Find Another Drum

Posted By on October 3, 2019

All season, many readers here and Dodger fans, in general, have been beating the drum and chanting the mantra that the Dodgers’ bullpen is somehow inferior. Pedro Moura of The Athletic wrote this:

Despite their substandard start, despite fans’ continued frustration, despite the front office’s decision not to add much in July, Dodgers relievers finished the season among the best in baseball. Their 3.85 ERA was tied atop the National League. Their 2.94 September ERA stood alone as the NL’s best, second in MLB to the Tampa Bay Rays.

I think I have been telling you this all year. With Stripling, Hill, Maeda, May, and even Kershaw in the playoff bullpen, it is indeed a different animal in the playoffs.

I may be totally wrong on this but, why is it that everyone assumes that Adam Kolarek will make the playoff roster? With Rich Hill on it, I would leave off Adam and add Gonsolin or Ferguson. I can’t see wasting a roster spot for a guy who is only a LOOOGY and might pitch to 5 batters in 5 games. Even Kershaw can be a LOOOGTY if needed. Just say no to Kolarek. I would keep Gonsolin over him.

The rosters will be out later today, but here’s my pitching staff:

  1. Buehler
  2. Kershaw
  3. Ryu
  4. Hill
  5. Maeda
  6. Baez
  7. May
  8. Gonsolin
  9. Stripling
  10. Jansen
  11. Kelly
  12. Urias

Maybe they go with a LOOOGGGYYYY, but I doubt it. OTOH, maybe they don’t want another rookie in Gonsolin and Kolarek makes it. We shall see…

If there are key players who MUST be elite this series it is Striker Buehler and Corey Seager. Tonight’s game is the biggest of Striker’s career. The Nats are hot and confident. This could be a dogfight. Their Achilles Heel is their bullpen

By the way, if you read that article I posted above in The Athletic, you might be of the opinion that Mark Prior needs to be pitching coach next season with Honey taking a senior role. If it doesn’t happen now, the Dodgers will likely lose him to another team. Moura sums it up as follows:

The irony to his current position is that Prior never actually pitched out of the bullpen in the big leagues. He is one of nine retired pitchers to start at least 100 games and never once relieve. But, at some point soon, Honeycutt is expected to retire, and Prior would be a logical choice to replace him.


“I don’t necessarily know if he’s the guy to take over for Honeycutt,” Stripling said. “But I just know that if he did, everyone would like it.”
Two years in, Prior has created himself a niche in the Dodgers’ organization. He is the pitcher who was so spectacular and then so unspectacular. He is the coach who bridges gaps between relievers and starters and between Honeycutt’s feel-based techniques and the front office’s data-driven methods. He is the middleman.


“Dude, you know there’s some people in the world that transcend all generations?” [Dusty] Baker said. “That’s how I thought about myself, even though I got the rap of being old school. And that’s how I see Mark. He’s somewhere in between the new school sabermetrics and old school.”


Baker made the postseason in each of the final four seasons of his managerial career. He understands the pressure the territory presents, what it demands of its decision-makers. Maybe, in retrospect, he would’ve pulled Prior from that Wrigley Field nightmare. He has always felt awful about how his pupil’s career halted. But he made the decision he deemed best in that moment. Knowing what he knew then, there was little reason to think it would be the end.


And, out of the end, a valuable coach emerged. Prior has become a man suited for the stress of October.


“He’s both calculated and spontaneous at the same time,” Baker said. “The calculated part comes from being highly intelligent. The spontaneous part comes from being a ballplayer.”


As much as some fans increasingly desire every bit of managing to be calculated ahead of time, Baker said, it is not possible. Spontaneity will always be necessary. “No matter how good your game plan is, something’s gonna happen,” he said, “and you’re gonna have to react.”


Sixteen years ago, Baker reacted by leaving Prior in the game, and the Cubs lost. To win this year, Roberts and Prior must repeatedly make the right bullpen decisions.

Mark Prior will have a heavy say in how the Dodger Bullpen is utilized this Post-Season. I see the Dodger’s bullpen as a strength this Post-Season. I also see the Nationals bullpen as being a glaring weakness. MLB .com wrote this about the Nats pen:

Here comes the hard part for the Nationals. They cannot run Cy Young Award candidate after Cy Young Award candidate from the bullpen anymore like they did in the Wild Card Game. Now they will have to get by with their actual relievers, the ones who combined to post the second-worst ERA in the Majors this season. Sean Doolittle and Daniel Hudson have shared closing duties down the stretch. Fernando Rodney is likely to be Martinez’s next most-trusted reliever, with Tanner Rainey, Hunter Strickland and perhaps Wander Suero rounding out the bullpen. Maybe Austin Voth will be converted to a reliever and help.

