In a move that has surprised absolutely nobody, Dodger’s first baseman Cody Bellinger has been named the National League Rookie of the year. This is the second consecutive rookie of the year award for the Dodgers with Corey Seager winning last year. Bellinger broke the NL rookie home run record with 29 long balls.
The 22-year old rookie slashed .267/.352/.581 and drove in 97 runs in 548 plate appearances. Bellinger notched 69 extra-base hits in 132 games played. Bellinger also posted a 1.064 OPS with runners in scoring position and was voted to his first all-star selection. While he batted only .143 in the World Series, he did hit .318 (7 for 22) with 3 extra-base hits during the NLCS. Overall Bellinger batted .219 with 3 home runs and 9 runs driven in while collecting 67 postseason plate appearances. Bellinger also split time between first base and the outfield while in the field.
UNANIMOUS!@Cody_Bellinger is the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year!
Congrats, Cody! pic.twitter.com/VRbmClxbOj
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 13, 2017
What a crazy day! Thank you to everyone who made 2017 a special year https://t.co/vuhAijigDD
— Cody Bellinger (@Cody_Bellinger) November 14, 2017
Not only did Bellinger break rookie home run records, he also hit for the cycle back in June against Miami. He became just the third Dodger to ever hit for the cycle in Los Angeles history. Bellinger was a unanimous choice receiving all 30 first-place votes and 150 overall. Paul DeJong of the Cardinals finished second with 56 votes. Josh Bell of the Pirates finished third place (32 votes) and Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies finished fourth with 12 votes. Congratulations Cody! What a season this young man had.
NL Rookie of the year voting results
Player, Club 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Cody Bellinger, Dodgers 30 150
Paul DeJong, Cardinals 15 11 56
Josh Bell, Pirates 10 2 32
Rhys Hoskins, Phillies 1 9 12
German Márquez, Rockies 2 4 10
Manuel Margot, Padres 1 2 5
Kyle Freeland, Rockies 1 3
Luis Castillo, Reds 1 1
Ian Happ, Cubs 1 1
Congratulations to the kid. He did a great job. I think about what could have been. Had he not spent 10 days on the DL he might have went 40 100…..I think that would have been a lock. I still thought he was going to get there, but he had a mini slump there at the end. News from Dodger Blue, Giants have inquired about Morrow….please anywhere but SF, and the Dodgers and Orioles are having conversations about Zack Britton again.
This is my exit review for Cody Bellinger. Again I am aware of a lot SABR stats on these guys, but I don’t want to dwell on them since a majority of blogs out there already put out a lot of SABR stats. I am just stating my own observations and recollections of these players over the course of the year, with more focus on their performance during the playoffs (where applicable), and lastly how they could help the team next year.
Cody Bellinger. Your unanimous rookie of the year 2017, and another cornerstone of the Dodgers for the next 5-7 years, along with our unanimous rookie of the year 2016. I was and still am amazed at how great an athlete Cody is. Such speed and such reflexes, with the ability to hit RH and LH pitching, and also the ability to make adjustments. On defense, I have never seen anyone better at such a young age. He handles lousy throws as a matter of routine, and his length in guarding the line and coverage of the hole is just amazing to watch. And Bellinger just has the “rock star” factor that is easy on the cameras and sells tickets.
In terms of the near past, his season ended on a horrible note. He made a crucial error in the first inning and then struck out later in that inning and killed a rally. He got too tight and was overthinking every at bat in that game, letting a few strikes go by and repeatedly guessing wrong at the low and inside slider.
Lost in all of this is the fact that our starting lineup for that Game 7 consisted of a 27 year old center fielder in his first full MLB season, a shortstop in his second full season, a rookie first baseman, a 25 year old left fielder in his third season, a 27 year old rookie catcher and a 26 year old “veteran” right fielder. While the average age of our 25 man roster will continue to drop, the core of our team is cheap, talented, and getting a lot of deep postseason experience. I see them growing and getting better as a group. But before we get giddy, let’s remember that the Cubs won it all with a very young core as well, and several of them regressed from 2016 to 2017 (with Zobrist fading big time and Heyward on a decline as well).
For Cody, if we are looking at the long term, I think his 2017 could not have gone better. With his happy-go-lucky attitude, Bellinger probably needed to struggle as much as he did in the WS in order for him to make long term adjustments. I hope to see him bunt more and make more contact, and I think he will put in the work needed to make more contact. If Springer can do it, and if Puig can be a more disciplined hitter, so can Cody Bellinger. Bellinger may not hit more home runs next year, but I am willing to bet that he will come back from the offseason a more complete hitter.
Nice write up.
Yes, the stats are there, including the 43% K rate in postseason. By the time the World Series arrived he was pretty much done, but then so was the rest of our middle order. My advice to Cody is two fold – prepare for a much longer season than you have ever played in the past and, you’ve heard me say this before, shorten up with two strikes. I know the nuevo approach is balls out on every swing but unless you patch that microwave oven size hole at the bottom of your swing your K rate will remain high. And it’s my humble opinion your long, Adam Scott like swing won’t allow you to lay any wood on 90 mph spinners down and in. I’m sure Turner Ward will agree with that and work to plug that hole.
We do have team control on a lot of WAR, and we have a few expiring contracts. This allows room to purchase veteran presence. We will have more room in ’19. I still hear talk of getting below luxury tax levels, but I don’t see it. And in my opinion if getting the right player means dropping 10 spots (from near 30 to near 40) then say ef the pick, they are a crap shoot anyway, sign the player that will help us win now. It’s only money and the Dodgers have plenty of that.
Thx Badger. Yeah I could see them blowing through the repeater tax penalty and take the 10 spot drop penalty, but I’m not sure any FA or trade target is worth that drop this year, especially with the big 2018 FA class on the horizon.
