Boy the Mets can’t do anything right. After losing 8-3 to the Dodgers on Saturday night thanks to a pinch-hit grand slam home run from Matt Kemp, the Mets were trying to avoid being swept and lose their twelfth consecutive game to the Dodgers. If you’re wondering why I’m talking about the Mets in the first person is only to educate you on just how bad they really are. The Mets’ nightmarish season continued as the Dodgers slugged a record seven solo home runs in their eleven inning 8-7 win over the Mess, I mean the Mets. The Dodgers sweep the Mets and everything is generally fun and light hearted. I mean my god the Dodgers (41-35) haven’t lost to the Mets in two years.
The Mets are such a train wreck, honest to god they are. Enrique Hernandez homered twice. Cody Bellinger homered twice. The Dodgers hit a ridiculous seven home runs in Sunday afternoon’s power splurge. The Dodgers binged off of home runs like they were eating their third, fourth, or fifth plate of dessert. They should be curled up in bed with the stomach pains but instead they’re flying home all happy and giddy. I actually prefer happy and giddy over the other thing any day.
Dodgers 8 13 0
Mets 7 9 1
WP-Hudson-2-2
LP-Flexen-0-1
HR-Hernandez-11-12-Muncy-15-Bellinger-14-Pederson-10-Cabrera-13-Turner-3-Plawecki-1
As bad as the Mets are they gave the Dodgers trouble on Sunday afternoon. Starter Rich Hill pitched only five innings (hitting four batters including Brandon Nimmo thrice ) allowing four runs on five hits with five strikeouts and the Mets used a parade of pitchers throughout the game. Their staff decimated by injuries as much as the Dodger’s staff is.
But the Dodgers can hit the long ball I tell you that. Even though the Mets kept coming back and coming back, the Dodgers finally just outlasted them with a barrage of homers. The Dodgers have now hit what like 45 home runs in June now?
The Dodger bullpen was also a big part of the equation. Over the last 33 games they have a 2.58 ERA which is the best in the National League. Daniel Hudson tossed two scoreless innings to pick up the win. The Dodgers hit six home runs, with the Mets hitting two themselves (Cabrera two-run shot in the fifth and Plawecki’s three-run shot in the eighth) totaling eight in the game.
The Dodgers got two home runs from Enrique Hernandez, and two from Cody Bellinger. Hernandez and Max Muncy hit back-to-backs in the top of the first to put the Dodgers up early. The Dodgers would also get home runs from Joc Pederson, and the eventual game-winner in the top of the eleventh from Justin Turner. Pederson’s was a 437 tape measure blast in the seventh.
The Dodgers stay within 2.5 of Arizona for first place in the National League West. However there’s a happy flight home for sure. The Dodgers will fly back to Los Angeles to open a home stand with the suddenly slumping Chicago Cubs. Those very same Cubbies just got swept by the cellar dweller Reds. That’s nice. This is also nice. Kenta Maeda will open the series for the Dodgers and the Cubs are supposed to start grizzled ace Jon Lester on Monday night. Forgot to mention that Chase Utley had a pinch-hit single on Sunday as well as two hits in the series.
Sweeping the Mets was sweet. Goeddels coming back to earth, hope he turns it around. Paredes still hasn’t given up a run this year.
Yeah, I saw the game and that’s pretty much how it went. Binging Dodgers hit 7 Home runs and win.
The pitching gave up 7 runs and we win.
An old friend just sent me this:
https://baseballanalyzed.com/2018/06/21/a-shocking-trade-that-wont-but-should-happen/
Frankly I like it. And the Yankees might do it.
Yankees might, but I doubt FAZ would. They need an everyday 2nd baseman and that they do not have. If the included Drury in the trade I would be more receptive. Stanton still strikes out way too much.
Give the job to Taylor or Hernandez
There is no strike out too much, there is only OPS.
I don’t do that trade. I think if we are going to help the Yankees free up cap space then it’s going to need a lot more than Giancarlo. Giving Yankees two pieces that they can flip for more assets is just wrong. I would at least unload Hill on them (he will make almost US$19 million next year!) and take back a reliever or two.
