I like contrarians. They keep us thinking. Sometimes we end up supporting a player more vociferously than may be called for. Think Bums and Joc, Mark and Grandal, MJ and Toles, and of course me and Wood. Most of us have been frustrated with how this season has unfolded and have made some disparaging comments regarding FAZ or Doc, or players such as Joc, Wood, Puig, Dozier, CT3, and lately Kemp. But these last two games are very reminiscent of 2017. Good starting pitching, good relief pitching, timely hitting, overcoming defensive lapses, and knowing the game is never over for the Dodger hitters.
Puig has just come off as NL Player of the Week with his unworldly weekend against the Cardinals. CT3 comes up with a walk-off HR against arguably one of the top 5 relievers in the NL, Adam Ottavino to win Game 2 in this series. Ottavino is someone I hope FAZ targets as a FA, but that is for another story for another time. And then in Game 3 of the series, Brian Dozier, who has had a huge problem getting on base, hits a game tying double to score Kike’. A night after being robbed for the 4th time, and not being in the lineup, again, Yasiel comes to bat for Dozier and hits a pinch hit 3-run HR to eventually win the game off of Scott Oberg, another good Rockies reliever. It is kind of curious how the Rockies spent $100MM+ on relievers over the Winter, but it is two relatively unknowns, Ottavino and Oberg, that makes their bullpen strong this year.
Buehler is showing that he is quietly and quickly becoming the staff Ace and gets 12 K’s in 6.0 IP. He struck out Arenado 3 times, twice with runners in scoring position in the 1st and 3rd, and again to leadoff the 6th. His tough 1st inning jacked his pitch count up, or he might have gone more. However, right now, the bullpen can get the job done. I believe Doc is growing as well as we fans. Baez comes in to pitch to 1 batter? When has that happened? But when the revelation AKA Caleb Ferguson is available, why not go to him. And then follow up with Maeda (who is getting more and more comfortable in his new role) and Alexander, before turning over the keys to the Blue Ferrari to Kenley, who hopefully is getting back to being dominant at the right time.
I have made it known that I am not a Manny Machado advocate. I have had some BIG arguments with my two sons on him. I think the Dodgers can spend $300MM better than on him. Corey Seager is my favorite player, and until he proves that he cannot play SS, that position should be his when he returns. Yes, Seager may be able to play 2B, but if he is moved, don’t count on Seager staying when it is his turn to go FA. Seager is the type of player that a team builds around, not one that gets moved because of a new shiny toy. If there is a choice between Seager and Machado, I am in the Seager corner 100 times out of 100. That being said, I hope Machado goes off and all of the Machado advocates remind me how much better the team can be with Machado AND Seager. I am not counting on it, but I am hopeful for some humble pie.
I plan on also becoming a DBack fan this weekend, and hoping for a sweep over the Rockies, while the Dodgers continue their march to the NL West Division crown with a sweep of their own against the Pads. Hopefully this race will be all over when Mark gets back from Paradise.
I do not know what next week brings much less than next year, but I am enjoying the ride in the refurbished 2017 version of the Dodgers. They are starting to get that swag back. The dugout is jumping. The team is having fun at the right time. Maybe this is the year, that well-oiled machine wins Game 7, and I can tell the Giants fans to stick it as I wear my LOS ANGELES DODGERS WS gear around the Sacramento area.
GO BLUE – Beat the Padres.
Discussion (67)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Kike’
Turner
Manny
Freeze
Kemp
Puig
Grandal
Dozier
Stripling
I’ll try and sneak this in while M.T. is trying to figure how to get poi off his fingers…
Is it just me or is it trying to compare Puig to Mike Trout…
“If he can focus like has has been, he’s right there with Mike Trout.”
This quote has me contemplating sobriety!!!
Matt Kemp on Jimmy Kimell Show
https://www.mlb.com/cut4/matt-kemp-appeared-on-jimmy-kimmel-live/c-295464744
he’ll get a gift card to In n Out and a Batman Decoder ring
Question? When a team wins The World Series (any team), what is the criteria for getting a ring? Does anyone who was on the team during the year get one?
it’s friday, we’re in first, and we’re playing the padres tonight. how sweet it is!
