The simple way to blame someone for last night’s debacle ‘er, loss, is to say it was on Dave Roberts for starting Chris Taylor at 3B after Max Muncy’s big night. However, that would be short-sighted as well. Max has not fared well against Alex Wood – having just one hit in 9 career at-bats against him, and it could be that Max Muncy is becoming a platoon hitter as he has not gotten a hit against a LHP this season!
There’s another reason Chris Taylor started at 3B last night: Doc is a players’ manager, and showing confidence in a player breeds confidence. In case you have never played the game, the most important aspect of hitting is confidence. The opposite of confidence is indecision, and indecision will kill a hitter. Dave Roberts and the Dodger staff are trying hard to “fix” CT3… but sadly, it is not working. I feel I am watching a Cody Bellinger re-run!
Here’s the deal: when the top four hitters in your lineup get one hit and the bottom four hitters get two hits, you are not scoring, let alone winning. Mookie did walk three times, so I give him a pass, but Freddie Freeman was 0-5 and still has just 2 RBIs on the season. That is insane.
Here is what else is insane: Making a determination at this juncture of the season that a certain player is a good or bad MLB player. It’s way too early for that. Dave Roberts can’t do it. Andrew Friedman can’t do it, No rational baseball person can do it. I can’t do it. But maybe you possess some special power that enables you to determine that at this juncture. If so, I would recommend selling that to the highest bidder. If you prove you can do that, someone will pay you millions. If not, right about now would be a good time to be still.
This is not close to playing out with CT3, and it is painful to watch, but it’s just one game. It might take 20-30 more before we can reach a determination. In the meantime, we have to remember that it’s a team game, and when you lose 5-0, with just three hits, it’s more than one problem. For the short term, Muncy is going to play against RHP, and CT3 will likely play against LHP. This puts Max in the best place to succeed and also gives Chris his opportunity. It’s a process, and it takes patience… no matter how ugly the game.
Miguel Vargas is playing exceptionally well at 2B, so I would hesitate to put him over at 3B, but maybe there is a plan to do that if CT3 can’t cut it. Busch is hitting .326 at OKC, and I think his bat is MLB-Ready, and he can play 2B. But a lot has to play out before that happens. By the way, Gavin Stone struggled with control again last night. He gave up two home runs and allowed three hits and three runs in 4 IP. He walked four batters. YIKES! See, even I did not know Shineola about him being ready! The OKC Dodgers did win, however, as Nick Robertson is taking the next steps forward. The 6′ 6″ RH went two innings and got his second win. He has struck out 12 in 7 IP, and you may see him at a Ravine near you this summer. Harold Uhlman (Dodger Chatter) is loving it from his vantage point with the Big Dodger in the Sky!
Other Dodger News
- Andy Pages was 2-4 at Tulsa last night with 3 RBIs.
- Emmett Sheehan pitched four innings, allowing two hits and 2 ER while walking one and striking out 9.
- By the way, if you click <Minor League Affiliates> at the top of the LADT page, you will go to every team’s home page, where the box score is located. I do not have time to do a re-cap.
- After first-inning control issues, Dustim May came back with a vengeance! I like the growth I am seeing from Dustin.
- Tonight, it’s Kershaw vs. Cobb.
- I can live with being 6-6. I do not like sub-.500!
Question
As you may know, I was supposed to have back surgery on Monday (Lumbar Decompression), but in the Pre-Op Meeting, they did an EKG and said I have A-Fib. It is now postponed! I am getting an Apple Watch today (as it detects it). I have no symptoms. Does anyone have experience with this?
3 for 30, 11K’s, 0 for 8 WRISP. It’s games like this that don’t exactly fill me with confidence in this group. And we’ve seen a few already.
CT3 looks lost. What to do? I have no idea. Keep putting him out there I guess.
Lakers came back. That’s a good thing.
I know a little about AFib Mark. Not enough to offer a lot of opinion here. Obviously it can be serious, but you know that already. Get as much information as you can and follow your doctor’s advice. Avoid triggers such as alcohol, caffeine, high stress. I would of course recommend a vegan diet until you know more, but, that’s me. Deep breathing exercises, yoga, walking, cycling. If you’ve been thinking about losing a few pounds, now would be a good time to do it.
