The Heroes of last nights win were many: Stripling, Kemp and Muncy have been playing hero with regularity, but it was good to see Cody and Joc get a couple of hits – this is a step in the right direction for getting them untracked. Both players have been working very hard behind the scene on their swings. Joc may be a .350 OB% guy with that swing, but he won’t hit many HR’s… unless he just unloads now and then. Maybe that’s the plan. Cody has obviously been pressing, trying to do too much. I think it came very easy for him last year, but it has been more difficult this year. He will grow threw it. He still leads the team in HR.
I have seen Cody adjust at every level: A, AA, AAA and he is just different. One can spot elite level talent like Kershaw, Seager and Bellinger, but players can become great by playing up to their talent level with hard work and intelligence. Ross Stripling is that kind of player: a very smart guy, who has learned another pitch and taken his game to the next level. It could change today with the return of one Clayton Kershaw, but it would be hard to argue that Strip is not pitching like an Ace.
Ross stated that Andrew Friedman has always said he viewed him as a starter, but Strip was not sure it would evver happen with the Dodgers due to their depth. Well, it’s happened and Stripling is staying in the rotation.
Rants & Raves
- Evidently, Dennis Santana is designated to start in Colorado. I guess they think his repertoire of pitches is most conducive to pitch there due to his lack of a big hook. I am anxious to see how he does… whereever he pitches, but I do think he will end up in the pen before the All-Star Break.
- Pat Venditte is a nice story, but with his stuff, he has to be perfect and he’s not, thus the 7.36 ERA. I do not see him as a viable solution… regrettably! Hopefully, the Dodgers will put Brock Stewart in the pen and have him take Venditte’s place soon.
- Kyle Farmer pladed his old position last night at OKC: SS. Speaking of shortstops, Russel Masrtin has been playing it for the Jays.
- Alex Verdugo is heating up after recovering from an ankle sprain and went 3-5 last night (.321 BA). I still think he would be good at leadoff for the Dodgers.
- Conner Wong player his 3rd game at 2B last night. Move him up to AA and see what he does. He’s 22…
Discussion (37)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Let’s give Nola credit. He has been very good and not just against the Dodgers. The Phillies might not have scored had Puig not been blinded by the sun and Grandal holds on to the play at the plate.
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Did Grandal block the plate without the ball? There was enough contact with the runner to make the runner miss home plate.
You’re not cynical AC, you’re just being realistic… IMO not just Kersh, but many who play the game… Sorta like the old time rule, ” Don’t r rub the spot where he hit ya”…
I guess those of us who want Kershaw to play his entire career with the Dodgers will get their wish. His reduced velocity and chronic back problems mean he would be a fool to walk away from over $60 million thinking he might get more on the open market. He’ll opt in and we will get him for at least the last two years of the contract.
Kershaw seems to be a shell of his former self with a FB topping out at 90 MPH. I want to be wrong, but the skeptic in me says we’ll get a report tomorrow on sometime over the weekend where he’s back on the DL with a back strain at best, a disc problem at worst.
This team offense is too sporadic….one night they get 7 runs and a dozen hits, the next night they get two hits and 1 run. Just no consistency. Trade Forsythe now if you can find a taker.
Tough one tonight. How can a guy miss touching the plate by a foot and nobody sees it? When there is a play at the plate there is always a replay. That is just unacceptable. Kershaw will not opt out who would sign him with his health issues? I guess they keep saying Kiké can’t hit righthanders but he homered off Strasburg and an rbi tonight off Nola. I will keep saying give him regular at bats to find out. He can’t be any worse than most we have. We have got to find some pitching somewhere. We got Buehler, Stripling, Wood, and who Stewart? We don’t even have anybody to bring up. Hopefully Santana can help. Kershaw will probably end up out a month or two or more. It’s going to be really difficult from here.
Maybe Bad News:
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Clayton Kershaw is having an MRI on his back.
So, Dennis Santana is evidently not starting Sunday. Alex Wood is.
