No Game Thursday Rants and Raves

Preston Grand Pre

I dont have a report on him I just love the name

Big night for tulsa. Mitch white pitched pretty well but the story was the offense. DJ Peter’s with 2 bombs and will Smith hits double digits in dongs for the year while batting clean-up.

Corey’s brother really struggling this year. M’s are in a tricky so because they have a crystal clear path to WC2 but almost no prospect bullets left. They will have to be very creative. I could see them wanting one of our outfielders. We have plenty.

Mets, NOT Nets.

I was thinking before the Nets came up in the 8th, why the Dodgers used Logan Forsythe to pinch hit rather than save him to play defense for Muncy later in the game. And although they managed to get out of the 8th OK, I would still like to have Forsythe playing 2B in the 9th. And that!s still true after Puig’s HR.

I think Bellinger must have heard he has to get his OPS up.

On both balls he made contact on tonight, he hit those balls hard.

And that last one, was a high fastball.

I was going to say yesterday “why send Kersh to the minors for a rehab start when the Mets lineup is basically a minor league lineup!”. Glad Kersh is starting tomorrow. And I’m really looking forward to seeing how Ferguson progresses thru the rest of this year in AAA.

Oh, and Cody absolutely crushed that ball. I want this win!

Finally, a hit with runners in scoring position. Way to go bellinger! Watching on iPad while watching cards on tv. Flaherty pitching for cards and a 22 year old stud if cards don’t wear him out throwing him 120 pitches in one game. Mark you said he doesn’t throw hard but he is hitting 94-95 pretty regular. He is one of the best looking young pitchers in the game. Wood has had a good 5 innings but pitch count getting up there. Go blue!!

Send Bellinger down. Ha!

Kershaw starting against the Mets tomorrow!

O K … Whatever that rebuttal meant!?!?

Wright was a roadblock and their gamble (maybe some scouting too) paid off…

6

10

8

2

12

4

2

2

7

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That is the number of HR hit each year by JT until he hit 16, 27 and 21 the last three years.

MT, I thought J.T. was a pretty darn good minor leaguer with his major roadblock being David Wright. The Blue gambled and won..

Of course , all prospects are also suspects. Some will make it… most will not. If 5 or 6 of the Dodgers Top 30 prospects become starters, that would be astounding. What we don’t know is who will suddenly “get it” at age 27, like JD Martinez, Justin Turner, Jose Bautista, Chris Taylor or a myriad of other late bloomers. The path to MLB is often crooked and circuitous. Most fail, but some who you think will fail make it. Even Verdugo, who has not shown much power could re-tool his launch angle and find that power he currently does not have. Who knows? It’s 50% science, 50% art and 50% luck.

One other minor league tidbit…former 2nd round draft pick (2015), 6’4″ 210 pound LHH OF, Mitchell Hansen, was just released by the Dodgers. Mitch was often described as the up and coming version of Shawn Green. Not to be. I wish Mitch well, wherever he lands.

An abbreviated Minor League Report – The position player star of the day was 2018 9th round draftee OF Josh McLain. Josh went 4-5 in his Great Lakes debut, including a double and triple. Josh was a senior this year at NC State. I can see him at Rancho before the year is out. McLain could be this year’s version of 2017 draftee Zach Reks.

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The pitching star was Manny Banuelos who won for the 8th time this year. He pitched 8 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits and 2 walks to with 9 strikeouts. The 27 year old LHSP has a 2.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 86 K’s in 72 IP.

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Progressing – JT Chargois. JT has now pitched in 9 games, 11.1 IP. He has held the opponent scoreless in 7 of the 9 games, and has allowed only 1 BB in his last four games. JT has had only 1 bad outing…0.0 IP, 1 run on three walks, a game I saw against the River Cats. Otherwise, JT seems to be getting closer to getting recalled.

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Promotions:

Inf. Connor Joe to OKC. Undoubtedly to replace Rob Segedin who is on the DL again.

RHRP Andre Scrubb and 1B Jared Walker from Great Lakes to Rancho.

RHRP Yeison Cespedes & RHRP Luis Pan from Ogden to Great Lakes.

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Andre Scrubb and Jared Walker were the lone Loon All-Stars in this week’s Midwest League AS game, and probably went directly from the game to RC. Walker hit a HR in his first RC game last night.

The Dodgers are NOT going to trade for Machado. It’s a pipe dream, so forget about it. They won’t part with top prospects and don’t want the salary.