In fact I like the way Pederson and Puig are progressing this year. Pederson needs to lose more weight still, but both their strikeouts are way down. I think Pederson will probably take over if Puig leaves. But I actually don’t think he leaves. I think he re-signs on a friendly long term deal (his mom will make him do it), and I also think Kershaw does not opt out given his continued health question marks.
I have always liked Paredes, because he usually doesn’t come into a game and walk anyone, and he seems to keep his composure, in tight games.
And I can’t say that about our other relievers.
He has nothing overly special with his pitches, but he gets the job done.
Badger
With Sanchez facing a possible stint on the DL, you never know, perhaps Grandal would somehow figure in a trade with the Yanks.
They would be interested. As would I. But FAZ has a real man crush on Squirrel. I think they are going to want him to finish the year here.
Who sees the Dodger front office doing a blockbuster between now and 7-31? I don’t. The team is playing well, sticking close to the dbacks while they too play well. I think it’s more likely Arizona would pull off a blockbuster. Those Machado rumors are troubling. If they can pull that off, that lineup, with Pollock back, is scary good. Their pitching is already Top 5.
4 of those 7 runs were given up by the starter, HIll.
I don’t think that this trade will happen though it has merit in its construction. We need a 2B. This trade doesn’t provide it. Losing Puig in RF is a major hole. He has not lived up to expectations but his defence is outstanding. Wood will not be a major star but he is adequate for our army. Stanton hits HR’s. This is a major plus. This is why the Yankees have been a dominant club all these years. The HR. The Dodgers have finally caught on to this and that is the reason why the Dodgers are where they are, including last year. The HR rules. Sure you want a balanced game, but the HR is the clincher. We have plenty of HR hitters now plus the added salary of Stanton will not appeal to FAZ. Getting Kemp took care of the thirst for a Stanton. Now we need to key in on defence, a positional player who can also hit. One could make an argument for trying Hernandez at 2B but Muncy needs to play. 15 HR’s out of nowhere. That ain’t chop suey.
The sad part is that they needed every single one of those dingers to win, plus a Kemp groundout in which he did not get an RBI because it was a double play. They had that kind of mentality today. Good that they finally won it because it looked iffy there for a while. Mets are just horrendous.
The Mets and their bullpen was horrendous last year too!
We also set a record for runs scored, against the Mets last year also.
The pitchers we were facing today, were decent pitchers for a AA or AAA, but really weak for the majors.
And because of that, I do get concerned when are players are hitting so many HRs, and having that mentality, because they won’t be doing that, against good pitching.
And they really didn’t show up much on offense, in that last series against the Cubs.
But I hope we can beat Lester this time, because every time we face Lester, we hit the ball hard, but right at the defense.
And this has happened to many times, and it might because the way Lester is pitching us.
I would be surprised if we light up Lester. He is just a smart pitcher and doesn’t beat himself. He may have a field day especially against a HR happy lineup. I think we need to get walks and get him out of there early (but Maddon lets his starters go past 100 pitch counts so it could be a long day ….)
YF
Ya I think your right, it sure isn’t a coincidence that we happen to hit the ball hard into the Cubs defense, every time we face Lester.
And we didn’t exactly hit the Cubs pitchers in that last series, and we were really lucky, we didn’t get swept.
And after all, the Reds swept us too.
But we face a rookie pitcher tomorrow, so you don’t know how that will go.
Sometimes we take advantage of these young pitchers, and sometimes we make them look like a Cy Young pitcher, at first.
And the Dbacks have two easy series in the rest of June, so we have to play well.
The Cubs will be tougher than the Mets. They seem to get up for playing us.
I don’t know Yueh, I think Stanton would hit well between Seager and Bellinger. I don’t think we would miss Puig.
For once Badger I disagree. I think they would miss Puig’s defense a lot. Stanton is no where near him defensively and I still do not like the strikeouts. Granted, he might relish playing for his home town team, but Dodger Stadium is not a great HR park. And he averages 160 K’s a year. Right now he has twice the HR’s Puig has, but there are no guarantees that he will be better in LA than he is in NY. As far as star power, he does bring that. But plug one hole, you open another and he still has what, 6 years on his deal? And more than anything I do not think that Guggenheim would sign off on his contract. They would need relief for more than just one year.
His defense? Hmm. That’s interesting.