Not starting MM after his big night might be defendable because of his track record vs Wood.
But not pinch hitting him in the 6th with bases loaded, none out is not defendable. Yes, he might have struck out or hit into a triple play but leaving him on the bench when we had our best look at the game was a WTF moment. At least for me. But hey, Roberts has a plan and what do I know ?
Well, what I do know: Dodgers currently have 6 players on the roster who are hitting below the Mendoza line. Muncy, Taylor, Vargas ( I give him a pass becaus of his walks) , Rojas, Barnes and Peralta. That is 6 out of 13 position players .
Yes, it is early, very early in the season but this at the very least IS concerning. Especially since the Dodgers will not have the luxury of throwing away games this season. They probably will need each and every win to make it into postseason play.
MOF, I am not surprised at what I am seeing at the moment. It is more or less what I expected. Very good starting pitching but a lineup with a lot of holes and a weak bench. Bullpen so far is disappointing which comes as a surprise since I thought it would be a strength.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good starting pitching? Yes, once in a while. You saw an example of it with Kershaw and May. Who else beside Urias would you have confidence in?
May and Clayton (if healthy) for sure, Grove and Syndergaar so far not.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like CT3, he is a valuable player, but not as a hitter. With a decent roster he should be the utility player, filling in 4-5 x a week and hitting 8th. He can be counted on to play good defense wherever they put him anf anything they get from him offensively is a bonus. Is that worth $15 mil/yr? Maybe.
No way is he worth that. There are many good defensive infielders that can bat far above the Mendoza line. KT3 is not one of them. He has gone the way of the Kike, as Max will go the way of the Joc. Giants would be perfect for Max. It’s the only field he can hit in. BTW, KT3 is no longer our SO champion. JD seems hell bent in taking over that spot.
We’ve been here before in this 10 year run. Panic is for pancies
We never had a lineup with that many question marks.
And concern is not panic.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Instead of pointing fingers at particular players, can we say that the Dodgers are just not executing very well in almost every area. The areas keep changing such as the overall speed of the team; they are slow. They are good defenders but not at throwing out runners like base stealers. It’s been a problem for some year that never gets addressed. I love Will Smith, but it’s his bat that gets the kudos, not his particular skills as a catcher as some people might think. They seem to be in love with the strike out and the walk. They do hit a lot of HR’s. Thank Van Scoyok but get rid of these guys. Bat to ball skills is where it is at in baseball. Execute by getting on base because you can’t win by hitting HR’s very often. And the pitching? I told you when the season was about to begin that their pitching didn’t look strong anymore. May is an example. Good pitcher who is struggling with his control after 2 years of injuries. Kershaw, an old soul and an old arm who can no longer keep HR’s or BB’s off his stat sheet. The rest are salvation army folks. Strength in numbers? Not in this batch. Muncy pinch hitting near the end of the game? lol. That’ll fix things, won’t it?
Mark, good luck with your upcoming procedure(s). My father used to tell me all the time that growing old is not for the feint of heart……… Try losing some weight. It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself.
“I love Will Smith, but it’s his bat that gets the kudos, not his particular skills as a catcher as some people might think.”
Right now Will Smith rates #4 in Pop Time at 1.94, about where he was last year (which was about middle of the pack). He’s not a Realmuto, but he’s not terrible, either, and the Dodgers vulnerability against an aggressive run game has more to do with Syndergaard’s and May’s deliveries with runners on. Even if that is a true weakness in Smith’s game, I don’t know what you propose to do about it. Trade him?
“They do hit a lot of HR’s. Thank Van Scoyok but get rid of these guys.”
What? Are you proposing a full tear town of the team? Get rid of Van Scoyok after 10 games? Cut or trade half the team? What are you saying?
The Dodgers offense led the league last year by a wide margin. They are currently 2nd in offense this year to the Rays, who are playing out of their minds.
“Bat to ball skills is where it is at in baseball.”
Maybe. Is that actually true, however? Sure, the bigger bags and shift ban has provided incentives to base stealing, but how much of actual, measurable run production is attributable to more “bat to ball skills,” and how much of this argument is more about nostalgia for how you think the game OUGHT to be played? Again, the Dodgers offense is measurably one of the best in the league.