I stay away from predictions, but I like the Dodger’s chances. If they are ready and execute, it should go very well.

I missed Tuesday and Wednesday as they were just Wild Rides for me… no time. It’s still busy today but here are both days report and it starts with the fact that they were shutout both days. The Dogs are now 3-9 and can’t jump out of a boat and hit water.

On Tuesday, Omar Estevez, Devin Mann and Jeren Kendall were 0-9. The only Dodger bright spot was, Marshall Kasowski who pitched 2 innings out of the bullpen and allowed 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 4.

On Wednesday, it was more of the same as no Dodger hitters played. Brett de Gaeus pitched an inning and continued his mastery as his ERA is still at Triple Zeros.

After 12 games, here are the Dodgers stats:

  • Justin Yurchak – .375 BA/1.069 OPS
  • Omar Estevez – .313 BA/.697 OPS
  • Jeren Kendall – .267 BA/.733 OPS (16 K’s in 30 AB)
  • Devin Mann – .087 BA/.406 OPS
  • Brett de Geus – 0.00 ERA/0.46 WHIP
  • Gerardo Carillo – 2.53 ERA/1.03 WHIP
  • Marshall Kasowski – 8.10 ERA/2.10 WHIO
  • Mitch White – 27.00 ERA/7.50 WHIP

I guess they are “working on stuff.” Nothing to see here folks… move on.

The Dogs

So yesterday, my wife was out of town and I had the PHCC National Convention at the Indiana Convention Center, so we have a “Dog Walker” who will let the dogs out and do their thing. Well, they decided to make a jailbreak and we looked for them for over 3 hours until I found out that Animal Control took them to jail. I have to bail them out this morning. I’m sure that’s going to be costly. Dang little criminals! Well, they are no so little.

Louie
The Mighty Quinn

This article has 82 Comments

  1. If this game is a must-win one, why didn’t they choose Ryu who is 10-1 at home? Is something wrong with my logic? If their plan is to use Hill as #4, then Ryu would pitch #5 back in L.A. Someone please explain why my plan is not the best, if you will.

    1. Buehler, game 163, Buehler Game 7 in Mil, Buehler Shut down the Sox in a must win game 3

      I like him going game 1.

      Now lets gets some flipping hits and runs off Corbin tonight!!!

    2. Because they want their only right handed pitcher to pitch twice if necessary because the Nats hit lefties better than any club in MLB.

  2. Without trying, you are making many of our argument about the lack of a bullpen. Of the 8 relievers you have included, 5 are starters that are needed because there is no bullpen. Maeda, May, Gonsolin, Stripling, Urias. The only members of the bullpen that you have included are Kenley Jansen, Pedro Baez, and Joe Kelly. We have no idea how KJ will perform. We hope he resurrects his pre 2017 WS persona, but he is just as likely to revert to the blown save machine he was in 2019. I am optimistic, but I am not delusional. I can make an argument for maybe he turns it around, but I can make the counter argument as well. The Dodger trainers/medical staff/Joe Kelly himself have said that Kelly is ready to go. Is he? We will see. I hope so, because he is going to be key to the overall success of the bullpen. Petey Baez? All we can do is hope.

    No, the bullpen that you have excluded consists of JT Chargois, Dylan Floro, Yimi Garcia, Caleb Ferguson, Adam Kolarek, Casey Sadler, and Josh Sborz. It was their inconsistency that requires the use of 5 starters including 2 rookies; one who started the year at AA. Every Dodgers fan on the planet wants the redesigned bullpen to succeed.

    Two relievers that did move at the deadline, Mark Melancon and Shane Greene, have teamed up to give the Braves a legit back end high leverage bullpen. Greene did not close well for the Braves after the trade, but he is a legit lock down setup 8th inning guy. Melancon has seemingly rediscovered his pitching ability that generated the excessive contract he did sign. Maybe KJ can do the same at the right time.

    Nobody is complaining that the Dodgers have the depth that no other team has allowing them to pull starters and put them in the bullpen. But make no mistake, they are needed because the team does not have a reliable bullpen. I am optimistic that the redesigned bullpen will come through in three short series, and I will go into each and every game believing they will.

