It has been reported that Dave Roberts told Brain Dozier he would not play everyday… and in the truest sense of the word, that may be true. He may get a day off now and again, but there’s no way Doc is not writing his name in permanent marker on the lineup card. Where he hits in the order is the only thing up for debate. You can make a case for hitting him in any one of the top five spots, but he will be there everyday.
Last night, Dodger fans got a little glimpse of what he can do when it all clicks. Last year, after the All-Star Break, Mike Trout hit .285 with a .429 OB%. He had 17 HR and OPS’ed .981. Brian Dozier, in that same span hit .304 with a .394 OB%, to go with 21 HR and a .985 OPS. He essentially did the same in 2016. Brian Dozier is a clutch player – in a small sampling he has also excelled in the playoffs, OPS’ing 1.850.
Yopu can say that “these guys are pros – they play at the highest level every day.” That would be true if they were machines, but they are only human, and suddenly, when you are traded from a dismal team to a team with a chance of winning it all, most players have a heightened sense of purpose. J.D. Martinez is a prime example when he got traded from Detroit to the D-Bags. He hit .302 with a .366 OB% with 29 HR and a 1.107 OPS! I believe Brian Dozier is of that ilk as well.
Brian Dozier is the Dodgers’ starting 2B – PERIOD! There is no platoon… at least, there better not be. Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and Kike Hernandez will have to accept less AB’s, because the new Dodgers’ infield is very good defensively with Bellinger at 1B, Dozier at 2B, Manny at SS and JT at 3B. I don’t care what the defensive metrics say – Manny can play a very good SS. He is not speedy, but neither is Corey Seager. I would be fine with Manny as SS next year, but where does Dozier fit in? The options blow my mind.
Max Muncy can spell Cody, Brian and JT as well as pinch hit to keep fresh, but as a L-R DH in the Post-Season, it will be hard to beat a Duo of Muncy and Hernandez at that position. They already have 41 HR between them!
Yasmani Grandal is locked in. Among all catchers in baseball, only JT Realmuto is better!Right here, right now, Yasmani is the #2 catcher in the game. “yeah, but he will slump as usual.” Maybe – Maybe not! This is 2018, not 2017. Sometimes history repeats itself… somtimes it doesn’t.
Even after last night, I am beginning to trust Scott Alexander – his pitches move like crazy – he just has to watch the walks. I see progress, but the bullpen will look entirely different in the playoffs. This 2018 Dodger team is built for that. So far, I have been impressed with Floro as well.
The big Question is: Turner and Axford will be activated soon – who goes down or on the DL?
Options (pick 2):
- Chase Utley to the DL due to old age.
- Hudson, Goddel, Chargois, Floro or El Gasolino to AAA.
Remember when I said the Cueto signing was a bad deal? Well, he has misssed most of this year and will miss next year before coming back at 34 years old. Orel said it best: “It’s not smart to give long-term contracts to people who throw a ball for a living.” True That!
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Discussion (106)
Disagree, not disagreeable
DF – Here is an article that tells more about Uceta’s background and his present development.
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https://greatlakesloons.mlblogs.com/edwin-uceta-completes-journey-from-gas-station-attendant-to-dodgers-prospect-list-1a19a9b61ee5
Lux had 24 errors at Rancho. He’s got 1 at Tulsa too. That’s a number that will need to come down next season.
Much appreciated dodger chatter,you guys have so much knowledge and know where to find it.
Mark tell us a little more about Uceta, how for away from the majors.
Two beautiful performances in the minors tonight. Both no walks and no runs: ryu 4 ip 2 h 4 k. Uceta 6 ip 2 h 6 k.
I say maybe they should give JT a bonus for lineup luck charm! It’s nearing fact what his presence does.
I wish Dodger bats would just wake up! When will they put a couple runs on the board?
Is Barnes really this bad?
8-1 SF in the 8th. Solid chance we’re in first place in about 20 min.
We’re going to wish we could have kept some of these runs on lay-away for the Houston series.
Think Baez can hold them?
shouldn’t there be some kind of mercy rule?