I agree with that YF. The question might be the taking on of contracts through trade pushing payroll beyond the $237mm mark. I am not saying that will happen though. As interesting as I think having Stanton in the middle of our lineup and another frontline RH starter after Kershaw, this team won over 100 and I think without doing much will be favored to win the West again.
It isn’t like Cody had never shortened up his swing, during the season, because he did.
Cody did shorten his swing at times, and he does go to the opposite field, at times.
He just tried to do to much, because he had made that error, that cost us a run, and Darvish had us behind by five runs, in the second inning.
YF
I am glad you pointed that out again, because I thought to many people were expecting to much from our young players.
We had three players in our line up, that was playing full time in the majors, for the first time last year.
And Corey’s elbow did affect his hitting, if someone doesn’t think that, check out his numbers, after he came off the DL in September.
We also had Puig playing a full season for the first time, in quite a while too.
The Astros young players, had more major league experience then our young players did, and that makes a difference.
And really the only time our offense let us down, was in that game seven.
But before that, Kershaw let us down, after he was given two good leads.
And Darvish let us down in his first start, and he let us down in game seven, and put the team in a five run whole.
Almost in every other game in this series, our young players, found a way to score more runs, to tie, or go ahead in games, for our pitchers, so I don’t think it is fair, to judge Corey and Cody on just game seven.
And they were not the only players, that came up to the plate, with runners on base, and didn’t hit them in, in that game seven.
Because the only player to hit in a run in that game, was Ethier!
“And really the only time our offense let us down, was in that game seven.“
You might want to review the box scores MJ.
Cody, at least at the end of the year, had a huge hole in his swing. Breaking balls down and in he could just not find with his bat. Corey was hurt, Turner looked 40 and Puig looked overmatched. The team faded in September then skated through the first two rounds. As exciting as a 7 game series sounds, there were elements of that 104 win team that at times just disappeared in that series. How to address that? I don’t know – depth? Hope that if opportunity comes again your $30mm ace and your All Galaxy closer come through in the clutch?
The team ran out gas on the last lap before the checkered flag. Sh*t happens. It’s happened 5 straight years. Aren’t we kinda used to it by now?
Badger
I would say our pitching let us down more, then our offense did!
Our pitchers gave up 15 HRs in that series, and five to Springer alone, and he was the World Series MVP, and the biggest difference in this series!
Because we did hit ten HRs, five less HRs then the Astros hit, but our pitching, was suppose to be our strength, as compared to the Astros!
I expect more of our two ace veteran pitchers, then our young players that were in there first or second major league season, playing full time.
And our players didn’t have the Astros starter, tipping his pitches, like Darvish did.
I bet Corey and Cody would have done much better, if they knew what pitch, the other teams pitcher, was throwing to them, before hand, like Springer did!
In fact, the Astro’s starter, in that game, was effectively wild, because of our young players, aggressiveness.
And also because the Astros pitcher, kept on hitting our hitters, especially Turner, and that effected Turner, in that game too.
About Cody, I saw Cody adjust on those same type of pitches, after the Giants started pitching him like that, when he first came up, so I am not worried about him!
I think Cody and Corey, and our other young unexperienced players, will learn from this experience.
I am more worried about our ace starter, that has had trouble pitching in the post season as effectively as he pitches, in the regular season!
Then our young players, trying to do to much, after our other ace pitcher, allowed us to get down five runs, in the second inning.
This is not the same team we had five years ago, and my thoughts, are not about this front office, they are about my assessment of our current team.
And I also don’t think the front office is solely responsible for how our team did last year, and that is why I am not going there!
Game 3. 4 for 29, 0 for 7 WRISP. That stinks.
But I agree about pitching. Darvish and Kershaw stunk it up in 3 games, Jansen blew a save, plenty of blame to go around, that’s for sure. But what to do about next year to see that it doesn’t happen again? Nothing really. Continue to employ the Kasten Gambit – get there again and hope for the best.
Badger
Also, remember we were the only team, to take a lead on Verlander in the post season, and we did that twice!
We won one game, and we had a two run lead in the bottom of the eighth, and a one run lead, in the bottom of the ninth, in the game we lost.
And almost everyone is not happy with the way, that game was managed!
And what did the Astros do with runners in scoring position?
The thing with Stanton, is that he hasn’t been consistent, and we can’t count on him being in the line up everyday.
And we don’t know how he will play, when he is playing under the pressure of a pennant race, let alone, the World Series.
Because he has never been in that situation, in the bigs.
But I know you have said, that they won’t get under the luxury tax this year, and because of that, they may spend some more money this year.
Because they will be way under the luxury tax for them, after the 2018 season, and I think your right about that!
And I don’t see any good starting pitchers, that will be free agents after the 2018, and 2019 season, except Bumgarner, so they should try to get a starter, in the next couple years, if our young pitchers, are not going to be well enough developed, by then.
I think if they can get Darvish for a good deal, I think they should sign him, or go the Otani way.
Badger
I know you wanted to win game seven at Dodger Stadium, and see Ethier hit in the winning run, but you almost got that.
And you are the one who said 2018, and we should be a better team then.
I’d trade that ROY award for 3 more clutch base hits out of Ed Dinger in the WS.
When you look at the blown starting pitching in 3 starts, with Game 2 being chucked by the bull pen, we should have won this series in 5 games. totally pathetic.
I, along with many of my Dodgers friends, will be pissed if Roberts wins Manager of the Year. When is going good, Roberts stays out of the fray, sadly when it is going poorly Roberts is also MIA (witnessed in September and in the WS).
True
Who put McCarthy on the World Series roster, I don’t think that was Roberts decision.
I could make a case, if McCarthy was not on that World Series roster, we might have still won that second game.
Remember that former Padres centerfielder, got his first hit off McCarthy, and McCarthy gave up that HR to Springer, in the same inning?