    1. That is just semantics, AC. If you’re talking about next year’s pen, then you may be right when SOME of those guys go back to the rotation. But, in the here and now, those guys are in the pen. Hell, you can make a case that Gonso, May aren’t quite ready to be starters yet and that Maeda is best served as a swingman, like Stripling. Considering how volatile relievers are, some of the “relievers” that are left off the roster could be lock down relievers next year. But, this is “this year”, more specifically it is “this post-season” and for the here and now, those guys are in the pen and the pen is good.

      Personally, I would have Gonso on the roster over Stripling. It could be rust, but I didn’t like that 3 run first inning not long ago.

      I also like Kolarek on the roster. Let him pitch to Soto late every game.

      The Nats crush Lefties and we crush Righties. We line up our only Righty starter to pitch twice and they line up their only Lefty to pitch twice. If the better team wins, we’ll be popping champagne soon enough. I can’t wait for the game tonight. I hope we jump all over Corbin quickly and start burning that pen.

      Let’s hope we don’t see a wacky lineup tonight.

  3. I think Matt just answered why Buehler is the choice. But actually, with our top 3 it could really be that it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other. And actually, no one really knows how this game or any others are going to play out. And a lots going to depend on how well the Dodgers hit against the pitching choices made by the Nats.

    Mark, your comments about Kolarek mirror comments I made recently. However, we all know about the “best laid plans….” In the end, in the famous words of Doris Day, “que sera sera”.

  5. Right out of the gate!!! Who left the crypt keeper’s door open???
    Walker is starting because Doc is starting him!! Simple for some…
    Read Matt & 59’s comments…
    Damn, I’m 11 hours from gametime and I’m jacked…
    Good D and stay healthy Blue…
    Attn: Dodger Mom, start sending out your positive vibes…

  6. Line-up prediction:

    CT3 RF
    Freese 1B
    JT 3B
    Cody CF
    Seager SS
    Muncy 2B
    Pollock LF
    Smith C
    Walker P

    That leaves Martin and Hernandez as the RH bats on the bench and Beaty and Lux as our LH bats. If we go with 12 pitchers the roster might include Rios or Gyorko. I think they will go with 13 pitchers with Rios and Grorko on the outside looking in.

    1. I don’t see any way Pollock hits 7th in a lineup against a lefty.
      Maybe switch Pollock and CT or move Pollock to 5th and slide everyone after that down one.
      Also, I would think they wouldn’t use CT in right so I’m guessing CT in center, Belli in right.

      1. Pollock will hit in the top 5 for sure. I think he hits leadoff. I mean I think he should hit leadoff and not mess around will taking Freese out of the game.

  7. I would put Rios instead of Beaty. Beaty did not hit well last few weeks and Rios has more power and on base skills and better on defense at least at first base it seems. I know Beaty had clutch hits but he did not look too good lately

  8. I am glad Nationals made it to playoffs and Prima Donna overrated Harper and Phillies with all expensive signings and trades did not made it ! If you really compare Harper had decent numbers and productive but head to head Muncy is the same or better ! So glad Dodgers did not sign this guy and his antics !

      1. Who says Puig is my favorite player ? Favorite Player was Kemp, way back was Kirk Gibson when i started watching Dodger games, then Butler, Piazza, Mondesi, Sheffield, Green, Kent, Kemp, now Muncy and Bellinger. I did liked Puig and still like him but he can be a moron and if he wasnt a moron he would still be in the Dodgers.

  9. I think it was Vince Scully that I heard say, “Baseball is the only game that the defense has the ball all of the time.” That is so true and our Dodgers have a great defense. I go into tonight’s game with confidence and pride for their past efforts and future ones. With high hopes I feel that the team will come through victorious and continue their journey to the WS. I have good vibes about the team. We all should.

    1. Hey Mom, I’m not sure I understand your comment about ‘Dodgers have great defense.’ To me, this season was one of the worst defensive seasons I’ve seen in some time. We are near the bottom of the pile. Did you know that? We HAD good defense up until this season. It seemed to explode with the injuries and lack of defensive depth. Players playing out of their natural positions. Lux has helped.

        1. Freese may be “a post out there”. He isn’t going to win a beauty contest at first like Belli but he’s hitting .315 on the season (.286 vs lefties and .361 vs righties) so he’s no “post” at the plate. Rios won’t make the roster for this round or any actually.

          1. Yes but he is clearly n the worst defensive 1b at this moment at MLB . Have you not watched any of the games where he played recently. Guy basically cant move around and had that dumb error in game 1 of 2018 WS. Yes he can bat but he is not a good defensive 1b at all.

