We are only 10 games into the season, so everything we are seeing is a small sampling, but right about now, everything we are seeing is “spot on” to what we believed this team could achieve. The Dodgers could have believed all their press clippings and came out of the gate slowly, but they came out snarling and ready to defend their title. They are now 8-2 and very well could set the all time record for team wins this year. Yes, they are that good! Have we learned anything along the way? Yes, I think we have learned a lot. Such as:
- I have said this several times, but I can’t stop saying it: Zach McKinstry is a ballplayer! He is hitting .312 with 2 HR and 10 RBI while playing exceptional defense wherever he has played. Of course, it is early, but he has more value to the Dodgers than both Joc AND Kike! At least right now.
- Don’t count Kenley Jansen out just yet. Yeah, maybe he can’t pitch in back-to-back days, but when he can throw a 95 MPH cutter with control like he did Sunday, that is something special. He may not be a Dodger next year, but I think we will all be happy he is one this year. He will not be the only closer, but he will close us some games! That ninth inning on Sunday was pitched with a vengeance! He ain’t quitting anytime soon.
- What a luxury Chris Taylor is. He can fill in for Bellinger, Pollock, Lux, and Seager and do a credible… if not great job! It would be great to re-sign him, but some team will surely overpay.
- It’s too early to consider any team stat. It’s too small of a sampling. At about the 40 game mark, these stats mean something.
- Blake Treinen had the guts of a cat burglar Sunday. After giving up two cheap hits, he got out of the jam, even with an umpire who was squeezing him.
- Clayton Kershaw is still pretty dang good! I see a two-year deal after this season.
- Who was it that wanted to trade Max Muncy? .375 BA, 1.086 OPS. Who was that Bum?
- Gavin Lux and Edwin Rios are slumping big time. Hopefully, this too shall pass.
- It would be great if Joe Kelly could have just one great season or even a half-season. Joe is beloved by all his teammates and everyone loves him… even if he can’t pitch. Please God, just a half-season! I am waiting!
- I think it should be a team goal NEVER to lose a series this year. Every Game Matters!
2020 Dodgers Championship Ring Ceremony
In case you have not seen it, here is the epic ring ceremony.
That was sooooo very coooollll!! You can’t help but see how much love, respect, and affection every single Dodger player and coach has for Andrew Friedman. He was/is the architect of the team and I believe everyone on the team would run through a brick wall for him.
I must confess I had tears. I also must confess that Rob Manfred and MLB are idiotic morons! I have put in bids on several URL’s that seek to Fire Rob Manfred or to Boycott MLB. I hate these stupid, moronic bastards!
Discussion (39)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I’ve learned
That Bauer is absolutely awesome to watch
And that this place is far better without the Politics
Orel and Joe are going for a
” worst ever trophy ” Even when thry run out of stuff to say they just keep talking.
Painful !
The Dodgers are the envy of baseball but the Padres are for real. Thanks to the Cubs handing Darvish over for nothing to cut payroll. Thanks to the pirates who gifted Musgrove. Thanks to Tampa giving away a number 1 in Snell. It just seems as though the Padres fleeced their trade partners. I just don’t understand how the Padres can make these deals without giving up much of anything. Of course the cards traded Gomber for Arenado and the Rocks said we will give u 50 mil as well.
Of all the recent trades the Dodgers seem the only team who gives up anything of value. Verdugo and a catcher plus a top farmhand. Then paid to get rid of maeda. They not only gifted Maeda to get Graterol but they continue to pay for him. I guess all is well because we won the World Series but we paid dearly for Betts.
The Padres picked up 2 aces and musgrove who has pitched a no hitter this year. Their bullpen has started the year great. I think we are better but the margin is slim. I don’t know how the Dodgers stay on too much longer but hopefully AF does.
Mookie back in the lineup against Colorado tonight.
Two comments Bear, one, try volokit.com I get all the Dodger games on my computer or laptop and then connect to my TV for great coverage. You can get just about all the MLB games, NFL games, NHL games etc., on that site. Second, when the shift is on, as it was with Lux, the pitchers pitch inside which makes it hard to hit the other way. Not impossible, but rather difficult (then there is the occasional pitch that missed its intended spot). A bunt toward third should still be an attractive option.
The blown call at home Sunday to end the Braves – Phillies game was typical of the lack of reliability with the replay review system in MLB. Just like practically everything Rob Manfred has his hand in, it’s run like a clandestine operation. No transparency in the process. He’s the Wizard behind the curtain and will feed the underlings what he feels they need to know.