Some fun reading pleasure for you all re. our BFF’s to the north and their misery:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2796561-how-the-san-francisco-giants-became-a-205m-mlb-flop?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial
… Don’t cut to the Chase…
25 man roster
Max Muncy
Brian Dozier
Manny Machado
Justin Turner
Yasmani Grandal
Matt Kemp
Cody Bellinger
Yasiel Puig
Austin Barnes
David Freese
Joc Pederson
Kike Hernandez
Chris Taylor
Clayton Kershaw
Walker Buehler
Rich Hill
Hyun Jin Ryu
Kenley Jansen
Caleb Ferguson
Scott Alexander
Dylan Floro
Pedro Baez
Ross Stripling
Alex Wood
Kenta Maeda
I am also a Blue believer. This might be the year. Go Dodgers.
Billie Jean King buys into the Dodgers
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-billie-jean-plaschke-20180919-story.html
I’m glad we have the night off. Gives us a chance to take a deep baseball breath and appreciate the improved foothold we obtained for our final push before the playoffs.
Man! Just read thru all of the comments since I commented this am. This thread is full of some awesome posts. Everyone is correct, I love it!
Anyone else here a huge fan of the way Max Muncy’s little bat flip after he crushes one? It’s my 2nd fave on the team, after Grandal’s bat drop on his left handed home runs.
More quality starters this year, is the big difference, and especially, Buehler.
Because of Buehler’s veteran like presence, and his strong will, along with his electric stuff, I can see a team not hitting him, the second time they see him in a week, in a two week short series, unlike most major league pitchers.
And I think Buehler is very capable of putting this team on his back.
And we have a much better Ryu this year, too.
My biggest concern is, what will this team do against good pitching.
Will they be able to get key hits, instead of striking out, and trying to do to much.
I’ll play devil’s advocate for a moment on the bullpen referendum. I think we all agree that the bullpen scares the bejeesus out of us heading into October but how much of that is alarmism and how much is justified?
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For the sake of this exercise, I’m assuming we carry four starting pitchers [Kershaw, Buehler, Hill, Ryu] and eight relievers.
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At the top, Jansen is a shaky proposition. But maybe we can turn this into a positive. Last year we leaned WAY too hard on him [I’m convinced Roberts had a two-inning save locked in for him in Game Two when he removed Hill after four innings pitched]. Even not as best he’s an above-average closer and, if deployed wisely, shouldn’t be a weakness this offseason. Fingers crossed on him.
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Next, Maeda looks better than ever. We have to be careful not to overuse him but he tends to keep his pitch count low so a few multi-inning appearances per series would take care of 6-10 high-leverage innings right there.
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Alexander, Floro, Ferguson have all looked very good at times but let’s be honest: they are still raw. Counting on them late in games makes me nervous just typing it but you go to war with the army you have, not the one you want. These three could decide our fate this postseason. They need a cool nickname.
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That leaves three. And only one is a sure thing. Russ Stripling. Is it just me or does it feel like he could be a pivotal figure [again] this postseason. He could be a tandem starter, an emergency closer, a Brian Holton glue guy, a dessert topping, a floor wax . . .
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Two battles remain: Baez vs. the Baseball Gods [he’s probably safely in] & Wood vs. Rosscup/Cingrani/The Field
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Conclusion: Dave Roberts will rightly be hailed as a genius if he wins a ring with this group. In my opinion, we’re going to need outstanding & deep starting pitching, consistent offense, and no-mistakes defense. And maybe a little bit of luck.
Turner was starting to get walked by other teams. It isn’t happening now. Kemp was struggling, Grandal wasn’t any sort of protection. Bellinger was struggling when the trade was made. Having Machado behind Turner has definitely allowed JT to see more pitches. Maybe by reputation alone. I agree with you that JT is a better hitter, but there is no doubt that Machado on the lineup card has made a difference for JT.
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I hope Kemp keeps having clutch hits whether they be flares or dingers. Kemp needed the rest. It’s very possible that having to work so hard to lose 40 lbs has left him a bit out of gas. I will give Kemp props for his season and more importantly his attitude. The 2013 version of Kemp would have been belly-aching and tearing down his teammates. This version is genuinely happy for teammates and his teammates are for him as well. What was being said about him in SD and ATL was heard loud and clear.
I am lost somewhere over the Pacific so I am Pacifically drinking Vodka Tonics and napping.