Didn’t we lose that game by one run?
And I mentioned anything about McCarthy, exactly how do you pin that point on me?
Drugs are bad, um-kay!
True
I was just joking with you.
I wouldn’t even pin McCarthy, on you!
But you have to wonder why McCarthy, was even on this roster.
Because McCarthy took the loss in that game.
I think both Ryu and Baez, would have done a better job.
Amf they both deserved to be on this roster, far more then McCarthy.
And I have not been a big Baez supporter.
Ryu definitely should have been on the roster rather McCarthy. Never liked McCarthy and that hasn’t changed. Whoever made that roster decision should NEVER be trusted again.
Baez is a hard throwing batting practice machine, don’t trust at all. How he got by early in the season is the mystery, not that he was so damn bad the latter part of the season. He hasn’t changed or progressed at all since coming up to the Dodgers in his career.
I got a plan for Beaz:
Look at his first half second half splits…
trade him at the deadline.
McCarthy. I tried to tell you about him. Kazmir. Is anyone surprised? Anderson. Great pea soup.
I’m not sure I buy this for a second, but I do like Farhan’s personality.
From McCullough:
The Dodgers are mostly working through staffing decisions this week in Orlando. Not much on the player side is pressing.
“We’re like an HR department right now,” general manager Farhan Zaidi said.
No rush.
Let me make an early prediction – I got the under on 104 wins.
I’m taking the under on 119 wins.
Gutsy move.
It’s the only kind of bet I like.
I’ll take the over on 81 wins.
So we are covered between 81 and 119. Nobody loses. That’s a successful negotiation.
Badger
I don’t know if you are talking to me, but I have never thought McCarthy, Anderson or Kazmir were good signings, and I said that, the day they were signed!
I like True, don’t like even seeing McCarthy on our bench, let alone, on the World Series roster!
Huh? My comments about McCarthy was in response to True. I know how you feel about those guys.
There is one irrefutable fact. Cody and Corey both were handcuffed by the Astros staff. They did it by pitching them in a spot where it is impossible to hit the ball with any authority. That is what happened. You can sit here and make excuses for either player but the Dodgers lost the World Series because the Astros shut down the top 4 hitters in the lineup and they did it convincingly. Neither hitter made adjustments, nor did they shorten their swing and the kept chasing that same pitch right until the end. Striking out 17 times in 7 games is bad enough, but taking the golden sombrero twice when your team just needs to make some sort of contact, that’s pitiful, and that’s what those guys were. They went in the tank at precisely the worst time they could. Turner was just as bad. Taylor had some success, but he and Corey only hit .222 for the series, Bellinger and Turner were under .200. When the meat of your order fails that miserably, you are going to lose. Difference maker was the first 4 in the Astro order did major damage when the opportunity arose. The Dodgers folded like a wet taco in game 7. Darvish put them in a hole and they were toast. It was and is a team loss. We can analyze, pin point key moments and what we consider bad decisions, but they were beaten by a team that made use of every opening they were given. Corey and Cody and Taylor will learn from what happened. When the time comes they will huddle with Turner Ward and look at video, because you know every team in the league is going to look at it, and see where they had problems with the Astro staff. I know those kids have tons of talent, and it shows. Inexperience was part of Cody’s problem and the fact that the kid was gassed. He showed a little energy in game 5. He will be much more prepared next time. Yes MJ, he adjusted during the season. He showed a lot of maturity. But during the World Series, he looked lost and over matched. One other thing MJ, Springer is an exceptional young hitter and he has only gotten better……the mistake was pitching to the guy in critical situations. He hammered every mistake they threw…..give him credit, he came to win.
So why did Roberts not see this crap and juggle the line-up? That will always be a mystery, unless you come to the conclusion that Roberts didn’t make any adjustments because it was just foreign to him. Really bad managing in my opinion. Hell put Culberson in at SS and sit Seager’s ass down. Sit Turner down and get Forsythe in at 3B, putting Taylor at 2B, putting Joc or Ethier in the OF. When things are going that shitty, you can’t just sit on your hands and not start managing things. Roberts may be a nice guy and well liked by his players but he can’t just sit there, reminds me of his insistence on playing Reddickson over and over and over and over and over. It also reminds me of the amazing skid of September. Sheesh, this is %#@*
Well I think I did advocate playing Culberson at SS and just have Seager pinch hit and DH. And play Ethier against RH pitching before subbing him out for Joc once their relievers come in. I could see the benefit of an extra RH reliever as the top 4 Astros hitters are RH, but I would have went with Ryu instead of McCarthy as I never liked Darvish in big games, and Ryu doesn’t walk anyone and pitches to his strengths at Dodgers Stadium, so the 25th guy would have been Game 7 starter insurance to give the Astros a new look (Darvish can relief). The lineups and the WS roster are on Roberts and FAZ. Both.
On the pitching side, I am actually ok with using Morrow and Jansen so much. While Darvish and Kershaw should rightfully get the blame for their meltdowns (same with our hitters), from a tactical standpoint our coaches and our catchers need to understand that in the latter part of a long series, or any elimination game, you pitch around the hot hitters. Especially against the Astros who don’t grind out at bats.
But if the Astros had lost, it will be the same soul searching for them. It was close series and I’m proud of our team and our coaches. We have so many rookies and second year players, I expect that their year to year improvement will be of greater benefit than an FA add. Our pitching will need new blood and I hope our young arms will start contributing. Kershaw cannot be trusted in the postseason, and Wood is due for a major regression as he’s lost velocity (yes he has a great Game 4 but regular season is a grind). Hill is hill. We need Maeda and Ryu to stay healthy the whole season.
YF
I agree with everything you said!
Very good comment True, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know Roberts is the problem. All of those wayward lineups during the year made a believer out of me.