          2. Carlos, Rios is not good defensively anywhere and most likely gets dealt to an AL team. He wasn’t even called up initially. I honestly don’t even think he was in consideration for making the postseason roster. All I need Freese to be able to do at 1st is scoop the ball. He’s good enough. It’s not like he’s Daniel Murphy or Joc Pederson trying to play 1st base.

      2. Sorry Jeff, but you’re just wrong on the defense comment. We’re tops in DRS and Defensive Efficiency. Fielding percentage is a non-stat.

  10. Jeff, I value your opinions but I was looking at a positive take on the team. I guess I should not have said “a great defense” because at times it wasn’t but at times it was. Hernandez, , Taylor, Lux and of corse Bellinger, have been very good at least to my eyes. Turner and Seager have at times also. And, I was considering the pitching, especially the starters as part of the defense for the team too.

  11. We do rank pretty high in DFS because of shifts and positioning but overall we’ve had better defensive years. In tonight’s lineup we only have one elite defender and that’s Belly

  12. No Gonsolin on the postseason roster.

    Pitchers:
    Kersh
    Buehler
    Hill
    Ryu
    Kenley
    Baez
    Kelly
    May
    Urias
    Strip
    Maeda
    Kolarek

    Hitters are what we all expected

    2. I’d rather have Gonsolin instead of Stripling.

      Gonsolin 580 OPS against.
      Stripling 699 OPS against.

      I hope Roberts plays the splits and identifies the clear reverse splits like Urias better against right handed hitters and Freese better against right handed pitchers.

      1. Gonsolin’s last outing is an example of why he didn’t make it over Stripling whether we like it or not. Chicken Strip has been through it. If Hill does down early they need someone who can handle the pressure while giving multiple innings. They can’t afford to have Gonsolin come in and throw 25 pitches and inning to get through an inning and toast the entire bullpen. Gonsolin’s opportunity will come, but once Doc announced Stripling was on the roster it be came apparent that Goose was the odd man out.

  13. “I may be totally wrong on this but, why is it that everyone assumes that Adam Kolarek will make the playoff roster?”

    Because it was a no brainer for the reasons that have been gone over on this site multiple times!

    1. Well, it may be a “no brainer ” for those without brains, but for those with a modicum of intelligence, it was a hard decision.

  14. It all starts tonight and no matter where the Dodgers finish, this has been a great season.

  15. DODGERS ANNOUNCE NLDS ROSTER

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their 25-man roster for the 2019 National League Division Series, which begins tonight vs. the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5:37 p.m. PT.

    The Dodgers will carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players. The roster is as follows:

    Pitchers (12) Position Players (13)
    RHP Pedro Baéz IF Matt Beaty (L)
    RHP Walker Buehler 1B/OF Cody Bellinger (L)
    LHP Rich Hill IF David Freese
    RHP Kenley Jansen IF/OF Kiké Hernández
    RHP Joe Kelly IF Gavin Lux (L)
    LHP Clayton Kershaw C Russell Martin
    LHP Adam Kolarek IF Max Muncy (L)
    RHP Kenta Maeda OF Joc Pederson (L)
    RHP Dustin May OF A.J. Pollock
    LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu SS Corey Seager (L)
    RHP Ross Stripling C Will Smith
    LHP Julio Urías OF/IF Chris Taylor
    3B Justin Turner

    The NLDS continues tomorrow night with Game 2 at 6:37 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium.

    The series shifts to Washington, DC on Sunday with Game 3 (4:45 p.m. PT) and Monday with Game 4 (Time TBD, if necessary) at Nationals Park next week. Game 5 (if necessary) would be played on Wednesday, October 9 at Dodger Stadium (Time TBD).

  16. It boiled down to Gonsolin or Kolarek. The Dodgers made the decision that Kolarek was more valuable.

    1. Kolarek was on. It came down to Stripling over Gonsolin and Ferguson once Hill made it. It was actually what I last predicted. Gonsolin throwing a simulated game the other day was also a sign that he wasn’t making the NLDS roster.

  18. I would like to see Ryu pitch game 2 at DS also. But the staff might think differently and I will support their decision. Besides what do I know? I am mainly just a mom and a cheerleader and glad of it.

  19. We r all just cheerleaders DMom. If we knew what we were talking about then somebody would be paying for all of our valuable wisdom about all things Dodgers!

  20. Mark, those are handsome dogs. I’ve always liked big dogs over little yippy dogs. We had two Saint Bernards for some time. Now we have a Samoyed.

  21. Looks to me that if it came down to the veteran Stripling over the rookie Gonsolin who struggled in his last outing,. The Dodgers were always going to carry a second lefthander in the pen, and they again went with the veteran Kolarek, and passed on the younger Ferguson who struggled at times.

