A couple of weeks back I mentioned how good DJLM was playing for NYY and that all of the talk that he could not hit outside of Coors was…well just talk. He is proving that he is a hitter with tremendous bat to ball skills; a skill he can take anywhere. 59inarow challenged me with admonishing me into saying maybe you were right about DJLM but what about all of the areas you were wrong. He brought up Corey Kluber which I still do not believe I was wrong with. Kluber can pitch on my team anytime.
59inarow also stated that it is easy to pick on the mistakes of those on the firing line because they are right there to see. Good and Bad. I have never been shy about giving my opinion on specific players, and neither has Mark. I probably look outside the organization more than Mark does, but we both make our cases. We take our bows and then wait for the hammer to fall on our PERCEIVED mistakes.
All joking aside, certainly I have been wrong on a number of players over the years. But no more so than with my position on LHSP Hyun-jin Ryu. I was against the QO because I could not see paying $18MM for one year for a 32-year-old pitcher with major shoulder surgery, and who pitched all of 82 innings the year before. A two-time CY winner, Corey Kluber, was making less than Ryu. I did qualify my position and stated that if it could have been worked out, I would have been supportive of a 3 year $33MM to $36MM deal.
This year, Hyun-jin Ryu has been better than good. Ryu has been compared to Greg Maddux due to his lack of velo but pinpoint control with command of 4 pitches. His May numbers compare very favorably to Clayton Kershaw’s unworldly July 2015. All Ryu has done in May is go 5-0 in 6 games started with a 0.59 ERA (3 ER in 45.2IP), and a 0.679 WHIP. He has allowed 3 walks to go with 36 strikeouts. In those 6 starts he has pitched at least 7 innings in 4 of them. He did not allow a HR in all of May. In fact, he has not allowed a HR in 48.2 IP.
For the year, Ryu is 8-1 with a 1.48 ERA (best in MLB). While Ryu has been extremely good on the road:
Away – 5 GS, 2-1, 2.22 ERA, 1.059 WHIP, 28.1 IP, 3 HR, 3 BB, 24 K, 8.00 SO/W ratio; he has been all but unhittable at home:
Home – 6 GS, 6-0, 1.01 ERA, 0.649 WHP, 44.2 IP, 3 HR, 2 BB, 45 K, 22.50 SO/W ratio. 2 walks and 45 strikeouts in 44.2 IP at Dodger Stadium? If there is any consideration as to who the first pitcher up in a playoff series at home is other than Ryu, that person should be excused from their job.
Clutch stats? Oh yeah he has those too. With RISP, Ryu has faced 45 batters. He has allowed 2 hits with one walk, surrendering 4 runs. No extra base hits. Batters have hit .048/.068/.045/.116 w/RISP, with 7 strikeouts. Now with RISP & 2 out, Ryu has faced 19 batters, and none have reached base.
We do know that Ryu is a client of Scott Boras. Boras does not believe in giving a loyalty discount. He only thinks of fair market value. But Ryu is the player and he can overrule Boras. But will he? Players select Boras as their agent so they stay out of the negotiations and all of the emotion. There is also the rumor that Ryu only wanted one more year at MLB and then go back to finish his career in Korea. It would be great to see Ryu back with LAD while the next generation continues to develop without the pressure. There is a lot we just do not know.
So I am glad to admit that I was SO VERY WRONG about Hyun-jin Ryu. But I was not alone in that regard, and some other blog sites should also come clean.
I do not know quite yet, but it sure looks like I could have been wrong on Jesen Therrien. I thought that he would be in a position to be called up in June as I stated for Brandon Morrow 2 years ago, but he hasn’t even started to throw yet in any organized game. I am glad that I was wrong on Ryu, but I am saddened about Therrien. Maybe he still will be, but it has been nearly 2 years since his TJ surgery. I know the Dodgers take it slow with rehab, but this slow?