So, forget about records and stats for a minute, where does this year’s team stand in relation to last season’s? What are the major differences, positive or negative, between that squad and this one. I’ll let others chime in, but I’m inclined to think we’re more similar than different.
Just noticed that Beltre hit his 475 homer last night and I shook my head. What a bad move it was when we lost him.
I am still an advocate of the Dodgers signing Machado, unless there is a better alternative out there. I don’t know if he will go on a tear this year, but I am confident that if he re-signs he will become more and more comfortable, and we will see the Machado we expected. As for whether Seager would want to re-sign with the Dodgers if he’s moved off of SS, I’m not going to worry about that. He’s not eligible for free agency until 2022, and as we all know, a lot can happen between now and then. And if they’re both healthy, and performing as expected, I would not want to be an opposing pitcher facing the Dodgers next year, and in years to come.
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It’s good see Puig performing as he has. I don’t know if anyone has ever noticed, but you never see me including him in projected deals. If I ever have, I must have qualified it by asking for a lot in return.
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I am still undecided about Kershaw. If he doesn’t opt out, then he’ll be back for the next 2 years, at I believe, about $35 million per year (correct me if I’m wrong). If he does opt out, then I would be very reluctant to offer him that kind of money over an extended period. He may well adapt over time to his drop in velocity, but I’m not sure it’s worth it for the Dodgers to bet on that for an extended period of time, especially given that he will be 31 next year, and the Dodgers may well be able strengthen themselves in myriad ways with that extra money.
I stuck a fork in this team twice this season. After these last 7 intense games, I hate having an off day. Everyone contributed these past 7 games. Joc, Taylor, Puig. Even Dozier had a big hit last night. Machado had a big 3 hit game in St. Louis and got things started the other night with his double off the wall. His defense is an upgrade over Seager and I don’t have a problem with Seager’s defense. Imagine last night’s lineup with Seager and Puig instead of Kike and Dozier. I think people expected a juiced up version of Manny Ramirez but got Manny Machado. An All-Star infielder who has switched leagues in the middle of a pennant race. I would love to see him bust it down the line like Chase Utley too, but to tell you the truth what has surprised me is his ability to steal bases. I too was disappointed last night when Machado was too aggressive going after a change up and dribbled into a DP especially after JT worked such a good AB. Let’s not forget the protection he’s giving Turner. Protection that wasn’t there prior to the trade.
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AC and I were loud critics of not acquiring a good relief pitcher. However if Wood can settle into his new role, I think they will be just fine. A healthy Cingrani would be nice too. Let’s say I’m gaining confidence. Once rosters are condensed I hope I feel as confident. Ferguson and Floro have been the unsung heroes.
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You could feel they were going to get to Anderson eventually last night. 6 of the first 9 hitters including Buehler has hit the ball over 95 MPH. I too think Buehler will be either the Ace or 1B next season. If Buehler progresses then Clayton doesn’t need to be the horse anymore. Clayton can go 6 with occasionally going 7 and throw to a 2.5 ERA.
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We have felt that they turned the corner a couple times before this season. Only to see them lose series to teams like the Reds, Marlins, and Mets. They have been good against SD this year though. They must get at least 2 this next series and maintain their momentum. They have passed Atlanta for the 2 seed. The Giants have put Belt on the DL now so they continue to weaken, but AZ and SF would love to wreck things for us.
AC
Another good post!
Our starting pitching is the big difference this year, like you said.
We haven’t been able to line up three really good starters for the post season, since Ryu last pitched in the postseason, against the Cardinals.
And that is the biggest difference I see right now, with this team.
And I am not trying to take away from the way both Hill and Wood pitched, in the World Series last year, because they both were dominate, although Wood was the most dominant, in that series, last year.
I bet we all thought the same thing, when Dozier hit Kike in, last night.
Although I am really glad we swept this series, I am also wondering if the Rockies were really that tough of a competition, because they have looked so weak to me, from game one.
Look at the desperation that Arenado displayed in this series, he actually made two errors in the same game, and he hasn’t done that, for a good few years.
I also know we seem to lose focus against the lesser teams, so I am like you AC, I have no idea how the rest of the season will go.
I do think we make the post season, and win the west.
