

36. End of the bench guys giving us NOTHING! Just killing us! Raley, Reks, Beaty, McKinstry, McKinny, Noisy and al. Send them far far away please

    1. McKinney in the 2 hole today. He walked twice and Turner did nothing. All of those guys are just holding serve until the A-Team arrives.

37. I agree with Campy!!! Just trying anything to get something going…
    This is painful…
    CT3 2 dingers…

    1. I think it tells more what Doc felt AJ’s chances were scoring with Luke Raley on deck. Go on contact and hope for the best.

       1. It’s been been done before. In my opinion it is not a good baseball play. There are many ways to score from third without a hit.

38. That might have been Jon Gray’s final game as a Rockie. He is a career Rockie. When he is good, he is very good. When he is not, he is horrid. He will be pitching for some contending team in a pennant race next weekend.

39. this season the average batting average is .239 according to ESPN. The season average is the lowest through June since it was .233 in 1968, according to the Elias Sports Bureau . That was the last season before the pitcher’s mound was lowered.

    That means that we have three batters that are below that average; McKinney, McKinstry and Raley. It seems worse than that.

    1. With Cody’s .162 we now have 4 under the agerage.

       1. They should never be in the lineup on the same day.

40. Padres get Bucs Adam Frazier.

    1. Did you happen to see who they gave up for him? He’s an excellent pick up for Pads and would have looked good in Dodger blue.

       1. “Three players are headed to Pittsburgh in the deal, as per FanSided’s Robert Murray, with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin reporting that utilityman Tucupita Marcano and outfielder Jack Suwinski are two of the players involved in the return. Right-hander Michell Miliano is the third player, ESPN.com.”

          That’s a big get.

          1. Thank you Badger for the update. It doesn’t look like it was from their top tier prospects so that is probably why 3 players went to Pittsburgh.

41. Smith bomb for the lead.

42. Bazooka with actual control and wicked hard, Kelly throwing 100mph strikes for a save. Pitchers give up 2 runs & I think 8 hits in two games.
    CT3 doing a better Mookie imitation leading off than Mookies. Fun times!

43. Not sure what version or alter ego of Joe Kelly we saw today but we’ll take it. Gotta keep pace until we get some of the A team back. On Saturday I was in a hold pattern on the trade deadline but it’s amazing what 2 wins will do to change my mind. Pads picked up a huge addition in Adam Frazier. Hope we can add something similar.

44. Nice win, thank you very much Will Smith. Taylor should be signed to an extension like tomorrow. They would be in huge trouble without him. He has been more than adequate at SS, and has more pop than some of the so called regulars. Excellent outing by Bazooka and Mariachi Joe. Bickford gets the win. BP is trying very hard to redeem themselves. Padres are supposedly hunting for a first baseman since they are not to enamored with Howser any more. Rangers exploring extension with Gallo. Day off tomorrow as they fly to SF. Giants salvaged a win and the Padres Darvish got hammered by the Fish.

45. Kelly tweaked his hammy fielding a dribbler back to the mound in the 9th.
    Supposed to be evaluated tomorrow.
    Doc will announce he’s day to day.
    He won’t be seen on the mound again this year.
    And the beat goes on.

    This just in: He hurt himself when he slipped on a used vaccine syringe while fielding the ball. Looks like some of you guys might have been correct.

    1. Love it STB. Best post of the day by far!

46. More on the Padres trade with Pittsburgh for Adam Frazier.

    As Badger stated, the Pads returned three players:

    ●Tucupita Marcano SS/2B Age – 21; Rated #5 Prospect by MLB, #8 by Baseball America, and #11 by FanGraphs with a FV of 40 (Bench Player). MLB Pipeline grades him Hit 55, Power 45, Run 55, Arm 50, Fielding 50, Overall 50. He is named after his Venezuelan town of Tucupita. He is in AAA batting .182/.280/.205/.485, but remember he is 21.

