Thursday, March 28, 2024
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No Moore Lefties: Matt Moore Shuts Down Dodgers

Matt Moore

Left handed pitchers continue to be the Dodger’s Achilles heel as fellow southpaw Matt Moore shutdown the Dodger bats by tossing 6.2 innings of one-run ball as the last place Tampa Bay Rays beat the Dodgers by a 3-1 score. The Rays will gladly take a series split as the win snaps a four game losing streak for them.

For whatever reason left handed pitchers stymie, flummox and baffle the Dodgers. The boys in blue rank dead last in the majors with a .218 batting average against left handers. To make matters worse, Dave Roberts, Bob Geren and Andrew Friedman put out the worst lineups possible when a left hander is on the mound. They do that by starting inferior hitters because they bat from the right side don’t you know.

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I mean when the bottom of your order is Taylor, Ellis, pitcher, don’t expect to score a lot of runs. The Dodgers didn’t. I don’t understand the reasoning behind starting Scott Van Slyke over Andrew Toles. The latter is obviously hitting better than Van Slyke, and why would anybody start Chris Taylor over Chase Utley? You have to play the hot hands instead of percentages at this point in the season. Poor lineup choices contributed to this loss.

Rays       3 8 1

Dodgers 1 5 1

WP-Moore-7-7

LP-McCarthy-2-1

SV-Colome-22

HR-Longoria-22

Brandon McCarthy certainly didn’t help his own cause either. He turned in a stinker and suffers his first loss this season. McCarthy tossed just 4 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits and striking out 7. The only run the Dodgers scored was an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning.

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Joc Pederson worked a two out walk and A.J. Ellis singled him over to third. A.J. attempted to steal second (Yes really!) and Tampa Bay catcher Luke Maile’s errant throw got past Logan Forsythe and bounced into center field allowing Pederson to score and give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead. That was A.J.’s first career stolen base. I’m not making that up, it really happened.

McCarthy was fine until he lost it and gave up 3 runs in the top of the fourth inning. The 100-degree heat at Chavez Ravine probably played a part in his meltdown. Who’s bright idea was this to play the game at high noon anyways?

Brad Miller pulled a lead-off double down the right field line and then Evan Longoria hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the Rays up 2-1. After Corey Dickerson struck out, Steven Souza Jr. draws a walk. After a second strikeout to Logan Morrison Souza steals second base and then comes around to score on Maile’s double. Now the Rays are up 3-1.

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That was pretty much it as the Dodgers rolled over and gave up. The offense could only muster 1 run on 5 hits. The Dodgers had two walks and a single from the fourth inning on. All five of their hits were singles and they left seven men on base. The only chance of scoring after that second inning came when A.J. Ellis’s long fly out to left field was 3 feet short of going over the fence for a two-run home run.

Thankfully possible future Dodger Jay Bruce and the Reds did the Dodgers a solid be defeating Madison Bumgarner and the Giants 2-1 this afternoon at At&t Park. The Giant’s loss means the Dodgers did not lose any ground and remain 2.5 games back in the NL West. On the bright side Ross Stripling gave the Dodgers three scoreless innings of relief.

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The Dodgers will take Thursday off to lick their wounds and get back at it on Friday evening as the Dbacks come into town for a weekend series. The Dodgers have a heavy home schedule over the next couple of weeks and several off days.

(Oh and if you’re interested in some kasyno online platnosc blik, check out the link to this site mentioned above because free casino games and winning money is just as exciting as baseball.)

Rookie Zack Godley (what a name) will counter Kenta Maeda on Friday night at 7:10 PM.

Scott Andes

Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic

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Scott Andes
Scott Andes: Longtime writer and Dodger fanatic
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92 thoughts on “No Moore Lefties: Matt Moore Shuts Down Dodgers

    1. 6 & 5 is .545454545 X 60 = 32.72727 + 57 = 89.7. Round up its 90. 90 wins.

      I don’t know that will be enough. Maybe. And frankly I’m not fully confident .5454545 will be sustained until October. Our bullpen could very well have collective tired arm syndrome by September. Our starters are just not that strong.

