The Dodgers have been playing much better since the last post I wrote. Many things have changed in Dodger land over the last week. Albert Pujols is a Dodger. Corey Seager is out for at least a month with a fractured hand and the Dodgers have won 7 of their last 8 games. The Dodgers were so desperate for players due to all of the injuries that they acquired the .170 hitting former NPB infielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo (is that how to spell his name?) from the Tampa Bay Rays.
It’s important to remember that Yoshi Tsutsugo has been a terrible hitter since he broke into the Majors two years ago with Tampa Bay. He was hitting .167 in Tampa and is a career .186 MLB Hitter. But the Dodgers are excited because they think they can fix his swing and unlock hidden potential. Actually the Dodgers are pretty good at just that. The coaching staff and development departments have always been able to take flawed players and make them better. During the Dodger’s 4-2 win over the Dbacks on Wednesday night, Tsutsugo recorded his first hit as a Dodger, poking a single through the left side of the infield to plate Max Muncy. Can anyone tell me how to pronounce his name? Go Yoshi!
Dodgers have to keep playing well, as the Gnats and Madres are continuing to win, keeping the Dodgers at bay, in 3rd place.
Desperate times, as the Dodgers have been plagued with injuries, and offense has been sputtering hot and cold. Mostly cold, as the dreaded RISP and KO’s seem to pop up way too often. They went to the bottom of the pickle barrel this time, picking up two “Blue Light Specials”, in Pujols and Tsutsugo.
Pujols could be an invaluable pickup, with his knowledge and mentoring abilities. The Dodgers are packed with young talent, that can learn a lot from Albert, by picking his brain, and Pujols has always been willing to help the kids, mainly leading by example. Situational hitting is a prime example.
Yoshi could be a hidden gem. Just needs a little polishing. He was a slugging superstar and All-Star in Japan, but has been having problems with MLB pitching. We will have to wait and see if the Dodger hitting coaches can straighten him out…. they think they can. BTW, his last name is pronounced like this. “Tsu” begins with the somewhat silent “T”. Think of where your tongue is when you say the letter “T”…. it is at the roof of your mouth. Place your tongue at the roof of your mouth, and then say “Sue”. Say “T-Sue”(Tsu) twice, then say “Go”! Just that easy LOL. “Yoshi” is easier.
Amazing how many no-hitters there have been already? I truly believe that the erratically large strikezone and Umpire inconsistencies have contributed to low offensive punch. This coupled with the dead ball, has been favorable to pitchers. MLB hitters are having a hard time adjusting to the strikezone, swinging at bad pitches, or caught looking at a pitch outside the strikezone. Also, many balls that would fly out of the park, are now routine pop flies. The only Dodgers that might have a chance to get a no-hitter are Bauer and Urias. All the others have trouble getting to the 6th or 7th inning. The other problem would be the Dodger pitchers’ vulnerability to the long ball. When they make a mistake, the opposition rarely misses…. unlike the Dodgers who often miss on opportunities to take advantage of pitchers’ mistakes.
Go Blue!