On a night that brought Adrian Beltre back to Dodgers Stadium for the first time in years, and featured Big Sexy, Bartolo Colon, on the mound for the Texas Rangers, this figured to be a big night. Boy howdy, was it ever.
The Dodgers teed off on Colon and the rest of the Rangers’ pitchers for 16 hits and home runs from Joc Pederson, Max Muncy and Yasiel Puig.
Pederson struck first with a two-run shot in the second inning and later added two doubles.
Muncy followed with a big blast in the third inning for his team-leading 13th homer of the season.
This was his fourth consecutive game with a home run. Yasiel Puig completed the trio of bombs off Colon with a monster shot that screamed “GONE!” the second he hit it. That was during a raucous seven-run fourth inning.
45-year old Colon faced 21-year old Caleb Ferguson in his second start of the season. The Dodgers broadcast put up a fun split-screen shot of photos from Colon’s inaugural ML season and Ferguson as an eight-month old. After being knocked about in his debut last week, Ferguson fared better tonight. He went four innings and 65 pitches, but I would have liked to see one more inning of work. Yimi Garcia and Edwin Paredes each went one inning in relief, followed by three innings of work from Daniel Corcino. Garcia picked up the win.
The Dodgers bats stayed hot with Puig, Turner, Pederson, Muncy and Chris Taylor rapping out doubles. Texas isn’t fielding a very good team this year, so they’re hitting the Dodgers buzzsaw at just the right time. Just think, the Giants are on the horizon.
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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Just an observation – I think Pederson looks not fat anymore. Not slim, but not as fat as he was a while ago. It’s a good sign!
And those swings by Muncy and Puig. So controlled and easy, and the ball went deep into the stands. No need to swing out of your shoes to chase the exit velocity. These guys are strong enough to hit balls out on controlled swings.
Muncy looked too big for it but was decent at second base. I think it’s time to end the Forsythe experience. Put Joc back in CF and Bellinger back at 1st, at least through August. I think Joc is losing the weight and getting his speed back – he score very easily on that line drive single to center from Taylor.
That would give us more power and a stop gap till Seager returns. Where will Taylor play when Seager returns? Do you think he’ll go back to center with Joc swinging the way he does? What a problem to have, huh?
Love when those bats are humming.
Badger, btw, love the idea of an expanding electronic strike zone. It makes a lot of sense and would speed up the game and also make it more exciting. Nothing worse than 2-1, 1-0 outcomes. Boring. Kinda like 75-70 basketball scores. We all like defense, but it’s the offense that gets the juices flowing.
Jeff
This is a good problem to have, but I wouldn’t bank on what our bats did in last night’s game, because the pitching was terrible.
And we play the Giants and the Cubs after this series, that may tell us more.
But the season is still young, so it is still to early to know all of this.
Seager is not coming back this year. He will not be game ready in spring. The usual time down for a TJ surgery is 16 months and a lot of re-hab. So May to May and add 4 months, then some re-hab games. I would guess he will miss all of next year as will Ohtani if he gets TJ surgery. I doubt the problem of wondering where to put Taylor will have to be dealt with for quite a while.
I doubt that those bats will be humming against a quality starter like Hamels. Oh they might hit a HR off him, but they are not going to pound the guy for 8 runs.
YF
Check Joc’s defensive metrics in centerfield.
If he can hit like this all season long, they might get away with playing him in center, and putting Cody in center in close games, at the end of the game.
But that all depends on Joc hitting like this all season long.
Joc does look a little thinner than he did in spring, but the key to his defense has always been his ability to run good routes to the ball. When Kemp was a starting CF, he was never really a great route runner, but his speed in those days got him to the ball very quickly and won him a gold glove. He is doing a good job out in left, has been a great team mate. Has about as much enthusiasm out there as Puig does, and right now is having fun playing the game. I think this is the year that Joc Pederson finally gets it. And if so, he has a lot of good years left.
I think that’s right Michael.
MJ I am not saying Joc is a great CF, I’m just saying we can put him in center with his bat and get Bellinger back to first, with the main goal being replacing Forsythe with Muncy.