While I am being generous, one other mea culpa. I never had any doubts about Alex Verdugo’s abilities, offensively or defensively. He was and remains the total baseball package. Where I have changed my opinion is with his team first and non-selfish attitude. When I saw him last summer in Sacramento, he came across a very self-centered entitled prima donna. But the change that I have witnessed since Spring is one of a very team-oriented maturation. He hustles every play (did not last summer). He hands out praise to his teammates at every opportunity, over his accomplishments. He gives every impression that he loves being a Dodger and wants to be here. That is different from a year or so ago when he stated that he was ready to play for another team if that got him to MLB. He insinuated that he was ready and was tired of waiting. That was the impression that was delivered by the press. Maybe it was an intervention with Gil Reyes and others, but this is the Alex Verdugo that deserves to wear the Dodger Blue. And one the Dodgers are very fortunate to have. It was never about his talent. It was always his attitude that was going to hold him back, and now that has changed. I do not care one lick if Alex wins ROY. I only care that he helps this team to a WS ring…THIS YEAR. He has the ability like Cody, Corey, and JT to carry this offense on his back if he needs to. He is that good now.
I refuse to believe I am wrong about AJ Pollock. It sure looks like I was wrong about Jake McGee. I was not wrong about Jake Odorizzi. Maybe my timing was off, but he is a good starting pitcher. I was not wrong about Ryan Pressly or Jose Leclerc, and as it is turning out this year, I was not wrong about Shane Greene. But with Jesen Therrien, Alex Verdugo, and especially with Hyun-jin Ryu, I was wrong!!!
Minor League Report by AC
OKC Dodgers 6 – Memphis Redbirds 2 (Cardinals)
After multiple rough outings last night was 2018 Daniel Corcino. Corcino went 6.0 strong innings surrendering 1 run on 3 hits, 2 walks, and struck out 8 Redbird batters. Caleb Ferguson also did a little 2018 reminiscing as it took him all of 14 pitches to strike out all three batters he faced. Kevin Quackenbush each pitched 1.0 inning to complete the victory.
OKC got all the runs they would need after the first three batters. After Connor Joe singled and Zach Reks walked, Kyle Garlick stepped up and slugged a 3-run HR to put the Dodgers up 3-0. That was Kyle’s team leading 12th HR on the year. Joe, Garlick and Shane Peterson each had 2 hits with Peterson (6) and Reks (4) each getting doubles.
Tulsa Drillers 6 – Arkansas Travelers 5 (Seattle)
The Drillers found themselves down 5-0 going into the top of the 8th. After 2 singles, a Cristian Santana double (7), and a ground out, the Drillers got life. That life turned into victory in the 9th. After 1 out, Logan Landon walked, and Gavin Lux and Zach McKinstry each hit their 3rd singles of the night to load the bases. Cody Thomas stepped up and delivered a grand slam, his 10th HR of the season, putting the Drillers up for the first time in the game. Thomas now has 38 RBIs, good for 3rd (tied) in the Texas League.
Dustin May had a better night than his numbers showed. With his first pitch, Donnie Walton hit a HR to give the Travelers a 1-0 lead. His second pitch went a single, and then he settled down with no other runs and only 1 hit and 1 walk through five. In the 6th May allowed a single and triple for the Travelers 2nd run. But the wheels came off in the 7th. With one out, May allowed 2 singles before Jake Fraley hit a 3 run shot for the 5-0 lead. Jordan Sheffield finished the 7th and 8th with no baserunners and struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced and got the win. It sure looks like Sheffield is embracing this new role as a reliever. Shea Spitzbarth pitched a perfect 9th for his 4th save. Shea struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 2 – Inland Empire 66ers (Angels) 6
There were not many highlights in this one. Gerardo Carrillo started and pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 8 hits, 4 walks, and had 3 Ks. Sven Schueller relieved Carrillo in the 5th and allowed both runners to score. Sven allowed an unearned run to score in the 6th. Logan Salow and Wes Helsabeck both pitched an impressive final three innings, with Helsabeck getting 5 K’s in his 1.2 innings.
