Thursday, March 28, 2024
Home > Dodgers > Losing Is A Disease, Contagious Like Polio – And The Dodgers Have It

Losing Is A Disease, Contagious Like Polio – And The Dodgers Have It

Coming into tonight, the Dodgers had dropped five games in a row, and were on the brink of dropping out of first place in the NL West.

Yasiel Puig did not play, which wasn’t a bad move, considering Puig’s horrible at bats over the past few games. Adrian Gonzalez gets the benefit of the doubt, and he will continue playing through his slump, but it’s as glaring as any on the team, and perhaps affects the Dodgers’ fortunes more than any other slumping player.

The first two innings were uneventful. Ross Stripling on the mound for the Blue.

3rd inning
Padres
After striking out the pitcher, Stripling gave up three consecutive doubles on three consecutive pitches to the top of the Padres order. 2-0
Dodgers
Ross Stripling walked, and Chase Utley smacked a home run (237) into the land of all-you-can-eat hot dogs and nachos. 2-2

 

4th inning  Dodgers 2, Padres 2
Dodgers
Carl Crawford legged out a triple after hitting the first pitch he saw into the right field corner.
He lit up the crowd, but Stripling struck out to put out the lights.

5th inning  Tie score 2-2

Stripling seemed to be settled in. He struck out the first two batters and then with two outs and two strikes, he got squeezed by the HP umpire. After missing two borderline pitches that were called balls, Stripling couldn’t find the strike zone.
He ended up walking the next two batters. A two-out double scored those two runners. Then another hit scored another  run.
Suddenly, a close game and a settled-in Stripling became a three-run inning and Stripling was on his way to settle in under a shower.

The rest of the night featured the Dodgers spinning their wheels, but at least the fans got chia pets!

Ross Stripling went 4 2/3 innings with 7 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 6 K’s.  ERA 4.33

Home run: Chase Utley

Triple: Carl Crawford

Team hitting with RISP: 0 for 3. Only three runners in scoring position all night.

Oscar Martinez

I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebook

Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
http://alltradebait.blogspot.com/

57 thoughts on “Losing Is A Disease, Contagious Like Polio – And The Dodgers Have It

  1. Any conceptions held that this is a championship team should be packed away. As I stated before the season began there are huge holes in this team. The BP has proved that more than once this year, and the starting rotation has that on again off again rhythm. Right now, no one is hitting. They have scored exactly 10 runs in the last 6, and the teams RISP is abysmal. Puig who was hitting over 400 the first 11 games is hitting .136 over the last 13. Gonzo is pretty much ofer the home stand. Seager has been ok, Utley pretty steady. Turner is way below what he has averaged since coming to the Dodgers. The only consolation we as fans have is that the Gnats and Dirtbags are as awful as we are. Dave Roberts managerial and leadership skills will now be tested. Usually I would say this 6 game slide ends today with Kersh on the bump. But even that is not a guarantee with this bunch. So unless the lumber men wake up very quickly, they could be heading to AL territory with a 7 game losing streak.

  2. Still in first place. On pace for 78 wins, maybe we stay in first place and that would probably be a record.

    Maybe I was wrong about this team hitting.

    And maybe what they need is a challenge. Anybody can beat beat the fish and the pods. Blue Jays Mets and Cardinals coming up. May looks tough. When the going gets tough………..

  3. Kasten is the guy that is getting a free ride in all this turmoil. You know he is a higher level between Friedman and the owners, so anything the FO does must have his approval. Yet no one ever gives him any blame that the team sucks. Remember also he was there the last two years of Ned’s Regime, yet Ned takes flak but Kasten never gets mentioned. I think there is plenty of blame to share here and it’s only fair that Kasten get his fair share…

    1. I have been told that when Friedman was hired, he was given total control of baseball ops. The only condition attached was that he had to keep Donnie for 2015. Kasten is a figurehead and runs the business side of baseball. Oh, and he’s the one who authorized $65 million a year to CC, Andre and A-Gon. Who in their right mind wouldn’t give up all three and have $65 million to get whoever they wanted?

        1. I looked it up; Kasten took over in April 2012 and Ethier got his extension in June 2012. Of course, Wikipedia never lies 😉 I heard that Kasten wouldn’t let Ned make any big trades at the deadline in 2014, which may have saved some of our prospects but left the bullpen short.

          I don’t have a problem with Dre or AGon’s contracts but clearly Crawford’s has become an albatross. However, I’m not at all sure that if they had an extra $65 million they wouldn’t blow it all on questionable international signings. They had enough money to get whoever they wanted this year and look what they got.

