I’m a “Big Picture” guy. I am not very involved in the Day-to-Day aspects of my real business (except as necessary), but am focused on “the Big Picture.” I was intimately involved in building the business for 15 years, but growth demanded that I become the “visionary,” and not the “Day-to-Day” Manager. Besides, I am not nearly as good at the day-to-day stuff anyway. So, here’s the way I work: I have 6 managers I surround myself with and I bounce ideas off of them. They have permission to shoot me down… and they do, but ultimately I make the decision. I don’t bat 1.000 – not even close… but maybe I hit .650 on my ideas and that’s cool.
So, when the Dodgers blow a lead and lose in 10 innings or win 5-1 in extra innings, I am pretty even keel. It’s the Big Picture I am concerned about. Some fans lose their minds over a game – I lose it over a season (I can’t waste too many brain cells anyway). To me, the big picture has not changed. Whether Ross Stripling gives up the winning run or scores the winning run does not make or ruin my day. If Julio Urias has a good game or a bad game, I watch the big picture. If Cody Bellinger looks lost at the plate, I look at the big picture. I don’t micromanage or second guess (much). I’m all about the BIG PICTURE.
I’m not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing… it’s just the “thing” or perspective you get here. I’m not telling you not to lose your mind after a loss or to be euphoric after a win – that’s what fans do – so have at it. Don’t get me wrong, yesterday’s game was good because we won, but I tend to look at other things:
- I was very pleased with Julio Urias first’ outing. Like any 20 year-old, he has to be more efficient but he is already more efficient that last year. His own error caused him to lose the decision. BTW, Bellinger or Gonzo would have had that ball.
- Fields appears to have taken a step forward and letting Hatcher close it out may do big things for his confidence.
- Chris Taylor is a very smart baseball player.
That’s the kind of stuff I see… like it or don’t. to me the Big Picture is still rosey… though there will be changes on the way. Enjoy the season… it’s barely started.
Discussion (61)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Good Job Dodgers!!
Excellent game by Kenta today.
We’re playing 6 vs the crap Phils and Giants. MINIMUM has to be 4 wins in these 6
Latest on Braun including tonites game: BA-.304; 7 HR- 18 RBI’s
VS LHP BA-.400; OBP-.500; OPS-1.200
Should I bring this back?
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This just in:
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Mad-Bum is expected to be out at least 3 months.
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The Dodgers had the depth to withstand the loss of Kershaw.
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SF does not.
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They will be sellers!
Puig, Pederson, and kazmir for Braun.
Have to agree with Rick though that Joc and Puig is too much for Braun, especially if they take his whole contract. If Joc is moved Bellinger will step into that spot not Toles but I do like Andrew and his speed. McCutchen may just need a change of scenery, I think he has something left. Not sure if they still want to move him with Marte suspended but maybe at the deadline.
I like your thinking Mark, and Braun would be a huge upgrade for the lineup for at least this year and next and perhaps beyond. He is a hometown boy and wants to come here. I doubt San Diego would take on AGon but he is very popular there. Maybe if he goes on a hot streak they would bite but then why move him? I love me some McCutchen but prefer not to trade DJ Peters, he’s a keeper. Maeda has a great contract and Searage may be able to fix him. I think Kike has some value to some team out there and maybe Hatcher.
Kike in right tonight for Puig your friend.
If I were Roberts, I would tell sit Andrew Toles down and tell him that he is going to play everyday in CF. L or R on the mound. Let’s see what he can do. Yasmani is a high Strikeout Guy. So is Joc and so is Cody Bellinger. Joc would be the logical one to trade if Andrew can step up. I think THIS YEAR, Toles can hit .265 or .270 with 10 HR and a .320 OB%. Let him hit 8th. Forsythe will be back in a couple of weeks. or so.
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The character of this team needs to change. Here’s some off-the-wall ideas:
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Trade Puig and Pederson for Braun. Dodgers take all his salary.
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Send A-Gon back to SD if SD will assume $10 of the $42 million he is owed. The $10 Mil is THIS year so it helps with the Luxury Tax.
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Trade Maeda, Calhoun and Peters for Andrew McCutchen.
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Here’s my lineup:
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1. Forsythe 2B
2. Seager SS
3. Braun LF
4. Turner 3B
5. Grandal C
6. McCutchen RF
7. Bellinger 1B
8. Toles CF
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OK, Kill me!
