Do you remember when Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi started hoarding a bunch of “health challenged” starting pitchers? Everyone was beside themselves and complained ad nauseum about how these guys were “going to break down“, “you can’t count on them” and then “they don’t pitch deep enough into games?” The Dodger starters are still the number one staff in baseball. That worked out pretty good, didn’t it? In fact, I would bet a dollar to a donut that a bunch of other GM’s imitate that method starting this offseason. Many fans pointed to San Francisco as to ouw to build a winning pitching staff with The Shark, Cueto and Moore being acquired. That plan was scrapped long ago.
A couple of days ago, I said that the losing streak was deliberate and just to clarify, I did not say that the Dodgers were deliberately throwing games. No, they were not trying to lose, they were just auditioning players and resting players for the playoffs. They were so far ahead that the games meant nothing and so they took their foot off the accelerator and coasted while trying players in different roles. It was like Spring Training: They weren’t throwing games, but they weren’t trying to win either. Maybe they thought they would play .500 ball, but the results were disastrous. They have lost 16 out of 17 games, including 11 in a row.
Here’s the big question: What that the wrong thing to do? Most every fan will say YES! But most fans were wrong about how acquiring blind, crippled and crazy injury-prone pitchers would play out. Maybe this plays of that the Dodgers got a mental break, regrouped in time to win the playoffs and World Series… or maybe they will just crash and burn. History will be the judge. The day of reckoning is soon.
Many fans wanted FAZ fired for their choices in acquiring injury-prone pitchers. The Dodgers Front Office was openly ridiculed by a huge majority of the fanbase… only to see the Dodgers put up one of the greatest hot streaks EVER. Those injury-prone pitchers all played a part:
- Alex Wood
- Rich Hill
- Brandon McCarthy
- Scott Kazmir (OK, he didn’t)
- Kenta Maeda
- Brandon Morrow
Some of them may breakdown yet, but the depth is still there to withstand the storm.
Maybe, just maybe, this becomes the new paradigm of how to handle a team when they have an insurmountable lead. As harshly as Roberts and FAZ have been ridiculed for the losing streak (and me for even having the gall to suggest such heresy), this may be a roadmap to success… or it could lead to disaster. We don’t even have a clue. If the players understand what was going on, the loose mean nothing. I sensed a change of attitude last night, although Granderson at the top of the lineup was boneheaded!
No one knew what type of success FAZ would achieve when they signed those “injury-prone” pitchers. It didn’t make sense. That’s not how it has always been done… AND YET, IT WORKED.
Maybe this losing debacle is of the same ilk! I think Doc is starting to put his foot back on the accelerator. I get why they want Granderson in the lineup, but it’s not working with him at #1 or #2. Bat him #8 if you want him to play. According to Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com, Doc is just about ready to settle on a regular lineup:
“We have a lot of good players we’re still evaluating,” he said. “When you have the lead that we had, you can prioritize in health and trying to keep guys sharp versus trying to win every single game. But the challenge is keeping the sharpness and, obviously, we haven’t been sharp. I expect us to turn it around with a core group. The positions we’re talking about, anyone can debate who is that right person.”
Roberts acknowledged his club’s confidence “is probably wavering a little bit.” He said he expected the last-place Giants “to bring their best” against the Dodgers.
“I’d like to think it’s cause for us to dig a little deeper to beat these guys,” he said.
I don’t think it’s a theory that this losing streak was unintentionally, intentionally created – it was! The question is: How do they recover – it is a stepping stone or stumbling block?
Discussion (57)
Disagree, not disagreeable
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What’s happened to Pete?
Where are you pal – hope everything is ok?
Great win – much needed & AZ lost as well.
On the plane waiting to head off to Spain to play golf.
28 of us for 5 days – so good to start with a Dodger win.
Will try and keep up to date through my drunken haze.
That was easy.
I’d let Morrow finish the inning.
Good for JT. He owed Kershaw a big hit.
Dodgers trying to seize defeat from jaws of victory tonight.
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Anyone want to put money on outcome of tonight’s game?