      1. I’m in my right mind most of the time, and I’ll take everything Gonzo has given us since the trade, including this current slump. No way Mattingly’s Dodgers would have won division championships without him. No way we win this year without him.

        Ethier is overpaid, but most contracts are loaded up with heavy pay on the final years. Ethier had a comeback year last season, and he was setting a pace to be kick-ass this season before the broken leg. I can’t fault a guy for not contributing when he’s out on a legit injury.

        CC – a bum.

        1. Oscar,

          Here’s the deal: In a vacuum, I would take A-Gon – even though he is on the decline side of his career. The question is: What would you rather have – A-Gon, Ethier and Crawfish or an extra $65 million to sign players?

          $65 mil or A-gon, CC and Andre?

          It takes me about 1/2 a second to make that decision.

          1. You asked, so I’ll answer. I understood that to be your question the first time, Mark. It also took me 1/2 second to answer, but it took a little longer to type my rationalization for my answer.
            To re-word your question, would I rather have $65 mill or the Div. championships that A-Gone brought, and Ethier’s previous season+potential for this season brought? Same 1/2 second, same answer. I choose A-Gone and Ethier.
            Would I rather have $20 mil or CC? Ha! I suspect it takes 1/4 second for you and I to answer that one.

  4. Hurt,

    It’s funny – you weren’t around when they were 12-7! I’m here when they win or lose.

    It’s a long season and every team get mired in a slump. Let me remind everyone that while the team is playing horribly right now, a few things that were lamented have dramatically changed. Let me list a few of FAZ’s moves that:

    1. “Why the over-the-hill Chase Utley?” Utley is doing what Rollins couldn’t last year: changing his game to provide a leadoff spark and he has done it quite well.”

    2. “Joe Freaking Blanton – he’s horrible!” Freaking Joe Blanton whom many of you mocked has a 0.87 ERA and is as solid as he can be!

    3. “Some scouts see Maeda as a back of the rotation guy with a huge chance of injury.” SCOREBOARD

    Currently, Puig, Gonzo, Turner, Kendrick and to an extent, Seager are in slumps. The odds are that they don’t generally slump all at once – but, this is just the baseball gods way of giving the naysayers a chance to gloat before the rug is pulled out from under them! The Big Dodger in the Sky is setting you up!

    Some of you have just lost your minds. I hate to keep saying it, but this is a long season. Turner, Kendrick, Seager and Gonzo will all get their groove back. I do worry about Puig – he’s not a student of the game – he just reacts. But, even if he doesn’t get his mojo back, there are lots of options.

    The following players are due back “Possibly” in May or June, so let’s call it July:

    Anderson, Bolsinger, Ethier, Garcia, Guerrero, McCarthy, Montas, Ravin, Ryu, Van Slyke. Now, some may have set backs, but some will be back strong! There’s no way to predict who. If you say “well Ryu or Anderson or Montas won’t pitch this year” it’s only because you are inclined to pull S____ outta’ you arse! I have no way to know and neither does anyone else. Well, I take that back – the naysayers always “KNOW!”

    Be patient! Since 1958 said something like “There’s a problem when Timmons is the sanest person in the room.” That’s scary! I admit to being a lunatic. What’s your excuse (not directed to 1958)?

    Let me weigh in on this: Who is Dee Gordon? The guy who hit .234 in 2013 followed by .289 in 2014 and who is hitting .266 with a .289 OB% this season or is he the guy who hit .333 last year? Anabolic steroids got him a $50 million dollar payday – I guess you can’t blame him. Until baseball puts a clause in the contracts that voids the deal, players will continue to flirt with anabolic steroids so that they can stay stronger, faster and heal quicker. It’s just that it is not legal and I suspect you will never see Dee Gordon hit like that again – EVER!

    Even if Hatcher flames out – and it looks like he is – Barnes and Hernandez are solid players and Howie is too. Give it time, Grasshopper. This team has loads of talent.

    And finally… before you keep blasting the front office about what they are doing, look around baseball:

    FAZ was loathe to give up draft picks and the rest of the league got wise too, which is why they ended back up with Anderson and Kendrick.

    FAZ suggested extreme shifts last year – this year EVERY TEAM is doing it!

    FAZ sends the Manger a notebook full of stats a day – EVERY TEAM IS NOW DOING IT!

