We just learned the news that shortstop Corey Seager is going to miss 1-2 weeks with a sprained left knee ligament. Seager suffered the injury during Monday afternoon’s 8-4 loss to the Angels when he was rounding first base after hitting a single. The Dodgers then sent him for an MRI and learned of the news. This is probably the best result we could get because the MRI showed no structural damage and no tears and no surgery is needed.
The injury was called asymptomatic or they are waiting for him to be asymptomatic. Something to that affect. I’m no medical expert so maybe you guys can figure out what that means. I am assuming it means that Seager is expected to be back soon once he is not feeling sore.
It makes us wonder what the Dodger’s backup plan is at shortstop if anything ever happened to Corey Seager. Thankfully 21-year olds tend to recover quickly. However if something were to happen to Seager, and it’s a scary thought, there isn’t much depth there.
Of course Kike Hernandez would likely play at the position. Unfortunately he has a massive platoon split against right handers. Chase Utley has never played shortstop at the professional level and neither has Howie Kendrick. Justin Turner has played 46 career games at shortstop but he is expected to play sparingly in the first few weeks of the season as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.
The Dodgers do have non-roster guys like Charlie Culberson and old friend Elian Herrera. They are more of emergency options anyways. I would expect that if anything were to happen to Seager long term that Hernandez would take over at shortstop full time. Brandon Hicks has some experience there as well.
Kike would be the best option out of all of those guys. To be honest if I were to see Herrera, Culberson, or Hicks playing over Kike, it would probably make me very angry. Kike is the better choice both offensively and defensively. However if anything were to happen to Seager and Kike well…..gulp.
Here’s another wild option to consider. Alex Guerrero has experience at shortstop when he was playing in Cuba. I know he isn’t the best choice defensively. Glove wise he’s very poor. He’s a better hitter than Culberson, Herrera, and Hicks. Unfortunately Guerrero has also been battling injuries and illness this spring as well.
It seems as if the entire infield has been battling minor injuries this spring. Kendrick had a tight groin and is just starting to take at-bats again. Adrian Gonzalez suffered a sore neck. Surprisingly the only infielder that has been healthy has been Utley.
“It’s nothing long term,” said Friedman
All we can do is pray that Seager stays healthy. With the exception of Clayton Kershaw, he could be the one truly irreplaceable player on the Dodger’s roster.
Losing Seager would take a lot of the fun out of watching the Dodgers while he is out but I don’t think of him as irreplaceable. He is a rookie and only 21 years old. His longer term replacement should be a great defensive shortstop. Anything less than a month I would be okay with Kike’.
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I learned recently that if a person cleans a vacuum cleaner they become one.
That sucks!
Whatever happened to Arrubarena?
He sucks!
… actually, the last I heard he weighed close to 240. He likes the good life! He has a contract. All is good!
Happiness is watching both games!
How many cars has he bought?
Barnes looks to be a lot stronger this year compared to the end of last year.
Congrats today for Beachy who is still in the running for SP. He might be a feel good story.
That son of a Beachy is pitching well.
Austin Barnes is my man!
It would be nice to have a catcher who could run a little bit. Same with first base. Looking forward to a lineup that includes Barnes and Bellinger.
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Maybe instead of signing Kendrick the Dodgers should have signed Desmond. Maybe they can trade for him.
When I recommended that on another blog, I was roundly criticized. If FAZ didn’t think of it, it was a bad idea…
On which blog?
After several days away, I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. Several thoughts:
1 – I had observed several weeks ago that the Dodgers need a competent backup shortstop. Seager will hopefully be healthy after he recovers from his knee sprain and will be Rookie of the Year, but he can’t play 162 games. Anyone who has seen Kike Hernandez play shortstop knows that he can’t. The way that the Dodgers’ bench is constructed, there isn’t room for a backup shortstop. They will have Crawford, Van Slyke, Ellis, Hernandez and Utley. There isn’t even room for Guerrero. There isn’t anyone among this group who can really play SS. The Utley signing is a mistake because there isn’t room for a backup SS on the 25 man roster. Even if you assume that Culberson or Arrubarena is the answer, neither is on the 40 man roster and they will have to dump someone. Depth is good but it has to be depth in the right areas.
2 – I agree with all who have observed that Spring Training numbers are largely irrelevant. You wait for the veterans like Kazmir to work out their problems and get ready for the season. HOWEVER – if a pitcher has suddenly lost velocity or the movement on a breaking ball, you start to worry. I haven’t seen any of the spring games so do not have an opinion about why Kazmir hasn’t looked good so far. I hope that he will be ready for the season – the team will need him.
