Dodger Chatter: Gerardo Carrillo Leading the Loons

August 31, 2018

Right-hander Gerardo Carrillo was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 5, 2016. The native of Guadalajara, Mexico received a signing bonus of $75,000. He has already climbed into the Dodgers MLB Pipeline prospect list ranking No. 27. He played in the Dominican Summer League during the 2017 season recording a 2.79 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 14 appearances, 10 of them starts. He struck…

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The Stats For Clutch Are Also The Stats For Choke

August 26, 2018

By now, everyone has read the article in Fangraphs by Jeff Sullivan, on how Non-Clutch the Dodgers are as team, and individually! In analyzing the information, I think there are a few facts we need to consider, facts like the Dodgers should be much better than they actually are.  Sullivan says this: By almost every indicator, the Dodgers look like the super-team they were expected to be. They’re just not…

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It’s Time To Change Expectations

August 25, 2018

We all know the Dodgers are capable of scoring runs and scoring them in bunches… with or without the long ball.  We also know that too frequently, they don’t.  For a team that leads the National League in Home Runs and Runs Scored, it is very troubling that they sometimes forget how to score. To say that “This is the team FAZ built” is absurd.” They have repeatedly shown they…

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More Junkyard Dogism

August 24, 2018

I have not given up on this season, however, I do think that the problem is with the coaching staff – I think many of the hitters are trying for the long ball when they should be shortening up.  Witness one Cody Bellinger’s success in August after adjusting.  Joc Pederson has done the same thing but has revereted back to many of his old habits lately. Chris Taylor has 147…

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Logjam in the Outfield

August 18, 2018

Friday night’s game was nice, but it’s just one game.  The starter did his job, the bullpen did theirs (it’s a lot easier when it’s not close) and the hitters certainly did theirs. Kemp and Machado are coming out of their slumps and the Dodgers are still two games back of the D-Bags. These guys now need to build some consistency (which is breed with confidence) and start a winning…

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Murphy’s Law

August 16, 2018

From the Dodgers point of view, it turns out that Murphy may have been a optimist. In a week where if something could go wrong, it did go wrong, and then wronger and wrongest!  I have always maintained a “glass half full attitude.” The storm generally passes and it’s never as bad as the “glass half empty” people say. Here’s a little more about Murphy’s Law: Fabian Ardaya of The…

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The Best is Yet to Come

August 13, 2018

2018 has been a season full of challenges and in no small part, the challenges were created initially by the decision the Dodgers made (and still denied by them) to not exceed the Luxury Tax Threshold (“LTT”).  Many fans don’t agree with the decision, but on every level, except my RFL (“Rabid Fan Level”), I agree with it.  I actually thought they would get below it in 2017, but it…

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The Bullpen is a Symptom, Not the Disease

August 12, 2018

That the Dodgers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory  is obvious.  However, the implosion of the bullpen (Chaggy in particular) is a symptom, not the disease.  The symptom manifests itself when the disease is active.  The disease is “FailureToScoreRunsItis.”  Last night, Dodger hitters left 12 runners stranded (combined).  At the trade deadline, FAZ acquired two of the biggest bats on the market in Machado and Dozier.  Add in a…

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Back in First Place!

August 8, 2018

Except for bad pitch selection (4 fastballs) to his last batter, Rich Hill was again terrific.  No blisters = a very good pitcher. This is the pitcher the Dodgers are paying for and if he keeps it up, he’s a bargain!  Blisters have been his kyrptonite! The bullpen was very good again:  Floro, Alexander, Chargois and Jansen handled a hot A’s team. Oakland has the 4th best bullpen ERA in…

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Top Ten Dodger Player Questions… And Answers!

August 7, 2018

I have identified ten (10) Dodger players who are most vitally important to the Dodgers winning the NL West, NLDS, NLCS and World Series.  It’s not Manny Machado – he will get his.  It’s an adjustment, but he will be fine, great!  It’s not Brian Dozier – if Doc lets him play everyday, he will put up MVP-type numbers the rest of this season. It’s not Clayton Kershaw – I…

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