It would appear we may be giving up a few runs per game for a while. Hopefully we will keep outscoring teams.
Orel said last night the deadline deal may be nothing more than getting our starting pitching back. He may be right.
Ferguson needs one more pitch and that pitch would be his change up. He looks good to me, just mix it up and throw strikes and he could be a decent mid rotation starter. The same might be said for Corcino.
Colon looks done to me. Who wants an innings eater if he gives up that many runs. His ERA is now almost 5 and he leads the Majors in giving up home runs.
Hamels tonight. I don’t expect to score 12.
Driving to Colorado today. That used to be a good thing. Not a trip I look forward to now.
Badger
I don’t think there will be any deadline deals. At least based on FAZ past history they won’t. Badger, I think you have a better chance getting electronic strike zone.
Package
I still think there will be some trade, but it won’t be for any top player, or pitcher.
Badger
I think Colon is done too.
I didn’t know those 88 velocity pitches he was throwing, was his fastball.
He was more just a batting practice pitcher then anything, that is why I wouldn’t put to much into what the team did last night, up at the plate.
The Rangers manager, didn’t put in any of his top pitchers last night to mop up, this game.
I don’t like to watch blow outs like this, after a while, it is boring.
The only blow out I really enjoyed, was that last game we clinched against the Cubs in the post season last year, because we didn’t have to test our nerves like we always have to do in the postseason.
Most of the hitters in the Rangers line up, were hitting closer to 200, then 250.
The Rangers is not a very good team right now.
I’m sure they’ll be a deal.
Darvish and Hill were pretty (still are, to me, for Hill) high-quality, highly desired arms.
That said, not sure the budget will allow for it this year. That said (ha!) can Michael’s documentation remind me what moves were made Friedman’s first year? Was that the Hill year?
it is hot here right now. You going up to Denver? High 80’s and humid my friend. Be safe.
Mike Trout has 5.6 WAR ( the FanGraphs version)
10 teams do not have 5.6 WAR fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?p…
Mike Trout, by himself, is better than a third of lineups.
Trout is way better then Harper.
I would also rather have Machado too, but I doubt this front office will sign any big free agents, like Harper and Machado.
We need a right hand bat more then a leftie bat, and we need another infielder, more then a outfielder.
And don’t trust all of Harper’s numbers, because they have to many teams in their division that are rebuilding, so the Nats are not facing top pitching, in their division, except the Mets two big starters.
Machado is playing and hitting, in a tougher division, and he is hitting 300 plus, and Harper is hitting 218.
MJ
It would be great to have a superstar but unfortunately FAZ does not sign superstars. I would rather have Manny than Bryce but I would love to have Harper.
Not at 40 million a year you wouldn’t and neither will FAZ. That’s pretty much what it is going to take to sign that guy. 400 million over 10 years and he is going to get it. Machado won’t be far off of that because he plays a critical position. I would be totally surprised if FAZ even sniffs in their direction. If the make a trade at the deadline I would think they bolster the pen some more. There are some live arms down there, but they need another shut down guy like Kenley. They really do not have that and they let the guy from last year, Morrow, get away.
Package
I know what you mean!
And if a team was going to sign a player to a big contract, either of these players are young enough, and proven enough, to take a chance on.
The various projection systems pretty much have him finishing out with 156 games played. At his current pace, that would put him at 12.8 fWAR.
Also, Trout is only 3 fWAR behind Ty Cobb for the highest total EVER thru a player’s age-26 campaign. Mickey Mantle is in second place, and he is only 0.8 ahead of Trout.
I just read on Yahoo about a measure passing in California to be put on the November ballot that would split the state into 3 states. Northern, Southern and just plain California. Interesting. Doubt it will ever become reality.
If that measure is by the same people that wanted to make California a country itself, that came from a Russian, trying to manipulate Americans, and cause discourse.
Well, it is on the ballot in November….I seriously doubt it passes, but even if it does, it is a long process to get that done and it has to be approved by congress. Getting them to do anything is damn near impossible.
Michael
I understand why some might want to make California a country on its own, but it won’t happen.
Because as you already know, California has a economy that is richer, then a lot of countries.