    What you are seeing is a shift in the mindset of most of the front offices and FAZ has been at the forefront of it all. What you are seeing is a historic shift, but it’s not all about numbers like many of you think. It’s about building a better team. Watch and see!

    AT LEAST 92!

    1. This is an 85 – 89 win team. Right now I am of course looking at the lower end of the spectrum because THEY JUST LOST 6 GAMES IN A ROW TO THE LOWLY FISH AND PADS!

      They have to pick up gimme games – they will have to play tougher teams eventually and those games will be harder to win.

      I don’t care what Scott Schebler is hitting. I do care what the Dodgers’ players are doing.

      I’d rather have really good players than “depth” in the form of mediocrity.

      I want a bullpen that pitches well in high leverage situations; a rotation where the team can rely on more than 2 starters; an offense that is adept in scoring runs in more than one way (able to hit the 3 run HR or scrape together a run playing small ball).

      I want a management team that is at least as concerned with putting together a great major league roster as it is a great farm system.

      I agree with youhadme yesterday. The window may indeed be closing. No Jansen next year – what kind of ‘pen will they have? The old guys (Ethier, Gonzalez, et al) will be another year older. The rotation will be just as inept unless the prospects are ready.

      In no way is this a 95 win team as Mark suggested yesterday. They haven’t won 95 since 2009 (the Manny Ramirez team). To say they will win 92 is to say that the team is as good as last year’s team without Greinke and his historic season. Are you kidding?

    2. ” Turner, Kendrick, Seager and Gonzo will all get their groove back. I do worry about Puig – he’s not a student of the game – he just reacts. ”

      I totally agree on Seager, Gonzo and Puig. Kendrick, not so much. I think the man is done, but there is also the theory that he missed spring training and he’s just getting caught up. Maybe, and I hope so, because I want the team to win.

      Speaking of theories, when a player has a great year we frequently hear, “That was a freak year. Unsustainable stats. He will return to his normal low numbers” , and so on. I’m starting to wonder if that’s the case with Turner.

      1. Oscar The theory about Howie missing spring training, I believe, that Howie came to spring training, really not in shape, and that was why he was on the DL twice. And when a player, is getting older, they need to come into spring training ready to play. Look at how many at bats, that Howie has already had up to now, and Crawford has had even less.

        But Crawford, has already got two hits, and he just came back, so I think you are right, and that theory is only that. Turner had two really good years, but I do wonder about him, because it looks like the pitchers have adjusted on Him, and Turner hasn’t figured out, how to adjust back.

  5. As was mentioned yesterday, this organization has punted every deadline for three years. This all makes sense if you stop believing that the new ownership believes in this group of players and that they are working hard to win it all this year. This is a reorganization, with a target of winning championships later. Sorry Adrian, your time has passed. Good luck in Texas Clayton. You and your wife are both Longhorns and everybody west of the Pecos knows where your hearts are.

    And through it all we will again lead the league in attendance and tv money. You don’t need to win to harvest revenue.

    Yeah, I hope the #1 minor league system is worth it.

    All that said, we are not .480 bad. It is a long season. We still could win the West. If so, we likely get clobbered again by the better teams in the Central and East. It’s going down to the wire and there will be 3 teams competing.

  6. Badger says: “And through it all we will again lead the league in attendance and tv money. You don’t need to win to harvest revenue.”
    That is the truth staring us right in the face. You can always tell when an executive is lying, his lips move.

  7. Looking forward to the return of Anderson, McCarthy, Guerrero to right the ship. In the meantime, More Cubans!

  8. Ecclesiastes 1:9 New International Version (NIV)
    What has been will be again,
    what has been done will be done again;
    there is nothing new under the sun.

    This is why I call these idiots NEddy Jr. Same old crap, with the same old results, while pretending to be different. Just like the lying politicians.

    All you need to know is that(1) they punted three deadlines in a row and, )2) the players are stupid and take forever to adjust to the opposing pitcher’s adjustments, and (3) the BULLPEN STILL SUCKS. That is the real state of Affairs with the Dodger. When will anything change with these people? DFA SOMEBODY TODAY AND SHOW US NEDDY JR THAT YOU ARE NOT A MENTAL EUNUCH.

