It seems like every time the Dodgers score nine runs, they win, but the Marlins are evidently the best team in baseball because, after all, we have been told that the best team always wins! Right? Of course, I am being sarcastic! In baseball, unlike a game like basketball, the best team does not always win. In fact, in baseball, every team is going to win about 54 games and lose about 54 games. The best team absolutely does not always win, but the best team will win more of the remaining 54 games than other teams.
We hope the randomness of it all does not hit in the playoffs like it has the past two seasons. Oh, and while I am at it, Bobby Miller has no business pitching in Little League, let alone on an MLB mound! I told you his season was over after his last start. He is a total mess and needs a total reset. He needs to be shut down and unlearn his current muscle memory. Many baseball people believe that the ability to throw a curve or a slider is innate – it’s either in your DNA or it’s not. I happen to believe that because I could never throw a curveball or a slider. I taught both of my sons how to, but I never could. Go figure! Bobby Miller has a decent curve, so that is not his problem. Perhaps he needs to lose 2-4 MPH on his fastball and spin it more. I am not a pitching guru, but I can see that what he is doing is not working.
BaseballSavant.com rates him like this:
You can scroll down the page and see that just about every metric screams, “I am a horrible pitcher!” He is not going to be successful pitching at the MLB level if he keeps doing the same thing. His pitches haven’t changed so much as the league understands what his pitches are doing and in what sequence. This is not going to be an easy fix and he is going to need a personal guru to work with him… for quite some time. I would send him to Camelback Ranch today, along with whoever is going to tutor him.
This deep dive post on X.com helps us see how far he has fallen:
Daniel Hudson was unconscious most of the season. His ERA is still a very good 2.75/1.00 WHIP, but he has lost 2-3 MPH velocity, making the separation on his slider less effective. He is either tired or hurt… or both. He might need to rest or go on the IL. Michael Grove is up and down. Here’s my list of pitchers who are no on the playoff roster:
- Miller
- Grove
- Honeywell
Ryan Brasier is also down in velocity… maybe he is building up after being out for so long… or maybe he is injured, too. It’s going to be a war of attrition as to who makes the roster, and right about now, I would say that Tony Gonsolin has a shot. His fastball has been 92-94 MPH, but will tick up 1-2 MPH on an MLB Mound. If I had to guess what the pitching staff looks like in the playoffs, I would say this it is:
- Flaherty
- Yamamoto
- Stone
- Kershaw
- Knack
- Kelly
- Hudson
- Vesia
- Gonsolin
- Graterol
- Treinen
- Phillips
- Kopech
Of course, I am assuming a lot with Stone and Kershaw not even pitching off a mound… but that is my opinion, and maybe I am wrong. We shall see…
Shadrack is Growing. At 14 weeks, he is 35 Pounds.
Discussion (62)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Fantastic achievement!!! Still, I miss the old real baseball days of unlimited pickoff attempts.
Finally, Miami plays up to their abilities
How about
Domo arigato Mr. Ohtani
Book em
MVP! MVP! MVP!
Book em
I know some have criticized Shohei because of his “poor performance” with RISP. However, performances like today reminds us of the immense upside and force he is becoming as he establishes himself on a legitimate contending major market team. Ohtani is a special player, period!
Now the question becomes, is his bat too important to risk a pitching related injury? Given the health related volatility of our pitchers, is it best to keep Shohei away from the bump?
I have no words.
Shohei reads here and was insulted so he went off. 6 for 6 with 3 HR and two doubles and 10 RBI’s.
What a chump! 😉
I mean shohei ohtani is great and all that, if only he could……… Uh, never mind!
Bwaaàahahaha!
Wow! First player ever in the 50-50 club.
50-50: The only player ever!
There’s still time to go for 60-60!
I wouldn’t mind having Edman for a few more years.
Shohei Ohtani has been in a slump recently, especially in the past 15 games. But his second ion HR to Aaron Judge and is 51st in Strikeout %. When you are a HR hitter, you are to strike out some, but his strikeout percentage is incredibly low. OPS is a lot more important than BA.