You know FAZ is all about the numbers right? Would it surprise you to learn that Stanton has a higher dWAR this year than Puig? How about this – in 6 years in the Majors Puig has put up 1.4 dWAR and 1.3 of that was put up in one year. Stanton is no defensive wiz, but his oWAR, and total WAR, is way beyond Puig. He’s also paid much more than Puig will ever make but after this year that may not matter. What matters is OPS.
I don’t think that trade will happen either. The Dodgers had their shot at Stanton and they passed. They are looking for the Muncy’s and the McKasdersons out there. It’s just fun to talk about.
Yeah. I would make a deal with the Yankees, but it would be for a player I really like, Brandon Drury. He was the 2nd baseman on the D-Backs for a while and was traded to the Yanks when they did the 3 way deal for Souza. He is 25 and plays 3rd and the outfield also. Has hit as many as 16 HR’s in the majors and his career BA is around .270. Versatile player who fits the FAZ mold. Is at AAA right now where he is hitting .327. He really has no position on the Yankees because they are using Torres at 2nd.
You’ve mentioned Drury before. I remember him here in Arizona. He had one good year here. He has over a thousand plate appearances and has put up a 95 OPS+. Not exactly FAZ material.
We have two second base candidates on the roster now. Hernandez and Taylor. Verdugo is playing center field at AAA and hitting .347. I don’t know what the plan for the rest of this year is but I assume it will continue to be a different, pull a name out of a hat strategy right up until the last game. Will it work? If we hit 7 home runs, yeah.
All or nothing is weird baseball science but that is where we are. It ain’t what I would profess to be successful strategy but if it works I’ll be the first give credit where credit is due. Does it work? Not yet.
Taylor is no 2nd base candidate this year unless they trade for a Shortstop. And that is not going to happen. And I have zero faith in Kike playing over there every day. They need to unload some of the flotsam. I guess I am just too damn frustrated with the way FAZ runs this team. But it is a team of scrubs and that’s the way Roberts has to manage it. His legitimate stars, Turner, Kemp and Bellinger are going to be in there most of the time. They really miss Seager. Kemp now #2 in the voting for the All-Star game
Isn’t Drury a left hand hitter?
I wish he was a right hander, because we don’t hit lefties well.
I thought Drury was good too, but I trust Badger’s judgement about Drury because I know he sees a lot of Dbacks games.
The problem with our outfielders except Kemp, is that they don’t hit lefties at all.
Puig once hit lefties, but he hasn’t done a thing against lefties, for the last two years.
And Stanton is murdering lefties, and I think his numbers would go way up against righties, if he was in the National League where he is familiar with all of the pitchers.
But I think Badger is right that the Dbacks are more opt to make a trade then our front office, because of the restraints they have to have, because of the luxury tax.
I see them possibly getting a couple of relievers to freshest up our bullpen, and that is about all.
And I have not been impressed with any of the players they have traded for, at the trade deadline, except Darvish, until the World Series.
Right handed MJ.
He’s a decent player. Kinda like Hernandez in that he can play anywhere. In that respect he might interest FAZ, but we already have utility o’plenty in Muncy and Hernandez. Even Taylor is a utility guy. I’m looking for middle order thunder that strikes fear into opposing pitchers. I’m on a Star Search. That’s why that trade interested me. Sure, it won’t happen, but as the author intimated, maybe it should. By the way, Jonah sent me that. I don’t think he’d mind me saying so. He’s still engaged, just not here.
The sad part of this game is that it took al 7 of those dingers to secure the win.
Hit line drives:
https://www.fangraphs.com/library/offense/batted-ball/
And to all you big strong left handed dopes – practice bunting dammit:
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/more-about-bunting-and-beating-the-shift/
Thank you Scott.
Now let’s see how many “likes” I get.
In moderation again.
Not being able to add articles of interest into the flow of conversation is a serious flaw here. Sure, it gets fixed eventually, but by then, usually hours later, sometimes the next day, it’s really too late to be useful.
Again, that happens NOWHERE else.
Great double post from Badger.
FanGraphs is great, support them (I implore and ask)
Moderation at a blog this size is laughable and silly
I figured you’d read them and get it Bluto.
I learned as a kid 7 out of 10 line drives are hits. You want to keep the line moving pick out a strike and barrel it up.