Deacon Liput had a 2 runs single, Drew Avans had 2 of the 6 hits, and Starling Heredia hit his 5th double on the season to provide the offense.
Great Lakes Loons 9 – Fort Wayne TinCaps 6 (Padres)
The Loons put up 2 four run innings. In the 4th Leonel Valera (4) and Jacob Amaya (14) each had 2 run doubles to score 4 in the 4th. In the 6th, back to back triples by Valera (2) and Dan Robinson (2) and a sac fly scored 2. Those were followed by a 2 run double by Dillon Paulson (13) to complete the scoring for the Loons on the night. Dan Robinson also hit his 5th double on the season. All in all the Loons had 13 hits including 6 XBH.
Joel Chacin notched his 5th win but not without some heartburn. Joel surrendered a 3 run HR in the 2nd, and then allowed 2 singles, a walk, and a ground out to score 2 more in the 4th. For the night, Chacin pitched 5.0 innings allowing 5 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks. Justin Hagenman started the 6th and allowed an unearned run on one hit in his .2 IP. Austin Drury relieved Hagenman to get a strike out to get out of the inning. Drury would pitch 2.0 innings with 5 Ks. Jasiel Alvino registered his 2nd save with 1.1 innings with 1 walk and 2 Ks.
The Loons remain atop of the Midwest League Eastern Division by 1.0 games over the Lake County Captains (Cleveland)
Discussion (80)
Disagree, not disagreeable
One more thing. Something is wrong with the way Pitching Baseball Stats are when the guy who started leaves with a lead, but then the great relief pitcher blows it all in 1 inning and then ends up getting the win. I say, if you get tagged with a blown save and then the team wins, the Starter gets the WIN. Enough of this BS with giving the relief pitchers fake wins.
Just one note. Why in the heck would you hit Chris Taylor 3rd in the order? For one, he is the strikeout king. Two, you want base runners in front of Bellinger. Why Taylor???? Verdugo should be hitting in front of Bellinger. Joc wastes too many of his Home Runs on Solo Shots. Verdugo is more of a get on base type, and then you get the 2 or 3 run homer.
What was the name of the guy who Will Smith replaced when he first came up 3 all star appearances ago?
Great win!! Should be a confidence boost for smith!
Different Dodger every night!
Will Smith ROCKS.
The team wins despite Dave Roberts.
Bullpen strikes again!!
Say what u want. Dodgers still have issues with lefties. And the last two have been terrible lefties at that!
And that’s why you don’t bat Taylor third. Insane!
Enough already. Light this guy Up!
He was never the pitcher he was the first half of 17
AC you remember how Wood was so good for the Dodgers the first half of the season and made the all-star game, but he wasn’t good enough for the Dodgers to keep him? So wrong and right on players is relative.
Nice article on Daniel Espino, who I believe has been mentioned as a possible Dodger pick on Monday:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2837844-18-year-old-daniel-espino-dreams-his-100-mph-heat-can-make-mariano-rivera-proud?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
Strange lineup tonight-Freese bats leadoff?! CT3 bats 3rd and Kike 5th ahead of Cory and Alex. JT gets another night off. Maybe Freese and CT3 are getting switched out when the leftie leaves the game?
The Great Lakes loons with a 22-7 May. Are they that good? Any big stars coming?
20 games over .500
Starters have the most innings pitched in MLB. 3rd best FIP.
The Dominican Summer League officially began today and the good guys have 2 teams and some noteable names…
The DSL Dodgers Bautista roster includes 2018 signees Diego Cartaya, Jerming Rosario, Joel Ibarra, and Jose Ramos.
The DSL Dodgers Shoemaker roster includes Carlos Duran, Alex De Jesus, Osvanni Gutierrez, and Jorge Gonzalez.
Dee Gordon for 2B ?? Leadoff ?