This dude makes Kike look like Max Scherzer
Bumsrap,
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You better get in here and strut your stuff.
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You told me so…
brilliant Dodger pen trying to give game back to the Crew
Forsythe: 2 hr all year
Dozier: 2 hr in 24 hours
Is this a new trend for Dodgers, HRs with men on base?
Well – if they can avoid hitting only solo HRs, this offense could be historically good (for the LA era Dodgers).
Dozier back to back nights. Already paying dividends. Platoon only if he goes into a woeful slump. Right now no way in hades he should come out of the lineup. Muncy should never have gotten into that home run derby. When will they learn?
Taylor stands to lose some at-bats with this new line-up.
Watching LA, Tulsa and Great Lakes. I need another monitor…
Kershaw one step forward one back
So far, 3-4, 2 runs, HR, 2rbi for Lux in his AA debut. I say bump him to OKC tomorrow!!
That’s the way to come out of a slump!
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Grand Salami!
Schoop does that again, head hunt a bean!
Joc should have never hit a solo HR – he should have bunted!
Anybody know why Machado seems to be stuck in that number 2 spot in the lineup? I would have loved to see him in the number 3 spot when JT wasn’t playing. And tonight without Kemp in the lineup… I would have liked him in the clean up spot in between JT and Yaz
Can’t wait for a healthy JT. Whether he is hot or not, he just seems to mellow everybody out hitting wise. The other guys seem to feed of him and take better at bats. Glue, Mark, glue. Perfect analogy of Turner.
Jacob Amaya (19) and Miguel Vargas(18) both starting for the Loons tonight. Game in rain delay.
Gavin Lux got a hit in his first at bat with the Drillers leading off.
Those crazy left wrist inflammations…they just continually pop up and the most opportune times.
DODGERS REINSTATE JUSTIN TURNER
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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated third baseman Justin Turner from the 10-day disabled list and placed infielder Chase Utley on the 10-day disabled list with left wrist inflammation.
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Turner, 33, missed the past 10 games due to a right groin strain during his second stint on the disabled list this year. The Long Beach native has appeared in 50 games with the Dodgers this season batting .259 with 21 runs, eight doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI along with a .354 on-base percentage.
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Utley, 39, is batting .240 with one triple, one home run and 14 RBI in 69 games with Los Angeles this season.
And Gavin Lux leading off and playing SS for Tulsa
Ryu pitching for rancho tonight.
Man, Baez even gets demoted slowly [joke].
Grandal is a perfect example of why the post-season is a crapshoot. If he was hitting last October like he is now, the Dodgers would likely be defending champs.
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I think it’s a bit early to begin thinking about next year (although FAZ needs to be thinking about all the time). Dozier was impressive last night, but I want to see more.
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Going forward I hope that Muncy shows us that he’s just in a slump, and will break out of it. Until he does, I’m not penciling him in for anything going forward. I’ve seen this before, and sometimes it’s real and sometimes not.
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Grandal should probably be signed to a multi-year deal, because he’s still one of the better catchers in the game. Then, if one or more of the young Dodgers catching prospects steps up, Grandal could then become a valuable trade asset.
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Definitely want Manny back next year, and look forward to Seager’s return.
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Not including anything about the pitching now, but I suspect that that’s an area that will have to addressed long and short term, both in the rotation and bullpen.
Tonight’s Dodgers lineup:
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Pederson LF
Machado SS
Turner 3B
Grandal C
Bellinger CF
Dozier 2B
Muncy 1B
Puig RF
Kershaw P
Interesting interview with RC Quakes manager, Drew Saylor
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https://www.truebluela.com/2018/8/2/17641756/drew-saylor-interview-rancho-cucamonga-quakes-trade-deadline
Perhaps Utley going to the DL is punishment for his unprofessional batting practice attire….
Mark, do you think they should resign Dozier in the off season?
P.S.
Utley has great for MLB!!!