And to LH Sluggo’s, you want an honest straight up defense, learn to bunt to third base. It ain’t that difficult. Yeah, singles aren’t sexy in and of themselves, but they raise your OPS and that’s where the money is. Look at it as an investment. If you work on it you can easily do it successfully 50% of the time. 2 singles in 4 at bats is an OPS of 1.000. Here’s a motivational stat for you – Steve Garvey attempted 56 bases empty bunts and was successful 46 times. That’s an average of .821. And he was bunting at a third baseman. You hosers will be bunting at an empty space.
I think the issue Badger is by having a LH slugger bunt, the shift is winning.
You are not only having a batter do something other than what he’s getting paid for, but it’s something he’s much poorer at. In this era of finding advantages everywhere, that’s certainly something to consider. sluggers may be evaluated more by their SLG than OBP.
If a slugger is slower than normal (i’d say most are?) bunting for a bit becomes even more of a daunting obstacle.
Bluto
When there is only a shortstop on the left side of the infield, a hitter doesn’t have to be fast to make it to first, as long, as they take their time, and get a good bunt down the third baseline, just passed the pitcher.
The mistake these hitters often make, when bunting, is that they are more worried about getting to first base, instead of just taking their time, and getting a good bunt down.
And when a team is down by a lot of runs, it is probably more advantageous for the team, that a power hitter gets on base, when there is no runners are on base, when they come up to the plate.
Not sure you get my point, but when down by many runs I agree that getting on base is of higher impory
The shift wins?
I disagree.
2 for 4 with 2 singles is a slg % of .500 Blutavius. A slugger will not hurt his team by getting on base twice and have a slugging percentage of .500 doing it. If he’s as good as Garvey his slg % may be .750.
Don’t make an out. Keep the line moving. This is a team game.
Let me talk to them. I’ll sell them on the idea.
That’s my point!
What I mean is this:
Bellinger has basically a .500 Slug right now. With his horrible start of the season, last year he was over .500.
So, why change his approach for a minimal increase, if that?
Now, don’t get me wrong. i think Bellinger should bunt. Especially with his speed. But I’m just guessing about why it may not be a tactic that has found momentum.
I follow you.
Maybe some hitters don’t mind the shift that much. If they are hitting through it, no problem. But if it is working against certain players, have those players work on bunting against it. If by doing so you can prevent an 0fer, it’s worth the extra batting practice.
You know, bunting is not that difficult to learn. If a pitcher can do it…….
Totally agree.
It’s infuriating when batters hit into the shift. And that sentiment probably makes the frustration greater.
I also think since sacrifices have become verboten, there’s less of a reason to practice the craft.
Badger
Like I said, I trust your judgement about Drury, and I know what you are talking about, when it comes to utility players.
I must have mixed him up with Lamb, because I was thinking he was a leftie hitter, and I believe they came up about the same time.
I actually said that Stanton is murdering lefties, unlike any of our outfielders, except Kemp, and that is a big weakness with this team.
And I do think he would be hitting better, in the National League.
I already knew Puig’s defense was down this year too.
Jonah sent this trade to me also.
But you have to admit it is hard to get into some of these trades, because we know how this front office, makes deals.
Sometimes it is not about the player, it is about, what is best for the team.
Although the hitter, will still get a positive number, by getting on base.
And remember that is also beating the shift in a different way, because if a player keeps on bunting and getting on, teams will stop shifting on the hitter.
I like you Badger hit line drives from the beginning. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that my swing was always pretty level. I never really tried to elevate the ball. I kept my elbow high and my stance was patterned after Duke Snider’s. It always worked for me.
Every hitter, should actually try to hit line drives, because the HRs will still come naturally, if a hitter
is thinking about, just hitting line drives.
It doesn’t work well the other way around.
I totally agree with that MJ. It was the way the game was played in it’s heyday. Today it is more about the money and how much and how large a contract will my skills bring me. I hit some HR’s in my time playing the game, but usually they came off of a line drive swing, not some massive uppercut. I also knew how to take a pitch to left field, I was a lefty swinger. And I could do it almost every time. I would just drop my back foot behind me a little and let the pitch travel a little deeper over the plate. Worked most of the time. And I was able to get the barrel of the bat on the ball.