But I think that is more about both the Rockies and the Dbacks, because although I know they are not officially eliminated yet, they look to be pretty dead, to me.
I just know from experience, that the Padres, the Dbacks, and the Giants, are not going to make it easy for us, so we better not lose our focus.
And although I am glad we will probably be playing the Braves, I still wonder what we will do against good pitching, or a pitcher having a really good game, where HRs usually don’t reign.
And as Vin has always said, the Dodgers don’t do anything easy, and this last series, looked way to easy to me, so I am not expecting, more of the same.
I don’t feel strong either way about Machado, but he sure hasn’t been what JD Martinez was to the D-Backs, last year.
And to tell you the truth, I have read more comments from people about Machado, that feel he has been more underwhelming then anything else, when it comes to this team.
And because of all of that, and Corey, I don’t see this front office being the highest bidder, when it comes to Machado.
Think about it, do we still win the West, without Machado this year?
If you have to think about that, that is the answer.
The Dodgers did what they needed to do against Colorado, now just win each of the last 3 series, and they should win the division.
Nothing that Roberts has done in the last 2 series makes me feel any better about him as a manager, I think he is a poor game day manager, and I feel the Dodgers win despite Roberts, not because of him.
Puig right there with Mike Trout, your funny Mark.
I know Machado is a good ballplayer, but I am not so high on him after watching him since he has become a Dodger. I think the small ballpark in Baltimore helped him with impressive numbers but our stadium is not so easy to hit homeruns in. He hasn’t hit so well when he has been with us, but he still may have a career year. What bothers me most about him is that he doesn’t appear to play all out, especially running to first base. The other night he hit into a double play and it looked like he gave up right out of the box. Not good. Not sure about signing him, especially for the big numbers he will demand.
At this time of year, especially with way the team is playing, it sure sucks to have a day off! At least for us fans. I’m sure the players welcome it.
Someone pointed out on the last thread that Ferguson is now 7-2??? Holy lord, what a find! AC, you mentioned the love affairs some of us have with certain players. Count me on the Ferguson bandwagon (I”m still of the belief he goes back to the rotation next season and becomes a fantastic mid rotation starter for the next 10 years for us). Also, count me to be leading the Jeren Kendall bandwagon, but that’s a conversation for next season.
Rockies are also off today. The only games that matter to us today are the Braves game (for home field in the NLDS although I think we’d beat them in a 5 game series even if all 5 games were in Atl), AND the Indians game, as Cleveland is the only AL playoff team who’s record is around ours! If we do face them in the World Series, there’s a chance we’d have home field but we need them to lose a few.
What a win last night. I went to bed at the top of the 7th because I had to get up at 4AM and I had paused MLB so I watched Puig blast as I got ready.
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If he can focus like has has been, he’s right there with Mike Trout.
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I’m on a layover in Houston. It’s 5’oclock somewhere but I’m drinking Starbucks. Maybe later…. This is a 7.5 hour flight! Yikes. Maybe I should have upgraded to first class for $1,456? Nah!
The Dodgers have announced that second baseman Chase Utley has been named the winner of the 13th annual Roy Campanella Award given to the Dodger player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher. The award, which was voted upon by Dodger uniformed personnel, will be presented to Chase by Campanella’s daughter, Joni Campanella Roan, and his grandson, J.T. Campanella, during pregame ceremonies Saturday night.
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This is the 2nd time winning the award for Chase (2016). Voted on by uniformed personnel!!! Shows the absolute respect that Chase has from his teammates (and coaches).
Ferguson has been a wonderful surprise.
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The emotions on the Dodger bench have really grown lately. It’s good to see Machado, Kemp, Puig, etc. all expressing their enthusiasm for their teammates.
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I am hopeful that a pairing of Machado and Seager will be possible for next season and beyond.
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The team seems to be jelling at the right time.
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I’ll go to my grave bewildered at Doc’s lineups but if it presents us with another championship or three I’ll go peacefully into that good night.
Damn straight
Well said AC. I’m about to eat some humble pie because after the Cardinal sweep of us I thought we were dead. I agree with your comments about Machado and the thinking we could spend $30 million on multiple pieces. He has underwhelmed my expectations, but I would love to see him go on a tear and lead us to the promised land.
On the verge of six straight NL West championships….no let downs and lets ride this through October. Go Dodgers!