“And the pitching? I told you when the season was about to begin that their pitching didn’t look strong anymore. May is an example. Good pitcher who is struggling with his control after 2 years of injuries.”
Compared to whom? No, it is not as loaded as it was in previous years, but you’re saying Urias, Kershaw, May and Gonsolin are a bad starting four? Yes, Syndergaard is looking to be a bust, but those are the risks you take when go for low risk/high reward types. Heaney and Tyler Anderson could have easily been busts last year, but they weren’t. The Dodgers lucked out (with the help of Prior).
Dustin May has a 1.47 ERA. His BB/9 % is 3.44 – about middle of the pack after that bad 1rst inning last night. You know who’s right above him in BB%? Gerrit Cole. Is Gerrit Cole a bust?
“The rest are salvation army folks”
This was the criticism of Friedman when he came on board. So far, nearly a decade of division winning, world series appearances and the best winning % streak by the Dodgers more than their 100 year history silenced this criticism, but here we are again! After a rough patch at the beginning of the season, that same argument rears its head.
Good grief! Talk about catastrophizing levels of pessimism!
And even if the Dodgers aren’t great this year, oh well. We expected that .. at least I did. Can they still make the playoffs with this team (with some tweaks). Sure. If winning 111 games was that easy, everyone would do it.
Stolen bases are up this year. The pitcher being on the pitch clock means he can’t freeze the runners. Previous years stats showed how hard it was to score with 3 singles but add a few stolen bases into the middle of those 3 singles and it becomes easier to score. The long ball is still important but singles have picked up usefulness.
Wood is very quick to the plate so is hard to steal off otherwise Betts with 3 walks might have run more. We’ll see if Betts and Outman will run more. If Vargas keeps his obp up then he too should be running more especially if the hitters behind him aren’t hitting the long ball.
I’m all for the Dodgers being more aggressive on the basepaths and being more inventive in terms of run creation, but they aren’t a bad offensive team. People need to calm down.
Is the ‘Manfred Clock’ the best thing in decades? Since whenever?
It’s Fire. I’m onboard.
I’m in, and I still don’t like Manfred!
I forget he started ‘Pitch Clock’ back in 2015 down on the farms.
Heads up move working things out beforehand.
Xtra innings are another thing he’s tinkering with. Long overdue.
Wishing the clock would be posted on-screen. Big miss not throwing that up.
Just win series, do that all year long we’ll be there.
Freddie due for a big night….
I echo the patience theme of this post, but quite honestly I’m worried CT3 is what he is right now, and will always be. We waited patiently for Bellinger often reading things like “he’ll find his stroke after recovering from surgery two years prior, he’ll get his timing back, he’ll quit using the stand up straight stance, RVS will figure it out,” but those improvements never came. Will CT3 experience the same fate? I have zero confidence RVS and Aaron Bates can figure CT3 out. He has regressed terribly and he looks lost at the plate. Perhaps and IL stint with a phantom injury and a Busch call-up is needed.
For the first time in many, many years I don’t like the roster construction but I’ll be patient. Peralta, Heyward, Thompson, Rojas, CT3 and to a certain extent Vargas , just don’t inspire me with a lot of offensive confidence.
A four game win streak might mask some of the roster flaws and put me in a better mood, but right now this team looks average and maybe just a wildcard team in the post season at best. I’ll practice patience at hope for the best.
Well Phillies went to the WS as a WC so all would not be lost in that scenario…..
“Peralta, Heyward, Thompson, Rojas, CT3 and to a certain extent Vargas , just don’t inspire me with a lot of offensive confidence.”
Before the season even started Peralta, Heyward, Thompson, Vargas were the guys I had question marks about. Rojas I knew had no bat. But Taylor I thought would bounce back from last year.
Anyways good post.
But, Outman does?
Outman does what? I don’t know what you mean. Unless you’re talking to Norcaldodgerfan
You are right on with this roster the Dodgers may not make the playoffs. What you saw last night is what the team is. Two many holes in the lineup. CT3, Peralta, Thompson, Heyward are not very good offensively. CT3 is horrible. Go Dodgers!