Michael
The fundamentals of the game will still get you more wins, then HRS alone.
You are so right, the best hitters in the game, almost always, hit the ball on the line, and that is how most of us, have been taught to hit, through the years, and most kids today, too.
MJ, the best pure line drive hitter I ever saw play was Hank Aaron. Aaron consistently hit the ball on a line and hard. I saw him hit HR’s that never were more than 20 feet off the ground and he absolutely crushed them. Rarely did you see Hammerin Hank hit one of those long Majestic fly balls like Mantle or McCovey. His always left the ball park like a shot.
Aaron could do it all, though he wasn’t noted for his defense. In perusing his stats you see he put up 143 WAR while accumulating a career negative dWAR. Astonishing. His power numbers everybody knows about but an overlooked stat might be runs scored. He scored over 100 runs 15 times. That is a result of course being on good teams but he had a career OBP of .374. He got on base at .402 as a 39 year old. An amazing hitter.
I love the Dodgers. I was 10 when they moved to LA in 1958. I saw my first ever game at the coliseum around July of that year. Massive place and the players looked like ants. I remember they were playing the Braves and the Braves won. But it was a great experience and the first of many. I have seen Koufax, Mays, McCovey, Aaron, Mantle, Maris, Spahn, Rose, Cepeda, Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, all those great NL players from the 50’s and 60’s play. So excuse me if I am a little critical of a banjo hitting player getting millions of dollars a year to hit .250. Or a pitcher getting 16 million a year who barely wins 10 games. I saw the team win all of it’s pennants and World Series victory’s. The 59 Dodgers were a collection of left over Brooklyn stars, Snider, Furillo, Hodges, and some journeymen and a few up and coming stars. Wills, Koufax, Drysdale, Sherry, Neal. And they beat a very good White Sox club who absolutely bludgeoned them in game 1, 11-0. I went through the heartbreak and disappointment of the 1962 playoff loss to the Giants. Shades of 1951. I have watched the great, the mediocre and the totally bad play for this team. I have seen unheralded players excel and can’t miss prospects fall flat on their ass. I have seen injuries ruin a season, and a career. And end prematurely the career of probably the best pitcher I have ever seen toe the rubber, Koufax. I have seen a lot in over 60 years of watching the game, and not once have a needed saber metric stats to tell a good player when I see one. The game has changed a lot in those years, and not necessarily for the better in my book. The players today have a much different mind set than the old timers did. Contracts back then when a lot different. You played year to year, so you needed to be productive to get that pay raise for the next season. You could also get a pay cut if that production was not there, or lose your spot on the team entirely. Those changes from that system benefited the players and made their union probably the strongest union in the United States and it transformed the game into what it has become today. The enormous salaries, extended playoffs, free agency, and teams with pretty much no chance of competing against the big boys being paid by the more successful teams for their ineptitude. I heard John Smoltz say something on the air the other day that I totally agreed with. The majors should go back to a balanced schedule. If it takes contraction, or addition, and a realignment of the leagues they should do it. Plus the leagues should make the game the same game in both leagues. Get the NL to adopt the DH. Just think, no more freak injuries to millionaire pitchers trying to hit. If you are going to change the game to try and make it better, like they want a pitch clock now, then do it and quit talking about it. Although one of the best things about baseball to me is that it is not timed. I am not as enamored with the game or the team as I once was. I do not have favorite Dodgers anymore, one of the reasons I am more critical of their play than I have ever been. I do not like they way FAZ assembles a team, and I am no huge fan of saber metrics. That being said, I enjoy reading all the posts and opinions of all of you. I might not whole heartedly agree, But I do enjoy reading them.
Well said Bear.
Smoltz was also saying so many strike outs is bad for the game. You have two strikes to hit to Lake Arrowhead. You put strike three in play.
Yeah, and he was a pitcher so he loved strikeouts. Remember all the buzz there was a few years ago when Kenley had his immaculate inning? 9 pitches, 3 outs. I remember a game where the pitcher got the side out on 5 pitches. 2 groundouts and a pop up. That was far more impressive than 3 K’s. I also remember a pitcher the Cardinals had, and you might too, Larry Jaster. He shut out the Dodgers five times one year. That was impressive.
Michael thanks, I didn’t know that about Henry.