      What will the FAZ do about that?

  1. The Dodgers have to improve against LH pitching. Part of the answer could be Kike Hernandez who is playing very well at RC (.375). He will be moving up to Tulsa shortly and should arrive in LA by the Weekend. He hit .423 against LH pitchers last year. Lead him off.

    A-Gon is getting worse every year against tough lefties. He is hitting .244 against them this year. SVS is at .303. That’s no brainer. It’s my understanding that Trayce Thompson’s back could keep him on the shelf the rest of the year. They say it’s bad! That means it’s REALLY bad. He has reverse splits, so he’s not missed. With Puig on the shelf, the Dodgers need a strong RH bat.

    A player like Longoria would be nice, but that would move Utley to a utility role as Turner moves to 2B. Maybe it’s time to realize that the Dodgers have to platoon A-Gon and SVS.

    It pains me to say this but I would offer TB Urias OR De Leon AND Holmes AND AND Taylor AND Barnes AND Puig AND De Jong for Archer and Longoria…

    Lineup vs. LH:

    1. Hernandez LF
    2. Kendrick 2B
    3. Turner 1B
    4. Seager SS
    5. Longoria 3B
    6. Grandal C
    7. Pederson CF
    8. Toles RF

    Who knows?

    1. Well Timm, nobody really knows and time is getting short. We MUST do SOMETHING to better our .218 BA(last in the Majors) vs LHP. To me the answer is simple if we want to make to the PS and beyond.
      Trade for Braun(lifetime .337 vs LHP) and LuCroy(.298 lifetime vs LHP). I know, I know, everyone hates Braun but it is what it is and how many of us would welcome Gordon back?
      I understand Braun’s salary but how many of realize LuCroy’s salary is only $4MM this year and I think a team option(?) for $5.25MM next year. Combined it’s not that bad and, of course, LuCroy would have to sign an extension for it to work for us.
      So how much talent would we have to give up? Probably a lot but before we get into naming names, let’s realize NOBODY knows except the two GM’s.
      Just my HUMBLE opinion for what’s its worth(probably nothing) and who knows if the Dodgers are even interested? IDK.

        1. Richie
          I don’t like Howie hitting first, because he hit in quite a few runs last year, and he is probably doing that now.

          He has that oppo swing to right, that hits in runs well.

          I like Lucroy, but I think he is going to cost so much.

    2. Mark
      Turner hasn’t hit lefties the last couple of years.

      And Turner is hitting under 200 against lefties.

      And what is Pederson hitting against lefties?

      You said that Pederson was 100 points lower, against lefties, and that was telling.

      Roberts said that Trayce’s back was hurting for a while, but he didn’t want to tell Roberts.

      And before that happen, Trayce had very even splits with both average and power wise.

      It seems like most of the team can’t hit lefties, except for Scott and Howie.

      Maybe if they didn’t platoon so much with leftie pitchers, everyone might hit better against lefties, after a while.

      1. MJ:
        You’re right about Turner. He doesn’t hit LHP as well as he does RHP. That’s why I placed him much lower in the lineup above.

          1. Richie I don’t know if Toles hit lefties, but he is a 300 plus hitter.

            Toles has never faced a leftie pitcher in the bigs, so he has not stats, but Joc hits lefties 100 points lower then righties.

            But not many players on the team hit lefties very well.

          2. I know Toles is LH, Michael. I also know Braun will never be a Dodger. I was merely stating the fact that he hits LHP very well and would be an asset to the lineup IF he became a Dodger.

    3. Mark
      Agone is hitting lefties better then Cory.

      Cory is hitting 234 against lefties.

      Mark did you know that Cory hasn’t hit a HR since June 30?

      I think his brother has hit five this month.

      Cory will probably hit one soon.

      He is still hitting well anyways.

      1. Richie
        That was a good idea, we do need a right hand hitter, that hits for a good average, and hits with power, like Braun does.

        And we do need to find a way to do much better against lefties.

        And Toles is a leftie, but he may still hit lefties pretty decent, because he is a hitter, that makes good contact, and hits in the 300s.

