Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Dodgers Lose Meaningless Game in Denver, But Nobody Got Hurt

Hyun-jin Ryu

The Dodgers flew into Denver for the final series of the regular season with the hopes of playing spoiler. The Dodgers were hoping to spoil Colorado’s Wild Card party this weekend. Colorado needs to win just two of the three to clinch the second wild card. Unfortunately the Dodgers were thoroughly embarrassed in what is for them a meaningless game/series.

The boys in blue were beat down by a 9-1 score. The Dodgers gave the ball to Hyun-jin Ryu on Friday night despite him being historically atrocious in Denver. Why? Because these games are meaningless for the Dodgers. They still have yet to clinch best record, but honestly I’m not very concerned with that. The most important thing is that nobody gets hurt in the few days before the postseason. Of course not getting embarrassed would be nice also.

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Hyun-jin Ryu career at Coors Field- 3 GS 14.2 IP 14 ER 22H 5.52 ERA

But that’s just what happened on Friday evening in the Rocky Mountains. The Dodgers played a meaningless game and played like it was a meaningless game. Ryu was predictably horrendous allowing five earned runs on six hits across two of the worst innings I’ve seen since Brock Stewart’s last start. Trevor Story hit a home run, tripled, and singled in a 3 for 4 performance. Colorado got dingers from Charlie Blackmon, (two-run shot), Nolan Arenado (solo shot), and Matt Reynolds (solo shot). The Rockies hit four home runs and had six extra-base hits and were up 9-1 by the sixth inning.

Right hander Chad Bettis showed the Rockies why he should be considered for the postseason roster with a strong outing against the uninterested Dodgers. Bettis tossed seven innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out four indifferent Dodgers.

Yes the Dodgers were uninterested and indifferent during this game. The Dodgers only run of the game came in the third inning on Justin Turner’s RBI single. The offense was equally as pathetic as Ryu, Buehler, Cigrani and every pitcher who took the mound. The Dodgers collected just six hits and two walks while stranding six runners on base. The game ended on a double play. That’s about all I can say about this one.

And that’s about all I want to say about this game. It was as pathetic as it looked. I won’t bore you with anymore details about it. So go out and have a lovely Friday evening. Go see a movie, or spend time with your family. Call your significant other, or catch up on some much needed sleep. Get some work done, or grab that great book you’ve been wanting to read but never had the time. The Dodgers lost a meaningless game in which they gave up before the game was played. They played terribly and looked like they just weren’t interested.

Oh and Tim Locastro might make the postseason roster as a pinch-runner. That would be horrifyingly stupid, but Dave Roberts is talking about it like it’s a thing. Unless you have Dee Gordon or Billy Hamilton speed there is no reason for jerking around with precious postseason roster spots.

Note-Taylor is reportedly returning to the lineup on Saturday. He’s still nursing that knee injury. Colorado can clinch the second wild card with a win and or Milwaukee loss on Saturday or Sunday.

The Dodgers fall to an unfathomably bad 102-58, but still have the best record in baseball. Clayton Kershaw takes the mound on Saturday evening, as the Rockies send German Marquez to the mound. It would appear to be a mismatch, but you never know.

Scott Andes

Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic

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Scott Andes
Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic
https://ladodgerreport.com

23 thoughts on “Dodgers Lose Meaningless Game in Denver, But Nobody Got Hurt

  1. Meaningless? In a sense, you might get away with this kind of thinking, but we just witnessed a total melt down of Ryu and the periphery of the bullpen.

    Ryu will probably not be used in the playoffs. If they need an extra starter, which they shouldn’t, Maeda will be brought back, I would think. Ryu just can’t find his handle and this capped an atrocious September for him.

    Buehler, while showing some very good stuff, is just not effective at the pro level. This is why we call him a prospect. No playoff appearance should be forthcoming for him, and the other Dodger pitchers including Cingrani, whose ERA is simply too high, Baez, Stripling, and Stewart. This was a look at their B-team pitchers which don’t hold up very well.

    But, this was not a look at our B-team batters. Most are starters and we didn’t have a single extra base hit. I don’t think this is meaningless. Our players are still slumping overall and Colorado is fighting for the last playoff spot. They looked ready to rumble. Prepare yourselves folks!

    1. Ryu pitched himself right off the playoff roster. He will probably be on the Taxi squad incase someone gets hurt. But he has always been terrible in Denver. You hang one there and they hit it a long way. I am more concerned with Bellinger’s mini slump the last few games. He has been striking out way too much lately and looking at pitches he was driving earlier in the year.