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If the Dodgers are in the hunt they are not going to trade key players. Really – to trade the regular starter at catcher in the middle of a pennant race? The pitchers will not be familiar with any new catcher the Dodgers obtain, and Barnes hasn’t proven that he can be the regular.

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According to metrics, Machado is among the worst regular defensive SS in baseball. He wants to play there but is better at 3B.

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If Seager doesn’t come back as a SS, then don’t plan on him being able to play 2B. He’s too tall to play there – it will be too hard to turn the pivot at 6’5″ and too hard on his surgically repaired elbow. Maybe 3B; maybe 1B. The Dodgers will certainly need a 2B in 2019 unless they move Taylor there. I expect more roster movement next offseason than last.

Good look at Joc Pederon’s continuing quest to adjust and improve and how it doesn’t always lead to positive results:

https://theathletic.com/397699/2018/06/22/sarris-how-joc-pederson-is-both-winning-and-losing/

As a player grows, he learns the game… and the game learns him. It’s that balance that determines the future role of a player. That process has produced negatives and positives for Joc Pederson that have come to a head this year. Obviously, given his past struggles, he’ll take it on sum, but detailing the wins and losses might help us understand how difficult it is to establish a place in Major League Baseball.

Given the fact that Pederson is a lefty, the early loss in his career is maybe not the biggest deal. It looks like he can’t hit lefties. For his career, Pederson is 31 percent better than league average against righties, and 41 percent worse than league average against lefties. It’s one of the worst observed platoon splits in baseball since he broke into the league in 2015….

Trayce Thompson DFA’d by the ChiSox. Where do you go when you get DFA’d by the 3rd worst team in MLB? I guess he could latch on to Baltimore, but they need LH bats.

It is to early to think about trading certain players, because we are coming off what was an enormous hot streak, where all of our players, were hitting out of their minds.

And in these last two series, our hitting has come back to earth, and now we are having trouble getting hits, when runners are in scoring position.

And our top hitters don’t really have any history of hitting consistently at this level, except Kemp.

And even our top hitters have come back to earth too, with the rest of the team, in these last two series.

And that is why it is a good idea to wait and see, what happens in the rest of June, and through July.

Because just like this hot streak started at the beginning of June, and we suddenly saw great offense, in another five weeks, we may think much differently, then we are thinking now.

Because in just a few weeks of baseball, things can change very quickly, let alone, in another five weeks of baseball.

I know he has no speed, but what about Muncy and his ability to get on base leading off?

1. While I have never appreciated defensive metrics, Machado’s are bad at short.

7. I don’t want Belli to go to OK, I want him to refresh in AZ and work on his swing. Just a reset and not a demotion.

9. Get something for Grandal before he is a free agent. He will be no better than Barnes in the second half. Barnes has struggled but has still kept up his OBP. He is better defensively than Grandal sans framing.

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I make your trade but switch the other catcher for Smith.

1. Machado has proved he is a third baseman and not a shortstop.

2. Machado might not fit in with the Dodger chemistry.

3. Harper is struggling.

4. Puig is a free agent at the end of 2019 and he is basically a lefty bat which the Dodgers don’t need.

5. Toles and Verdugo hit lefties better than Puig and last year, so did Joc.

6. Taylor needs to move to second base in 2019 if Seager returns to short.

7. Bellinger should spend a week in AZ working on his swing and Muncy to play first that week.

8. Maeda is the second half solution to the bullpen.

9. Grandal is a first half player, is a free agent after 2018, should be packaged with Puig and traded.

0. Barnes is a second half player and he and Farmer can handle the second half.

I think we should throw a lot of money at nolan arrenado after next season. Born in Newport beach. Could have a decade of blue skies and possibly a Scott rolen-esque career.

I don’t get all the Kike love, sure he is a nice versatile bench piece and can play a lot of positions but he is not a starter at any of them. The team is collecting a lot of other versatile players in the system who have a better hit tool. Don’t tell me he just needs more AB’s, he struggles against any RHP who can spot a slider. He is already in there against every LHP and too many RHP. Sell high if other teams want him, he has reached his ceiling IMO.

Conor joe to AAA. Curious where he’ll mostly play.

2019 (Re-Sign Machado):

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1. Verdugo RF

2. Seager 3B

3. Machado SS

4. Bellinger 1B

5. Kemp LF

6. Turner 2B

7. Pederson CF

8. Barnes/Smith C

You could be bold and trade Puig and Taylor with prospects in a 3-way deal to get Machado.