Kazmir and Ethier should head to the 60-day DL. Send SVS down and let Dickson get a taste of the big leagues. He can’t do any worse than SVS is doing.
Bellinger needs at least two or three weeks. I’d say the same think if he were 10-10.
He has shown the capacity to adjust continually.
Big Picture: We’ve played beyond pathetically the first 20ish games, and yet we’re 3 back. I’ll take that. I still believe this division is ours, and ours by a good margin come late Sept.
I”m done with Joc; I’ve seen enough, and I think we can do better. Better to me will be Alex Verdugo, who’s hitting .380 or something. Yes, Verdugo has a great, RF type arm, but we already have a great, RF type arm in RF. Nothing wrong with having a stud arm in CF either for those deep throws from right center or left center.
Urias first 2 starts will be vs. SF and their crappy offense; that’s a PERFECT way for him to build up confidence and gt going.
Wood looks like the real thing. I love him in the bullpen though, so I hope he goes back there. Then again, Rich Hill and his blister may be better suited for 2-3 ip at a time, 3x a week. So let Hill and his $48mil go to the bullpen, and start Wood.
Bellinger deserves another week or two before we decide he’s not quite ready yet, and send him back.
Turner’s power will come; at least he’s hitting.
Agone looks DONE. He looks like a poor man’s James Loney at this point. Just stop trying for deep fly balls, and go for the opposite field singles now; at least that can get some runners in.
My favorite minor leaguer, Mitchell White, goes tonight
It had to be said Mark..GJ
Good takes all around today. I like Cain but need to keep the price down for what could be a one year rental. There is a need for the RH part of an outfield platoon and Cain has hit lefties and is an above average outfielder in left and can still play center. I’m ok with Kike, he is not going anywhere now with his versatility, and he has some power and speed. But if he would bring back Cain by throwing in a young arm I would pull the trigger. Perhaps Dickson could fill that role and he can play 1st and 3rd as well and deserves a shot at some point. It would require a roster move and there are 2 spots waiting if Ethier and Kazmir are moved to the 60 day DL. Forsythe, Gutierrez, Joc and Segedin will all be back soon and the roster will have to be juggled.
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I still like Joc as well and he has such a low salary for his production teams would love to take him off our hands. Great point about the Davis boys, Chris and Khris that play despite lots of K’s because of their power, and Joc has speed and defense going for him. He would bring back the most in a trade package and they have Bellinger now and Verdugo in the wings to replace him as a LH hitting outfielder, but only for the right deal. For now they will probably try to improve from within but closer to the deadline there could be a blockbuster.
The Biggest of Big Pictures is that the Dodgers are currently in 3rd place, 11 – 12, (.478), 3 1/2 games back. They were supposed to win 98 games according to some SABRphiles. They have played 14% of the season. To win the 91 games that they won last year they will have to go 80 – 59 the rest of the way (.576). This is not an impossible goal, but they have to make many obvious changes in the way that the season has played out thus far:
1 – Better hitting with RISP
2 – Better hitting in late and close situations (they are 1 – 5 in one run games)
3 – Better hitting against southpaws
4 – Better contact. They have taken either a walk or a strikeout in nearly 32% of their plate appearances thus far. To keep innings moving they have to, you know, actually hit the ball? They spend too much time working the count and fail to swing at hittable pitches.
5 – Solve left field, center field, leadoff hitter holes.
6 – Get rid of the dead wood on the roster. (On offense right now that would include Van Slyke, Utley and Toles.)
7 – Find starting pitchers who can actually pitch every 5 games for 6 or more innings. Right now I have confidence in 3 Dodgers starters – Kershaw, Urias and McCarthy. Do they need to dump Maeda and Ryu? Will Blister Boy make his 20 starts this year?
8 – Finish juggling the bullpen to find roles for everyone. They need a bridge to Jansen. They don’t have one right now. Dump Romo. A healthy Dayton will help.
Maybe someone in the front office read that and can suggest some changes for tonight’s game.
Interesting look at Maeda and his sinker usage in relation to his success:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kenta-maeda-needs-to-bring-back-the-sinker/
I was as excited as anyone to see Joc come up, truly a disappointment so far.
He is what he is, very low average hitter that will hit the occasional bomb and draw walks.
I hate to say it, but I can’t wait to see him replaced.
Hell, give Verdugo a shot, LoCain would be a miracle.