    4. Turner’s knees may make playing 2nd base difficult, but he could fill in at 1st. In any event if Dodgers don’t get more mileage out of the SP’s and do SOMETHING to solve LHP we will be watching other teams play in October and Dodgers will not be one of them. It’s so true about these lineups against lefties that continue to bring the same sick results. One other thing, and that is the other teams know about the dodger’s struggles against lefties and like what happened in 1991, they will begin to throw as many lefties against the Dodgers as they can get their hands on.

      1. I think play the same line up against both.

        So the players are getting consistent at bats.

        And use the bench players to give days off, but not all at once.

        And hit for some of the leftie hitting players, when there is an especially tough leftie pitching, but not for every leftie pitcher.

  2. It’s said the Rays would have to be overwhelmed to trade their franchise player. Hard to know if that would do it. What they need is that every day player that classes up the city and stadium, and puts butts in seats. I don’t see that player in that offer. But, it’s a bold bid. Urias OR De Leon won’t cut it though. It must include Urias or they won’t consider it.

    That said, I keep Urias. Until we know what is going to happen to Kershaw, we may need Urias to step into Clayton’s role. He’s the #2 prospect in all of baseball. Don’t trade him. Build him for 30 starts in 2018. Grant Holmes at age 20 has moved up to #53 and he too could be ready to step into the rotation in ’18. De Leon could be there next year. I think it would be exciting to watch all three of these guys grow together as starters. Put Montas, Bellinger, Diaz and Verdugo, all Top 100 prospects, on that squad, sign whatever veteran free agents that fit, and we have achieved what it was FAZ was brought here to do.

    Stay the course.

    1. Badger

      I don’t think they will do to much anyways.

      Longoria is having a good year this year, but I think he had a couple of average years, before this good year.

      And Turner has had three pretty good years, if I count this year, after early June.

      I think if they could find a good arm for the pen, that would be help, especially a set up guy.

      They had the Dodgers talking about Wade Davis,
      the Royals good relief pitcher.

      But I think the Royals think they are still in the pennant race.

      But Mark is right, this team needs a good right hand power bat.

      And this team has needed one, since they traded Kemp away.

      1. I would be very surprised if we did anything in the next few days. Certainly nothing of any consequence. The Gnats might then again might not. They have gone into their yearly funk but I don’t expect that to last much longer especially when they get Pence, Panik and Duffy back.
        They do need help in the BP, more than we do.

      2. Where’s Justin Ruggiano when we need him? I don’t necessarily mean him, but someone like that.

  3. I don’t believe Longoria and Archer are the difference makers. We need 2 more better starters after Kershaw, if Kershaw is even coming back. Longoria would help, but enough? Not sure.

    There are 9 teams in the hunt in the NL. There are 11 in the AL, including KC. All believe they have a chance, all will probably be looking to gain an edge at the deadline. We are still long shots. 20/1. I look for more marginal moves, maybe using some lower level prospects. If I felt we were as good as we were last year I’d be saying the same thing now I was saying then. But I’m not. Maybe we can pull this out. But this year I’m last year’s “don’t gut the farm” voice.

    1. Nobody is talking about “gutting the farm” but our Top 30 specs are overloaded with pitchers and outfielders. Last time I looked, 19 of the 30 were of that variety(63%). W can’t play them all.
      The key is to pick and keep the right ones and trade the others IMO. How do we do that? If I or anyone knew that, we’d have the keys to Blue Heaven.

    2. I can’t see them trading for Longoria. They would be “stuck” with an All-Star through 2022. Archer is from Tampa and more importantly is cheap. I’d rather have Sale but he would cost more in trade and when his contract is up in, what, two years?

    3. Badger
      I agree with you that last year’s team, had the two horses, so it seemed like if they would do anything, it would have been last year.

      But I do think this year’s team is playing better as a unit, epecially the position players.

      Did you read that article in Bleacher Report?

      That article makes your point Badger.

    1. But so can Turner, and Turner has had three very good years in a row, if we count this year.

      And Turner is one of this teams leaders.

