In news that was breaking across the wires just as the final game of a four-game series against the Dodgers was ending, it was reported that Miami Marlin and former Dodger Dee Gordon, is being suspended by MLB for 80 games for using PEDs.
The absolutely shocking news states that Gordon tested positive for exogenous testosterone and clostebol, both illegal, performance-enhancing substances.
The news is creating particularly large shock waves across Los Angeles because Gordon was very popular when he played here, and he continued to hold a large fan base among Dodger fans.
Gordon was traded away after experiencing a breakout year in Los Angeles, and went on to win National League stolen base and batting titles in 2015 for Miami.
Dee Gordon recently signed a lucrative 5 year, $50 million contract extension with the Marlins, but this suspension means he will lose about half of this year’s salary, which is roughly $3 million. He will also lose untold amounts of respect and baseball love from fans around the country.
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.
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I don’t really care about Dee Gordon and his PED use. He plays for a team from Florida. He’s Donnie’s problem. What I care about is how poorly the Dodgers are playing. Swept at home by the Marlins?
Arizona is figuring it out, are .5 back and Greinke has an ERA over 6. Cueto and the Shark are 7-1 and the midgets, not really playing all that well, have caught us. The Dodgers have become hard to watch.
Agree, and I do not like our different line ups every night.
Sorry Al – my memory is going now I’m getting old.
I’ve found the culprit – it was B17
Stanton must read here…
The Dodgers are Don Mattingly’s Bitches!
When he had his breakout year with the Dodgers he had put on quite a bit of muscle mass in the preseason. Just saying.
Dodgers are getting hard to listen to. Last night was the closest so far this season to something resembling a playoff game – low score, good pitchers on the mound, tight game – and Baez balks over a run. I don’t think you can ask much more from Maeda. At least give the FO credit for signing that guy.
Maeda has been everything that they had hoped for. He’s pitched well. Very well so far. But as most everyone knows, pitchers have the advantage the first time. It evens out after that as first hand experience comes into play. Can he continue to be dominating? Can he stay injury free? A lot is riding on those 2 things happening.
Hopefully everyone that was talking 92-95 wins when the Dodgers were 12-7 will still be around in October.
You’re gloating already? And I find it odd those who gloat when the team they support loses. Oh, you’re right. If the team tanks, I might not post as much. It’ll be too depressing and I’ll move on to other things. I’ve gotta comment about the defeatist attitude, though. If the players themselves were as defeatist as some of your are, I don’t see how they’d win another game. You have to have some level of optimism.
I think with the current struggle to score, you hopefully can understand why Roberts plays the platoon so much. If a team can extract every possible statistical advantage from matchups in this game, it’s what you have to do. Sure, I like Kike. Why not let him play all the time? Problem is, he’s hitting less than .200 against righties. You can make the argument that a player can never show that he can hit against a particular handed pitcher unless he’s given a chance to, but history is the best predictor of future performance. Yeah, you need to let Seager play against everyone, but I think that platoon situation a few days ago was more about giving him a night off. You might as well do it when he’ll be facing a lefty. I’m not sure about Joc.
Right on Patch.
Extracting the statistical advantage doesn’t sound something Roberts would do. In which case it might not be him deciding the nightly platoon.
Miami didn’t platoon Stanton. Boom!
Not gloating at all but some of you talk out of both sides of your mouths. You claim this and you claim that and when those things don’t transpire you make up an excuse. A few folks have said, in fact I think the statement that was made is that the Dodgers would win 92-95 games with their eyes closed or something along those lines.
If you think the team is better than they were in 2014 when they won 94 games that is your opinion and I respect that. BUT my opinion is that they are not….and actually aren’t even close to that team. Again my opinion. But I’m on record saying the W’s & L’s will tell the story. Let the story unfold.
Ok….I predicted the Dodgers would win anywhere from 87-95 games. If the Dodgers stink and you’re right, I will acknowledge the you were right and I was wrong. Would that give you a sense of vindication? Seems like a high price to pay….to see the team you support tank….simply to have an “I told you so” moment.
You say some of us always have an answer for some failing. From my perspective, I see many of you with a constant “yeah, but…”
“Maeda is doing great so far! That could be a great signing!”
“Yeah, but…”
…Yeah but…yeah but….a constant stream of disclaimers that keeps you from acknowledging any success.
DP-
I don’t like Money Ball operations! Evidently you do.
They have cheapened the game and have attempted to take out the human element. Wouldn’t surprise me if they don’t build their team on Baseball 2K and see the results and decide their moves accordingly. That would explain why they would sign injury prone players cause on the video game they did not get hurt.