I am going to blame Doc for some of this. He will not adjust. It is all about the HR. He will not play small ball. We have two stolen bases all by Outman and that is it for the team. That game last night was winable. It was 2-1 for a long time. Mookie, Vargas, Outman, Rojas, Thompson, and others can run. Teams are running this year and we are not. There are many other ways to win a ball game besides the HR.
Another thing. Everyone steals on us. We have had this problem for years and it never gets fixed. Singles become doubles. Look at Arizona. They would get a guy on and immediately steal second. Now he is scoring position. This year, this problem is going to be bigger, because of the new changes. I feel sorry for Smith and Barnes. Even Johnny Bench could not throw those runners out. Fix the dam problem.
We are not a complete team. I just do not understand Doc. Small ball is what he did as a player. In my opinion, that is one of the reasons we do not do well in the playoffs. If we hit the HR, we win. If not, we lose. We win many games because we have better talent. With equal talent, Doc will not help this team win.
Muncy sits just one lousy game and the Dodgers get shut out.
The pre-game chat said Muncy was scheduled to rest last night. He hits much better in SF than he does in AZ so I guess Wood pitching trumped playing in SF.
Grove probably gets another start because Gonsolin and Pepiot can’t and Stone isn’t pushing yet. Dodgers need to play .500 ball until their pitching gets back to full strength, whatever that turns out to be.
If a team can’t score then pitching and defense needs to be strong. Where does that put the Dodgers going forward? For one thing it doesn’t beg for Busch to join the defense.
Every year there are superstars that have very slow starts.
Last year the Dodgers won 111 games with 4 players driving the offense. Betts, Freeman, Smith plus one from Outman, Vargas, and Martinez could be the four that drives the offense this year. Is 4 enough?
Where is Bobby Miller ?
Still rehabbing that shoulder in extended ST ?
I think we will need him soon.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Miller’s place in line, from what I’ve read, is behind (Gonsolin, of course,) Pepiot, and Stone.
Dodgers are 3rd in the league in team strikeouts with 112 in 12 games. JD Martinez and Max Muncy are tied for 5th; Taylor is tied for 23rd in only 31 AB (14 out of 31), Outman 37th (12 out of 33). Hard to move runners with RISP if you don’t make contact.
Last night they had bases loaded, no outs and couldn’t score a single run. Taylor K’d, Outman hit a dribbler as a force out at home, and Rojas K’d.
I still think that starting pitching will ultimately be a strength. Gonsolin will get healthy. He has done nothing but pitch well since being a major league starting pitcher – he has trouble staying on the field. Urias will be good – so will Kershaw if he’s healthy. We have seen how good May can be. If the Syndergaard experiment doesn’t work, they can try one of the hoards of starters in the upper minors who are nearly ready.
I also think that the ‘pen will ultimately be a strength. And they have some injured pitchers who may be able to make an impact before the season is over (Hudson, Nelson, Reyes, Feyereisen).
The infield defense is a concern. The lack of offense from the likes of Muncy, Taylor, Thompson, Peralta, and the outfield in general is a concern. The lack of team speed and the proclivity to strikeout is a concern.
The Dodgers have been great the past 4 years – 106 wins in 2019, a 116 win pace in 2020, 106 wins in 2021, 111 wins last year. Realistically, they can’t do that all of the time. This is a transitional year. They will be better than average but not great. I’m really interested in what the transition brings.
Good points.
I’m already looking forward to the finish, which has me looking forward to the trade deadline. So much for be here now. Now the Dodgers look beatable every other day, and they haven’t played anybody good yet. Maybe they just know how good they are and don’t feel any need to show it every day this early.
Maybe that’s my problem with golf. I know I am good so why show off.
I get it. It will only make others feel bad about themselves.
So let’s talk situational baseball. I have commented that I would like to see the Dodgers play more small ball, with the right guys, to manufacture runs when the bats are quiet; Jump start the offense. It’s just not their way and I know that but it doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.
Last night presented a perfect example of what I mean.