If you think the Dodgers are too much into analytics or sabremetics, wait until you see what the Astros are doing. It makes the Dodgers look “old school” as they are dumping scouts and gutting their scouting staff!
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WOW!
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It’s in The Athletic! https://theathletic.com/375567/2018/05/31/the-astros-overhauled-their-scouting-department-are-they-a-step-ahead-or-will-it-backfire/
saw this tweet from Bill Shaikin.
one way to ease Santana into “starting” in Coors a la TB
✔
@BillShaikin
Dodgers could try LHP Scott Alexander or Tony Cingrani as “the opener” tomorrow in Colorado. Last time Rockies faced LA, 3 of the top 4 batters were LH: Blackmon, Dahl, Parra.
I’ve got questions.
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1. Is Valara playing because he is the best option or because he is good enough to be desirable by other teams and could be packaged?
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2. Is Muncy a viable second baseman?
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3. Is Utley really hurt?
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4. In the absence of a trade, is Taylor the multi-year shortstop if Seager can’t recover from TJ surgery and if so, is Bellinger the ongoing CFer and Seager the ongoing first baseman?
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5. Will Puig or Verdugo be the primary RFer next year?
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6. Does Joc play mostly LF because that is where FRAZ project him to be if he stays on the team and is Bellinger in CF to keep him away from LF and RF walls as much as he is the best CFer?
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7. Do the Dodgers have everything they need in-house to win the WS and it is just a matter of getting the right players on the bus and in the right seats?
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8. Is it true that Machado will be a Dodger by mid June?
This is a great article on Kershaw! https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/05/30/clayton-kershaw-los-angeles-dodgers?utm_campaign=si-extra&utm_source=si.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2018053112PM&eminfo={“EMAIL”:”QtyR4zwNs4Yq9OsTT2uYE6yTrkkPMrpS”,”BRAND”:”SI”,”CONTENT”:”Newsletter”,”UID”:”SI_EXT_4D0643F4-7415-40C9-A07D-0AB3584092F9″,”SUBID”:”98849258″,”JOBID”:”759932″,”NEWSLETTER”:”SI_EXTRA”,”ZIP”:””,”COUNTRY”:”CAN”}
DODGERS REINSTATE CLAYTON KERSHAW
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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw from the 10-day disabled list (left bicep tendonitis) and optioned ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
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Kershaw, 30, who missed 21 games due to left bicep tendonitis, will make his eighth start of the season today against the Phillies and his first start since May 1. In seven starts this season, the Dodger ace has gone 1-4 with a 2.86 ERA (14 ER/44.0 IP) and has held hitters to a .234 average. The southpaw has also struck out 48 batters against just 10 walks in 44.0 innings, while posting a 1.14 WHIP. In the 21 games that Kershaw missed, the Dodgers went 11-10 during that span.
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Venditte, 32, was recalled prior to last night’s contest against the Phillies and made his fourth appearance of the season yesterday, allowing one run on two hits and striking out two in an inning of relief. In four games with the Dodgers, the switch-pitcher has posted a 7.36 ERA (3 ER/3.2 IP) and has punched out four batters without issuing a walk.
If Santana pitched in LA today, then Kershaw would be pushed forward to pitching in Coors. Given that he’s just coming back from injury, I don’t think that would be good idea. And as Mark says, if Santana’s repertoire W/O the big hook is conducive to pitching in Coors, then certainly Coors is not conducive to Kershaw pitching WITH the big hook.
I would like to see Santana pitch today in LA rather than make his first major league start in Denver, but it will be Kershaw for the Dodgers today and a chance to go 3 and 1 against Philadelphia, nice.
I would have no objection to Connor Wong converting to 2B, but I would prefer to see Gavin Lux promoted to AA to play 2B and let Wong get comfortable at 2B at Rancho.
As per a discussion yesterday:
With RISP:
Pederson this year through 25 games and 31 AB is slashing: .355/485/404 (BA/OBP/OPS)
Bellinger this year through 39 games and 53 AB is slashing: .189/297/264