Moneyball has yet to win a Championship and I hope it never does therefore I’m for promoting Alex Anthopoulos a.s.a.p. so the game that we have all loved and played is not cheapened.
I expect the DH to be incorporated within the next few years and for rosters to be expanded. These are all signs of ‘the new way’ to playing the game and minimizing the Manager’s role on the team.
Chili did you see Fernadez’s face, after Maeda threw him a pitch. That tells you something. It is true that pitchers, have the advatage, the first time around, but I’m sorry, Maeda, is a pitcher. The only question about Maeda, is can he pitch every five days.
Exactly. Not saying that Maeda has not been good. He’s been better than advertised. Can he stay healthy? They pulled back guarantee money cause of his physical. He’s not a big guy so he has that against him. Sorry if I’m being a realist. That is me. I don’t live in LA LA land.
Chili I said that that was the only question. And I don’t believe the size difference, of being smaller, makes a player, not as durable.
when a player is smaller, and carrying less weight, it is easier on there body. Look at Anderson, he is an accident happening, because he carries more weight.When someone is carrying more weight, it is harder on your body.
And smaller players, and especially smaller pitchers, have had to prove to others,that they do belong, and can handle the competition, and the wear. And most smaller players, and pitchers, have had to be even better, then the typical size players, and pitchers, that Baseball looks at, just to get a look.
And because of this, smaller players, can often endure more, and have bigger hearts, and bigger attitudes , that makes them stronger, then they look.
i remember the Dodgers trading away a young pitcher because of this “size” myth. They thought because he was smaller, he couldn’t endure in the big leagues, despite his older brother – a Dodgers ace – telling them that his younger brother is even better than him.
Know who that small pitcher was? Pedro Martinez
I’m not a fan of Baez either, but he has only been pitching 3 years or less, he used to be a third baseman. He’s just not all that experienced as a pitcher. Which certainly does not excuse the Dodgers from using a player who “hasn’t arrived yet”.
Both Hatcher and Baez, were converted to pitcher, as well as Kenley, but it took Kenley a little while, to be as good as he is, but he didn’t constantly , make the same mistakes.
12 strike outs, 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position and an astounding 24 men LOB.
After 23 games there are now 3 teams from the West that are hitting and scoring better than the Dodgers. I shouldn’t be surprised by that, I believe Arizona is better offensively and Colorado always hits well because they play in Denver. But not San Francisco. It’s important we hit and score better than them.
Does anyone know if the Rangers run out a different lineup every night and employ defensive shifts every inning? Probably. Platoons, spray charts, heat maps and SRS (shift runs saved) appear to be here to stay. And why not? I just read an article that said when Chris Davis hits a grounder or a line drive, 86% of them go between first and second. He even pulls outside corner pitches. If a guy does that, then you have to defend it until he doesn’t do that anymore. Which brings me to a question – are Dodger hitters becoming easy to defend?
I suppose you could look at BABIP. If it’s pretty low for the Dodgers, especially WRISP, then the Dodger hitters are getting scouted and defended well. On the other hand, a hitter is pretty easy to defend if he strikes out.
Badger, I don’t know if Dodger hitters are easy to defend but I can say they are not a good hitting team against lefties. Mattingly was able to start two lefties and Fernandez. That is a good way to stop Dodger hitting regardless of where the defense is positioned.
Here is my question back to you Badger, et al. Could the shift tell hitters where the pitcher will be trying to locate their pitches and does Kershaw like to be forced to pitch in a way that supports the shift?
Badger I think on players like Davis, the defensive shifts, are ok to use, and that is why they started shifting against Ted Williams. And non of these extreme pull hitters, are Ted Williams, as you know. But to go to a extreme, with every player in the line up, I really don’t know?
Because I really haven’t looked at the shifts, and the percentages. I guess it is how sabers, play the percentages, and evaluate those percentages. Bottom line, if hitters want the shift to end. They need to start hitting to the areas, that the defense, is not defending.
That is the only way, to stop the shifts, and doing that, would probably make a player, a better hitter. Because a hitter, would be going with the pitch. And players, that hit to all fields, tend to have better batting averages, and are better hitters.
And pitchers, have a harder time, pitching to hitters, like this. Like I said above, it is how these defensive shifts, are evaluated, and how they play the percentages. Are they going over board, and taking every little advatage, that the percentages, is telling them. And ultimately, it really isn’t worth the extreme, that they are shifting .
My guess is the strong high slugging percentage hitters have never had to learn how to bunt, take a pitch the other way or inside out a fastball. You’re right, until they do, the SRS numbers will dictate policy. What I don’t understand is this, if I could hit .350 to .400 by bunting a ball toward third base, why wouldn’t I do it every time up?