AC’s comment on our outfield cannot be overlooked, it is down right awful in terms of offensive production. It’s not like we have a stud 1B to make up for it either.
The outfield has been a mess for years now, hoping Joc and Puig turn it around, oh, and that whole left field thing we have going on.
We must start looking into other options for Joc, Puig has done enough to keep him in there for the time being.
When are FG and Forsythe coming back?
2 mediocre teams played the last 4 days, and it ended up an even split. A close, even split. That’s what mediocre does. Competitive mediocrity. The Phillies are hot and have one of the best records in MLB the last 10 days. The Nats pounded a good Rockie team in Colorado. Right now it is the cream of the crop. The Phillies have some good, young starting pitchers, so it will be another tough series. Urias was good yesterday under the circumstances. Playing in a hostile environment; big game; losing streak on the line; etc. Too many walks, but still ok. Roberts said he was composed, which is not what I saw in Grllendale. At least he didn’t hurt himself. No blister, shoulder, forearm, etc. I wish I were 20. Not really.
Mitch White goes again tonight for the Quakes. Could this game be the audition for a jump to AA ? Isaac Anderson is too young to give up on, but he needs to get back to RC to get his confidence back.
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Alveraz had a very good outing last night. He is starting to get back to where he was last year. Now he needs to start to lengthen his outings. It’s also time to let Buehler stretch it out.
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Andy Sopko gets another start for Tulsa tonight. Hope things go better for him this time.
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Leo Crawford goes tonight for Great Lakes.
I don’t need to say this again because I have said it enough but here goes–I am not a Grandal fan. If he has value, I would trade him in a heart beat.
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I thought Pederson was looking better and better. I want him in the lineup everyday.
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Puig has hit more hard ground balls that have not found a hole than anybody in recent memory. A MLB player has yet to play the game that hasn’t looked absolutely fooled and silly trying to hit the ball. Puig is making good hard contact. Maybe too many of the balls he hits are grounders but that should change. I don’t think he looks bad any more than Utley or Gonzales. It’s just that those two have long histories of doing well.
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Thompson and SVS missed to much of last season and nursed their bodies in the off season. They need more time at AAA to hone their hand eye coordination. They are taller players and I think it takes taller players more swings to find their groove.
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Bellinger stands too close to the plate for his uppercut swing to make contact with up and in strikes and that is compounded by him swing at balls that look above the strike zone. For some reason he reminds me of Reggie Jackson.
I root for Joc because he’s a Dodger, but I was never a fan when he was in the minors. I always said that he was a 4th or 5th outfielder at best. He’s the starting CF, so I was wrong, but I don;t like what I see.
I hope they keep Segedin when he comes back. I like players like Toles, Segedin and Taylor. They have great stories to their careers. These are guys who will be bench players and be very happy. Taylor and Segedin both had good ST. I am no longer a Kike or SVS fan . Both had opportunities to show their skills. They have not produced. Time to turn the page.
Big Picture
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1. We are 6th in pitching even with Maeda/Ryu/Romo. Team ERA 3.48, 1.17 WHIP. Organizationally we have LOTS of internal options if necessary (Wood etc.).
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2. We are 13th in batting even with “offensive positions” outfield/1st base sucking. Team batting .240, .384 SLG and .713 OPS. Organizationally we have some internal options and trade pieces if necessary.
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3. Need to remember Compete Now/Compete Later. No trading inexpensive 25 yr old Pederson, 2015 2.3 WAR and 2016 3.4 WAR and 24 yr old Toles, 2016 1.4 WAR for 31 yr old RENTAL Cain. Keep shopping for BARGAINS while tinkering around the edges. Replace SVS with Dickson, DL Gonzalez. Platoon, left, center, 1st (I know I am the only guy) and regular rest for Grandal.
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4. Even with suckage, we are only 3 1/2 games out of first.
Urias impressed me even though his command was a little off. His change and curve set up his fastball or vice versa, they could not catch up when he elevated and his curve got mostly ground balls. He is tough to face and looks like he can pitch deeper into games this season.
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If Maeda gets hit who is the long man today? This is a risky move with the bullpen a bit short. A night game at Dodger stadium usually limits long balls, Maeda has had extra time and rest to work on things with Honeycut, maybe he turns the corner. He needs to throw more off speed and keep his fastball down in the zone.
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Utley is a guy I want up in key situations late in a game and that is why he is on this team. He thrives under pressure and seems to come through most times. Roberts brings guys off the bench that were sitting due to matchups for that one big inning. With the consistent pitching as AC points out that is often all they need.