Porpoise, I like Modelo Negra also. But once ordered it in a Mexican restaurant as , Negra Modelo. The server had a stunned look and said that means ‘Black Model. Oh well!!
4:40 PM ET
Dodgers (90-62)
Marlins (56-96)
SP Jack Flaherty R
12-7 3.04 ERA
SP Edward Cabrera R
4-7 4.55 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
SS Tommy Edman S
3B Max Muncy L
2B Gavin Lux L
CF Andy Pages R
LF Chris Taylor R
In Domed Stadium
Noted and ignored. You write your way; I will write mine.
With all the struggles we’ve been having with pitching this year it still doesn’t make any sense to me why we traded Yarbrough – he had the ability to be a real mid game inning eater when the starting pitcher decided to not show up.
Magic number reduced to 7 to win the Western Division and 2 to make the playoffs.
Let’s see. Nit pick or flat pick, I will take the latter. I don’t always nitpick. But when I do….I drink Dos Equis.
Book em
You are going to see Shohei pitch in this postseason….especially if a series is on the line…
Shohei is having a historical season. 49 steals, 48 homers. 110 RBIs. Some might say I am nitpicking, and maybe I am, but one thing he is terrible at is hitting with RISP this season. His slash line is .223/.346/.354. His OPS is .700. Not very good, and one of the reasons has to be his 158 strikeouts. His career high is 189 set in 2021. He is only 3 away from matching his 161 in 2022. Last year, when he hit .304, he struck out 143 times. And any fan who has watched him all year has to be frustrated by the number of times he has stood like a statue as a ball goes right down the pipe and then will swing at a ball, he couldn’t hit with a telephone pole on the other side of the plate. He could easily have 20 or 30 more RBIs with a little less swinging for the fences.
Even after a tough start, Knack stepped it up tonight. I’m really impressed by this kid. My Sharona! I still like this.
Flaherty
Yamamoto
Knack
Beuhler
I love Clayton and Tony. Get em healthy. That would deepen their arsenal.
Book em
The latest
“The Dodgers announced that they have reinstated right-hander Joe Kelly from the 15-day injured list and selected the contract of left-hander Zach Logue. Righties Bobby Miller and Michael Grove were optioned in corresponding moves. Righty Tyler Glasnow was transferred to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man spot for Logue.
Per MLB Trade Rumors:
“Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced to reporters that right-hander Gavin Stone is still experiencing shoulder soreness and is “very unlikely” to return this year. Alden González of ESPN was among those to relay the news on X.”
Kershaw (toe) threw a bullpen session Wednesday at LoanDepot Park, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the left-hander threw 80-83 pitches in what was his first time throwing off a mound since he landed on the 15-day injured list at the end of August with a bone spur in his left big toe. Roberts previously had said it was unlikely Kershaw would make it back before the end of the season, but that he was able to throw so many pitches in the bullpen Wednesday suggests the door is ajar.
6:40 PM ET
Dodgers (89-62)
Marlins (56-95)
SP Landon Knack R
2-4 3.70 ERA
SP Ryan Weathers L
3-5 3.55 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
2B Mookie Betts R
RF T. Hernandez R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Tommy Edman S
C Will Smith R
CF Andy Pages R
3B E. Hernandez R
LF Chris Taylor R
In Domed Stadium
Agree with your playoff pitching roster Mark, but I would not rule out Buehler just yet. He has that fire in his belly, and looked pretty good in his last outing.
Magic number is 8 to win the Division and 3 to make the playoffs.
Shadrack like the Beastie Boys song?
Any reason why Casparius hasn’t been brought back up? The one game I saw him pitch was in AZ, high pressure situation and he threw strikes.
I know it was never an option to sign Bauer, but it would have been nice to have him now.
Another one I always liked was Bumgarner, but he wasn’t an option either, although I doubt they would have been worse than Miller and Buehler.