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1. Toles RF (try him and if he doesn’t cut it, try Verdugo)

2. Turner 3B

3. Machado SS

4. Kemp LF

5. Bellinger 1B

6. Pederson CF

7. Grandal C

8. Forsythe 2B

Matt Kemp’s achilles heel was Rhianna or as Hall And Oates would say “She’s a Man Eater…

AC – Isn’t Verdugo due for another shot???

Wouldn’t want my grandson to play football knowing what we know now about brains and concussions. But then he isn’t gonna be big enough anyway. I played and I’m not all that stupid.

If the Dodgers can get a pitcher that will make the rotation better, then I hope they try and make a trade. One or two contact hitters would be nice, move Puig, and replace him with Verdugo, and let him play.

On 6/19, Mark posted this in response to a comment by a reader:

“Yeah, the Dodgers can’t hit with RISP, so….how in the hell are they 3rd in the NL in Runs?

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The answer is YOUR selective memory.

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Move on…”

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Now, he criticizes most of the lineup.

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Actually, I agree with Mark in part. As fans we all think that our players are the best – better than those of other teams, better than they really are. The truth is that over the past several seasons, the Dodgers have had an above average but not great offense but have tried to win by preventing runs. Look at the runs scored vs. runs allowed:

2018 – Runs scored – 339 (9th) – Runs allowed – 287 (9th)

2017 – RS – 770 (12th) – RA – 580 (1st)

2016 – RS – 725 (14th) – RA – 638 (5th)

2015 – RS – 667 (19th) – RA 595 (2nd)

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If anything, the offense has scored more runs than it has in the past even though Seager is out and important players like Turner, Bellinger, Taylor, Forsythe, Puig, Hernandez and Barnes haven’t been as productive as they should be. This is largely due to the increased number of HRs, the resurgence of Kemp and Pederson, and the appearance of Muncy as this year’s answer to Taylor and Turner.

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On the other hand, the Dodgers’ MLB rank in runs allowed (9th) is the highest that it’s been since 2014 (11th). The defense is part of this – the Dodgers rank 14th in defensive efficiency this year. They are 9th in runs allowed per game. They are 17th in fielding percentage. They are 19th in defensive runs saved above average (a negative number, incidently).

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While there are several players who need to step up their games offensively and the bullpen gives me the shakes, the Dodgers’ biggest problem is that they don’t stop runs as well as they have in the past and a big part of this is player defense.

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The other interesting number is WAR by position.

SP * 2.3 (10th)

RP * -.5 (19th)

C * 0.1 (11th)

1B * .6 (7th)

2B * -.4 (19th)

3B * 0 (17th)

SS * .7 (13th)

LF * 1.0 (5th)

CF * .7 (9th)

RF * .5 (9th)

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So where are the WAR problems? Bullpen, 2B, 3B are all below league average.

I would be in on Taylor in a deal for Machado.

Mark I totally concur about our offense and our pitching. If healthy buehler, Kershaw, hill, stack up well against other rotations with ryu and urias providing quality depth. Our problem is definitely on the offensive side. Kemp is proven to be a good hitter period but he doesn’t walk and like any hitter he is slumping right now. Turner is really the only other real hitter and he is not doing it. He may not be able to recover from the wrist problem but either way he is not producing. Muncy has been great you have got to play him until he goes cold. Taylor not the player we thought, too many strikeouts, average at best, get him out of the leadoff spot. Bellinger just not a good average hitter .270 at best with power the league has adjusted. Grandal can’t hit and never could put him 8th like you said and minimize him. You have to play him because Barnes has been awful. He is a candidate to be optioned, get some at bats to get out of funk if he has options. Puig is average who can be better at times but you can’t count on him and you can’t bat everybody 8th so bring Verdugo or Toles up. Forsythe or Hernandez, forget Forsythe I would rather have Hernandez who will get a clutch hit or a homer once in a while. Toles and Verdugo can hit for average so there is that. Unless a trade we are stuck with Taylor. How about machado and move Taylor to second or trade Taylor for machado?

The dodgers are probably shocked that Kemp is still healthy and toles hasn’t been needed. He missed his chance when Puig was out. I agree that it’s time to see what he and/or verdugo can do. A high contact/high obp bat atop the order seems like a need.

