… some Dodger fans thought Farhan Zaidi was the real genius and Andrew Friedman was just the “front man?” Neither do I! But, AF is humming, “How do you like me now?” Gabe Kapler was fired from his second manager job (maybe his third time, if you count getting picked over for Doc Roberts). Actually, this is just Farhan Zaidi trying to save his job! Maybe it works… maybe not….
Once More Into the Breach
Well, here we go again. 11 straight years going to the playoffs. 9 years of disappointment, and 1 of elation so far. And last season was probably the most disappointing of all. Yet, we have experienced a time unlike any other in Dodger baseball history. People harp a lot that they resemble the Braves of the 90’s with all these trips and not much success. Yet I look on all…
What’s Next for James Outman?
There are a couple of choices: Star or Journeyman. It’s hard to be a star, and it is just about as hard to be a journeyman. A year ago, I thought that James Outman was destined to be a 4th or 5th outfielder, and while some fans took exception, there really wasn’t anything that suggested he would be any more than a platoon player. Of course, all fans have their…
I Fault Dave Roberts for One Thing
For the record, Dave Roberts is the NL Manager of the Year in my book. The Dodgers lost 2,266 days to the IL disbursed through 29 players. That is the most in baseball. The Angels were close with 2,186 days, and the Yankees lost 2,106 days. The Braves and the Marlins lost 1,658 days and 1,584 days, respectively. Arizona lost 1,099 days to the IL. The Reds lost 1,950 days,…
Is Caleb Ferguson on the Playoff Bubble?
Caleb Ferguson has a history of being left off the Dodgers Playoff Roster, and he was not happy about it. Also, if you remember, he was not happy about how the Dodgers left him on the IL when Ferguson returned earlier in 2022 after missing the 2021 season when he had Tommy John surgery. Ferguson’s last pitching appearance was on June 14, as the Dodgers shut him down and placed…
Who Makes the Playoff Roster?
Currently, the Dodgers have 28 players on the MLB Roster due to the September roster expansion. Two of those players will have to go, and unlike some sites who run headlines like “3 Dodgers Players who have no business being on the 2023 postseason roster,” I think they all deserve to be on the team, but of course, the Dodgers can only have 26 players. That means some are going…
The All Timers
Since Mookie and Freddie are having such great years, I thought I would look back on some of the best all-time record holders. Freeman, who is about as consistent a ballplayer as you will ever see, is now one hit away from his first 200 hit season. Think about that. 14 years in the league and this will be the first time reaching that mark. By comparison, Steve Garvey had…
Is There Hope for Clayton?
Last week, I said that unless Clayton could recover 3-5 MPH on his fastball, he could not be more than an “opener” and that we could not count on him to help carry the team. Well, last night he recovered at least 1 MPH on his fastball. His fastest pitch was 89.7 MPH. This leads me to believe that he could gain another 1-2 MPH in the next ten days….
Kendall Williams: Legend of the Fall
Kendall Williams is a 23-year-old, 6′ 6″ RH Starting pitcher who was acquired in the Ross Stripling deal. He just started his first game at OKC last night. It did not go well (6 IP/6 H/5 ER/5 BB2 K/2 HR), but since it was in Albaquacky (I can’t spell Albuquerque), maybe he really did pitch pretty well. Bunts routinely end up being 440-foot home runs there (I exaggerate only slightly)….
Elly De La Cruz is a Massive Bust
I did not say that, but the media in Cincinnati IS saying that. Elly is a couple of years younger than Miguel Vargas, who also flopped in his first season in MLB. The media makes a good argument as to De La Cruz’s regression, but where they lose me is the assertion that a several-month slump is an indication of De La Cruz’s future as a ball player, which is…