    ●Jack Suwinski OF – Age 22 – AA this year, batting .269/.398/.551/.949 (267 PA)

    ●Michell Milano – RHRP – Age 21 – Low A – 18 G, 25.2 IP, 3.16 ERA, 1.403 WHIP, 52K / 21 BB

    Neither Suwinski or Milano are rated by MLB or Baseball America. They are not listed in the FanGraphs Top 39, indicating that per Eric Logenhagen they have a FV of 30 at best. That would place them as AAAA players as their future.

    The Pirates also sent cash on the deal ($1.4MM).

    Perhaps a LAD comp:
    SS/2B Jacob Amaya
    OF Donovan Casey
    RHRP Melvin Jimenez
    No Cash Back

    Baseball America and MLB rate Murcano ahead of Amaya, while FanGraphs rates Amaya considerably higher than Murcano. MLB rates their skills just about even. FanGraphs has Amaya at a 50 FV (Average everyday player), while Baseball America indicates that Amaya is a defensive whiz who needs to improve his offense to become the regular, while apparently the ceiling for Murcano is as a utility infielder.

    Murcano was blocked in SD by Tatis, Cronenworth, Ha-Seong Kim, and Jurickson Profar at the ML level, and CJ Abrams at the MiLB level. Murcano could become the SS for the Bucs.

    I have no idea if AF even pursued Frazier. He was never linked to LAD. Pads have a decent relationship with the Bucs after the Joe Musgrave deal last winter.

    IMO, this was a steal for SD. They did not give up anything for their future, and they have the MLB leader in hits to finish the season, and have him all next year.

    1. Preller. (with closed fist in Newman inference).

       And he’s not done.

       You know, when our first team gets back, and we get a starter, it won’t matter what San Diego does. They’ll be chasing us all year.

       1. Preller is already talking about getting a starter.

          1. Yeah. I know. And he will get one.

    2. I really admire Preller for being able to pull prospects out of a hat and then being able to convince other GM’s that they really want these guys.

       I can’t quite understand why he thought he needed Frazier but I’m sure he has his reasons, and since he didn’t give up anything useful to him, why not go for it and at the same time keep Frazier from landing anywhere else.

       Apparently Cherrington was pretty high on Marcano but I’m surprised he couldn’t do better than this from a team that really needed Frazier. Again, just another indication of how good a salesman Preller is. And I’m sure he’s just beginning.

47. Well, it wouldn’t be a Dodgers series if someone didn’t get injured. Hopefully Kelly’s hamstring isn’t going to be a big deal. Like we were hoping about Betts’ hip. Damn that sure puts a damper on the excitement of watching him and Grateral pumping 100+ for 3 innings in relief.

    I felt like Gray took a step forward today even if he walked too many guys. I can see him getting better as the season progresses if it weren’t for the fact that he probably joins the pen when Kershaw gets back, or down to AAA to stand by for the next injury.

    They way that Gonso and Price pitched the last time out, I feel a lot better about our rotation.

    Frazier is a very solid player, but a little bit of a head scratcher. He’s got a knack for getting hits and getting on base, but with only 4 homers in that Pittsburg bandbox, he’s a curious fit to play a corner in cavernous, damp and cool Petco Park.

    Well, we have an off day before we regroup and go to Bumville by the bay. Muncy will be back maybe Belli will be back as well. I have little faith that Seags will be back for any of these games and Mookie isn’t eligible to come off the IL until after the trade deadline.

    I can only wonder what Andrew will come up with. It’s hard to identify a clear need once everyone is healthy besides better bench pieces and one of only a few closers that might be available. Right now we have 6 regulars that OPS over 850. The other two regulars are Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger.

    The no Bauer pitching staff will include Bueller, Kershaw, Urias, Price and Gonsolin.

    The pen will have Jansen, Knebel, Treinen, Kelly, Nelson, Graterol, V-Gone and your choice for a second lefty. Options include Alexander, Nunez, Vesia and that guy Cleavinger, who’s sporting a 2.12 ERA.

    It sure would be nice to play a game with all our pieces on the table.

