None of this counts. Idaho Al was wondering why 31 year-old Ezequiel Carrera was playing LF yesterday. Here’s the answer: I don’t know! However, since Taylor, Pederson or Verdugo did not play and Miller opted out, I would suspect that yesterday was a scheduled off day for the three players mentioned or maybe they had a little tweek… like Rich Hill. If it were the regular season one of the three would have been there. These games mean nothing. I know Joc was held out for his back and Verdugo was working elsewhere. Maybe CT3 was getting some hitting instruction?
Brock Stewart starts today. I would not read much into that, except that they are conserving the pitchers who will make the team. I used to belive Brock could be a good reliever, but now that ship has sailed. He’s a AAAA pitcher… a RH Eric Stultz. Why he thinks he is a starter and anyone on the Dodgers buys into that amazes me. Now, if they start him today and say “Go two innings” and he does, I will change my mind. He has a shot, but he needs to develop a 2 inning mentality!
There is one spot left. Ken Gurnick says this is the roster, with one spot to be decided. If Brock pitches out of his mind, he could snatch it, but he had better change his thinking:
Catchers: Austin Barnes, Russell Martin
Infielders: Max Muncy, Enrique Hernández, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, David Freese
Outfielders: Cody Bellinger, A.J. Pollock, Joc Pederson, Alex Verdugo
Starting pitchers: Hyun-Jin Ryu, Ross Stripling, Kenta Maeda, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías
Relief pitchers: Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, Pedro Báez, Scott Alexander, Caleb Ferguson, Yimi Garcia, Dylan Floro
So, Ryu has proven himself useful already and will start on Opening Day… barring further injuries. I have a sneaking suspicion that he is in for a career year…
The Dodgers wanted Urias in the bullpen for the first 6 weeks of the season and then gradually wanted to stretch him out, but with Hill and Kershaw both on the IL, he is pressed into action. How they handle him will be interesting. I happen to believe he can pitch 180 innings this year (including the post-season), but they will have to slow him down somehow.
Yesterday, Hamchuck asked about Deacon Liput and Cody Thomas. Well, he’s in luck as DC has profiled both players. It was nice to see Kendall get to play – hopefully this will help his confidence and development.D
DC Wrote this about Cody Thomas in a blog about the AFL:
Cody Thomas:
Thomas, who just turned 23 on October 8, was selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2016 Amateur Draft out of the University of Oklahoma. The left-handed hitting outfielder, who throws right-handed, hit 19 home runs with the Quakes along with 35 doubles. His 87 runs batted in were second most in the league. The 6’4”/211-pound Thomas led the league in total bases with 248 while finishing second with 82 runs. On the year he hit .285 with an OBP of .355. He has hit at least 19 home runs in each of his three minor league seasons. We can expect Thomas, or perhaps Jared Walker, to represent the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Bowman Hitting Challenge on October 13.
Later he profiled both here: All Stars in Waiting
Discussion (52)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Mark thank you for researching those two players and finding DC’s info. This Cody Thomas looks very interesting.
Thank you DC also for working on these young players. I know it is a lot of work and time consuming.
The Reds sure didn’t need this to happen, because they don’t have the same depth we do.
Scooter Gennett will be out 2 to 3 months, from freak injury.
Roberts talk: Hernandez will be full-time 2B and only strict platoon will be LF (Joc/Taylor).
Ergo, Verdugo is 4th OF & Freese main PH. Taylor moving all around and catcher job-share.
It sure looks like the Dodgers lost the better of the two 2018 OKC starting pitchers last year.
The best game Brock Stewart ever pitched, was against the Cubs in Brocks first year up, in the majors.
Now he seems to pitch to defensively when he gets in trouble, instead of going after hitters, and hitters, can sense that.
DC also wrote the following on Liput:
https://ladodgertalk.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=5089&action=edit
I believe I wrote quite a bit about Liput at last year’s draft, and wrote about both last season. I would expect both will be featured in some capacity this year.
Verdugo Should hit Leadoff
Verdugo
Pollock
Seager
Turner
Muncy
Bellinger
Kike
Martin
Stewart blew his chance…
Why does everyone want Pollock as their leadoff? It is true that he would be perfect in that place, but we dont have a true fifth bat so why not leave Kike as leadoff and Pollock as fifth?
2B – Kike & Taylor
SS – Seager
3B – Turner
RF – Bellinger
CF – Pollock
1B – Muncy
C – Barnes & Martin
LF – Pederson & Verdugo
P – Anyone
Season starting. Dodgers gonna be very competitive again. My advice is enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff. So much more important things to worry about then whether the Dodgers have enough right handed bats. That’s what the experts get paid for. One thing for sure when the inevitable injuries strike there isn’t a team in MLB that is deeper and more able to handle it. I predict another LA div west champ . All the other stuff kinda hard to predict but Dodger chances are as good as any team in MLB. GO DODGERS.
Mark–Stults ended up to be not bad. Better than Ely. Stewart is lucky if he even sniffs the bigs again. I’d love to see it.
Now that Trout is the biggest fish in the pond, will the Freeway Series be more interesting to watch? I think the Angels will draw added crowds wherever they play.
Hernandez is coming back down to earth but is making believers out of decision makers.
Since Smith and Barnes are the Dodgers’ catchers long term, maybe Ruiz will spend some time at first base this year.