Get Joc a first baseman’s glove and start working him out there. I know last year he was working out some there. Muncy at second and Pollock in left at least against righties. I was a proponent of Belly moving back to first but I was wrong. He’s much too valuable in right. Out overall team defense and positioning is a huge part of our success! If the bullpen was even decent we might have another 5-6 wins.
I am still not giving up on Pollock, we will need his bat com October. He is yet another guy on this team that can carry us when he gets hot. He just needs to relax when he gets back to playing and not worry about trying to hit up to his contract. Calling this shot, you guys will be loving this dude when the contending teams start stacking us with leftie pitchers late in the season. Let’s not kick this guy to the curb, let’s root for him to get healthy and balance the lineup. I know we are cruising right now, but mark my words, we are going to need his bat big time this fall.
Also on a possible right handed hitter, there is one that could come to the team: A.J Pollock … Oh wait, he’s already on the team!
When he returns, I think he could only play against lefties and Joc against RH, at least this season
I have a question, every day I read that we need help in the bullpen, which I agree, and we talk about possible pitchers that could come to the team, but my question is: who would be the one who would have to go? Urias? Stripling? Baez? Jensen? Floro? Kelly? I do not think so. The only ones I see as possible are Yimi Garcia or Scott Alexander. And when saying that he has to go, I do not mean exactly in a trade, but to be sent to AAA
Might Hunter Pence be a Dodger this year? Maybe if Pollock winds up being out all season.
Floro, Santana, Fergusson, Pollock to Mets for Cespedes and Diaz? DFA Cespedes immediately.
I was wrong once. That was when I thought I was wrong but I was really right.
We all agree that the bullpen needs help. Most of us agree that we won’t be the ones to sign Kimbrel next week (apparently the Cubs have thrown their hat in the ring with the various other teams that have been interested). AC and I have been tossing around the name of Greg Holland since spring training. The D’backs will be out of it by July and will be selling off some pieces. Holland signed a one-year contract with them for 3.2 mil so he’ll be affordable, salary-wise.
This is what his 2019 season looks like so far:
19 games/18.2 innings 12.5k/9 innings 1.45 ERA 1.07 WHIP
As far as I can tell, that’s better than anyone we have here.
I’m going to keep bringing his name up until we trade for him, he flames out, or July 31st, whichever comes first.
This seemed like the perfect post to make this comment, since if we trade for him he’ll probably turn into Joe Kelly and then I can say I WAS WRONG!
I was wrong about never being right according to my ex wife
All birds are edible ( I learned that from ‘survivor man’) and even crow can taste wonderful. But I don’t believe you were wrong about Verdugo. He certainly displayed a cocksure attitude that gives one a wrong impression easily at a time when his worthiness remained still in question. He cleared both sides of that hurdle and not only does he belong he fits too. I’m happier to eat crow than to eat peacock and Verdugo as it turns out is not a peacock.
Tomorrow Mark can write an article about being wrong about Joc…
.274/.375/.662/1.037 Joc
.284/.458/.585/1.043 Trout
What ever happened to the young (16?) “CAN’T MISS” catcher the Dodgers signed last year?
This is fun . Let’s see,
1) I was right in 2017 that we win 100+ games, and get to the World Series
2) I was wrong in 2018 that we win 95+ games and get to the World Series (we won 92?)
3) I was wrong in predicting that Bryce Harper come in 2019 (and THANK GOD!!!)
4) I think I”ll be right if Kimbrell signs a high salary for 2019 deal with us and helps us win it
5) I predicted 100 wins this year, and easy division title, and again, a trip to the World Series
6) I was wrong that Darvish would be a better pickup than Verlander in 2017 (well, I was only wrong in the World Series)
7) I was right about Lux, WRONG about Kendall (so far)
Interesting point about Ryu being a client of Satan (or Steve Boras as he’s commonly known). Both Ryu’s contract and Rich Hill’s are up at the end of the year. Hill has said he plans to pitch next year. The Dodgers have Stripling and Urias plus May and Gonsolin coming along. Do they try to resign Ryu? Hill? Do they resign Ryu and make Hill a qualifying offer?