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Bellinger just need to lay off the high inside pitch as it is usually a ball anyway. He can handle middle to low just fine, and seems to have a good eye otherwise. He has thunder in that bat and could get hot soon if they keep playing him, but lower in the order please.
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Toles may need to go down but my concern is with SVS, he is just not producing and takes a roster spot away. He has an option, send him down to play every day and find his stroke. Hatcher is looking improved, he has always had filthy stuff. He may be the long man today if Maeda is off. Fields is looking good as well and Dayton is supposed to be activated today which will really help the set up spot. Baez is doing pretty well there but can’t go every day and in every situation.
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The Dodgers have a chance to make up some ground on this home stand with the Rockies and DBacks facing off. They need to win both of these series and get above .500 and send a message to the rest of the NL West.
I continue to like Taylor. He has made some changes and they are all good. He should get more playing time, but he may be the best bench player we have. When he plays he seems to get at least one hit.
Our outfield is our problem. I agree with you Complete. We should have two good sluggers out of the three. We do not. Joc and Puig are what they are. Bellinger has to keep playing. He certainly has problems with a high inside fast ball. It does not take long for major league pitchers to find your weakness.
The other concern I have at this time is Grandal. His play calling was not good the other night. He is not hitting. Defensively he has some problems. His first job is to catch the ball. I would give more playing time to Barnes. Send Grandal a message.
Starting pitching is looking good. Maeda, it is your turn to shine.
While I may look at the big picture, there are still some games that hurt more. Wednesday was one of those games for me. I just had to get away from the news and stories for 24 hours. Maybe it is because I am emotionally invested into Alex Wood and his performances, and he deserved to win that game. There was a game against SF last year where Kenley blew the save and game that I felt the same way.
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Many want to take shots at the apparent lack of starting pitching with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have played 23 games. Of the 23 games, the opponent has scored more than 4 runs only 3 times, and Maeda was the starter in two of those games (1 win and 1 loss). The bullpen blew up against the DBacks for the third game (loss). The opponent has scored 4 runs in 7 games, where the Dodgers are 1-6. They have allowed 3 runs or less in 13 games and have won 9 of them. The pitching has kept them in arguably 20 of the 23 games, but are only .500 in those 20 games. Maeda has not been good, and Ryu has not done well in 2 of his 4 starts. Doc has said that Wood has earned at least one more start, and tomorrow’s start will go a long way to determine if Maeda is going to continue to be a starter in the near term.
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Where’s the problem? Dodgers OF is certainly a mess right now:
Puig .247/.344/.432/.776
Toles .207/.258/.362/.620
Joc .220/.322/.340/.662
Kike’ .237/.302/.553/.855
SVS .133/.257/.267/.524
Gutierrez .231/.286/.385/.670
No out-fielder batting better than .250. Only two OF with OPS better than .700. From a position that is supposed to generate offense, there is not much from the Dodgers OF. Based on the numbers, Kike’ deserves to play a little more. I agree with MJ that it is hard for Toles to get comfortable at the plate while he is platooned so much. If Joc or Puig were better offensively, a Toles/Gutierrez platoon could work, but I think Toles needs to go down to play every day and try to get his stroke back.
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The Dodgers are designed to be a HR threat. So why is it that Chris Taylor/Austin Barnes/SVS with 1 HR apiece have the same number of HR’s as JT/AGon/Joc/Forsyhte combined? Maybe with a couple more jacks, some of those games where only 4 runs were scored against, they could have turned some of those losses to a win. JT is hitting, just not with power. He does have a .908 OPS, second on the team to Seager’s .963. AGon has a slugging % of .319 and an OPS of .661. Not very productive for a clean-up hitter. With Forsythe out, the offense is really Corey and JT. IMO, that is why the Dodgers are at .500 when the opponents have scored 4 runs or less, not because of ineffective starting pitching.
I used to say that the bad Mattingly had a hard time winning battles and the good Mattingly could win a war. I saw some things in the SF series that felt like the Dodgers could do better at the battle level but I love that at the win the war level they are very good.
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If I could find a way to like Mattingly with all his bad lineups etc, I am not about to get down on the Dodgers this early in the season.
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The season is a series of battles and most of them have to be won but it is ability to stay focused, relax, stay positive, believe, stay motivated, and keep grinding and improving that wins wars.