By my count Manfred and his minions have had a role in 19 rule and game changes after “extensive” fan research and “opinion gathering”. Most of these are ridiculous like no DH due to bundling it with the expanded post-season, max 2 pickoff moves to first in A-, forcing the pitcher to step off to make a pick off throw in A+, and bigger bases in AAA. I hate the shift that puts a rover in right field but I’m not sure there needs to be a rule. Maybe the players need to adjust which most have been reluctant to do.
The construction of the baseball is top secret.
So, what’s the process involved in reviewing a call? What does the command center in New York look like. Some TV personal have had tours. Why can’t we get a TV tour of the operation. Who’s doing the review? 2 umpires – who? Are they seeing the same camera shots in NY as we are seeing on our TV’s at home? Why does it take sometimes 5 minutes for a decision I can see in 30 seconds? Why is there no umpire or representative to give a verbal explanation of the verdict? What rule or view was seen to determine the outcome? I hate it that the default is what was called on the field. The best idea I’ve heard is that NY gets the video with no knowledge of what the call was on the field. The judgement is based on what was seen on the video NOT what was called on the field.
Does Manfred have a secret desire to run the CIA? More transparency and less cloak and danger would be welcomed by the players and fans. Practically everything he does seems paranoid and antagonistic. The fans are not the enemy and baseball is not a toy Manfred should change as he sees fit.
I’m very impressed with the team so far. Considering that Betts and Bellinger have been out along with Gonsolin and Graterol on the pitching side. Muncy has seemed to have turned things around. I amazes me how the entire lineup grinds the opponent pitching on such a consistent basis and no one emphasizes this more than Max. Lux has had some bad luck recently with hitting into outs with hard hits. His defense has been a surprise. So, his overall play has been a plus and I think will continue. The team is so deep that even losing two MVPs the Dodgers continue to win even though the competition has been poor. The two loses were games that the Dodgers lost and not won by the A’s and Rockies.
The bullpen should be a huge advantage throughout the season. With Kenley’s last outing it brought back visions of the past. Just dominating. But, unfortunately, he has had these flashes in the past 3-4 years. He has a big problem getting his body in sync consistently. When he does it’s magic. When he doesn’t it can be a high wire act. I don’t understand the Dodgers’ fascination with Scott Alexander. He’s suppose to be a sinker, ground ball pitcher, but he has become a knee to waist without much control pitcher. Why him and not Kolarek? I cringe when he gets in the game. I know he has, but to me he never has a clean inning and has control problems. I don’t get why and how he is beginning his fourth season with the team. Jimmy Nelson will continue to improve the more he pitches. The same with David Price. His stuff looks good and needs more innings to get things dialed in. Knebel, Trienin, and Gonzalez have been doing what we expect them to do. And, once Gonsolin and Graterol join the staff then the depth and quality will be incredible. Joe Kelly? Whatever. It would be nice though if he could contribute something before his contract ends.
With the Dodger manager, very disappointed. His coaches are outstanding. The front office is simply the best in baseball. And, it’s not even close.
The Padres have to stay healthy throughout the year and the odds of that aren’t in their favor. Tatis has already been injured. They don’t have the depth we do to withstand anymore long term injures. Especially, on their pitching staff. It’s a long year. It will be interesting to see what happens.
About Zack:
”He wasn’t/isn’t the best player on the field in terms of skills but might just be the best using the skills he has”
Harold, I can’t find a better way to say it !
It sounds like Gonsolin’s injury will take awhile to heal, that’s a big blow to the bullpen. I’m still hoping Doc allows he and Gonzalez to pitch multiple high leverage innings, as both are good against both sides of the plate.
I’ll stand by what I have said for the last 2 years, Jansen should be used the first inning that he can start an inning, following the starting pitcher. His days of closing are over.
I like Treinen but he needs to get better against LHB, he did that in a shortened year last year, hopefully it spills over into this year.
It will be interesting to see what the Dodgers do with Kershaw after this season. If Kershaw would take a significant pay cut i’d like to see a 2 year deal for him. The Dodgers franchise is in a good place player wise to be very successful for a few years, it would be nice if the powers that be, spend the money to keep the important players in Dodger uniforms during this successful period that the franchise is currently in.
I’m with others in saying that Zach McKinstry gives it all he has and will be better than Hernandez, although I didn’t care for Hernandez.