After 2 of our 3 total hits at the time, and a hit batter, CT3 comes up top 6 with bases loaded. No outs. The infield is at double play depth around the horn, leading 2 – 0, willing to trade a run for a double play.
What’s the play? What would you consider?
Option #1- The Typical Dodger Approach – do nothing; let CT3 hit and try to back leg something and hit a grand slam. Try to put us ahead 4 to 2. It worked the night before for Max. We hit home runs and score runs. Let it eat.
Option #2 – Manufacture a run to get the ball rolling. CT3 is hitting .097. He strikes out 45% of his at bats. Ask him to execute a safety squeeze. And he can bunt. It’s a play I typically don’t love with the bases loaded but the corners are back. Any half-ass bunt not straight back to the pitcher is indefensible. It doesn’t have to be a great bunt. Just fair. It’s a free run. Score a run and leave 2nd and 3rd, one out.
As it turned out, nothing was put on and the players didn’t execute at all in that situation. Taylor, Outman, and Rojas failed to score a run. No ground ball, no sac fly, no hit, no nothing. CT3 predictably struck out. Outman hit a miserable nubber back to the pitcher and Rojas struck out. Totally wasted opportunity.
All the small-ball haters will wince at my suggestion but that was a time I would have attempted to manufacture a run and who knows how the game may have changed.
And that’s the kind of play that wins in the playoffs. Employ it all season. Practice it. I’m not a small-ball fananatic but it has it’s time and place and is a tool to help players win games.
* Dustin May wasn’t at his best but he battled, only giving up 2. His at bat against Wade was an example of why I’d like to see him throw a change up. It was a 9 pitch at bat and somewhere aroung pitch 5 or 6, a change up would have been effective, getting Wade off his fastball. He was missing with the breaker. That pitch would help him.
* I wouldn’t wear those Giant City Connect uniforms to a shit fight. Clown Suits.
* I saw Alex Wood pitch a spring training game just like last night. He just is a comfortable 0 for 4. Add, subtract, in and out, up and down. He’s a surgeon.
* I read the Rosenthal article on the Yankees increased emphasis on stealing bases.
I had predicted the new rules would have little effect on stealing bases. Stealing always had a high success rate but many teams, like the Dodgers, chose instead to not risk injury, didn’t develop the players to steal and preferred to hit homer runs.
I was wrong. Especially with the Yankees.
They are teaching the The Momentum Lead – build momentum through motion. It’s basically the same concept as a trigger at the plate or when Muncy uses his happy feet trigger at the plate. Walking leads are the same principal.
Pitchers are taught (or used to be) to freeze the running and not allow that momentum. A pitcher would love to catch the runner doing the hippy-hop lead. It’s hard to get back to the bag with your feet in the air.
That’s changed now with the pitch clock and the disengagement rule.
Dave McKay is a crafty old first base coach with the D-Backs. These guys are devising stuff like a big one-way lead forcing a disengagements. Now the runner is more free to expand leads and try stuff.
It’s also apparent to a runner when the pitch clock is winding down. The pitcher can’t frezze a runner like before.
On a first and third situation if the runner at 1st can force 2 disengagements, I would early break steal every time. The traditional play is for the pitcher to step off, becoming an infielder, and throwing to a middle infielder at 2nd. My understanding is that’s disengagement #3 and balks the runner to 2nd. I don’t think that effects the runner at 3rd, but I might be wrong. Is he balked home? Wow, If I’d had these rules in high school i would have had a field day trying shit.
The cat and mouse game strategies have only just begun. I can see some late innings running tactics that really need defensive practice to prepare for.
Tonight is another opportunity to play better.
Nailed it philjones.
And that’s the kind of play that wins in the playoffs.
Really? Which playoffs?
You know, the ones that were won with something other than a 3 run home run
Not sure they happen that much.
To me Taylor looks totally lost. Even worse, he looks like he has no confidence in himself whatsoever. And also the offense is very inconsistent. You have that many opportunities to score and flame out? Sad state of affairs. The good news is there is plenty of time to turn it around.