    None of us can claim clairvoyance, so in the end, if the Dodgers win it all, Doc is a genius, and if not, he’s a moron. 🙂

  22. Maybe it came down to Hill or Gonsolin, Strip or Gonsolin, Kolarek, or Gonsoling. Or, none of the above. Who cares? It came down to this, there’s a lot of good pitchers on the staff and a few good pitchers didn’t make it. That’s a great problem to have. 1-12 we have the best pitching in the MLB.

    Let’s just hope the lineup isn’t one of those Yahzee lineups.

    1. And the roster can always be changed after the win of the series with the Senators.

  23. Your right DB Mom
    In the post season we will have our best defense in place.
    It takes all three legs of the stool, offense, defense and pitching.
    We have all 3.

  27. I am not surprised Gonsolin did not make it. May was sharper. I did not think they would carry two rookies in the bull pen. I do think Gonsolin is going to be a very good pitcher.

  30. That is a long lineup to pitch through.

    The only change that we probably would have had against Corbin, would be Verdugo for CT3.

    As strong as we can be otherwise.

  32. That’s not the official lineup

    This is-

    Freese 1B
    Turner
    Pollock
    Belinger
    Muncy
    Seagar
    CT3
    Smith
    Beuhler

      1. Not a fan of batting the two lefties back to back. I don’t like batting Freese 1st. Usually when they do that, Doc pulls him as soon as a RH pitcher comes in which is totally unnecessary. It is the 8 I would have played. Time for Pollock to earn his money tonight.

  34. Doc says it’s unlikely that Alex Verdugo plays this postseason. He isn’t doing any baseball activities including not swinging a bat

    1. I have resigned to that long ago. I only hope he can be healthy next year.

      This could be really serious.

  35. Good to know that our problem with lefties is no longer an issue. Our playoff offense continues to be offensive! Thx to Buehler and Howie! Our game MVP’s

  37. Gotta love Muncy, the most unsexy clutch Dodger of them all this season. Love how he grinds at bats waiting, just waiting the pitcher out for the one he wants. This guy could be our unsung postseason hero. Looked so calm stroking that 2 run shot to right. Love it.

  38. Anyone have a guess as to how far Joc’s ball would have gone if the foul pole didn’t get in the way?

  39. And we’ve been complaining about OUR bullpen! That’s our biggest advantage in this series! See Mark all your negativity about our bullpen was for naught! Or was that Cassidy?

    1. After the re-shaping of the pen there’s really only guy who we are all worried about. Even his strongest supporters were relieved when we added on. The less he’s exposed the better too. They didnt see Baez, Urias, Stripling, Kenley, or May. We need 6 strong out of Clayton tomorrow and get to their pen.

  42. Words of wisdom and a challenge to boot!!!
    “If this game is a must-win one, why didn’t they choose Ryu who is 10-1 at home? Is something wrong with my logic? If their plan is to use Hill as #4, then Ryu would pitch #5 back in L.A. Someone please explain why my plan is not the best, if you will.” From the mind of Jeff…And nothing after that…
    No explanation needed Jeff!!!
    P.S. That’s 1 down Blue…

    1. I think 59 explained it quite well. But I doubt you really read very well. Why are you always making it personal? Is this your idea of how to behave well towards others? Or, maybe you are just a natural born asshole?!

      1. I’m with you on this one. I don’t agree with a lot of you opinions, in fact that comment about the Dodgers poor defense was just flat out incorrect, but I’m not going to make it personal. You have a right to comment, and at least you’re putting yourself out there and giving your takes on baseball rather than just taking shots at people.

      2. Jeff – Mea Culpa – I’ll keep it simple and say you inanely asked for an explanation why your plan was’nt the best and I simply stated it wasn’t… Ahole comment, Alot of work, but my last colonoscopy showed I’m a perfect one at that…

  43. Good to see Lux hit that homer, now he can relax and not feel pressured. I like Maeda in the bulllpen, hopefully the Dodgers can have him there next year during the regular season. He’s tough on right handed hitters 590 career OPS and 535 OPS this season against right handed hitters.

    1 down 10 to go.

    Oh and a good managed game by Dave Roberts, liked the pitching decisions.

  45. Just like all year long… A team on a mission and getting it done… Muncy for me was a head scratcher!!! Where did we get him and who is he??? CT3 all over again…
    It’s a beautiful thing to watch… Maeda is a warrior and I’d luv to see him back in the fold 2020…
    Strasburg vs Kersh!!! Does it get any better than that!??!

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