All season, the Dodgers have touted that they have a clubhouse full of high-character players… and they really did. Most of these guys were Boy Scouts and have always helped little old ladies across streets. They have so many friends within MLB, and they cultivate those friendships. They have charities, and they are active in the community. They visit sick children in the hospital and encourage cancer survivors. They don’t…
You ask 100 fans that question, you might get 100 different answers. One thing is for certain, bad defense is going to cost you games. It cost the Dodgers a game only yesterday. Max Muncy blew what should have been an easy double-play grounder, and the Giants won, 2-1. As of today, the Dodgers are the 10th best fielding team in the majors. 6 playoff teams are ahead of them….
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…
When the Dodgers signed David Peralta and Jason Heyward, Dodger fans were less than enthused. And I must admit, I was one of them. Heyward was coming off of a year where he was worse than horrendous. And the Cubs were willing to pay him for not playing. Peralta was coming back after a season in which he had been traded at the deadline. He did not impress anyone with…
It seems like a large number of Dodger fans do not like the platoons. They want to see a lineup that rolls out there every day and is the same. What they fail to realize is that is part of what has made the Dodgers one of the best teams in baseball over the last ten years. Some of you have wanted Jason Heyward to start every game in RF…
When the season started, many fans worried where the offense would come from. Some worried that Heyward, Peralta, Martinez, and Muncy were past their prime and could not deliver. They worried there were too many rookies in the lineup. They worried about the bullpen and the starters, and after last night’s bullpen meltdown, they worry again, even though this Dodger Bullpen has been the best in baseball since June 20th….
Step 1: You start out realizing that they do not need to be “fixed.” They may not even need “tweaked.” I think they could stand pat and still win it all… if things go right. Step 2: Go back and read Step 1! Now, I am not saying that Andrew Friedman may not make a trade or two. That will depend on whether certain teams make certain players available. However,…
For the record, it was discussed yesterday whether Clayton Kershaw was a #1, #2, or #3. I think the answer is d. Neither – Clayton is a #2.5. There. That’s my final statement on it. How many aces have 33 starts anymore? Only 31 pitchers in MLB had more than 31 starts last season. So there is that! Of those 31 pitchers who had ERA’s below 3.00, there are only…
Unconventional thinking is the ability to imagine new possibilities and solve complex problems that have eluded other people. Being unconventional is an essential element in doing original work or creating original ideas. Right now, the Dodgers could use a heavy dose of unconventional thinking. Let’s jump right into where I think the problems are the greatest. Before, I start: That was Vintage Kershaw last night! The Old Man is still the Ace!…
This saying has a very deep metaphysical meaning which, over the years, many of the ancient mystics sought to understand and explain in terms that the common man could comprehend; however, the real meaning has been obfuscated until recently during the cultural revolution when I happened to stumble upon and extrapolate the genuine meaning of it to “Do Chickens Have Lips?” Happily, I am here to inform you that they…