  4. Filthy stuff? Yeah, maybe. But he isn’t dominant. He’s averaging less than 6 IP per start, has a career 109 ERA+, 92 ERA+ this year, 4.05 FIP, 4.42 ERA. He could be as good as anybody we have left standing, but, at what cost? I would sure welcome him, but I don’t see FAZ over bidding for him.

    Richie, there were some, one in particular, that kept pounding the “gut the farm” nonsense last year. I’m on record, I don’t believe in the concept. When I use the term it’s mostly for effect. I don’t want any of our top prospects used at this time.

  5. I would trade Kenley Jansen straight up to the BoSox for Yoan Moncada!

    I would trade Clayton Kershaw to the Texas Rangers for Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar, Lewis Brinso, Luis Ortiz, Yohander Mendez, Andy Ibanez and Leody Traveras.

    I’d trade my brother…

    1. 2 months ago, Kershaw would have netted at least 5 of those players. Now, a DL (and uncertain) Kershaw would maybe net 3 of them.

      Mark,
      You are now on record for giving Kershaw a blank check, making him a lifer AND for trading him…..guess you can say you were in lock step with the great and mighty FAZ no matter what they do. I think you have called out writers for doing just that. Just sayin.

  6. I would trade Kershaw too. Don’t know half those guys but, I’m sure they could be turned into wins somehow.

    T.O. Dave is in town. Sat down for coffee and talked for three hours. Mostly about all of you. Just kidding. Only spent a few minutes talking baseball, but he’s coming by the house on Friday to watch the game. Dave is a thinker, which in my experience makes him part of a minority. Good guy. Wish he would take time to post more. That goes for you too Tim. Both of you, put your helmets on and get in the game.

  7. Where is everybody? Mention trading Kershaw and the board shuts down? I always figured he would finish his career in Texas, probably after his opt out year. But, now that his back is at issue, does it change the timetable? Yeah, sure, maybe.

    And I read this:

    –Boston was in to inquire about Davis, but the Red Sox have let other teams know they will not discuss four players: Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi, Michael Kopech and Rafael Devers.

  8. With Kershaw, it all boils down to whether he really wants to pitch in Texas or finish his career as one of the few players who pitches for just one team. He has said this is the best clubhouse he has been in and I know he likes the team. If he truly wants to go home, then nothing will stop him. If I were Friedman, I would have a sit down and determine if that is something he wants. Texas is still loaded and I would pull the trigger today if he wants to go back to Texas. The question is whether Texas would do that now with his back injury. I doubt it… maybe the off season…

    The truth be told, the hitter who would require the least compensation is Braun. Since he is owed so much, if the Dodgers assumed all that, they might be able to get that deal done with Puig and Holmes (maybe another prospect). The last two years of the deal would be bad, but maybe he could be flipped to the AL as a DH then.

    LH Pitcher Lineup:

    1. Hernandez 2B
    2. Seager SS
    3. Turner 3B
    4. Braun RF
    5. Kendrick LF
    6. SVS 1B
    7. Grandal C
    8. Pederson CF

    Just two LH – Pederson & Seager

    Toles could be Braun’s late inning replacement

    1. Mark
      I’m glad that Kike is hitting better, but A is not the majors.

      Let’s wait and see what Kike does at AA.

      I would wait until AAA, but I don’t think they will send him to AAA.

  9. Braun is having a good two year run, and though his contract is long, mutual option in ’21, it isn’t as high as some as its $20mm and under. 3 WAR and he earns his money. He’s already done that this year. (3.4) He’s hit well in LA over his career. I could see it. But, can FAZ? I really doubt it. Not with 5 years left on the deal.

    I’m sure the conversation with Kershaw has already happened. He and Ellen can live happily ever after wherever they want whenever they want. He’s only 28. His current contract takes him through age 32 and he can opt out at age 30, though at this point that seems unlikely. Where does the back take him in 2 1/2 years? Who knows. Maybe he will be fine. Big maybe.

  10. Braves making Johnson available. Ruggiano out there. Just add Latos and stir. Latruggiohnson Redemption. I’m sure the price is right.