And the government uses some of California’s money from it’s economy, to help out other states.
The three states they propose would have almost exactly the same populations. As far as economy, well, most of the agriculture would be in the south, tech in the north, and shipping and industry in California it self. LA has one of the worlds largest ports and a lot of imports come through there. Much more than Oakland. Politically it would be a quagmire and the 46 electoral votes would be split. What it would do is add 4 more senators to the senate.
Did everyone see how fast Colon, sent Forsythe to the dugout, last night?
Colon struck him out, with only three pitches.
When was the last time Colon did that, I wonder?
I actually felt bad for Forsythe, after Colon struck him out, because everyone else, was clobbering Colon last night.
Last night against Forsythe! LOL…..well you asked when was the last time he did it….
Michael
I felt bad, but at the same time, I thought that was funny, considering what everyone else was doing.
My thought was that it was pathetic. Forsythe should have crushed the first pitch which was the best one he saw…
FanGraphs updated their top 130 prospects.
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-updated-top-131-prospect-rankings/
Dodgers have 5 on the list. Given recent discussion here, I’ll point out that 60% of those are International Signings.
That means nothing in the big scheme. A prospect is only that. A potential trade piece or potential player.
Regressing to the mean, or playing out of their heads?
Over the last 30 days
Muncy – .307/.436/.760 10 HR 1.8 fWAR
Puig – .351/.415/.730 7 HR 1.3 fWAR
Joc – .348/.353/.848 7 HR 1.2 fWAR
Taylor – .294/.413/.518 3 HR 1.1 fWAR
Kemp – .356/.379/.632 5 HR 1.0 fWAR
Bellinger (going full Rob Deer)– .188/.317/.494 7 HR 0.6 fWAR
How to have fun with selective time-frames:
From May 9 to June 3 Bellinger has hit .123/.220/.321
Since then he’s hitting .375/.516/1.000
Bluto
I find your select time frames, to be a little deceiving.
Because Joc’s hot streak started on June 2, and before that, he did this in the entire month of May. 211/278/324/ 602
But I guess that is the point, anyone can take a selective time frame, and make a player look bad, or good.
That is why I use month to month, as long as a player is getting enough at bats to compare, from month to month.
That’s why I used selective time-frames and why I wrote:
“How to have fun with….”
Because i was HAVING FUN, not making a point.
Reading.
Bluto
I understand that, that is why I said that was the point, because you were not trying to make a point there.
In my last year playing MABL I hit for the cycle. Took me 14 games to get my triple.
How’s that for a time frame.
Maeda activated, Corcino sent down. Kike hitting 4th. Roberts just never learns and keeps sticking Kike in the 4 hole where he is currently hitting .160. Roberts is certifiable.
Don’t get Package started, on quote dummy.
You probably have a point there….
MJ
What do you mean, Get package started? You know Robert’s is a Dummy and so does Bear. You all knew before me probably.
Package
I was joking because I know how you feel about Roberts.
And for some odd reason, I think it is funny that you call him, dummy.
MJ
You are a sweetheart MJ.
Badger
I don’t know what that abbreviation is, but from what I know, you were a quick runner, so I don’t think it took you that long to get a triple!
Men’s Adult Baseball League. I played in the Redwood Empire League – Over 30. The year I hit my last home run I was 50, so, only one triple. One home run too. And one stolen base. I did hit over .400 though. It was a very competitive league, with teams from Napa, Santa Rosa, and Rohnert Park. I really enjoyed it.
I once hit two triples in a slo pitch game. Just happened to hit them in the right spot. We were playing on a regulation baseball field so it was a little easier. I was not all that fast.
This is probably the reason Kike is hitting fourth.
Kike has hit 4 HRs against lefties this year, and he shares the team lead in HRs against lefties with Kemp, and Cody.
But I would probably bat Cody fourth, Kike fifth, and leave Kemp in the third position.
Because I rather see Kemp get more at bats, then Cody and Kike, with the way he has been hitting all year.
Hamels only gave up 18 HRs all last season, last year, but he has already given up 17 HRs, this year.