Michael
First, in a short series, good pitching, should shut down, good hitting!
And we were suppose to have the pitching advantage in this series!
And we should expect much more, from our two ace veteran pitchers, then any of our young players!
Both Kershaw and Darvish are getting paid to pitch like an ace, but they both gave away three games, in this series!
And Kershaw has had problems in the post season, far to many times, and expecting him to protect a six run lead, is not expecting to much!
If those two pitchers do there jobs, we would have easily won that series, and that is the truth!
And you are just not being fair to Cody and Corey, by complaining about there performance, in game seven.
Because you have not said a thing, about the five runners that Joc left on base, in this same game!
And I have not heard you say a thing, about the runners Puig left on base, in this same game either.
And even though Puig and Joc, are older, and have much more experience, then Cody and Corey, they didn’t do a thing, in game seven either!
And they were not hitting at the top of the order, like Cody and Corey was!
Corey is hurt, that is the truth, and that is not an excuse!
And even though Corey’s elbow has been hurting since August, he was still able to give us big hits, in this series!
Corey hit a two run HR off Verlander in that second game, to give us a two run lead, in that game!
Corey also hit in the go ahead run, in game six, against Verlander too!
Cody also had some big hits in this series!
Corey was the one, who hit the three run HR, to give Kershaw another lead to work with, but Kershaw wasn’t able to hold that second lead, that he was given, in that same game!
Also Cody had two big hits, in the game Wood started.
Cody hit the ball the other way in that game for a double, to get in scoring postion, and Forsythe hit Cody in, to tie that game.
Because before that inning, no one had did a thing, until Cody stepped up there!
And the next time Cody came up to bat, in that same game, he hit in the go ahead run, and Cody was the big bat in that game!
Our players, gave our pitchers, a lot of runs to work with in this series!
And they were almost always coming back to tie a game, or going ahead in a game, after one of our pitchers, let our lead get away!
The truth is all players, get pitched much tougher, in these short series, and even Altuve, barely hit 200 in this series!
Both teams, didn’t have good slashes, and we saw that, when Badger posted the slashes for both teams!
Our strength was suppose to be our pitching, not our offense, although I thought our offense, was pretty good most of the season.
And our offense, was better, in these prior series too.
And how can anyone be satisfied with the starts, both Darvish and Kershaw gave us, in this series!
Our team strength was suppose to be our pitching, but our pitchers, gave up a record amount of HRs, in this series!
And most of the runs that were scored in this series, probably came from HRs, not clutch hitting!
MJ, the whole team fell on its ass and the Astro’s pitching turned out to be better. Joc was the only player to hit .300 in the series. And he led the team in HR’s. The next best hitter in the series was Forsythe. Fair? Give me a break. The Dodgers were out pitched, and out hit. Cody and Corey, Puig Turner, they were all part of the problem, but Cody and Corey struck out 26 times between them. That’s 26 wasted at bats with no movement and no production, and I said Cody had a productive game 5. I give a rats ass that Corey was fighting a shoulder injury because he was getting hits in the first playoff round, and he had kept playing. It supposedly did not bother him when he was hitting. But the shoulder was not the reason he was swinging at empty air all that time, it was his approach and not recognizing what the Astros were doing. Game 7 was not the reason they lost the series although it was the worst game they played. There was no fire, no sense of lets get going, and yeah, they all left runners on base. Losing game 7 just put the lid on the coffin. They lost the series because they BLEW leads in games 2 and 5. Corey being hurt is an excuse, but the only one using it is you. I never once heard an interview during or since the World Series where he even made mention of his sore elbow. And where did it say we had the advantage in the pitching in the series? We beat their Ace, and we had him on the ropes the other game he pitched. They got beat by guys who for the most part were nothing more than journeyman pitchers except Kuechel. Morton, Peacock, and McCullers? Please, those guys are not that good, but they had the Dodgers number. Your opinion is yours, I respect that, but I also disagree with it. I do not think you look at your favorite players objectively. You consistently make excuses. Cody is a rookie, Corey was hurt, Kershaw is a bum, Darvish did not pitch like an ace, probably because the guy has never been good in post season play period. They did not do their jobs blah blah blah. Here’s a fact. Kershaw won game 1. He won 3 games and lost none in the playoffs and world series. He had one bad game. But he left with the lead, so that loss is on the bullpen. He pretty much kept them in the game in game 7 with his 4 innings of shutout relief. But Darvish and the offense had already put them in a hole. Yeah, If Kersh pitches better in game 5 they win the series, but if Roberts leaves Hill in at least one more inning in Game 2, Jansen does not need to pitch 2 innings of relief. They win game 2 and go to Houston up 2-0. There were a lot of things that contributed to the losing of the series, but having your number 2 and 4 hitters in the lineup strike out 26 times, that’s a killer. They lost because Taylor, Seager, Turner, Barnes, Puig, Bellinger, did not hit, those 6 guys struck out a total of 45 times. The most, Bellinger 17, the least Turner, 4. They got 5 home runs out of those guys, with the only one with more than 1 being Puig. They were not only striking out, they were hitting into double plays, grounding out. It was a pitiful offensive performance all around. You going to blame that on the pitchers? They had one stolen base the entire series, Forsythe. They made some really terrible bunts and ran into outs. All in all some of that stuff was really hard to watch. When it came down to it, they did not get hitters out in clutch situations. They never walked Springer when he was obviously the hottest hitter on the planet. Roberts totally over used the best pitchers in his bull pen. They let the meat of the order beat them. As for Cody trying to do too much after his error let a run in, that’s bull. His error did not allow 3 runs the very next inning. He was over matched pure and simple, they found his weakness, and they exploited that HUGE hole in his swing. In game 5 when Cody drove in 4 of the 5 runs he knocked in, he also left 4 men on base, He was not alone that game, most of the meat of the order left multiple men on base. I give a crap less about slashes, all those stats do not win or lose ball games. They are nothing more than analysis of what happened during the game. What wins games is clutch hitting, and clutch pitching, and the Dodgers were out done in both departments. The starters gave up 6 of the 15 HR’s the Astros hit. So the bullpen gave up 9, including 6 between, Jansen, Morrow, and Fields. Fields and Morrow gave up 2 in the same inning. Fields in game 2 and Morrow in game 5. That’s why they lost. They could not hold leads. Which was totally different than the series against the Cubs or the series against Arizona. No matter how you paint it, or try to explain it, it was a total team meltdown, and Houston took advantage of every opening the Dodgers gave them.
