The State of the Bullpen… and Dodger Pitching In the month of September of teams that are likely candidates to play the Dodgers in the 2019 Fall Classic, here is how they compare in bullpen ERA since September 1st: Dodgers – 3.28 Astros – 3.47 Yankees – 3.81 HR per 9 Innings Dodgers – .95 Astros – 1.52 Yankees – 1.59 BABIP – Batting Average Balls in-Play Dodgers – .242…
I am spending a couple of weeks with my family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Spending time with my grandchildren is one of the greatest joys I have ever known. It doesn’t take long though for me to realize that I speak another language than they do. In order for me to convey “adult” concepts it is extremely important that I know how to communicate effectively with them to get…
We may not know what we think we know and don’t know what we don’t know and I hope we know that we don’t know. Confused? I know… We know Justin Turner can walk – we don’t know if he can run. We will find out today. It seems that they are just being cautious and if this were the postseason he would be playing. We know that Dick Mountain…
1. Kenley Jansen is Fixed False. With his 8th Blown Save last night, he again demonstrated that he was lacking command and in order to get a strike, he throws some very hittable pitches. I was against the re-signing of Kenley Jansen and this is why. Big contracts to relief pitchers seldom pan out, but here we are and the Dodgers have to make do with what they have… and…
Well, it’s always been serious, but with two weeks left in the season, it’s “Playoff Tune-up Time” which is very serious. It’s likely that Rich Hill and Alex Verdugo will not be ready for the NLDS… or maybe the NLCS and the World Series. David Freese and Justin Turner are banged up and we have no clue how healthy they will be. This is the hand the Dodgers have to…
So, if you listen to the Herm Edwards, you would always play to win the game. Well, that might be true in a 16 game football season, but I am going to suggest that while you don’t ever play to lose, in a baseball season that is 10 times longer than a football season, there are reasons you don’t always play to win the game. “Sometimes we need to lose…
I love the movie, Legends of the Fall and so with the kickoff of the Arizona Fall League, I always use this as an excuse to play this Ending Scene from the movie: The Arizona Fall League begins play this year on September 18, and there are a plethora of Top Prospects invited to play. Here is the Dodger list so far (it could be added to) for the Glendale…
After losing the series 2-1 last weekend to the Dark Side the Dodgers are in fine shape. The hitters have been in a funk since after the All-Star Break, but it hard to keep focused when you are 20+ games ahead of the nearest team in your division and are about to clinch a playoff spot in August. Dave Roberts has dialed-down the intensity and is resting players as much…
We often take a look at minor league players who have never been considered as can’t miss players. Some are very late round draft picks that creep up on the minor league ranks. DC and I have mentioned Zach McKinstry quite a bit this season. Zach was a 33rd round draft Pick (2016) out of that baseball hotbed Central Michigan University. He has continually charged up the organizational ladder and…
It has been widely published that the Dodgers are 31 years between World Series Championships. All Dodger fans want to forget that, but what if…I know it sounds like the Kratt Brothers. For those with small children or grandchildren you probably know Wild Kratts. Brooklyn was nine World Series and lost their first seven: 1916 and 1920 (as The Robins – managed by Wilbert Robinson) and did not return for…