MINOR LEAGUE UPDATE – 06-20-18 – by AlwaysCompete

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Tulsa – 7-1 Win Springfield Cardinals

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Devin Smeltzer (22) continued with a relatively hot June and his third consecutive quality start for the Drillers. In 6 IP, Smeltzer allowed 1 unearned run on 6 hits, 0 walks, and 4 K’s. Smeltzer has now allowed 2 earned runs in his last three starts totaling 20 IP. He seems to be feeling comfortable and confident at AA.

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In a trend I do not like, in his 6 IP, he threw 76 pitches and left with a 5-1 lead. Why not let him go 7 or 8? How do you expect starting pitchers to go late in the game when they are not allowed to pitch deep in an obvious situation? Karch Kowalczyk and Layne Somsen pitched the final three scoreless innings allowing a single baserunner and registering 4 K’s.

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Offensively, the Drillers were paced by 4 HR’s; 2 by Drew Jackson (7), Jacob Scavuzzo (8), and Will Smith (8). Smith, Jackson, and Cael Brockmeyer all had 2 hits, with Brockmeyer getting his 4th double.

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The Drillers now embark on a 4 game home series against the NW Arkansas Travelers (Royals) before the AA All-Star break.

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Ogden – 3-2 Loss to Orem Owlz (Angels)

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The Raptors took a 2-0 lead into the 9th after 8 brilliant IP by Starter Jose Chacin (5 IP) and Jeremiah Muhammad (3 IP). Combined they allowed 0 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks, and 11 K’s. Vinny Santarsiero entered the 9th with a save opportunity, and allowed all four batters he faced to reach base, with the first two batters scoring the tieing runs with a single and HR. Jasiel Alvino followed and proceeded to strike out the side, but not before a ground ball was booted by Jefrey Souffront allowing the eventual winning run to score.

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1B Alvaro Rubi and 2B Jeremy Arocho each had 2 hits with Rubi getting his 3rd double. OF Daniel Robinson (2018 29th round draftee from Central Michigan), getting his 1st triple.

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20 year old 6’ 3” 200 pound RHP Kevin Malisheski draws the start today.

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AZL Dodgers – 3-2 Win over AZL Mariners

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Finally James Marinan made his 2018 debut and pitched 3 scoreless innings. He did allow 4 hits, issued 1 walk, with 2 K’s. After Jose Hernandez surrendered the tieing run in the 9th, Melvin Jimenez came on with a runner on and one out, and closed out the inning including 2 strikeouts. In the bottom of the 9th, a Frank Sanchez triple and a one out single by Kenneth Betancourt scored the walk off winning run.

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Jeronimo Castro (21 year old RHP from Los Llanos, DR), just promoted from DSL pitched 3 innings allowing one run on two hits, no walks, and 7 K’s (7K’s in 9 outs…not too shabby). One of the 2 hits was a bunt single, followed by the 2nd hit, a run scoring triple, spoiling an otherwise outstanding 3 IP in relief.

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DSL Dodgers Guerrero – 4-1 Loss to DSL Red Sox 2 (Game 1)

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3B Randy Rodriguez 3-4 with a double

2B Eynar Machin, HR (2)

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DSL Dodgers Guerrero – 6-1 Win over DSL Red Sox 2 (Game 2)

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Carlos Montilla pitched 4 scoreless innings, 3 hits, 2 BB, 6 K

Emmanuel Mercano (19 year old RHP Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela) finished the final 1.1 IP. After 6 games and 8.1 IP, Mercano has yet to allow a run. He has surrendered 1 BB with 11K.

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1B Jose Nava – 2-4

SS Eddys Leonard – 2-3, including 3rd double

RF Jaime Perez (5), 2B Jesus Valdez (3), LF Andy Pages (6) each hit a HR.

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DSL Dodgers Robinson – 17-5 Win over DSL Red Sox 1

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The Dodgers scored 17 runs on 13 hits and 11 walks.

CF Julio Enrique – 3-5 with a HR (2)

SS Carlos Santiago – 2-4 with a double (3) and HR (1) (3 run HR)

RF Rushenten Tomsjansen – 2-4

DH Yunior Garcia – HR (3) (3 run HR)

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Jose Rodulfo (17 year old RHP from Anaco, Venezuela) started 4th game went 5 IP for 3rd consecutive start, allowing 2 runs (1 earned), 4 hits, 0 walks, and 3 K’s. For the year, Rodulfo has started 4 games and pitched 19 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned), 9 hits, 3 HBP, 3 walks, 16 K’s. He has a 0.95 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, and .138 batting average against. This might be a 17 year old to follow.

Mark: Off the top of my head I would add Frankie Montas to your list.

4-1; 2.41ERA