    1. Ecclesiastical reference. I’m impressed.

      I think Mark makes a good point…. nah, I’m just messin with you. The one thing I do agree with is “SCOREBOARD”. This team just doesn’t have the look and it’s been reflected on the scoreboard. We’ve lost games to some very weak teams. No spirit of late. No octane in the tank. And we are now talking about trading a guy that is hitting .150, a guy nobody wanted this past off season, as if that could be done and if done is actually going to help. And let’s DFA those guys that make more than they earn, or throw 98 mph with a 1.8 WHIP. And for some odd reason we believe that when Ryu and McCarthy return things will turn around. This team just doesn’t inspire. Now that could change if our thumpers start hitting. Even if they do, I still look for this pitching staff to fade. I know to our resident FAZophants that sounds negative, but I see it as a logical outcome. Kazmir, Wood, Bolsinger and Stripling just don’t float my boat, Maeda is a pitch away from elbowitis, and the bullpen doesn’t inspire confidence. A 2013 version of Ryu would help change a few things, but I don’t see him showing up. McCarthy? He’s been pitching in the big leagues since he was 21. He’s going to be 32 in July and he’s had 1 good year. His contract, one of the first big deals made by FAZ was a glaring “off on the wrong foot” signal to me. I’ve been watching very closely since that play and 300 moves later it sure feels like we are significantly not better.

      I’m a fan and I will continue to hope for the best. But I’ve been around a long time, and I do know baseball. I don’t FAZonian baseball, and maybe it works out in the end. But I wouldn’t pay money to go see this team play. Not now. Maybe later, but certainly not now. The only reason I bought mlbtv was Vin, and not only is he only doing half the games, at 88 he’s a shadow of his former self. What a weird start to ’16.

      1. Even Vin is a negative for you. His voice is a little more frail than in his heyday, and he mispronounces names every now and then, but I pay attention to if and when he slips, and I think he’s still pretty sharp, which is remarkable for 88. If you think even Vin doesn’t live up to your standards as a fan, I have to question your choices of enjoyable hobbies. Maybe your hobby is to just to naysay on the internet under the guise of analysis.

        In your panoply of worst case scenarios, you left off the entire Dodger team dying in a fiery plane crash. And there’s that likely bolt of lightning that will inevitably leave a key outfielder as a smoking spot of scorched grass. I dread the day Kershaw eats that fish.

        We can speculate. None of us know. Sometimes you put the best pieces in place and just hope for the best. I do expect Ryu to be back at some point. I think a likely outcome is for Ryu and Bolsinger to join the rotation sometime during the second half of the season and replace Stripling and Wood. I think it’s likely that Kazmir gets a better handle on his command and is more consistent. I think it’s likely Maeda settles in as a reliable #2. It’s a possibility none of that happens and the team tanks. It’s a possibility the FO does nothing to upgrade the team during the season. It’s a possibility a random meteor hits the clubhouse.

        How much longer do you intend to talk about McCarthy? Or Hamels? This front office is not going anywhere. It’s not like the repetitive harping is going to make some Way Back machine materialize in a different universe where we can do it all over again based on Badger’s master plan. Was is your plan going forward?

        1. New low patch. Must be the mounting frustration as everything FAZ does proves to be crap. You can take it out on me. After years of hearing it from your pal I’m used to it. I can take comfort in knowing I’ve been right about all of it.

          1. I generally prefer to read positive takes and Patch does a good job of doing that but I agree with you Badger, Patch sprung a leak.

          2. Alright. My tone and language were a little salty. I apologize for that.

  9. Good morning everyone. Happy May Day for all you Wobblies out there. It’s a great day for baseball. We got kid k going today. We just might show some “statistically irrelevant” grit, gumption, character and win one for the fans and for Vinny. The last April of Vinny’s career is in the books, let’s start the final May of Vinny’s career on the right foot. Cheers!

  10. When the season started I thought .500 in April would be ok. I thought, though, it would be win one; lose one. Instead we have this losing streak. Streaks tend to magnify fundamental problems, which might otherwise be overlooked. For me, this streak shows: Kershaw is not where he can be; Puig still sucks, and probably always will, at least with this team; Turner might not be as good a hitter has we hoped and thought; the bench is mediocre; starting pitching is thin; most of the bullpen is unreliable and cannot be used in high leverage situations. We probably already knew these things before the streak, but here it is, staring us in the face, ahead of a big road trip. This division is probably weaker than it has been in years, thanks in part to the giants getting old and hurt and no team having a good bullpen. The problem with the Dodgers is that there are 2 or 3 REALLY good teams in the National League, and it is not one of them.

  11. When Friedman first came here, I would say that the team’s biggest need was a new manager, and a good set up guy, and better bullpen. I just wish that he would have made the same effort to get a really good set up guy, as the effort he put in, to getting Howie!