Meanwhile, Verlander so far at Anaheim tonight: 8ip, 9k, 0 runs, 110 pitches.
Tulsa beat the Midland RockHounds in Game 1 of the Texas League Championship, 5-3. Mitch White pitched 5.0 innings, allowed 3 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, and 3 strikeouts. He did allow a 2 run HR. Shea Spitzbarth, Corey Copping, and Daniel Corcino pitched the final 4 innings allowing 0 runs on 2 hits, 2 walks, and 6 strikeouts. White got the win, while Corcino got the save.
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Offensively, Errol Robinson went 3-4, while Yusniel Diaz, Erick Mejia, and Drew Jackson each had 2 hits. Diaz and Jackson each had a triple in the victory.
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Game 2 is tomorrow with Scott Barlow due to face Grant Holmes
Kershaw battling Giants, home plate ump and His defense tonight. He wasn’t too happy with Granderson earlier.
Ethier
Turner
Corey
Cody
Puig
Gonzo
Taylor
Barnes
That os muy lineup
I don’t know if anyone posted this, but the Rangers finally brought Calhoun up to the big team.
I guess the Rangers have had a lot of players injured, recently.
Tonights lineup:
Taylor-CF
Seager-SS
Turner-3B
Belly-1B
Puig RF
Granderson-LF
Grandal-C
Utley-2B
Kershaw
At least G & G are lower in the order.
Batting average in Sept:
JT………………324
Barnes……..313
Kike………….294
Ethier……….286
AGon……….273
Puig…………265
Seager……..250
Cody………..233
Taylor………233
Logan………200
Verdugo….188
Joc……………100
Grandy…….097
Utley………..079
Grandal…..038
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ERA in Sept
Stripling…0.00
Ryu…………1.50
Cingrani..1.59
Watson….1.69
Jansen……3.00
Hill………….3.27
Kersh……..3.72
Avilan…….3.86
Maeda……4.50
Stewart….5.06
Fields……..5.40
Morrow…5.40
Wood…….7.36
Ravin……..9.82
Darvish..12.27
Parades..13.50
Buehler…15.43
Baez………20.25
I forgot to mention the Pioneer League Southern Division Championship Series where the Ogden Raptors beat the Orem Owlz (Angels) to win the Southern Division. They will now face the Northern Division Champion, Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox), in a best 2 out of 3 Pioneer League Championship. The star of the game was 20 year old RF Romer Cuadrado who went 5-5 with a Grand Slam and double. Cuadrado is from Maturin, Venezuela, and is someone to watch for next year. Look for him at Great Lakes. Mitchell Hansen had 2 triples, and Donovan Casey had a single to account for the entire Raptor offense. Edwin Uceta, a 19 year old RHP from Villa Los Almacigos, D.R., started and went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. The Championship Series starts Thursday in Ogden. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will be in Great Falls on Saturday and Sunday.
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Tonight is Game 1 of the Texas League Championship series between the Tulsa Drillers and Midland RockHounds (Oakland). Mitch White draws the opening game start for the Drillers, while 24 year old RHP James Naile will start for the RockHounds. Naile pitched 61.2 innings for Midland, and compiled a 3.20 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He had 17 walks and 42 strikeouts. While the Drillers Game 2 starter has not been named, Grant Holmes gets the start for Midland.
If Verdugo was untradeable then play him in LF or go with Ethier who is .300 hitter vs righties not a .210 hitter. Barnes needs to be in the lineup somewhere. Grandal looks like he did at the end 2015. Having said that, the starting pitching needs to step up. Maeda isn’t a clutch pitcher. When things get tough he wilts. Once there was a 3 hour delay, Ryu should have been getting ready to piggyback with Maeda instead of focusing on a 5 inning sim game this week. Frankly, I think Ryu is better pitcher than Maeda and I think Maeda would play better out of the pen than Ryu. I am glad that they’re scrapping the stupid 6 man rotation. Pitchers hate it and they’re rarely sharp when you mess with their schedule and routine.