Minor League Report Update above.
Well, I must say that it’s not necessary to admit you’re wrong, but it’s a lot more refreshing than saying that you’re right all the time. A good point that Ten says is you’re wrong in the moment. Players have ups and downs. Perhaps you’re also right in the moment in terms of DJLM. Because Lux is going to make passing on DJ look like a brilliant move. This brings us to another point of balancing this year’s needs with next year’s rookie breakouts.
Right now it looks like there’s no room for Lux or Muncy with Joc’s resurgence and Verdugo’s breakout causing a crowded outfield again. Muncy might just take over 2B full time when Pollock comes back. Lux might have to wait until Turner’s contract is done before he can move to 2B and Muncy to 3B.
Soon we won’t have any right handed hitters.
I though I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. 😉
Hey, some of you were taking me to task for daring to compare Cody Bellinger and Ted Williams. Nowhere did I say that Cody was the equal of Ted and I know that Ted may have went down as the greatest of all time had he not missed 4 seasons in his prime. However, they do physically resemble each other and if Cody keeps up his current pace, he is on track to have a better year than Ted ever did. That’s all! If he doesn’t keep it up, then I can say “Cody has flashes of Ted Williams.”
I really don’t think you can compare generational legends anyway. The game was different then verses now. Better or worse, it has changed.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/26846850/how-cody-bellinger-best-season-mlb-history
Here were are:
1. The Dodgers lead MLB in Wins and Winning Percentage; and
2. I think they will get even better!
3. The Dodgers’ starting pitchers have a 3.02 ERA and are second to TB’s 2.35 (that’s sick…. and unsustainable)
Rights and Wrongs:
1. Piazza got on my radar in A ball and my gut said he would be good.
2. Kemp never got on my radar until just before he advanced to the Dodgers. He sneaked up on me and was good before I had a chance to think about it.
3. I watched Andy LaRoach play in the AFL and never became impressed. I did however really get behind Loney and Abreu. I was right on 2 out of 3.
4. I thought if John Hale could start 20 games in a row he would prove to be a valuable player. Wrong!
5. Joc is more and more proving me right about him. Now I have to worry about Will Smith as my next hope project.
6. I am finally beginning to like Verdugo. Never thought he wouldn’t be good but also never thought I would like him.
7. I was one of the earlier supporters of Turner and thought he clearly was the best choice for 3rd when that position was up for grabs.
8. I really wanted the Dodgers to sign Moncada and thought he would be in the majors several years before he finally stayed up. If they had splurged on Moncada they would not have signed Alvarez instead the following year.
9. Bellinger was an easy player to get on our radar but I had worries that his vertical stance and big swing would haunt him and he would have many more games like he had in last year’s World Series. I was more wrong then right.
10. Now for the future–I would trade Ruiz for a great reliever but then I would have traded high on Muncy and that would have been wrong.
Wrong can be a long way off. Who knows? Montas was an injury prone talent who now is starting to make his mark. Muncy a has been who is now making a mark. Smeltzer a young pitcher who seems like he was in the la origination a long time ago but just pitched 6 innings I think of shutout ball at the major league level at a young age. Jose de Leon a cant miss has missed but he could resurface. Jamie Moyer pitching effectively into his forties when he wasn’t much better in his twenties. Until they post retirement wrong is a long way off. AC you have been astute on most everything you have written so right now wrong is only in the present.
Who cares?
We are all going to be wrong, we are just fans.
We don’t evaluate players, have access to health reports or detailed scouting evaluations. We don’t have careers in baseball management.
In my silly opinion.
If you like “having takes” be like AC and others here. Try to be rationale and don’t take yourself so seriously. Be informed, take a guess and don’t sweat it. We all are just fans.
Confession is good for the soul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXAU4MmMIMo