    The Dodgers needed a set up guy, and a better bullpen, much more, then Howie. Think about the effort they used to get Howie, and what they gave up, for Howie, a young starting pitcher. They said that they got Howie, and traded Kemp, to make a more functional
    Line up.

    And they said, that making a more functional line up, would help the Dodgers make it farther, in the post season. I don’t blame the Kemp trade on the Front office, as much as I blame it on Mattingly.

    Because Front office, didn’t know the Dodger players, so Mattingly conveyed to the front office, what he thought would fix the team. And that was why Kemp was traded. And they said that Puig would suddenly step up, and be that right handed power bat, that was lost, when Kemp was traded.

    Even though Puig has never been that type of hitter, since he first came up. I’m so glad that Mattingly is gone! And the way the Dodgers are playing against the Padres, shows everyone, it wasn’t because Mattingly, and his great management, that made the Marlins, sweep the Dodgers.

    The Dodgers, practically, gave that series., to the Marlins. Getting back to the front office, if the front office, would have used half the effort, they used to get Howie, the Dodgers would probably have a decent set up guy, by now. And it didn’t have to be through, just free agency!

    Remember this front office, are suppose to be one of the best minds in baseball. And after watching the Dodgers bullpen, that first year, the front office, should have gotten a good set up guy, for the Dodgers, by now. Because they have had plenty of time, and they knew that Kenley, would not be with the Dodgers, after this year!

    And right now, we have no one sitting in the wings, to take Kenley’s job, and we still don’t have a decent set up guy. And with the starting pitchers that this front office have signed, they should have made a really big effort, and brought a good set up guy, to the Dodgers.

    And this is because the starting pitching, that the front office choose to bring to the Dodgers, not only, had bad injury histories, they can’t pitch deep into games. With the current starting pitching rotation, the Dodger’s bullpen, is going to be even more exposed then before, because most of these starting pitchers, they brought to the Dodgers, don’t pitch deep into games.

    And in baseball, in the last few years, it has shown that if a team doesn’t have a good starting pitching rotation, they better have a really good bullpen, to shorten the game, if they want to be successful. And the Dodgers, don’t have either.

    After the Chapman deal did not go through, the front office should have made sure, that they brought a premium set up man, to the Dodgers. The Dodger’s front office, is the one, that is solely responsible for the Dodgers average starting pitching rotation, and there terrible bullpen.

    And I don’t give the front office credit, for getting Maeda ! Because they just got lucky with Maeda! Maeda was practically, the only decent pitcher left, after the deal for Greinke, and the other Japanese pitcher, went south. And if Maeda, would have asked for much more, they would have never signed him.

    The
    front office should have at least, given Roberts, a better starting rotation, or bullpen, for his first year with the Dodgers. The front office, is the only one responsible, for the Dodger team today! And that should scare everybody, about this front offices team, of the future.

  12. Some thoughts, Part II

    1. Crawford looked better last night.
    2. Kike’ made contact against a righty, yea! Maybe he can.
    3. Roberts might be easing Joc into the season and by mid-may might stop platooning him and move him up in the lineup.
    4. Roberts puts the player with the second best OPS, second only to Grandal) 8th in the lineup.
    5. Grandal looks like a cleanup hitter.
    6. Roberts, and I agree, says players that get mad perform worse.
    7. Hitters that are thinking they don’t want to make an out are more likely to make an out.
    8. The losing streak may have players thinking that they don’t want to make an out.
    9. FAZ needs to make a trade and hopefully it nets someone like Jake McGee, Rockies, or Cody Allen, Indians.
    10. The Dodgers could use a more powerful right handed bat in LF and Crawford, Kike’, Thompson, and Kindrick are not that bat.
    11. I would like to have Kemp back in RF for the Dodgers in 2016 and maybe 2017 but to do so would cost $85M through 2019, yikes.
    12. I agree with Badger, we are going to have to ride existing contracts out and hope for the best until 2018.
    13. The Dodgers are a 90+ win team and will get there with patience and can win the Division with 88 wins.
    14. If the Dodgers win 92+ games it will be because Grandal, Seager, and Pederson have very good years and because I think Turner, Agon, Utley, and whatever is in LF will have only average years at best.
    15. Pitching depth will suffice this year, the year that pitching excellence will take a back seat to that depth.
    16. Again, what she said.

    1. Bum I think Pederson is the best place in the line up, for himself, and the Dodgers. We don’t need to rush him, like Mattingly did last year. Pederson has a good eye, and he is still learning, and he is in the best place, in the line up, to do that. Once he was moved, after the first month, Joc’s at bats got worse, and that was when his average went way down.