48. Wow we got 2 one run wins vs the Rockies….easily could have been a sweep. Not sure what our lineup will be against the gnats this week but hopefully it will be better than what we have seen lately. I am so disappointed we haven’t seen Seager for now approaching 11 weeks….RU KIDDING ME???….maybe he has decided he doesn’t want to play for the Dodgers anymore. What a PANCY….a fractured little pinkie!! Supposedly he wants to play on the east coast and wants Borass to get him $300mil+. He is not going to get that from the Dodgers so how about making him part of major trade with the Nats….send him and Bellinger to the Nats for Scherzer and Turner???

    1. I think you’ve got two conflicting ideas going here hbd48. First you accuse Seager of being soft, but then you say he wants Boras to get him $300 mil. Every day he spends not playing he lowers his contract value.

       He may not want to play here after this year, but I guarantee you that he would be on the field if he was able to swing a bat and have some chance of getting a hit. Even if his only motivation was money, he would be out there if he could play.

       1. I agree STB, and it is not all his choice. The medical staff these days have a huge say in when a player gets back on the field. And I doubt very seriously that Corey is a pansy. According to most of what I have read, the finger is healed, but holding a bat and swinging it is where the pain has not subsided. Could be a lot of reasons. But fans are impatient where the team does not want to trot a player back out there before he is ready only to lose them again. Kemp came back too soon in 2012 and was not the same player, .350 20 HR’s, as he was prior to getting hurt. Finished at .303 with 23 dingers.

49. I like it. Scherzer and Turner over Seager and Belli. Too bad this is probably not going to happen.

    1. DC would not even consider it. Scherzer is a free agent after the year, but Turner has a year left and is a much better SS than Seager defensively. Besides, most believe the Dodgers are targeting guys like Duffy of the Royals and Anderson of the Pirates.

       1. So Seager is a free agent after this year too and Bellinger in 2024. Heck, I would throw in Kenley and Barnes and then we could see what Ruiz is all about. We would be giving up 2 of our past all star everyday players that I would say are both injury prone….especially Seager who has missed almost half our regular season games in the last 4 years. And we don’t know if Bellinger will find his swing again…it has been 2 years since he has done much!
          I know it is wishful thinking for me and the Dodgers aren’t likely to do anything that big before the trade deadline.

    2. Not in a million years. Could you imagine if Seags and Belli come out of their slumps with the Nats? Not a good look. Besides, I would think the Nats would want to load up their farm system and rebuild quickly while they still have Soto.

50. A nice win, but we scored four runs in two days, all coming on home runs. We cannot manufacture a rally, against average pitchers. We will get Muncy back, but Seager won’t play in the Giants series. Bellinger might, but what will he contribute? We have to put together at least a two-run inning on occasion, unless our pitching gives them no more than a run a game. We cannot string together three hits in a row.

    I would want AF to consider that his trade deadline moves do not occur in a vacuum, just as the season does not. If we end up as a wildcard, the other one will be a team in our division, and the team with the overall home field advantage will be the other team in our division. So if they improve more than we do,, how we are in the abstract is irrelevant. In that vein, not only do I want us to get Kimbrel, but I do not want our rivals to get him. Are we really going to be stubborn enough to have Jansen as a closer for however long we are in the playoffs? It’s not as if we are going to score so many runs that we will have leads of more than two runs. Given that, we need the lockdown closer. If we don’t get that, I don’t see how we last in playoff series.

    I would want us to make the trade for Kimbrel, and then a starter of some ability, to buffer against Kershaw not being as effective, and avoiding bullpen games in the playoffs. We’ve been in this situation before, and it only worked last year, when our bullpen ace was Urias. My non-optimistic but honest prediction is that we do not get, or even go after, Kimbrel, and he goes to a rival. If I’m wrong, and we get him, our chances to win significantly improve. Roberts loves Kenley, and is unlikely to want to upset him by taking him out of the closer role, which I think would be putting his sentiments over rational perceptions.

    1. Love your analysis William as always, so tired of hearing about Jansen’s mindset, he’s about as fragile mentally as they come IMO, no need for stats or numbers, eye test is enough.

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