Since the bottom of the lineup is not hitting and Freeman isn’t driving in runs, doesn’t it make sense to move the best overall hitter to third in the lineup where I always wanted him (Smith 2nd)? Smith has played 10 of 12 games and is hitting .069 worse than Freeman and Smith has the most RBI’s on the team and is batting 3rd in the lineup. It used to be you had your overall best hitter 3rd in the lineup.
Serious question: Shouldn’t Freeman bat 3rd in the lineup?
I have always felt he should be hitting third like he did last season when Turner was here. I do not think Smith should be #2 though. I prefer him in the 4 hole over Muncy. Slot Outman in there or even Vargas. Both are getting on base a lot.
Bear
Do you like the idea of Betts hitting 4th to tap into his power there? I know you like Smith 4th. But this is my favorite 1-6:
Outman
Smith
Freeman
Betts
Muncy
Martinez
Outman (Speed, BA, OBP, SLG)
Smith (BA, OBP, SLG)
Freeman (Overall best hitter career stats)
Betts (Overall 2nd best hitter career stats)
Muncy (Power)
Martinez (BA, Doubles)
3rd outfielder (Not as good as 2-6 career stats)
Taylor or Rojas SS (Nothing so far)
Vargas (Walk machine)
If anybody wants Betts and Freeman to get at bats with runners on then Vargas and Muncy should hit 8 and 9. If anybody doesn’t then continue to bat Rojas and Taylor 8 and 9.
Muncy so far is just a power guy, best behind the best hitters who have power (Freeman and Betts) 5th. I’m with you about Vargas 9th, even though he started as a walk machine, but hasn’t been lately. Outman is the fastest with OBP and SLG.
I really don’t see heyward , Thompson, peralta being much more than what they are right now. 3 – .200 hitters. Chris Taylor? So valuable on defense, but killing the team on offense! Send him down? Cut him? Just keep striking out? He’d be snapped up in a heartbeat if dodgers let. Him go. We need 2 productive bats added to that lineup! And I don’t think they are on the roster! Barnes catching tonight? Haven’t seen lineup
See me after 40 games. You will feel differently.
Matt Chapman in last year of contract deal I’m told. He would lock down third in a Big Way – some pop & Gold Glove skills.
You got it mark! Hope all 4 turn it around, but don’t be shocked if one the 4 is gone. Let’s get it going and show that 225 hitting Juan Soto who needs to worry about whom!
Some of you probably know that I was lobbying hard for DSwanson to replace TTurner at SS. Living in Georgia, I know all about him, and he would have made me forget my two favorite X-Dodgers (Seager and Turner….no, not Bellinger)….but I guess he cost too much. But even that perplexes me- take Perralta, Hayward, and Thor’s salary and give it to Swanson…..problem solved! Plus, I was hoping his great friendship with Freddie might have an influence on management , but I guess not enough.
So, AF does what he does often….sign 30+ declining players who were once pretty good but not at present….hoping they can relive the old glory days again wearing Dodgers Blue. Okayyyyyyyy….
TM
TM, I don’t think AF thought he needed to sign Swanson or another SS for that matter. He hoped he had the position covered with Lux. His injury changed a lot of things but not history.
Just to follow up on that, Thor cost 13 million and might have been a mistake. We’ll see. Peralta costs 6.5 Million and Heyward the MLB minimum at $720K. That’s 20.2 million. Swanson costs 25.3 million a year, for 7 years. In reality 20 versus 177 million.
Again I don’t think we thought he was worth that hoping Lux would solidify the spot.
I liked Swanson too, but I still believe the reason the Dodgers did not even sniff the tires was because they were told by Guggs and Company to try and get under the Luxury Tax.
9:45 PM ET
Dodgers (6-6)
Giants (5-6)
SP Clayton Kershaw L
1-1 3.75 ERA 12IP 13K
Alex Cobb R
0-1 2.53 ERA 10.2IP 12K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
DH J. Martinez R
CF James Outman L
2B M. Vargas R
LF D. Peralta L
SS Miguel Rojas R
Clear-day
0% rain
57° Wind 15 mph Out
NO Barnes 0-11 .000 catching Kershaw tonight
Tuesday scores
Oklahoma City 4, Sugar Land 3 (10 innings)
Midland 10, Tulsa 8
Great Lakes 9, Dayton 7
Rancho Cucamonga 8, Visalia 5
Wednesday schedule
Oklahoma City 3 vs. Sugar Land 7
Great Lakes (Adolfo Ramirez) at Dayton (Carson Rudd)
Tulsa (Landon Knack) at Midland (J.T. Ginn)
Rancho Cucamonga (Payton Martin) at Visalia (Joe Elbis)
The Rangers announced that shortstop Corey Seager has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. It’s a Grade 2 strain and comes with a minimum absence of four weeks, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. His roster spot goes to outfielder Leody Taveras, who has been activated from his own stint on the IL.