Michael
You were the one that keeps on bringing up what Corey and Cody did in game seven, not me.
And both Joc and Puig didn’t do a thing, when runners were on base, in game seven, and that is the truth.
Kershaw only pitched well, in the first game of the World Series, and when he had that big lead in Chicago.
Darvish out pitched him, in both of the prior post season, series.
And this team gave Kershaw a lot of runs to work with, in both of those prior series, or Kershaw would have not picked up all of those wins.
Remember Kike and the team, gave Kershaw a bunch of runs, in that last game with the Cubs.
And Kershaw had not pitched that well, until he was given that enormous lead, against the Cubs!
And Kershaw pitching well, after we are five runs down, means nothing!
Kershaw gave up a record amount of HRs, in this post season, and he is suppose to be the best pitcher, in Baseball.
And he is being paid, accordingly!
Kershaw was lucky to pick up a win, against the Dbacks, in that first series, because the Dbacks hit four HRs, off Kershaw, in one game alone.
You are forgetting how well our team did on offense, in these prior series.
I am not making excuses for Kershaw or Darvish, I am just telling the truth, about there performances.
And everything I have read, and saw on the MLB Channel, puts this World Series loss, on Darvish, Kershaw, and a Little on Kenley.
What everyone is forgetting, this was only seven games, and a short series.
That is why what Joc did, doesn’t mean much!
Our team played together like team in this series, like they did all season long.
And just like in the regular season, a new player was a hero every night, and helped us win these games, in this series.
And this team kept coming back, in almost every game, in this series, after they had lost the lead!
All hitters are pitched much tougher in a short series, and especially the players, hitting at the top of the line up.
That is why Altuve barely hit 200.
And because of that, that may be why some players that are not star players, end up being the hero’s, in these short series.
And I don’t have a favorite player, and I try to be fair with every player.
What I agree with you about, our pitchers should have been told to pitch around Springer, and certain players, in the Astros line up.
Or at least pitched differently against Springer, and the Astros line up.
And bottom line, if your two ace pitchers, can’t pitch six good innings, in the starts they make in these short series, it is very hard to win a series like that!
Not only did they cause us to lose three games, Darvish especially, put our bullpen in a bad situation, in this series, when he couldn’t make his starts.
And Kershaw sure didn’t help our bullpen, or our team, when he couldn’t hold on to, two good leads!
Michael
Corey was hurt and Cody is a young player, and they both tried to do to much.
And they both hit well, all season long.
I don’t have favorite players like you do, so I don’t have to make excuses like you do!
“Well, ya dance with the ones that brung ya”. Duck Roberts , Dave’s distant cousin from Mobile.
I think, like the rest of us, he was waiting for the middle of the lineup to snap out if it. I give them til April now. Corey might take longer as surgery could still be in his future.
Badger
Why not, we have been waiting for Kershaw to get it done, in the post season, for years now!
Easy MJ
Package
Ok , I will take it easy for you!
You do realize that Kershaw is 6-2 over the last 3 years in the post season? His ERA is about 3.50 over that span. 2015 and 16 he gave up only 2 HR’s in those years, but this year, like almost every pitcher in the MLB he was victim of the new approach to hitting and so he gave up a lot of homers, but did not lose a game…. Maybe one of the reasons he has not had great success is because he was used on short rest a few times, and he did not really have any real backup behind him. Greinke was the only solid # 2 they have had, and he lost a game 5 start in the NLDS that knocked them out. The bull pen melted down last year. He has struck out 139 in his career in the post season and walked only 37…10 of those this season. His WHIP was .094 Hitters hit .179 against him. That’s pretty good pitching except the homers and walks this year. His career post season WHIP is 1.10. So what are you waiting for? Koufax? If Kershaw had any kind of help, they would have been in more than just the 2017 series. Those Dodger championship teams from the 60’s and in the 80’s had excellent pitching. This teams pitching is simply good. Thinking other wise is nuts.
Michael
Pitchers wins, mean nothing, because for a pitcher to win, a pitcher needs run support!
Kershaw has let us down, in almost every deciding game, in the post season, the last few years!
And when Greinke was on the Dodgers, he out pitched Kershaw in the post season!
And in that last game against the Cubs last year, Kenley and the bullpen,, out pitched Kershaw!
And Kershaw didn’t pitch well in the series against the Nats last year, either!
I do not understand your comment. You say that pitcher wins don’t mean anything and a pitcher needs run support and then you proceed to crap all over a hall of fame to be pitcher. Your credibility is really questionable to say the least. What about game 1 in the WS, were you disappointed in Kersh’s performance?? Clayton Kershaw is truly an all time great for the Dodgers. You hate Kershaw but you love Agon and Roberts, I don’t get it.