Chase Utley to the DL due to old age. Not funny Mark, Chase Utley has none everything F&Z expected from him when they traded for him. He plays every game as hard as he can, giving everything he has for the team, yes he is older and can’t do what he once could but he deserves your respect, not you trying to be funny at his expense.
Wow, wasn’t it a week or so ago MT set the gill nets for the Grandal ‘haters’??? As usual those haters didn’t show up!!! 3 years of Yasmani or Smith & Barnes… Gotta go with the controllable kids… Sign Manny… L.A. teams need their stars!!!
Except for Donald T. Sterling’s illegitimate step children A.K.A. the Clippers…
Stl 1 col 0
Either AC or DC favorite DJ lemahieu is coming back
Dozier looks a little like a young ned colletti. As for muncy, even if he’s downgraded to a part time starter he still has value. Like with Taylor last season, I never complain about essentially free production.
There was something about seeing Dozier in a Dodger uniform, watching him in the dugout, and looking younger than I thought he might look like that now makes me a Dozier fan. Better late than never. I would like to see a Manny – Dozier double play combo next year.
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The Dodgers do not need Grandal’s bat next year with Seager and Machado in the lineup. Spend the money on Machado and let Smith and Barnes be superior defensive catchers. Grandal has never been a favorite of mine but like Dozier, he is now. Color me impressed. But, time for him to move on next year.
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Should have traded high with Muncy like I was hoping would be done. If Kemp is traded next year and the NL gets the DH, then Muncy has an appropriate spot on this team next year.
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Second base is Dozier’s to lose or keep.
My sources inform me goeddel is out of options so he won’t be sent down. Has to be Baez and a mystery injury to utley/muncy unless we send Ferguson down or something else unpopular like that.
I would echo Hawkeye (and probably Mark) with a potential 3 year extension for Grandal. Smith and Ruiz are not ready, and Barnes is not a starting catcher candidate. Smith could be a backup catcher next year, but he could learn how to work with the Dodger pitchers from Grandal. Grandal will be 33 after a 3 year extension, and could still get another big pay day, and both Smith and Ruiz should be ready to be to the backstops at that time, and Diego Cartaya another 3 years closer. Don’t look now but Connor Wong is starting to play as he did in the beginning of the season. 2 more HRs last night (16 on the year), with his average back up to .260. He is on track for a 20 HR year for a catcher.
Who will the Dodgers send down for JT’s return. We know they won’t cut Utley who is not only the team Dad but also their best pinch hitter. Phantom DL trip for Chase? Or a trip to the minors for Bellinger? Someone else like Muncy need 10 days off? It’s a risk defensively to hand Muncy 1st for 10 days with no defensive replacement.
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They could go to 12 pitchers but then you have to move two off the 25 when they activate Axford. Who’s going down there? Baez? Floro? Tough to send down Fergie. I’m not sure who Axford is better than.
If Mark’s prediction of the DH by next year comes true, the Dodgers will be sitting pretty with Muncy and Kemp. I’d prefer not seeing either one in the field.
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1B – Bellinger
2B – Dozier (signed)
SS – Machado (signed)
3B – Turner
LF – Pederson/Hernandez/Toles
CF – Verdugo/ Taylor
RF – Puig
C – Maldonado/Smith
DH – Muncy/Kemp
Alexander has stuff. He also has 23 walks in 49 innings which worries me.
I’m not the biggest stat guy but Baez is the only bullpen regular with more hits allowed than innings. His whip is by far the worst at 1.515. He still strikes out guys but he walks them too (both ranks place him at top of list too). I’d say the answer to the roster crunch is send him down. He has talent but it’s not currently helping us win games.
The Athletic posted this:
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“The Dodgers have so much depth in their infield and outfield right now that they probably could field two contending teams if they wanted.”
Dodgers will begin a dL platoon until September 1st.
Mark, I agree with you on Dozier. In the last two years he had a good last two months. One night is a small sample, but it was nice.
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I am hoping that in September, Toles and Verdugo show they belong. If they do, we could have a very strong offensive and defensive team. Then we just have to figure out the bullpen. The pitchers are there. The cream will come to the top.