The Los Angeles Dodgers are opening an important four-game series against the New York Mets tonight. It’s the first time the two clubs will face each other since the Mets defeated Don Mattingly‘s Dodgers in last year’s NLCS.
They may be new-manager Dave Roberts‘ Dodgers now, but his first lineup against the Mets is taking a page out of Mattingly’s playbook. Roberts is starting almost all right handers against LH Steven Matz. Adrian Gonzalez will get the start and be the lone lefty bat tonight. Roberts is sitting Joc Pederson, Chase Utley and Corey Seager.
I get the argument that Pederson, like teammate Andre Ethier, supposedly cannot hit against lefties. Pederson has been mostly sitting against southpaws since the second half of last season. I counter that he can’t hit ’em if he never faces ’em. Like Ethier, Pederson will surprise you when you give him the opportunity to show what he can do.
When the Dodgers began their last roadtrip against the Rays, Pederson got the OK to start against LH Matt Moore.
I get it. The stats boys love to play the lefty-righty matchups, and there’s a lot to be said for the strategy. However, just like Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson’s bat is heating up, and he’s doing it with a home run swing.
As a matter of fact, Gonzo, who we looked to for home run firepower last season, has only three homers up to this point. That’s only half as many as the team’s home run leader…Guess who? Mr. Joc Perderson, who has six. Nobody else on the team is even close.
There are bats in the lineup with home run power – Gonzo, Kike, Puig, Turner, but they’re hitting them less often than last year, and far less often than Pederson this year.
Joc is batting .275, which places him squarely in the upper third of the Dodgers bats, but his .563 SLG and .941 OPS far exceed anybody else in the Dodgers lineup. The guy is getting on base and hitting for power at a rate that should not be stifled. When he’s out of the lineup, those numbers that the stat-heads love to live by, drop well down.
Here’s a look at what Joc did to a Cy Young Award winner.
Here’s a look at what he did yesterday.
Roberts is probably thinking he can go to Pederson later in the game as a pinch hitter against a right hander, or as a defensive replacement if necessary. That’s one way to do it, but this team needs runs – lots of runs – especially at home. Sitting one of the hottest and biggest bats in the lineup isn’t my idea of the best way to get them.
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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Right on Oscar
Amen Oscar, preach it. Preach this common sense to everyone.
Roberts has said that he will playJoc against lefties. He purposely had Joc hit against a certain leftie, that he thought Joc could hit easier, then other types of lefties.
Roberts thought that Joc, would hit the Ray’s leftie, that he had Joc hit against, better then other lefties. He must think that this particular leftie, is not a leftie, that Joc could easily hit.
I rather have Cory and Joc playing, but I can’t complain in the way that Roberts has handled Joc this year. He has tried to put Joc in the best situations, that would make Joc successful. And no one can really argue with that.
I rather have Utley playing too. And I think he has been one of the team’s more important players too.
I think we should start our starters. Pederson is one of them.
I would platoon Utley and Hernandez. That’s it.
Badger have you ever heard, or read anything, that stated what speed Ryu was throwing? I am just wondering, because I just read an article about MCCarthy, that said that he was throwing 89 right now. And Ryu is suppose to be farther along then MCCarthy.
I think I read Alex Wood’s fastball was around 89. I haven’t read how hard Ryu is throwing. I expect nothing out of McCarthy. Never did.
Badger you know I feel the same way, about MCCarthy. I was just wondering about Ryu, because when he started having problems, his velosity was down.
I am going to be just as disingenuous as many on this board:
I’ll let you know how I like the lineup AFTER the game.
I guarantee I’ll be right!
Actually, I would play Corey and Joc, but if this works, then I’d be wrong!
We all agree, play your starters. How did Joc or Cory ever get to the majors just batting against right handers? If you never get to bat against left handers, how do you know they cannot hit them?
Excellent start to the game
OMG Kazmir sucks!
Kazmire should be on the 15 Day DL. Stupid Neddy Jr. and Felony Stupid Trainers.
Another game, another HR allowed by Kazmir. A lefty hitter too. Any guesses how many HRs he will allow today? This season?
Maybe 40? sky is the limit
Scott this front office is a joke!
Dodger rick did he have two strikes on this last guy who hit the HR?
The Dodgers are facing six righties in a row, after this game.
That’s 2 HR off Kazmir – but it’s only the 3rd inning.
I can’t believe that the rumored “DEPTH” is not better than this DL Candidate.
Once again, this guy doesn’t have it.
This is where having Urias up would help; he could go 4-5ip if needed (and it’d be needed today)
at least the run didn’t score on a HR
That was what I was thinking Dodger rick!
Thank God Kike is in left! He has saved us twice already.
How long did it take the Angels to D’A Kazmir?
Trayce Bomber!!!
Puig needs to sit more and Thompson need to play more.
As Chick Hearn would say “the boo birds are out and I don’t blame them”.
Kazmir hung in there and did OK after a tough start. Kendrick did him in.
So far, Kazmir looks like a #4 or #5!
By the way, most of Alex Woods fastballs were 91-92 in his last start, not 89!
Mark he had fastballs that were 89 too. He only starting throwing harder, because he was mad that he gave up those HRs. Howie did make that error, but Kazmir first pitch to the pitcher, was up, and right over the plate. So it was on Kazmir too.
And he was lucky it wasn’t 10 nothing, by the third inning. He makes the same mistakes over and over. He almost always puts the Dodgers behind, before they even hit. The only time that doesn’t happen, is when the Dodgers are playing away!
gives up an RBI double to the opposing pitcher? great! Matz’ 1st RBI of the season.
lowered his ERA from 5.68 to 5.54, WHIP up from 1.36 to 1.42. Not a great effort any way you slice it.
His job is to pick his teammates up – not give up a run when the pitcher comes up after an error.
I don’t like his body language. He’s always shaking his head. I hate that. Even if you are frustrated, you don’t show it! That’s a bad thing to do! Negativity breeds negative results.
I think that’s why he was shaking his head rick. He was pissed at himself for leaving one up to the pitcher.
He has shaked his head before, because of bad pitches he has thrown. Like I said before the game, Kazmir needs to start pitching offensively, instead of defensively!
He is always making the same mistakes. Fastballs up, and right across the plate. He obiviously didn’t watch the Bluejay’s pitcher, in the last game, the Dodgers played against the Bluejays.
Kazmir uses the same pitches that that pitcher uses, but he doesn’t have command of his pitches. I bet this was the way that he was pitching, when the Angels D’A him.
At what point do they cut their losses with some of these bums? they’re just not getting the job done
Scott remember they signed these type of pitchers, to save money. They sure have loss money on most of there signings!
Is Culberson the best defensive shortstop we’ve had since Izturis?
He’s very good. He can’t hit a lick though. He should never start. Only be used as a defensive replacement in the late innings
This could be a lot worse. Probably should be worse. We are still in it.
The Mets are a good team. They could win……. 95 games.
Screw match ups.
Screw Howell.
Screw Dummie II.