As you watch this here 2021 version of the Dodgers, you realize that there are just some days when everyone (or almost everyone) is just sleep-walking and are flatter than pancakes. Sunday was one of those days. I mean when 86-year-old Albert Pujols is your only offense, you have to be flatter than pancakes. The Dodgers need a Kirk Gibson… someone who will step up and call his teammates out….
Going into last night’s game, Clayton Kershaw had the highest ERA I can remember at this juncture. His ERA was 3.33 before the game and 3.66 after he gave up 5 ER. However, his WHIP sits at 1.01 which is barely above his career average of 1.00. He is now 33 years-old and has started 369 games and pitched 2,403 innings with 2,603 strikeouts. He has 77 strikeouts in about…
Up to the 1/3 point of this season, we have seen a slumping Mookie Betts, almost no cody Bellinger, some AJ Pollock and some Corey Seager. That’s kind of like an 8-cylinder engine without 4 spark plugs. Tonight Jimmy Nelson and AJ Pollock return and Alex Vesia and Edwin Uceta go back to AAA. You bullpen doom and gloomers are not going to like this, but both of these pitcher’s…
I believe Urias will keep up his outstanding work and take lessons from his pounding by the Giants. Buehler to me is an enigma. He has some of the best stuff in the league, yet he has only 4 decisions. But I expect that to change. All in all, the team has underperformed according to the fans. I think with all the changes in the roster, the lack of the DH, injuries to very key players, and the underperformance of their catalyst, Mookie, the team has performed about as one would expect missing so many key pieces.
NOTE: This was originally published last year, but has been updated because this guy has one of the best changeups in baseball! Left-hander Jacob Cantleberry was selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Missouri. He was born in Greenwood, Indiana, and attended Center Grove High School in his hometown before heading off to San Jacinto-North Community College, located…
While I’m at it, let’s talk about Friedman for a bit. Where’s that vaunted depth I’ve heard so much about? Anybody with just a little bit of baseball knowledge could have seen that Dustin May would go down for the year, Gonsolin would miss significant time and that your number one prospect, Josiah Gray would get injured. Now’s the time to see that depth.
Over the years, I have taken a lot of heat when I say things like: Alex Verdugo will be Tony Gwnnn-esque! I was not excited that Alex was traded, but I guess Betts was a key cog in the 2020 Championship… and I’m OK with it unless Betts never comes out of this slump. Why trade for Rollins, Seager is ready! Cody Bellinger is ready! A year before others thought…
Left-hander Justin Bruihl was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dodgers on July 15,2017. Born in Petaluma, California, Bruihl attended Casa Grande High school in his home town where he hit .302 as a senior. On the mound in seven appearances with the Gauchos he did not allow an earned run in 17.1 innings. Following graduation from high school, he checked out California State University, Northridge and the…
There is a lot to unpack about last night’s game, but to blame Dave Roberts for putting in his closer in the 10th inning is just plain silly. If Blake Treinen did his job, Kenley would not have been needed in the 10th. Before last night’s game, Kenley Jansen had given up 1 run and 2 hits in his 11 appearances in May! Even after last night’s debacle, his ERA…
I continually hear that the Dodgers bullpen is horrid, the farm system is not deep and all sorts of other negative things based upon irrational fear! Pure, unadulterated irrational fear! In a year where we are approaching the one-third point with a team that is not hitting and has as many injuries as any team in baseball, the Dodgers are still the team that is most feared and are generally ranked as the #2 team in baseball behind the Padres.