The Dodgers Need a #2 Starter?

Make that 1/2 game out of 2nd. Greinke takes the loss and coupled with the Cubs loss the Brewers move into 1st place. The Cards could help them gain on the Rockies too.

The word is out to feed Puig fastballs and until he adjusts or can catch up to them the book will not change. He is hitting 8th and they don’t nibble at all to get to the pitcher. McCarthy and Stripling both looked great, Taylor had a big fly off Lackey and with Kershaw going tomorrow get out the brooms! Snakes already lost so tied for 2nd.

Meanwhile, for OKC, Urias went 6ip, 3 hits, 1 run, 2bb, 4k in 92 pitches

Two players who have just not improved are Joc and Puig. Two outfielders. Puig has been up five years and Joc three years. I do not think either one has any value in a trade. I hoped both would have good years this year. I am sure Turner Ward has done everything possible to help them. What do you do with these two?

Are they selling Chris Taylor jerseys at the ballpark yet?

I know Bellinger is a slick fielding 1B, but haven’t seen anyone remark on the catch he made in LF last night. Made me think of the catch Sandy Amoros made in the 1955 world series.

Here is a link to Statcast leaders. Before you look, which Dodger do you think has the highest average exit velocity on balls hit?

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https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/statcast_leaderboard

Now that’s funny! AGon will be hosting a celebrity lawn bowling tournament before the next home stand to raise $$ for his favorite charity. Seriously AGon will be the only one still with the team next year unless Utley wants to coach.

Gutierrez, Romo, Utley, and Gonzales car pool from a senior living community together.

Boxout isn’t being negative… He has hope!!!

I’d stick with Franklin G…

I think the 2 roster decisions management is struggling with are Gutierrez and Romo. Both have small enough contracts they could be eaten but being veterans could have some value in a stretch run or when rosters expand. Neither are providing much right now and could be easily replaced. Eibner is a placeholder until JT is ready or Joc who both may get an injury rehab. Ryu is taking an extra spot but the staff seems to be holding up fine even with Romo just for mop up duty.

Very nice win and performance by Wood and the bullpen. Great to see AGon get the HR monkey off his back, did Utley show him the way? I would have left Wood in another inning at 91 pitches but hard to argue with the results. Baez has a microscopic ERA and seems to be pitching a little faster. Hatcher looked good, now somehow just get Romo to join the party?

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Rockies unloaded on the Cards with a 10-0 explosion at Coors. DBacks also won and throw Greinke tonight, Dodgers need to hit Lackey’s so-so stuff on a late afternoon start where the ball will carry. McCarthy needs to avoid the long ball as well and keep his power stuff down in the zone. Dodgers may need to win just to keep pace, the NL West would send 3 teams to the playoffs at the current pace. Only Houston has more wins than the Rockies this year in MLB.

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The only starting pitcher who did not give the team a chance to win recently has been Hill. Roberts gave him the vote of confidence but was also annoyed at his antics with the home plate umpire in his last start. With Ryu in the pen I would expect a quicker hook next start in St Louis if he struggles again with command.

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Should Joc be worried about his CF spot? For sure he is platooned when he returns. I think finding Taylor more at bats will seriously cut into Kike’s playing time when JT comes off the DL. Forsythe still has not found his timing and Utley is playing well. We have not seen much of Gutierrez lately, not even as a PH last night. Puig may still be hurting from the collision that put Joc on the DL and perhaps could use a day off.

Rockies AAA team at Albuquerque has 6 guys over .290. Can we get our hands on some of Rockies’ hitting instructors? It’s not all light air.

Mark

You mentioned in your piece just what I have been thinking lately, when I have watched Wood pitch, in his last three, or four games.

And that is that Wood is pitching better, and pitching with more dominance then Kershaw has been pitching, this year.

And I that is even though I think Kershaw has brought his pitching to another level, in his last two or three games.

And my only concerns with Wood, is exactly what you said Mark, can he stand up and be able to pitch the entire season, with no injury issues, and I sure hope so for Wood, and for the Dodgers.

The bullpen also pitched another good game too, to keep up with our starting pitchers, like they have, most of the year.

And Agone’s two run HR to straight away center, has to make any Dodger fan happy, because he is one of our few hitters, who can hit good pitching.

And it is good news to hear Turner will be back soon too, because he is another one of our players, who also hits good pitching.

Yeah, Kershaw is a pretty good # 2. It’s pretty hard to argue the Dodgers need more pitching when they are #1 in all of baseball in team ERA and WHIP. I think there is a good chance that FAZ will be selling pitching at the deadline. Anybody see that Kazmir is up to 92 MPH? Take his salary and he is yours. In any event, don’t spend the trade chips on pitching unless something really good falls into our laps.

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I was the poster lamenting Agon’s “warning track power”, still am!! Hey Kobe Bryant got 60 points in his last game, anybody still want him starting for the Lakers? Yeah, I think the offense needs a boost, Agon’s ONE home run through the first 49 games is unacceptable, especially when combined with Turner’s ONE home run and Pederson’s TWO home runs through 49 games this year.

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Problem is, who do you target. Position wise, 1st base and outfield are probably the only places to upgrade. Braun looks like an expensive injury-prone potential anchor, Cain is a EXPENSIVE rental and probably not a BIG difference maker. J.D. Martinez looks like a good rental, but at a huge price after his fast start. What to do????

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Hopefully, nobody missed the article Bluto posted. The “deadline sellers” hitting cupboard looks pretty sparse to me. I hope FAZ trades for an up and coming, team controlled, young player, who nobody sees coming, who could be good for several years, like Haniger or Ozuna or ???? Kind of like how they swooped in on Alex Wood a couple years ago.

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https://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/inside-baseball-70-players-hit-trade-block/

Madden said he thought the Cubs did a good job getting Wood out of the game after 5. Pitch count was high at 91. But he said the Dodgers have a good bullpen, which shut the team down for the next 4. Good job by the pen. That was not exactly a throwaway appearance for Hatcher. He could have easily blown it, or at least blown his appearance. I’m sure there was bullpen activity in the 8th and 9th. I think the bullpen is fully rested right now, so don’t be surprised by an early hook today.

I am shocked that hatcher preserved the shutout and against the strength of their lineup. Great job hatcher!!! Typical Roberts guts of a burglar. If hatcher had let something start I am sure he had kenley warming. I hope this is agon getting healthier. Even though he has an overpriced contract we need him more than ever. At any rate a timely first homer. Wood is great right now hats off. If puig could just produce a little and we could pickup Cain we are off to the races. How about Roberts saying we are better than the cubs and then back it up if only for one night very gutsy. By the way bellinger is showing the presence of utley. After a hit the other night he rounded the base hard just playing the game the right way. He looked just like utley. Little things make big things happen.

Great win…

Do you ever wonder if players can hear us talk about them??? Was it yesterday or the day before someone lamenting about Agon’s warning track power??

Just keep on keeping on!!!

It is surprising that Freeman and Heston are taking up two slots on the 40-man. Maybe if their first names were Morgan and Charlton it would make more sense. Are there no better options to fill those slots?