Horse puckey. If wins mean nothing why are they kept as a stat? That’s dumb. And you better check your analysis of Kershaw. his post season numbers are pretty decent. They are skewed by the 2 really bad years where he had a game where he gave up a lot of runs. Greinke outpitched Kershaw? He lost the deciding game to the Mets or did that conveniently slip your mind? Kershaw had a high ERA against the Nats in the NLDS last year of 5.84, but he won a game and saved a game. And they beat the Nats because Kershaw did a great job out of the pen. In 2009 and 2014 Kershaw had awful ERA’s of 6.08 and 7.82. No excuses there at all. But the last 3 years he has been pretty good. You have selective memory. You focus on the bad game and forget the good. He had 2 good games against the Nats last year and 1 bad one, he had a good game against the Cubs and a bad one. Of his 4 losses in the NLCS, 3 came between 2009 and 2013. He is 2-1 in the NLCS over the last 2 years. You also forget that he was pitching some of those games on short rest. Kershaw has not been very effective when used that way, which is why Roberts pretty much refused to alter the rotation this year. By the way, it was Bellinger who hit the 3 run homer to give Kersh the lead back in game 5 , not Seager. As far as having favorites, you do, all you need to do is go back and read your posts and see how fervently you defend Kike, Seager and Cody when anyone says anything negative about them and no one on this site rags more on Joc and Puig than you do. You are a passionate fan of that I have no doubt and you believe every thing you say is right on and accurate. I totally disagree with you. You put too much blame on players who cannot win games all by their lonesome. You win as a team, you lose as a team. Cody and Corey, Puig, Taylor, Turner, Barnes all had mediocre series, Morrow gave up more homers in game 5 than he gave up all year. Jansen gave up 2 homers, blew a save and lost a game. You need to stick to knitting or something like that because your baseball acumen is below that of a gnat. Your constant complaining and bashing of Kershaw is irritating and misguided as are you. I will not reply to any of your posts anymore because arguing with you is a total waste of time. You have no frippen clue how hard this game is to play and you expect perfection when there is no such thing in the game of baseball.
Lovullo. Good choice.
Package
I don’t hate Kershaw, and I don’t hate any of the Dodgers players, or Roberts, like you do.
I don’t hate people, hating people, only hurts yourself.
Don’t you read?
Once again, I was talking about the post season, and you are talking about the regular season!
Kershaw has not been the same pitcher in the post season, that he has been, in the regular season, and any Dodger fan, knows that is true.
And that is why his era is over 4 in the post season!
And you have a credibility problem, if you don’t know that, or can’t acknowledge that!
How did Kershaw pitch in his second start, of the World Series, after he was given 6 runs to work with?
Kershaw is being paid a lot more money, then Cody and Corey, who people were blaming here, for losing the World Series!
I’m Sorry I expect a lot more, from Kershaw and Darvish, then our young players!
And about pitchers wins, a pitcher only can win a game, if there team scores runs!
And it is a lot easier for a pitcher to pitch, when they get good run support!
Michael
I have seen his numbers, and I have watched him pitch in the post season.
And he has not pitched in the post season, like he has in the regular season, that is a fact, and the numbers support that.
And a pitcher can only win a game, if they get run support from there team.
And when a pitcher gets a lot of run support, it is easier for a pitcher to pitch, with more run support.
Run support is so important, even if a pitcher throws a no hitter, but gets no run support, they don’t win the game.
OK we have hashed and rehashed the WS but bottom line is that the whole Post Season and regular season for that matter rested on game 7 on the W.S. and the Dodgers could not get it done. Who’s fault is that? I know who I pick.
Are his initials D R?
Yeah pretty limited game management abilities. Can you imagine what a Boche or LaRussa would have done with the talent that Roberts had available to him?
Yes I can and the series probably would not have gone 7 games.
To be fair, I still think we had the best talent in 2014. All of our starters batted over .280 except for AJ Ellis (who found his bat in September and the post-season), and we had contributors up and down the roster. Ethier and Van Slyke platoon worked great that year, Dee Gordon had an all star year, Crawford batted .311 with 23 SB. We had speed and contact and power. We had Kershaw and Greinke in their prime, with a very competent and gutty Ryu, and a wholly mediocre Haren as an innings eater (and before you choke on Haren, in 2015 we had Bolsinger and Brett Anderson).
A lot of people point to our bullpen as a major fail (Jansen was becoming unhittable with 44 saves, and League was decent that year). But if you look more closely and compare that bullpen with 2015, the year before Roberts took over, the 2014 bullpen was much better than the 2015 version. And we know what Roberts and Honeycutt did with essentially the same 2015 bullpen and turned it into number 1 in the league in 2016.
Mattingly was a horrible manager for us and I don’t think he worked well with Honeycutt at all, and Colletti gave him far too long a leash with the clubhouse imploding.
In addition to the Mattingly mistake, Colletti also choked at the trade deadline in 2014. Yes, Seager and Urias were untouchable but we had other pieces (Joc Pederson and De Leon). Another arm or two would have been nice. I like Colletti and I think the Colletti/White regime was underrated, but I do have a major beef with him keeping Mattingly for so long and wasted the best years of Kershaw+Greinke+Ryu.
YF
I totally agree about Mattingly!
Lovullo did a nice job with the DBacks. They are a good team, but they have a difficult decision with Martinez. He will command too big a contract for them, but he was such a great fit and so important to their lineup. Ketel Marte is a nice player but I don’t see him as a difference maker.
Jake Lamb could step up to fill the void – he is very talented. To my eyes, Lamb has the same hole as Bellinger, and Lamb has had it for a couple of years now without changing his swing and has had decent results. I think Bellinger should not change his swing, and he simply will have to learn to lay off on those pitches. If a pitcher can throw three low and inside sliders for strikes in a single AB, hats off to them (and try, or at least show, the bunt in a slider count). The more you lay off pitchers in slider counts, the more you will be able to pick up sliders that are too low, and chances are pitchers will start to (1) throw the inside sliders in the zone more if you force them to, or (2) pitch to the outside where Bellinger’s natural swing has good enough plate coverage and gap power. This is just experience talking.
I think the DBAcks rotation cannot get any better than 2017 (a big question mark is Godley who had a great year but I think will regress). I don’t think Archie Bradley is all that, and they will end up needing another high leverage guy.