Yeah I get he hits lefty’s. But his best spots in the order are 2 and 9. He hits over .280 in those spots, everywhere else he sucks really bad. Hell, put him in the 2 hole and let Turner hit 4th. It also makes no sense because he is hitting .213 vs. lefty’s and .214 vs. righty’s. Pretty much the same hitter against either and he has 4 homers against both. But his contact rate in the 4 hole is pathetic. 20 of his 38 K’s against lefty’s and Hamels is a strikeout pitcher. I would bet he adds to the K total tonight and not his HR total. Hell, hit him 9th and put Maeda in the 8 hole. Kike is hitting .378 out of the 9 hole.
Michael
I didn’t say that was my reason, but it is probably Robert’s reason.
Kike actually has even splits against both lefties and righties, but he is not hitting for a good average against either.
But that is hard to do, without consistent at bats.
And since he doesn’t get as many at bats, as some, he probably is always trying to hit with power, to make a bigger difference.
And you know what our GM likes.
I got that. But it makes no sense. He has 4 homers against each. And with a track record that bad in the 4 hole, and the way he relies on saber metrics, you would think he would know Kike is really bad in that spot in the order. But lately not much Roberts does makes sense.
By the way, the HR rates in the majors are up significantly this year. Yankees are on pace to crush their previous team high and the Dodgers are on a pace to obliterate the record 53 they hit last June. Tomorrow I turn 70. Way past where I ever thought I would be……
I’m in Las Vegas NM Bear. Heading to Olney Springs in the morning. What a dump that place is.
Kiké hitting 4th? I see an RBI in his future.
Game starts at 8 here. We just had a huge Vietnamese dinner and I’m beat. May not make it til 8. Hope Maeda goes 7.
Happy Birthday amigo. You share that birthday with a close friend of mine out in Napa, Ca. He’s 65.
Badger
Kike is a mean machine, I tell ya!
An out machine. Yeah, I really love his .160 average hitting in the 4 hole! Please……the guy is terrible.
Badger
Did you get my message, because I am not sure which site to use.
Yes, thank you. I responded.
I’m about done here tonight. Wife already asleep.
Thanks Badger….June kind of runs in the family. Two cousins, 16th and 19th. A granddaughter, 29th, a ex girlfriend . 1st…..I was 21 before I realized they were not putting up the flag just because it was my birthday…….14th….Flag Day!
Happy Birthday, Bear!!
Michael
Happy birthday too.
Thank you
Happy birthday Michael!
Thank you Yueh…that actually sounds sort of redundant! In facebook jail for another two hours before I can acknowledge all the B-day greetings I have received there…..did a no no..
Michael
Do you feel 70?
That is the most important thing, when it comes to getting older.
Not the years MJ, its the miles. It has not been an easy road, but I am no quitter either. Too old to learn new tricks. Been single since 83, and really not all that sad about it. But I still have my music and some really great friends, and they have made the road a little smoother.
MJ,
No one knows what it’s supposed to feel like when they hit 70, or 60, 50, 80, 90 etc. Get it?lol
One of the main problems with aging is the flare up of old injuries. In many cases, they come back to haunt one. Athletes are often a mess. Those breaks, sprains, and internal injuries weaken your body even with all the new fangled technology that keeps it all together. Old age is not for the faint of heart. Those were the words of my dear ol’ step daddy. RIP
I’m still hopeful on technology. I’m worried most about my liver due to the drinking. I’ve even invested in a company producing liver tissue if you can imagine that.
Good point Jeff. My main problem has been the stiffness from my arthritis. When it flares up, there is not much you can do for it. It hampers my ability to play my guitar for as long as I used to when I was performing all the time. Left knee is permanently bent at an angle. Cannot straighten either of my arms because of the arthritic buildup in the elbows. Little things that took a long time to get where they are. Actually, for a guy my age and size I am in pretty decent health. My mild diabetes is well under control, I have lost close to 35 pounds since December, by design, not because of illness. So you are definitely right….what we do along the way can come back to haunt us later. I quit drinking in 1990 Yueh. One of the smartest moves I ever made. Not only did I quit having hangovers, I look at all the money I saved not buying booze. Plus the fact that a lot of my relatives were alcoholics. My mom, her sister and two of her brothers died from health problems related to alcohol. My mom at 42, her sister at 55 her brothers at 53 and 61.