I had A-Flutter which is very similar to A Fib… I had a procedure done that eliminated the A Flutter. Check with your doc to see if there is a very similar procedure to correct it. I was in and out of the hospital the same day. No pricking your finger every day to check. Good luck..
Ira
Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart’s rhythm is abnormal. The individual muscle fibers in the heart can shake or vibrate (fibrillate) and the heart can actually stop beating with its normal sinus rhythm for a while. This can cause the blood in the heart to sit there and clot, which is why A-fib is such a significant stroke risk.
A-fib is really an electrical disorder. The electronic impulses that cause the heart to beat are off. There are surgical treatments to correct the electrical problems and there are prescription medications too. It is a serious condition. It isn’t related to coronary artery disease or high cholesterol. It can be affected by other medications or by other substances like caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, etc. A vegan diet wouldn’t hurt or help.
I don’t smoke. I drink very little and have 1-2 cups of coffee a day. I got the Apple watch today and it says “A-Fib”. I see the cardiologist tomorrow.
I feel good except for my back.
I’m an A Fib guy. Found out about mine in a pre-op before knee replacement surgery. A Fib set me back 5 months to fix, then I moved on to the knee. This is what I learned…..Apple watch, a must have. It will track your heart and sleeping respiration in the base product. Check both religiously for a while. There is a whole series of steps for A Fib. I got a quick zap, it put me back in rhythm for 1.5 days. If your AF is persistent, it is 95% likely you’ll need an ablation. I’d suggest you go there as soon as possible. All the pre steps were revenue generation steps for the hospital. My ablation went great. An easy procedure. After my knee was replaced I slipped into AF (surgery trauma) for two days, then presto back into rhythm. After the ablation it took me about a month to stay consistently in sinus rhythm. Should I slip back into AF in the future, I’m going to look heavily at the ablation procedure again. Others may have had different experiences but I’m off blood thinners, playing pickleball 4x weekly these days, knees are great too.
Can Julio pitch every game? Otherwise…….
Outman with a nice RBI and did you see JDM running without a piano on his back for his second triple?
The league is running wild, stealing bases, and leaving the Dodgers in the rearview mirror!
Outman 306 BA 457 OBP 722 SLG 1179 OPS
Vargas 208 BA 474 OBP 333 SLG 807 OPS
You tell me who is doing better by far so far?
My whole point during the off-season was who is more ready RIGHT NOW:
That doesn’t mean I’m rooting against Vargas. I’m rooting for both.
Obviously, Outman is doing better, so he is a shoo-in for the Rookie of the Year after 14 games?
We could talk about Vargas Thumb and Pinkie injuries, but it is what it is and it is a very long season.
One thing is certain : If you don’t put it in the strike zone, Vargas ain’t swinging.
The only problem with that post is that I never said Outman will win the rookie of the year unlike you who said Vargas would win the rookie of the year.
Still think that.
Is anybody really surprised that the Dodgers exploded tonite? Tick tick tick BOOM!!!
The reports of Muncy’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
After tonight, he would be tied for the lead in home runs at 5, would be fourth in RBIs with 14, and will raise his average to .220, which isn’t far off from the .250 of his peak years.
He’s had a bad stretch, but I think he’ll be fine.
Alex Verdugo had another mult-hit game, and is quietly starting to have a decent offensive year finally. No, I don’t want the Dodgers to get him back.
Wander Franco is quickly turning into the best SS in the game.
Yep.
A hot hitter who has one hit in career ABs against a certain pitcher is a pretty lame reason to sit him for someone who has an ice-cold bat.