In the NL 2018 I think it will be the Nationals, the Cubs and the Dodgers, and I am more concerned about the Nationals than the Cubs. They are due and they have all the pieces, including Doolittle who I like a lot.
Been reading about the D-Backs and Martinez and it does not look like they are even in the ball park for the guy. Boras is talking 200 million, which he will not get, but Boston would probably give him at least what Heyward got, 150 mill.
Yeah. I think the DBacks lineup is not nearly as good without Martinez. And I think their pitchers cannot pitch better than they did in 2017 and likely will have a down year in 2018. And they are not going to get top line pitching help either with the new regime, and they don’t have as much young talent as other contenders. Lovullo has his work cut out for him in 2028.
Here’s a very good article by Hardball Times on versatility. By the way, versatility is old school, and it’s one of the things I like the most about FBZ and our coaching staff. The poster boy for the article is our own Austin Barnes. Enjoy!
https://www.fangraphs.com/tht/the-future-of-versatility-a-tool-for-platoon-advantage/
And here is a run down by Fangraphs of the top 2017 free agents. “Not for the risk averse”. And I totally agree.
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-top-50-free-agents/
I’d wait things out here, even Brandon Morrow (I think we can grow Cingrani into a Morrow in 2018 …)
YP
I agree with you, we need pitching more, especially a good starting pitcher.
There are no really good starting pitchers, that will be free agents, in the next two years.
And we don’t know how soon Buehler will be ready, or what will happen, with Urias.
I just read that Otani has already picked a team, and that team is the Dodgers.
I hope that is true, because Otani sounds like an exciting pitcher, and an exciting hitter!
Ohtani would be an unfair and instant boost to any contender that he joins. I hope he chooses us!!!!!
YF
I do too!
That was a fun read. Thanks YF.
I’m still deciding who I want out of that group. There are a few guys there that fit the FAZ model.
Trivia question…..Which Dodger got the first base hit this year….and which Dodger drove in the first run…also which Dodger hit the first home run of the season?
I’d guess Joc or Grandal. They hit homers on opening day.
First hit was Gonzalez who doubled in the 2nd inning. Forsythe singled and Joc hit a sacrifice fly for the first RBI….in the 3rd, Turner doubled, Gonzo got an intentional walk, Forsythe was hit by a pitch and Joc hit a 3-1 pitch from Chacin on a line into the RF bleachers for a grand slam homer, Grandal followed with another homer and the rout was on. They beat the Padres 14-3. Oh yeah, the winning pitcher was some dude named Kershaw….according to MJ, he is not very good….
Michael
Everyone here has watched Kershaw pitch in the post season, and we know his numbers.
And they also know, what I said about Kershaw, and guess what, most everyone, agrees with me!
The fact that you tried to change my words, just shows your own desperation!
And I don’t have to make up obscure trivia about one game, on opening day, to try to make my favorite player look good, or to try to make my argument, because we all know what Kershaw has done, in the post season!
If anyone cares, Zack Greinke is 3-4 in his post season career with an ERA of 4.03. He was 2-2 as a Dodger……..
Mr. Norris
I still go back to game 7 and I just can’t get past Robert’s not pulling Darvish before the 2nd HR. He could not wait to pull the plug in most all of the other games. Oh well. Just seems like the game would have been played differently had it not been for the 2nd HR. Just a thought.
Agreed. He put them in a hole they could not dig out of. Personally I question the decision to start him period, just like I questioned the placing of McCarthy on the Series roster.
I still blame the players. Kershaw, Jansen, the middle of the order, all swallowed an olive.
Michael, be nice man. You’re sounding a lot like he who shall not be named.
I think the Dbacks played extremely well last year and I look for them to be tough again. They won’t replace what Martinez did for them. You don’t replace a .741.slugging %, but you do try to find ways to win. Lovullo is a very smart guy, UCLA, and he will get the team to play well. Colorado will be good again, but, for the severaleth year in a row we will be favored to win the West.
Badger is right.
They won and loss as a team, but they did make it to game seven.
I am nice, I am just sick and tired of her double spaced drivel. For the record the trivia question had nothing to do with trying to make Joc look good. It was simply a trivia question. It was more about Gonzo getting the first hit of the year. I watched that game again last night. And she does exactly what I said she does. Claims not to have a favorite player, but is like a lioness when you say anything about her boys. And I just happen to disagree with her analogy and assessment of Kershaw. I can name Hall Of Fame pitchers who were mediocre in the Series, players too. I hammered Pederson’s play and said he deserved to go down, and in all reality, the Dodgers may trade the kid. I give credit where it is due, and blame when it is earned. Kershaw had 1 bad game. Big whoopee. It did not cost the Dodgers the series. That was a total team effort and anyone who thinks otherwise is blind or stupid. I admit there are players on the team I dislike. I do not want them to do bad, but I just do not care for their play or sometimes their attitude. I like Joc, and Puig, Corey and Cody, but I do not have favorites per se. I just see more there than some others do. When some leave the team I am a little sad to see them go, others not so much, adios Sergio Romo and Chris Hatcher.
To win the World Series, or any 7 game series, Kershaw has to win his two games or it puts enormous pressure on the other starters. The same can be said for Jansen. He cannot have ANY blown saves in those situations. AND, the middle of our order has to hit better than .200 and cannot leave men on base the way they did. Team effort. I blame the players, and that includes Clayton Kershaw.
It’s not my business to tell you how to respond to other posters but as your friend I would ask you to do it less aggressively. If your argument is sound you don’t need to raise your voice.