This is the week I can do no wrong. Well a few of you know me very well, I can still f something up. But my birthday is the 11th my 30th anniversary is the 18th and Father’s day is the 17th.
30 years is way cool. Great wife and a super daughter. And really good friends!!! Make life a lot easier. You all included.
But as Badger knows I am one mtn bike crash from the ER. They keep trying to kill me but I keep bouncing back…. Bastards!!!!
Hey Tim
My Brother has a birthday on the 11th. Happy Birthday to you. Yeah, having a wife and children is what it is all about. I have an anniversary in August. 50 years, could not have made it without her. She probably could have made it without me.haha
Yeah Bud!! 50 good on you!!
Gotta love Matt Kemp. Old style hard nosed baseball and the Ranger catcher did not like it. One reason I really dislike the Buster Posey rule. Matt steam rolled that guy!
Wait. What’s the reason you don’t like the rule?
Tough call waving Kemp home. He doesn’t have that blazing speed he used to. Was out by a mile.
I do not like the rule simply because that is not the way I was taught to play the game, pure and simple. I ran over my share of catchers, and I played catcher sometimes in slo pitch and I had a couple of guys try to run over me. I also laid a 2nd baseman flat when he tried to tag me out. He was out, that’s true, but the catcher tried to block the plate, Matt, as long as he stayed on his line had every right to hit him. Just was not hard enough to jar the ball loose. The catcher took exception, pushed Matt, Matt pushed back and it was on. They were the only two ejected.
Bear
Matt was not allowed a clear path to home.
I know Package, I am watching the game. That’s the way I was taught to play the game. The Posey rule was put in place mainly because of how much they pay players now. Posey had his leg broke on a collision quite a few years ago. Since then you rarely see a home plate collision. I remember Dave Parker steam rolling Steve Yeager. That was the way the game was played back then. Now catchers have learned to do the matador thing and Ole!. I really hate that part of the game. Catchers back then were a lot more hard nosed than these guys.
Bear
I know Matt said after the game that last time he slid into home with the catcher blocking the plate he hurt his ankle. He said that is why he went into him. Plus it is legal. Good for Matt. The ejections were because of pushing and shoving.
You have got to remember the play in DC when Matt was still recovering from the shoulder injury the year before. He went to slide and instead twisted his ankle and was out for even more time. He was still a Dodger then, it was 2013. It slowed his comeback from hitting the wall in Coors in 2012 that ruined a really good season. Glad to see that all or nothing mentality come back. Yeah, I know they were ejected for the fight. Matt had every right to shove the guy after he was shoved…he just should have realized the catcher still had all that gear on.
The throw took the catcher into the path. I think the play and the call was fine. Both men should have just shook hands and congratulated each other on the the tough out. Imagine what that would have done for the catcher, if he had the character to get up, knowing Kemp was called out, and shook his hand. In this day and age of social media that would have endeared him to the masses.
But their catcher had to whine/complain about the – very legitimate – hit. Poor display there. Kemp and the rest of the Dodgers acquitted themselves well. BS move deserves a bench clearing.
Jansen in and the top of the ninth? Can we trust the pen? Better hope we get some runs!!!
Squirrels went nite-nite. 6 for 35, 13 Ks, 1 for 12 WRISP. The pen came through though.
Game should have been over in 9. Guy was out at home. ML Blue has their own blue shield. They cover for their own on close plays.
Don’t let him fool you. Tim is built like Ironman. Its the rocks that suffer when he flies off the bike and head butts them.
On my way to Olney Springs in a few. Private prison. Place is as unconscious a third world dump as you will ever see. Moron zombies run it.
Private prison?
That is dreadful stuff on every level. Crony capitalism at its basest.
I just looked that place up. On hwy 96. Not all that far from where I live in Canon City. Pictures on the internet make it look like a real dump. Very much small town Colorado. We did a gig in Rocky Ford last year.