      And if Pederson, Seager, and Grandal, have a good year. Then Agon will have an even better year! Because Agon will not be the only big bat, in the line up. Agon is the player, on the Dodgers, that other teams, always try not to let hurt them. And because of this, they pitch around Agon. And don’t let Agon’s recent at bats, let you, under estimate him. When no one else on the Dodgers are hitting, especially Turner and Puig, Agon at bats suffer, because he gets nothing to hit.

      1. This pertains to Dodgers facing righty pitchers—Part of my thoughts about Joc recognizes that it is hard to win when the #8 hitter ytd has an OPS of .932 while the #s 2, 3, 4, and 5 hitters are all below .773.

        Here are the OPS using against rhghties’ split.

        Joc 932
        Utley 913
        Grandal 867
        Agon 773
        Puig 735
        Seager 695
        Crawford 685
        Turner 663
        Kike’ 437
        Kendrick 253

        While Joc needs to ease into the year to get his confidence back and maybe help him do what he has been working on, he should be hitting 6th against righties and if he doesn’t slump like last year, he should find himself somewhere in the first 4 spots.

        1. Bum they will pitch Joc much harder if he moves up, the line up. That is all I am thinking. And I still don’t think Puig should bat in the first seven positions, but he is not patient enough to bat eighth. And Joc batting eighth, helps him pick up more walks, to counter for his strike outs, if he keeps striking out a lot.

          And Roberts isn’t going to bat Howie eighth
          Either. I wouldn’t mind Howie, in the eighth position, until a starts hitting, but I didn’t mind your suggestion, about having Howie go to AAA, if he isn’t hitting, but we know that won’t happen.

          1. MJ, pitchers will actually pitch to not harder to Joc if he has protection behind him.

      1. Anytime a person relaxes and is confident they will do better. Success leads to confidence. Repetition can lead to failure if repeating the wrong things. Make an effort and then let the brain process that effort.

        Roberts is doing everything right with Joc and lots of things wrong with Puig. Puig needs time off, lots more time off.

        1. Bum I was just teasing you! What you were describing, was self full filling prophecy . I guess didn’t write full before filling.

          1. MJ, if someone thinks they will fail they are more likely to fail, and that would be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Someone that does not want to make an out is not the same as thinking they will make an out or that they can’t hit.

            I understood what you were saying, I just disagreed about what a self fulfilling prophecy was.

          2. Bum if someone is saying they don’t want to make an out. They go up to bat, and try to do anything, to not make an out, and that in an it self, changes a players behavior, in a negative way. And a hitter starts changing other things, that they don’t normally do, and they make a mistake. Thoughts are action. Just trying not to make a out, can cause you to make an out, because that is not what you think, when you have been successful.

    2. Bum, I would agree with most of your points. Grandal looks like a cleanup hitter next to the rest of the lineup. Pitching depth may be enough to win the division, but it won’t win many playoff games without a better pen.

  13. may be it is honeycutte is not doing his job…i never have liked him yes we are not hitting ..but most it been the bull pen..and that leds to mr honeycutt

  14. A couple of things:

    1. How can the Dodgers sign Kenley? I see no way until free agency… I’m sure the Dodgers would give him 5 years/$60 mil, but I’m just as sure that he will want 6 years/$90 mil! That’s a HUGE number.

    2. If the Yankees keep tanking, Chapman and Miller may be on the market. The Yankees starters are a mess. By August, we may have a glut of starters…. Just thinking!

      1. I have been preaching that the Dodgers have a lot of trade options now.

        I mean there is s plethora of things that can happen.

        Sierra, Alvarez, Urias, Holmes, De Leon, Anderson, Stripling, Buehler and I know I forgot some – the Dodgers are stacked.

        Montas, Cotton, De Jong – the list is long!

    1. “….Just thinking”. That’s what I’d rather read. What are the possibilities moving forward. Something new. Not the same complaints recapitulated in slightly altered forms over and over again.

      1. So, trading assets is now ok?

        I’d be very cautious about that now. The window for that is closing.

        1. trading superfluous assets….not prospects. I just think Mark makes a good point about the Yanks tanking and maybe wanting to unload that trio of relievers….not the cheap ones, but maybe Chapman. Would I trade a valuable prospect? no.

  15. I would like to lodge a complaint about the people complaining about others complaining about complaints. Where do I lodge that?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Optionally add an image (JPEG only)