Badger
With all due respect. Clayton Kershaw is just 1 member of the Dodger team. To insist that it is up to him to pitch well enough to do more than 1 teammate seems unfair. I agree that he has not pitched as well as in the regular season but some think that he is the scapegoat for the WS and that is not fair. Kershaw is a great pitcher and the fact that he does not pitch dominate baseball every time out is not right. As you said it was a team effort. Also, I think to let Roberts off the hook is not correct.
I have the solution and I am implementing it. I just will no longer reply to her posts. She believes what she believes, and that’s cool. I just disagree, and nothing she can spout will change my mind……
One of my more knowledgeable online baseball sources suggests we trade Joc to the Twins for the Marte money they just freed up. I think that’s a great idea.
When’s Jonah coming back? I think his trade ideas are fun and worth debating.
I wonder if Michael Pineda could be a good play.
Coming off TJ surgery, but had decent peripherals before his velocity drop in front of the diagnosis.
Should be a value. Young, could be flexible from a use standpoint.
Is he going to be ready to pitch this year? Urias according to all reports is out until at least August, so in my mind why even try to bring him back. Let him re-hab and get healthy for 2019.
Pineda is projected for 13 starts and 1.5 WAR. I think that would be very helpful on this team. The starts could come later in the season when we are playing musical chairs with the 10 Day DL.
Also….. what about trading Joc to Minnesota for International money that can be used to go after Otani? No comments? Come on, give me some feedback!
I like the idea of trading an OF.
I think that’s not enough value for Pederson.
Let me put it another way, would you trade Pederson, our 4th outfielder, for Otani?
I’m not sure that more international slot money will move the needle Badger. I think Joc should be traded too – his postseason increased his value – but I think I want him traded with Grandal for an impact player.
You mean an impact player like Stanton?
Great idea.
No, not Stanton. Another impact player who will not prevent us from getting the top 2018 FAs, and the latter parts of his contract will likely also cause us not to be able to extend or sign Corey and Cody, who are likely franchise players for us (although it is a long ways away).
A catcher that will likely get a QO plus a young team controlled outfielder with good defense, power and OBP potential, is something that should return an impact player on a contract with 2 years remaining, especially on a team that is on the bubble. They may get lucky and get both better and able to cut some payroll in 2018. Dangling Grandal and Joc separately seems to me to return less value than dangling them together. We need to start getting impact depth, instead of depth.
Who? Impact players are expensive. And their becoming available is rare.
Stanton is availabile and he wants to play in LA. I submit he will easily put up enough WAR in the next 5 years to earn his money. After that? Who cares? We can blow that bridge up after we’ve crossed it.
Someone like Cole Hamels. He is 35 but I read that his contracts runs out in 2019 (with a $6 million team buyout).
The Rangers’ starting catcher Chirinos is 33 years old and had his sole good year in 2017, and a rightie, and he’s backed up by a very underwhelming career minor leaguer. Grandal gives them a platoon plan for 2018 and some flexibility going forward.
Joc gives them another nice young outfielder that can play all 3 outfield positions and makes their outfield very cost efficient (also, De Shields their talented but inconsistent CF bats right).
For the Dodgers, we have two valuable players that we have little use for, and we want to take on short term contracts and go into another deep post season run. Cole Hamels takes good care of himself, and although he’s a lefty, his change up is good against righties and a different look from our other lefties. Besides, Alex Wood and Hill did well against the righties heavy Astros, and we have to get past the Cubs and the Nationals first.
I think this trade is win, win and opens up more possibilities for both clubs to get better. The Rangers traded Darvish so they may be thinking of 2018 as a bridge year.
Well, you know I liked Hamels a couple of years ago. So……… you’re saying it will no longer require Seager and Urias?
To Badger (I can no longer respond to your last post).
Ha ha. You know I always thought it did not take Seager and Urias. I am not sure what Urias would fetch in a trade these days either, certainly not as much as he would have back in 2014/2015.
And we did not have to give up as much as people thought for Darvish either – in fact if we were willing to part with Alvarez and Mitch White, I think we would have gotten Verlander in addition to Darvish.
But do you agree that Cole Hamels at 35 would be an impact add for 2018 and is he gettable with only Joc and Grandal?
You know, that’s a very interesting question. I had to give it some thought.
I think the Rangers would jump on it. Pederson and Grandal are a combined 3+ WAR for at least 5 years. Hamels, actually at 34, isn’t that, but on Fangraphs he projects 200 innings and 2.3 WAR for ‘18, so yeah, I’d love to get him. But his salary has to be considered – 2 years, maybe as much as $47.5mm, ($23.5mm + vesting option of $24mm) minimum 1 year at $29.5mm ($23.5 + 6 million buyout). Could we get him for less? – say Grandal + a lower level arm and use Pederson to get access to Otani?
First real trade went down. Healy from the A’s to the Mariners. Healy is a catcher. A’s got a couple of minor leaguers. I would trade Joc to the Rays for say someone like Archer. The Rays might also be willing to move Keirmeier. I could see him as an everyday outfielder. I am totally convinced that the Dodgers even getting close to getting Otani is a pipe dream.
You may be right about Otani. But I sense the Dodgers can do whatever the f they want to do. I believe they really want the kid they can sell him on the idea of Los Angeles.
As for Archer, I think it will take more than a 4th outfielder to get him out of Tampa. Pederson and a couple of young arms might do it. Archer is a 200 inning 249 K stud. He’s listed as their #1 and would slot in behind Kershaw. Keirmaier? Maybe. But his contract is not that unreasonable. Why would they trade him? Is he healthy? And what do we do with our other outfielders?
And YF, I know you never believed it would take both Seager and Urias for Hamels. We know that was the voice of the unreasoned. Where are those guys now? Never mind. I think I know.
I was reading about players teams would be willing to move and Keirmeier’s name was on that list. Yeah, I think it would probably take more than just Joc. Keirmeier spent a little time on the DL this year but it was minor. He is a stud defender, just the type FAZ likes.