  11. On the Wade Davis rumors:

    So KC wants to attach Ian Kennedy to a possible deal. With Washington and St. Louis in need of a closer, a Kennedy add on may not be what gets done. Washington sure has the prospects to deal for Davis, and after seeing the haul NYY got for Chapman, I imagine if KC does choose to deal Davis, they just might prefer a haul of prospects for a non-rental Davis, who is under contract through next season. Not sure St. Louis could bring enough prospects to the table to compete with an offer from Washington. As for the Dodgers, I say no to a deal for Davis if it comes down to Davis alone for prospects, especially if a bidding war breaks out with the likes of Washington. However, if FAZ can work a deal of prospects that doesn’t include our top 5 by taking on Kennedy’s remaining bad contract, then I’m for that. Kennedy is no upgrade to the rotation, but I suppose he could prove useful if our team hits and our bullpen stays strong…made stronger by Wade Davis. The big if is team hitting, especially with RISP. So how to improve that? Back to Davis. Since he wouldn’t be a rental, the Dodgers could give Kenley the QO and watch some other team throw crazy money at him. Davis would hold down the closer spot through next season, allowing more time to determine our closer of the future from within.

    1. Got a golfing buddy who is a Royals fan and told him when they signed Kennedy it was a HUGE mistake. I laughed at that deal. Even their bullpen couldn’t overcome that crappy rotation this year. As Mark likes to say all the time, “They will Rue the day” they signed him to that deal. Now KC has to trade off Davis to get rid of that contract of Kennedy’s or lose all their young players after next season.

      I can’t stand Braun, but on paper, Braun makes the most sense if they’re going to go for it this year. The Dodgers are just awful against lefties. I’d go get him and try to buy down his contract in a trade in a couple of years. However, I think for some it’s not just about Braun’s contract and PED use, but also about what he did to ruin the career of a man while he was lying about his PED use. Braun, Lucroy, and Jeffers would be even better.

      1. Get it done Faz. Those three players, Braun, LuCroy and Jeffress/Smith would have to make us odds on favorites to win the West.

  12. No rants today. A quiet Thursday in Dodger land. Wade Davis rumors aside…Insurance if Jansen walks??? Who knows.

  13. Good comments all. Enjoyed reading them. No gloom and doom.

    I’m not for adding to the rotation if Kershaw can’t come back at 100%.

    Remember, Warren Spawn wasn’t the pitching hero of the 57 WS. Their #2 guy won 3 games and he was no better than McCarthy.

    I would like Davis as the guy that can come in at a critical moment later in the game.

    Grandal and Puig for Lucroy. If that isn’t enough then maybe someone from Montas, Stripling, Avilon, …

    Baez and Cotton for Davis?

    1. Lew Burdette no better than Brandon McCarthy?

      Really?

      His career – 203 – 144, 3.66. IN 1957 (the year you referenced), he was 17 – 9, 3.72, with 256 ip, 14 CG in 33 starts. It was a different era, to be sure; it was a hitter’s era and strikeouts were not as prized as they are now (he was a “pitch to contact” guy), but here is a guy who started 373 games and pitched over 3000 innings and you are comparing tissue-paper-arm Brandon McCarthy to him?

      It was the same in ’68 – Bob Gibson had his 1.12 ERA and Denny McClain won 31 games but it was Mickey Lolich who won 3 in the Series – but Lolich was 17 – 9, 3.14 and he was 217 – 191 with a 3.44 career ERA – a guy who pitched an amazing 376 innings in 1971.

      1. Whatever happened to those men of “yesteryear”? Now if you throw a 100 pitchers in a game, your’e outta here and BP takes over. I understand it was a different era back then and now we’re specialized. That doesn’t make it right.
        Sometimes the “good old days” were really that, the GOOD OLD DAYS.

    2. I think Lou Burdette was a better pitcher than McCarthy has been thus far in his career. And the Braves had a better lineup, headed up by Matthews and Aaron.

  14. 113 degrees here yesterday, probably about the same today. Just a quick grocery shopping trip and my clothes are soaked. My hat’s off to people who lived (and worked!!!) in country like this before air conditioning….