I’ve always liked Chris Taylor, he’s a valuable piece of the team as he can play just about anywhere. I always favored him over Hernandez when both were on the team. He is in a contract year, so there is that extra motivation he has this year.
I’ve always liked Muncy and I didn’t complain when he was in a long slump last year, because I know what he is capable of. That being said, when the team is healthy the 6th spot in the batting lineup is perfect for him.
“I think it should be a team goal NEVER to lose a series this year. Every Game Matters!”
I’m all for that.
What the Dodgers lose with Kike moving on is his defense, especially at 2nd base. With Lux as the starter and playing solid defense overall, it made Kike expendable. Kike was always going to have a low offensive ceiling. I think Zack will be be better overall, and he’s played good outfield D.
Muncy doesn’t get the respect he deserves. Since he started playing full time in 2018, he’s 6th in walk rate, 6th in ISO and 14th in wRC+ at 140, just behind Ronald Acuna and just ahead of George Springer. His ability to get on base is elite.
The Padres are really really good. Much was made of the Snell and Darvish pickups, but Musgrove might be the breakout pitcher that becomes the staff ace. And Lamet hasn’t even played yet. Next year the Padres will start integrating Mackenzie Gore into the rotation, who’s probably the top pitching prospect in the game. ..and then there’s Mike Clevinger, who’ll be coming off Tommy John. The Padres will be good for a while.
The Braves aren’t hitting yet. They are better than their record, and I think they will be the third best team in the NL when the season ends.
I agree, no rush to judgement right now. I know that the Dodgers are going to be a monster all year. I’m glad to see Muncy start hot after a bad year last year. McKinstry has been a pleasant surprise and is much better than Kike in my opinion. The lineup and the pitching staff is loaded. Best record with 2 MVPs out for around half of their games? 7 starting pitchers on the current roster? Three former closers, all looking dominate at times? The Dodgers beat a covid weakened Nats team, an overrated A’s team and a bad Rockies team. The Padres beat a bad D-Backs team, a mediocre Giants team and a bad Ranger team. Not too much to glean from that. The Padres are playing a AAAA Pirates team and the Dodgers get the Rockies at home before their big showdown this weekend. I can’t wait to park my butt in front of the TV all weekend.
We’ve learned that the 2016 Dodger draft class is redonkulous and is getting more impressive. A fashion model, you don’t say?
https://www.ocregister.com/2021/04/12/dodgers-2016-draft-class-continues-to-produce-major-league-talent
Zach is my guy and has been for some time. There was always something about him that stood out. He wasn’t/isn’t the best player on the field in terms of skills but might just be the best using the skills he has. I love that he can hit with two strikes and with runners in scoring position and can play multiple positions. He plays like the game is still a game and not a life and death situation.
https://ladodgertalk.com/2020/03/02/mckinstry-ex-zach-ly-knocking-on-the-door/
I tend to not draw conclusions after 10 games. The Padres are good, but can they sustain over 162 games?
I tend not to call people morons, but I’m okay with what Mark said about Rob Manfred. For the record, I’ve never liked the commissioner, said so many times. He needs to go.
Since we play the Padres 19 times, I won’t put too much weight toward the first series. But yes, absolutely, it would be good to make a statement.
Since Gavin Lux had been some balls very hard, it would make sense that some will begin finding holes.
I like Max Muncy. Thought he was much better than many of the players some folks thought we should get in the off-season. He has a attitude that plays well.
Zach is my guy and has been for some time. There was always something about him that stood out. He wasn’t/isn’t the best player on the field in terms of skills but might just be the best using the skills he has. I love that he can hit with two strikes and with runners in scoring position and can play multiple positions. He plays like the game is still a game and not a life and death situation.
https://ladodgertalk.com/2020/03/02/mckinstry-ex-zach-ly-knocking-on-the-door/
I’ll add to what we’ve learned: The Padres are not going to lose unless we beat them. They are probably saying the same about the Dodgers. This should be fun.
It’s an easy group to root for from top to bottom! Proud to be a Dodger fan! Can’t wait for this weekend. Statement series!
I believe we learn a little more about these guys each day. We will see how Lux handles a little adversity because of his struggles over the weekend series with the Nats. He did hit a couple of balls pretty hard, but they were caught. Taylor was not as hot through the series but had a huge hit with 2 outs in Saturdays game. Betts is still day to day. Hopefully he is ready for this 3 game series with the Rockies. If not then hopefully for the Padres.