        1. Probably, but somebody has to take the ball. Remember what they did to Carlos Frias a couple of years ago when he made a start there? Left that kid in and he got pounded. I think the Rocks scored something like 9 runs off him. Trouble with Colorado is spin on the curve. It just does not break as much in the thin air. Instead of breaking enough to avoid contact it hangs right in the zone. Watch CK pitch there tonight. Very few curves if any. Mostly fastballs and that killer slider of his. By the way, it is raining right now.

  2. Meaningless? First off it allowed the Rockies to clinch the season series between the 2 teams. It also made the Dodgers record against the west 39-35. Never give a weaker opponent any leverage going into the playoffs. You think this game does not make the Rockies feel like they can take the Dodgers in a 5 game series? They have won their last 5 games against the Dodgers, sweeping them in LA and then taking the first one here. Up until that last series, the Dodgers OWNED the Rockies. Yeah, they will have to beat Az in a 1 game playoff to meet the Dodgers, but in one game anything can happen. And to have a Rockies team come into Dodger Stadium knowing they are rolling against them, is not the best scenario. Dodgers called up Tim Locastro to audition for a spot on the NLDS roster.

  3. Hypothetical question. Should the Dodgers suffer another post season meltdown and not make it to the World Series, how much blame do you think the fans will put on FAZ? After all, they have not thrown a single pitch or had one plate appearance. How much blame do they get for the Granderson fiasco? Yeah, he has hit 7 homers since he came over, but other than that he has not looked like a difference maker. Will they get heat for not jumping in on Verlander at the Sept 1 deadline? Who stays? Who gets traded? Will they pursue any free agents? Yeah, I know, all this can wait until after the playoffs. But it is interesting to think about. Do they try and re-sign Darvish? Urias will not be back until mid season at least. Kazmir, McCarthy are still under contract for one year. As is Gonzo. How about Ethier. Do they pick up his option? The outfield right now has only 2 locks as I see it, Taylor and Puig. 3 spots on the infield, and 2 catchers. They are going to have some decisions to make for sure.

    1. Personally, I will not blame FAZ at all for the meltdown as it is all on the players after surging mightily this season. No one could and did predict this happening. Darvish is a guy that has a future and I would have taken the chance over Verlander, too. If Darvish can get it together, he will help the Dodgers immensely. We should wait till after the playoffs to see how he performs in the heat of it. Ryu will not make the rotation next year. I think we’ve seen enough. McCarthy will remain a wild card after a good showing this year until his injury as #5.

      Granderson is simply a failure. An aging HR hitter with little else to write home about. Toles will be back. Ethier is a real question mark. We need to see more of him to decide if he fits in. Joc does not. He is getting worse along with Kike. Gonzo could be a valuable backup and PH.

      Forsythe is a big question mark. His bat has gone AWOL for the most part. A good fielder and probably a good guy. I’d hate to see a Reddick scenario where he leaves the Dodgers and bats .300 elsewhere. We he doesn’t show more may just be mental.

      One of the things I noticed about many of the Rockies players is their muscular conditioning. These guys all look like body builders and it show in their offensive production. Our boys look puny next to them except maybe for Puig. Their uniforms also fit their bodies very well. Too bad their pitching doesn’t come close to their hitting.

  4. The kid they called up, Tim Locastro actually has a little pop. He hit .308 with 10 homers in the minors and they know he has speed. Will be interesting how he is used in the last 2 games.

  5. How about the Granderson v. JD Martinez acquisitions? Okay I have said enough, just mull over that thought process by the FO,

    Lose Meaningless Game? How about ass kicking against potential first round opponent?

    Note to Grandmal Seizure: Your position name is CATCHER, please begin to do perform that primary task of CATCHING the ball.

    1. In hindsight they should have traded for Martinez, but in July they were rolling over everybody. Joc had a great June and a very good July before falling off the edge of the Earth in August–by that time there was not much talent left. At the non-waiver deadline pitching seemed like the priority–not that we hit that one out of the park.

      Grandal…backup until Keibert Ruiz is ready.

      1. Grandal’s Passed Balls and Stolen Bases allowed will not make him a gold glover. His predictable yearly slumps are also not a good omen. With Barnes pushing and maybe deserving a starting role, Grandal will be on the hot seat.

        1. He and Sanchez of the Yankees have the most passed balls in the majors. To me his defensive skills are not what you want from your first string catcher. The only reason he is #1 is because of his power and so called framing skills. Barnes is more athletic, and I believe if he was playing every day he would be in double digits in HR’s. He blocks pitches that Grandal misses. He also is way more clutch than Grandal. He does not strike out much and he has a great arm back there. Me, I trade Grandal. His trade value is probably at it’s peak, and with Ruiz in the pipeline, they only need a decent backup until he is ready. I know the FAZOPHOBES will not like that take, and that’s ok. Grandal is supremely OVER RATED.