I would sure bunt Badger. It looks like Agon is trying to make a good effort, to hit the other way, at times. Badger I don’t understand why more players, don’t do what some of the Giants players do, and what some of the Marlin’s players do, when they have two strikes, and there are runners in scoring position?
These players, do anything, they can, to get there bat on the ball, to try to get a hit, just over the infielders, to get the runners in. I don’t see any Dodgers doing this, in the same situations.
Sorry, I got Time Warner on Monday morning and the LAD have lost every game since. 🙂
But you did get to watch them lose Bob. See what you have been missing?
Roberts’ in-game management does not impress me. Its bad enough that he uses too many platoons and keeps putting Puig and Kendrick in the upper half of the line up when they are obviously struggling.
I do not appreciate Roberts’ thinking when he pinch hits for Joc with the pitcher up next. He could have let Joc hit against the lefty and used Turner to pinch hit for the pitcher. Instead he uses Turner to hit for Joc and then uses Kike’ to hit against a righty. Roberts had to know Mattingly would change relievers to put a righty against Kike’.
Basically Roberts preferred Kike’ to go against a righty over Joc hitting against a lefty. That is and was a moron of a decision. To top it off, Kike’ got another at bat against a righty and again looked bad, real bad.
Vin told us that Roberts and his coaching staff will be watching closely and thinking about Maeda’s ability to pitch past 94 pitches. Vin knew it was time to take Maeda out but Roberts left him in. Roberts has not yet figured out when to leave in or take out a pitcher.
Roberts is saying there are lots of tweaks that the players need to make. Note to Roberts, don’t forget to look in the mirror. All that said, I want Roberts to have a long run as the Dodger Manager.
Good post. I was thinking he left Maeda in a batter too long, and I kind of scratched my head how he allowed Kike to wind up batting against a right hander.
Dodger patch, about leaving Maeda in, once again, the bullpen’s performance history, has a lot to do, with Roberts, leaving Maeda in, to long. Who has performed the best? Not even close!
I thought the same thing, but by making Don bring in a RHP we had better matchups for Utley, Seager and Gonzalez. Maybe he’s thinking further ahead, but the players have to execute.
In that case he could have let Joc hit and then used Kike’ to hit for the pitcher and then used Turner to hit for Kike if Mattingly put in a righty and the same thing would have been accomplished without making Kike’ hit against a righty twice.
That is more the bench coach.
Good point Snider!
Bum you have to give Roberts a chance. He is getting to know the players still. You know the players better then Roberts, and that doesn’t mean that Roberts, didn’t do everything he could, to be prepared. Sometimes, you just have to watch a player, for a while, before you can evaluate better.
Robert’s did leave Joc in to hit, against a lefty, in a game last week. The problem with Joc, is that Joc sometimes, doesn’t always make contact. And Joc did have a game, where he wasn’t able to put the ball in play, to get a runner home, from third, with less then two outs.
And all Joc had to do, was make contact. Until Joc can show better contact, he isn’t always going to get the chances you are talking about. I agree about Kike, with righties, especially, when the pitcher, throws a lot of off speed stuff.
But we have to remember, that Joc is getting more at bats, then players, like Kike, and Thompson, and that makes a big difference. And when a player, is not getting a lot of at bats, we don’t know if they are as bad, or good, as they look, against certain pitchers, or pitches.
And about Turner, we talked about that, the other day, and like we said, Roberts is going to have to learn, that Turner doesn’t hit against lefties, to well.
Really MJ?
Bum explain.
Bum I agree with you about Puig and Howie. I wouldn’t have Puig or Howie, at the top of the order. And at this point in the season, I would bat for Puig, instead of Pederson, especially in clutch situations. That is because Puig doesn’t have good at bats, in clutch situations, and strikes out a lot, at important times, in the game.
And Puig has had more at bats then Joc, at this time, and has just, two less strike outs, then Joc. I wouldn’t have Puig in the top of the order, and I wouldn’t even bat Puig fifth.
Because at this time, he really doesn’t provide protection, for Agon, and he really isn’t a RBI guy. Puig is just not having good at bats. And Howie is even worse.
Bum Kike is not the guy that shouldn’t get at bats. Because he has done good things, for the Dodgers, and in clutch situations.
He hasn’t lately, but I have seen him, even this year, get clutch hits, and they were not against a leftie. Just like you don’t want Joc to only get at bats, against only righties. The same should apply to Kike.
Because Kike, has earned this, through his play. I think the other thing that may be happening, is that most baseball people, don’t look at numbers in the first month, of the season, seriously.
And that is probably why Roberts is continually playing Howie because Howie has a proven record, that he can hit. And that may be the reason, that Roberts hasn’t given Joc, mores chances against lefties.