Dodgers just running up the odds for the gamblers? Oh kay. I ain’t betting.
Just saw the ’19 schedule. Dodgers in Seattle in August. Yay.
Dave Robers, per Dodgers.com:
” Dave Roberts, his Dodgers in a historic tailspin, said this is the hardest stretch of his professional career. It didn’t get easier before Monday night’s game, as he defended in general an ever-changing lineup and in particular again starting outfielder Curtis Granderson, who is in a historic tailspin himself.
“You see what you’ve got when you go through a tough time like this,” Roberts said.”
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So he’s playing a million guys to get out of an historic slump?
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“We have a lot of good players we’re still evaluating,” he said.”
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It’s 9/12 and they’re still evaluating players? They’ve played over 140 games and they don’t yet know who can do what?
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“Roberts acknowledged his club’s confidence “is probably wavering a little bit.” He said he expected the last-place Giants “to bring their best” against the Dodgers.”
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So he acknowledges that going 0 – 11 and losing 16 of 17 is hard on the confidence? Just the right thing to do before the post-season when teams like the ‘Backs, Nats and Indians are red hot.
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“He reiterated that he will soon settle on a set lineup with accommodations to a couple of positions where he will alternate depending on the opposing pitcher.”
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It’s about time.
A few notes:
Maeda always looks constipated after he give up a hit. Whereas we just look nauseous.
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I’m hoping I was wrong about Ethier’s bat speed and that he will play a big role off the bench during the playoffs. He and AGon would be a nice pair of hitters to have late in the game.
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Barnes need to play more. Maybe left field?? Why not…he seems versatile enough to play just about anywhere. Catcher, 2B, LF. He has the energy and speed the team needs.
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Yu will get it together by the playoffs. He has nasty stuff.
Well said AC. Hindsight is always 20/20 but Granderson was a huge mistake, guy can’t hit at all. Getting Darvish at the deadline was necessary, but in hindsight we needed a BP rebuild. I think the Nats acquisition of Madsen, Doolittle and Knitzler will prove to be the BIG GET!
What has been so painful during this stretch is very average line-ups and options Doc has. When you have to start Granderson over Joc and Verdugo you have to wonder if they are in the doghouse because Granderson doesn’t offer anything more than they do.
Ravin…meh Baez….meh.
Well, it’s time for the great experiment of a deliberate losing streak to end.
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It’s time to sit Granderson. After all Doc is sitting Pederson. The first one to lay down a bunt with the shift on wins the job.
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It’s time to sit AGon until the Division has been clinched, and then let him audition for a playoff PH role.
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It’s time to see if #16 still has a little magic in that bat.
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It’s time to let Austin Barnes platoon at Catcher and 2B. That means…
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It’s time to put Chase Utley in his PH role, until home field is won. He is on the playoff roster.
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It’s time to set in stone Taylor, Seager, JT, Bellinger, Puig at 1-5 in the lineup until home field is won. Yes, even I beleive that Puig is the best #5 choice on this team.
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It’s time to end the thought of bringing in Ravin or Baez in meaningful situations. Neither should be booed, but neither should be in winnable games.
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It’s time to bring Jansen in the 6th, 7th, and 8th to stop threats.
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It’s time to see if Ryu is a legit bullpen option. It’s time to see if his shoulder can handle back to back games.
It’s time to see if Avilan and/or Paredes belong as LHRP on the post-season roster.
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It’s time to see if Tony Cingrani is truly a legit LHRP option. It’s time to see if his last ten games are a true reflection or a mirage. He allowed 1 run in a lost game (8-1 loss to Colorado) in those ten games after 9.1 shutout innings in his previous 9 games.
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It’s time to see if Darvish’s revised delivery is effective, or let him go back to what he did against the Mets.
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It’s time to see if Alex Wood is healthy enough to start, or if he should move to the pen to finish the season. And that’s coming from his biggest fan outside of his teammates and family. MORE IMPORTANTLY…
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It’s time to win!!! Beat the Giants!!!
What exactly is in that half-filled glass of yours Mark?