    2. Truth

      I hate how these guys treat these players they traded for, like superstars!

      Granderson is no superstar, and he has no business, hitting at the top of the order!

      Granderson is hitting 176 against righties, since he has joined this team.

      And Forsythe is hitting 198 against righties too!

      How many of these good teams, have two players in their line up, that are hitting below the Mendoza line!

      Orel and Joe tried to say Forsythe was hitting now, but every hit in that series he got against the Padres, were hits off a leftie, except one.

      And Forsythe has hit well against lefties, all year, so that is nothing new!

      1. I was checking something this morning. Dozier has 34 home runs…….I think they traded for the wrong second baseman. Granderson is an over the hill past his prime player. He has power and little else. He is not even the defensive plus he once was and his speed is such that he is no longer a base stealer. FAZ whiffed big time on this guy.

  6. Magic number is one for best team in baseball.

    Grandal’s going to get expensive in arbitration, will be interesting to see what the club does with him. Does he have trade value? Probably.

    Hindsight is always 20/20 they say.

    Worst case would be the Rox win the wild card game, then the NLDS goes to 4 games.

    Life would still be great.

    1. I agree Bluto. I really hope it is the Rockies and the D-Backs because that is one lineup that on any given night can pummel even the best pitcher. I think the Granderson trade was unnecessary. I really believe it affected the balance and team chemistry that they had going on. Reddick was about the same thing with a better batting average and less power. Look what Martinez has done. He has almost 30 homers since they got him. That’s pretty good for a hitter who switched leagues mid season, and his production has protected Goldschmidt. Imagine what that would have done behind Turner and Bellinger. Taylor, Seager, Turner, Bellinger, Martinez, Grandal, Puig, Utley…..wow…..what a powerhouse that would have been. The first 7 all at 20 plus homers…….

      1. Michael

        I think you are right, only the really good hitters, can go to another league, and start hitting, and make a difference.

        Forsythe and Reddick, are not those type of hitters, and that is why they couldn’t adjust, to all the new pitchers.

        I can’t get on the front office too much, about not going for JD, because this team was playing so well at the time, and Joc didn’t start slumping, until just after the trade deadline.

        But the Dbacks didn’t pay much at all for JD, so we could have easily got him, and I have always liked him, because he has a lot of power to rightfield.

        I have noticed that any young player, that has went and played on the Tigers, has learned to hit, a lot better.

        And I think it is the influence from Miguel on that team, because he is probably one of the best right hand hitters to play, in the last ten years.

        Cepedes really started hitting better, after being on the Tigers for while, too!

        Martinez’s bat, would have made everyone in the line up even better!

        And with Granderson, our players are having to carry, and make up, for his weak bat.

        And our players have had to do the same with Forsythe all year, except when we have faced lefties.

        And I just wish our front office would have admitted, that this deal just didn’t work out, after they saw that Granderson wasn’t the answer, instead of trying so hard, to revive Granderson.

        They could have gave another player a chance, to help the team, if they did that.

        If Ethier was given a chance to play everyday, after he hit that HR in one game, and had two hits in the next game, Ethier might have been able to help the team, but it is to late now.

        Ethier has been sat to much, to make a real difference right now, so he is just going to be that leftie bat, on the bench.

        The worse part of this, is the way they treat Granderson, and these other players, they have brought over to the team, at and after the trade deadline.

        Granderson should have never been batting fourth when he first came over here, and he shouldn’t be hitting at the top of the order, either

        1. The only answer Granderson answers is who not to trade for in the middle of a pennant race. There is one answer. The guy sucks. He is so far past his prime that this might be his last season. Who in their right mind would sign him as a free agent? Oh, FAZ maybe……..we hope not.

        1. Cleveland has won 27 of their last 31 games….I think that more than passes the eye test, and the Dodgers are 1-11 against the D-Backs and Rockies. Regular season means nothing now. It is on and I for one hope the Dodgers wake the hell up and play like they did in June and July.

  7. When we were discussing Grandal earlier in this post, I totally forgot that we have an adequate back up on the roster already. Kyle Farmer. He could easily back up Barnes and like Barnes he is more than a one trick pony being able to catch and play other spots as well. Perfect in FAZ’s world. So, trade Grandal and get a Kemp like return. 3 players maybe including a pitcher or two. Lets see, there are lots of teams who could use a good pitch framer, Texas perhaps? Anywhere as long as it is out of LA> It is almost time for Keibert Ruiz!

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