The good news is that Max continued to swing his hot bat despite the misguided day off in which his sub struck out three times in 3 ABs. Maybe he just likes hitting in SF–and that would be another reason to play him.
Questions: What was Taylor’s career record against Wood? Did Max’s other ABs end up in ugly Ks or were there some line drives that got snagged? I once had a brief conversation with Al Campanis who talked about how he onces promoted a prospect after a 0-for-4 day because each out was actually a rocket that found a glove. But sure, we can’t know how Max would have fared against Wood–but we do know that Taylor struck out three times.
That said, I appreciate the stubborn determination to defend both Roberts and AF as geniuses of the game.
I will also argue, again, that AF was not a genius when he decided that Outman didn’t deserve more of a chance in ’22. If nothing else, Outman’s current success shows that his 2022 performance was not some sort of fluke. Wouldn’t the ’22 club have been better off down the stretch and in the postseason with Outman on the roster instead of Gallo and Vargas?
While Max was the star, and Freddie had that epic base on balls, Outman had another good night. Just a fine performance from the guy who is really only Dodgers’ 4th or 5th best OF prospect according to the sage Zen master of LADT.
Boy, the Dodger OF will be great when Pages, Ramos, DeLuca and Busch come up! Mookie will have to play 2B and Busch can be the DH.
And then Outman will fulfill his destiny as a 4th outfielder, just as the wise one predicted.
After 13 games, you already know that Outman is the second coming, and he would have done well in the playoffs. Well, second guesses are seldom wrong. We have no clue how he would have done it. I hope Outman becomes an All-Star. Many of us, me included, thought Gavin Stone would be ready. He’s obviously not. I give my opinions of what a player will be – I am not always right, but I do get it right a lot.
I would keep playing Outman, but at this juncture, he is a “Flash in the pan” to me. To people like you and Eric who just look at stats, I look at the underlying talent, and I am still not convinced he is any more than that. I truly hope you are right, but to mock someone for their opinion is childish, but so is anointing them a star after 13 games!
Well, maybe I should eat a little crow this time.
Or maybe not.
Just saw that a few years back Taylor had a career .333 against Wood, including two doubles and two HRs. So yeah, he belonged in the lineup…
. But Houston Mitchell’s report also said Max had gone 2 for 5 against Wood, including a HR. So the claim that Max only had one hit in 9 ABs against Wood seems to be in error.
Anyway, Mitchell’s report dates back to when Sheldon Neuse was on the Dodgers and Freddie wasn’t. Found it via google. Not sure what the career numbers are.
At any rate, I think hitter/pitcher matchups shouldn’t be ignored.
But if Taylor’s are better that Rojas’s, perhap he should have played SS to keep Max in the lineup.
1. Max had a scheduled day off that day because he was 1-9 against Wood (source: https://usatoday.sportsdirectinc.com/baseball/mlb-preview.aspx?page=/data/MLB/matchups/g4_preview_29.html)
Muncy does have a homer — but just one other hit — in nine career at-bats against Wood, who threw 71 pitches in three innings in a tag-team effort with Jakob Junis in his only previous start this season against the Chicago White Sox.
2. Wood like to come inside to Muncy and last year hit Max in the hand, breaking Max’s finger, which contributed to his bad season).
3. Max had that game scheduled as an “off day” ahead of time, and when players have an off day, they plan for it and truly take the day off. Maybe they can pinch-hit, but it is what it is called and it was scheduled.
So, Max was 1-9 against Wood. Wood broke his finger pitching inside, and it was a scheduled off day. It easy to be a legend in your own mind when you don’t have all the facts.
So the season is about 8% over and I’m ready to conclude that the Non-Devil Rays will finish 162-0.
The early stats are kind of fun, though.
Dodgers, as a team, are second to the Rays in OPS at .858, so it’s strange when the offense just disappears. The Rays are at .945.
As for pitching, the Rays are in front with a 2.17 ERA . They also have a 0.95 WHIP and .194 batting average against.
And the Dodgers are…. ouch….down in 15th position with a 4.30 ERA. The WHIP is 1.19 and the BAA is .253.
Tampa Bay’s Payroll is under $75 Million proving that money does not buy championships.