Roberts has been asked, if he was considering only platooning Joc, and Roberts, said he wasn’t. He said that it was more about giving some playing time, to some of the players, on the bench. And Bum I am always happy when Joc does well, especially for you.
Why was Gordon allowed to play yesterday, when obviously MLB knew he was about to be suspended??
Dodgers should protest this, and get this game back (so we can lose in a different fashion)
Good question!
Bobby Gordon had been told that he had tested positive for steroids, twenty games, before the game last night. And he was deciding whether to protest his drug test, or accept his punishment.
And Gordon told Mattingly before the game last night, that he wasn’t going protest his test. He was going to accept his punishment.
But the Marlins didn’t reveal this, till after the game last night. I don’t know how Gordon, kept this quiet, because it is usually made public, but that isn’t right.
I heard Sutton once say the number of pitches has little to do with anything. It’s the number of “stress pitches” that matter. If a guy is cruising 100 pitches can be easy. If he’s pitching with runners on, in a tight game etc then the number matters. Made sense to me.
Our offense is currently 11th in SO. Our staff is 19th.
Why wouldn’t we assume it’s going to take Roberts a few years to figure this managing thing out. He’s only 43 and has only been coaching since 2011. I think it’s possible he will become good at this, but with this team in transition I think it’s expecting too much that he would step in and win championships right away.
As for how Kershaw and the others pitch in support of the SRS I would only be guessing. And my guess is, Kershaw just tries to strike everybody out. Some of the looks he’s given us this year have had a “who gives a shift” glare in them. Breaking balls down and in and hope for a weak grounder. I don’t know how pitchers approach this topic. The numbers on BABIP for those teams that have used the shift more show it works. Pitchers must buy into it and pitch accordingly. Ask Kershaw what he thinks.
Kiké has had 221 career at bats against RH starters and has hit .240 against them. And with that, it is determined a 24 year old player “can’t hit” right handed pitching and forever will be only useful in a platoon. It’s a different era.
Badger were those at bats, in the majors. And we’re those consistent at bats?
Here’s a scary note from Eric Stephen at True Blue LA:
“Baez has allowed six of his eight inherited runners to score this season, but then charged one to his own ledger, allowing a solo home run to Giancarlo Stanton in the eighth, putting an exclamation point on the end of an ugly series.”
So why is Roberts using Baez in high leverage situations with runners on?
Why is he using Baez? Because Garcia, Montas, and Ravin aren’t available and Chapman wasn’t pure enough to be a Dodger. In other words, Baez is the next guy up. There are only so many arms down there and Baez is one of them. He’s got a WHIP under 1, and averages almost 12 k’s per 9. If that’s all you look at he’s almost as good as Jansen.
That’s because Baez is never responsible, for any of the runners, he inherites.
1. Dave Roberts is a Rookie Manager – he is making some mistakes…. and he will make some more. Hopefully, he won’t keep making the same ones over and over. I believe in Dave Roberts and I believe he will be a great manager. He’s just getting broke in.
2. If this is Moneyball – it is a Billionaire’s version.
3. Chill says he is a realist and doesn’t live in La La land and wonders of Maeda will stay healthy. You are actually a pessimist – when Maeda does good, you will say “I wonder if he can stay healthy” and when he isn’t doing well you say “See, I knew it.” Pessimists are so damn smart – they can never be wrong!
4. The Dodgers front office is not doing anything much different than other teams. They all are doing it – just like Badger says! “Does anyone know if the Rangers run out a different lineup every night and employ defensive shifts every inning? Probably. Platoons, spray charts, heat maps and SRS (shift runs saved) appear to be here to stay. And why not? I just read an article that said when Chris Davis hits a grounder or a line drive, 86% of them go between first and second. He even pulls outside corner pitches. If a guy does that, then you have to defend it until he doesn’t do that anymore. Which brings me to a question – are Dodger hitters becoming easy to defend?
MM did you hear that Gordon was told he tested positive for steroids, twenty games, before last night’s game? And he was deciding on whether he was going to protest his positve drug test, or accept his punishment. And Gordon told Mattingly before last night’s game, that he was going to accept his punishment, and the Marlins, are the ones, that released this, right after the game.
I think that if Roberts is going to put Crawford in leftfield. He should bring in a defensive replacement, in the later innings of the game. Because Crawford is not going to do anything, to make up, for his bad arm. In fact, when a runner is running home from second, Crawford doesn’t run to pick up the ball up, and use his momentum, to help get more on to his throws. In fact it seems like he holds the ball, for a second, and throws with no step into his throw, off the flat of his feet.