OK, so what? Yeah, it’s hard to play baseball in the major leagues. Let me take it a step farther, who here could have played AAA baseball? AA Baseball? A Baseball? Rookie League Baseball? I am sure some will say they could have, but unless you did, you really don’t know. You just don’t! It’s easy for all of us to say that the Dodgers should just get rid of…
Just Say No to Trading for a Starting Pitcher
OK, First I am going to talk about yesterday’s debacle (it wasn’t a game) for a minute (60 seconds). Max Muncy cost the Dodgers the game with his lack of hitting and fielding. I know it, you know it, Max knows it, and Ray Charles sees it. The fact that Max lost the game has nothing to do with his ability to play 2B. Max is an average to above-average…
What Happens to Austin Barnes?
Austin Barnes was drafted by the Marlins in the 9th round of the 2011 amateur draft. In December of 2014, Austin was acquired by Andrew Friedman in one of his first trades with the Dodgers. He was a key piece in the Dee Gordon trade wherein the Dodgers traded Dee Gordon, Dan Haren, Miguel Rojas, and cash for Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney, Kike Hernandez, and Austin Barnes. Austin Barnes might…
He’s Singing Our Song: Willie, Mickey, and The Duke
Once upon a time, early in the 1950s, there were three professional baseball teams in New York City. The Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Yankees, and the New York Giants. At that time, perhaps three of the best center fielders who ever played the game played for those teams. Duke Snider with the Dodgers, Willie Mays with the Giants, and Mickey Mantle with the Yankees. Over their careers, the three…
Dodger Fandom: Where Jumping to Conclusions is a Olympic Sport
“Andrew Friedman should have signed….” “What didn’t Dave Roberts pinch hit for…” “Something is wrong with Walker Buehler…” “May Muncy has lost all confidence…” “They should have traded for…” “Why did they not play Rios after his big night? Yes, we are fans and we second-guess just about everything, even things we know nothing about. We may have some information, but not all the information and we simply don’t know…
Notes From the Couch
Baseball is a funny game. It is also a very frustrating one and can leave you totally discombobulated. There are more ups and downs than an elevator in a high rise in the Big Apple. Take the previous series the Dodgers played against the Phillies last week. They had so many chances to win the first two games and fell short both times. That clutch hit eluded them for the…
I don’t drink Kool-Aid
When I read stuff like the Dodgers don’t have the pitching to win or that Tyler Anderson should not even be on the team, or that Muncy and Bellinger should go to OKC, and it is past time for the Dodgers to make changes, I just shake my head and call the perps out. At best, it is a nonsensical, knee-jerk reaction. At worst, whoever said it, might need to…
Calling All Drama Queens!
Most fan bases would be excited, even giddy, to have a pitching staff like the Dodgers… but not Dodger fans. They won’t settle for less than five #1 starters. Of course, they are not happy with Clayton Kershaw (1.80 ERA) and Andrew Heaney (0.00 ERA) since they are on the IL with what is generally realized as “minor injuries.” Both should be back soon, but Walker Buehler, the Ace, only…
Dodger Fans Melt Under Pressure More Than the Team Does
Dodger fans as a whole are an emotional lot. They do tend to go off of the rails when the team slumps. I am guilty of this myself sometimes. But let the team hit a cold streak and the boo birds and naysayers emerge from the depths of one’s psyche, and the bad vibes begin. No player or front office person is immune. The finger-pointing and name-calling begin. The blame…
The Dodgers Near Future & Recent Past
I watched at least three near-future Dodgers last night and one recent past Dodger Hero. I watched the near-future Dodgers, Mike Busch, Jacob Amaya, and Bobby Miller with great elation. Let me tell you about that before I tell you about an old friend whom I felt a great sadness in watching. The trio of Busch, Amaya, and Miller will likely move to Oklahoma City very soon, but I enjoyed…