      1. Small town about 50 miles west of Las Vegas. If you draw a line from Las Vegas to Death Valley, I’m about midpoint on that line.

        1. So you are getting a cool day out there.

          One time I had to go do some business in Trona. I asked the guy the best way to get to Trona, his response, “Go to Hell and take a left!” Once I arrived I realized he wasn’t kidding.

  15. I don’t want to sacrifice this for the now:

    C….?
    1B…Bellinger
    2B…?
    3rd….?
    SS….Seager
    LF…..?
    CF….Pedersen
    RF….Verdugo

    Kershaw
    Stewart
    Urias
    De Leon
    Buehler
    Holmes
    Alvarez

    Although I would include Buehler and De Leon in a trade for Sale because of my concern for their health.

    1. I haven’t given up on Hernandez.

      I’d like to see Barnes get enough steady at bats against ML pitching to see if he can hold his own.

      I still move Seager to third and find that electric young SS that sucks up everything. I don’t care if he can’t hit as long as he’s 2+ WAR defensively.

      The other outfielder should be Diaz.

      1. As the world turns…
        Similarly, the Giants have a bit of interest in Alex Guerrero, who was released by the Dodgers earlier this year. However, Heyman points out that catcher Miguel Olivo, who is being sued by Guerrero after biting off a piece of Guerrero’s ear in a dugout altercation with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2015, is playing for San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate.

  16. Talk on the radio in LA today on if we’d include Urias in trades. Many even say trad Urias for Archer.

    I say ONLY trade him for Sale, NOT Archer.

  17. Rumors, rumors and more rumors……………………….. what to believe. According to one GM, the Dodgers are in on everyone from Cargo to Braun to Sale to Davis, but draw the line at adding Kennedy and his outrageous contract…

    1. Sure they’re “in” but they’re not going to give up anything good which means they won’t get anything good.

  18. Just for fun imagine Gordon and Toles at the top of the lineup….pitchers would go crazy….not happening, but a fun thought…

    1. We actually could afford to take on Kennedy. Especially if it saves us prospects. Question is how bad is Kennedy now? Will that already become a sunk cost ?

      1. He is awful. He makes Bud Norris look like Don Drysdale. It was the worst contract of the entire offseason. I wouldn’t give up a single top prospect if it meant taking on Kennedy’s contract. I believe the Dodgers will have gotten more out of Carl Crawford’s contract than they would Kennedy’s.

      2. And that’s why I brought it up. Seems very FAZ-like. Or was that the old FAZ…bringing on bad contracts to get another player and save prospects? Is this the new, improved FAZ. We shall see.

      1. I just wish we could get a good right hand power bat, that also hits for an average.

        Braun has five more years left on his contract.

        How many years does Kemp have left on his contract?

        They are much the same player, but Kemp didn’t get anyone fired.

        And I think Kemp’s offensive stats would be better with the Dodgers.

  19. I just saw this on MLBTradeRumors about the snakes RP Daniel Hudson. I can’t believe FAZ hasn’t pulled the trigger on this trade yet. Fits the MO to a “T”.
    “Hudson, 29, was a key piece to the D-backs’ bullpen in 2015 — his first season back from his second career Tommy John surgery — posting a 3.86 ERA in 67 2/3 innings with 9.4 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, a 43.2 percent ground-ball rate and a heater that averaged a strong 96.1 mph. However, this season has been a struggle, as he’s logged a 6.08 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in his 37 innings”.

    It’s good to see everyone playing nicely and talking baseball again. I was going to jump back on a week or so ago but it was turning into a political bitch fest.

          1. Shall we kick it up a notch?

            Trump’s a colossal ass and anyone who votes for him is an idiot. Hillary can’t be trusted and doesn’t deserve to be president. Vote Green, Libertarian or stay home.

            How’s that?

          1. I looked MJ.

            I commented only after box made a snarky DNC reference then followed it with a vulgar comment about the First Lady. I don’t usually start anything but I am one who stand stands up for what I think is right, and confront what I think is wrong. Probably won’t change anything, but I’ve always felt the responsibility to do it.

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