Did you guys see Puig’s pictures at Dodger Digest, in ESPN’s annual Body addition?
There is ten different shots from his photo shot, towards the bottom of the article.
There is some pretty funny shots of Puig.
Yeah I saw that and what was really funny was Alana saying that Puig says he never works out. A body like that and he never works out? Wow. How about the 14 pitch at bat by Matt Kemp? That was totally cool.
Michael
I thought that peanut photo of Puig was pretty funny, and pretty creative.
Ya it was good to see Kemp have that long at bat.
I wish our hitters would do that more often, to spoil good pitches by a pitcher, and wait until a pitcher makes a mistake.
Did you hear that Harper shaved his beard off and cut his hair?
It sounds like he is getting ready to play for the Yankees, but they have to many outfielders like we do too.
I don’t want us to get him!
I noticed where his batting average was this year, just like you.
And I believe a hitter’s batting average is important, even if saber metrics don’t think so.
And he hasn’t been a consistent player like Trout has either.
It looks like both teams are dealing with Jet lag tonight, because there hasn’t been much action, although Maeda is pitching much better, tonight.
Harper is cutting his own throat. The pressure of a free agency year has just gotten to him. He does not even look like the same player he was in his MVP year. Puig is definitely a strange bird, but probably one of the most entertaining personality’s in major league baseball. Not surprised the Dodgers did not light up the rookie. They have historically had problems with pitchers that they have never faced, also not surprised that Grandal flied out with the bases loaded. You could tell he was trying to hit the ball out of the park than just trying to get a hit and drive in a run.
Kemp does look right. Last 14 .188. Last 7 .100. I think he needs time off. Let’s ask pack.
LOL
I think Matt could use a day off. He will probably get one against Hendricks.
Badger
Yes, Kemp is slumping. Whether or not he needs time off is another story. I think if he takes off a day or two, it is fine. This is par for the course however with Kemp getting a 14 game slump before action taken and Joc gets 3 years.
It looked like he was pressing last night. Swung at a few out of the strike zone, a couple check swing dribblers. But he won’t get a day off with Lester on the mound.
It’s such a long season. With no RH thumper likely to be coming here we are going to be needing him later.
You know what would be helpful – a guy who could hit home runs with people on base.
How about Stanton?
Package
The difference there, is one player is in a very small slump, after leading this team all year, the other is not a slump, the other is still a question.
And Badger doesn’t feel any different then you about the later.
MJ
Any way you slice it, Kemp is a better player than Joc and to continually let Joc hit when he is in terrible hitting cycles is just plain wrong. In my opinion the better player always plays if possible.
Pack. First off there was a RH starter on the mound last night and Joc is going to start those games. Second, the second leading hitter on the team by batting average is Joc. Kemp has been in a slump for about 10 days, minus him hitting the PH grand slam the other night. Joc hit a HR in NY on Sunday. So I have absolutely no problem with Doc sitting Kemp at the end of a game when the team has a lead in the 9th inning and that’s when he made the switch. Joc was out in LF for the 9th. Kemp was not making solid contact last night. His best hit ball of the night was that loud foul he hit during his long first at bat. But he played almost the entire game. This rant you are on about Doc sitting Kemp late in games makes no sense what so ever. If Joc was the Joc hitting .220 early in the year, maybe you would have an argument. But the kid has turned his season around. And he is one of the more consistent players on the team. As far as Stanton goes, that is a pipe dream, it is not going to happen with FAZ in charge.
They may not be at Cleveland or Houston’s level, but the Dodgers are rounding into a pretty good team.
I think.
And Kike is almost as much fun to watch as Hill.
Kiké is considerably better than Hill. I know that, to some, it doesn’t mean he’s more fun to watch.
Well, we finally gained another game on the dbacks. Just read they are getting Pollock, Ray and Miller back. Souza on rehab assignment. That’s a solid team down there.
The Athletic has a little passage on Kike and Chase striking a friendship.
It starts:
Enrique Hernández, 26, is among the most effervescent members of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Second baseman Chase Utley is probably the most reserved. Yet, the two have struck a somewhat surprising bond.
I hate watching Rich Hill….there I have said it. Watching him is painful. It is tantamount to watching our catchers bat these last couple of months. The epitome of futility.