3 – All of that starting pitching “depth” – injured guys who are high risk, high reward guys. You play the odds and hope they aren’t down at once. Not looking like a good strategy.
4 – Let the kids pitch! See if any of them are ready and the real deal. How much more time could Zach Lee possibly need in the minors? Either he can pitch or he can’t. Maybe Urias or DeLeon are ready now. Last year, the Mets won in the postseason with a bunch of unhittable kids in the rotation. I would much rather have high upside guys learn to pitch in the big leagues than watch some low upside guy like Bolsinger struggle to go 5 innings every 5 days. It would be cool to see Urias or DeLeon be the second ace behind Kershaw. If they aren’t ready yet, they might learn faster in the bigs.
5 – The best predictor of future performance is past performance. Anyone who expects these Dodgers to suddenly score more runs or have a better bullpen because Dave Roberts is the manager is likely to be wrong. The 1952 – 53 Dodgers changed managers after winning 105 games in ’53 under Charley Dressen and were still good enough to win the Series in ’55 with a new manager, Walter Alston. The ’74 team went to the Series under Alston and went again in ’77 – ’78 under Lasorda. Talent wins baseball games – managers usually don’t.
6 – Finally – I have to comment on bushers like Bryce Harper complaining that the game is too boring unless players like him are allowed to showboat. Vince Lombardi told his teams that when they reach the end zone to act like they have been there before. The game, your opponent, the fans and tradition should be respected! There is no place for showboating in the Big Leagues. Others have written that Chase Utley is a good signing because he is a veteran who will show the kids how to play the game the right way. Can you imagine him showboating like Puig, Harper, and others like him?
7 – No more name calling! Be respectful! I may have a different point of view than you do – I won’t demean anyone, insult their intelligence, call anyone names or attribute negative motives to anyone. I expect nothing less.
Rick, You did an outstanding job of expressing your thoughts in a straight forward, objective, and comfortable to read manner. I can’t argue with anything you said.
I agree. That was a good post and a good read, dodgerrick.
As for #3, there is some virtue in just opening up the wallet and paying a guy. I was imaging a rotation in 3-4 years of Kershaw, Urias, Greinke, DeLeon and Grant Holmes. That would have been exciting. The Dodgers would have been paying for Greinke’s ineffectiveness towards the end of that contract, but one thing that would have given them is another kind of flexibility. The Dodgers want fungible assets, which is why they like younger players and prospects under team control. However, Greinke and that overall certainty in the rotation would have allowed the prospect pitching depth to be fungible and tradeable. Walker Beuhler could develop into a high ceiling #2 guy and he could have been packaged to get what the team really needs in the future. I’m guessing the Dodgers are going to need a top flight SS in three years. Turner will be gone and Seager won’t be able to get by with his lack of range as he gets into his late 20s.
#5 You’re probably right, but a team’s fortunes can change with a change in team culture. The Dodgers offense was unstoppable for a good chunk of the beginning of last season. They sputtered. RISP was big issue. What happened? Did opposing pitchers get wise to them? Did they lose focus? To me, an inability to hit RISP is a mental approach shortcoming. There is no physical reason why that should happen. Maybe changing the culture and subsequent attitudes will have a positive effect.
As for the past being a predictor of future performance, the beauty of professional sports is that this isn’t necessarily true. Who would have predicted what the Royals have done the last two years? ….or the Pirates?….or the Dodgers in 88?…they were terrible in 87. What made the Dodgers so magical in 88? Was it really Gibson changing the culture when he flipped out over that Jesse Orozco eye black prank in spring training? There’s a little bit of that butterfly effect in team sports which gives every fan hope, and a change in personnel or management…or just a new year…can make a big difference.
Dodger patch I was thinking about that possible rotation too.
Dodgerrick I think you better look at Kike’s defensive numbers at shortstop. He doesn’t have bad numbers at shortstop, and welcome back, I’m glad you decided to comeback. Like I wrote before, just because someone doesn’t agree with someone else, that doesn’t mean they are negative, or wrong. Everyone here, ultimately wants the same thing, and that is wanting the Dodgers, to do well. The difference is, that everyone might have a different view, about how to make that happen. Once again, welcome back!
And Rick about the managers, when a team has a manager as bad as Mattingly was, your are going to see a bigger change. With the way that this team put people on base, there should have been, much more scoring. There hasn’t been a team that didn’t score more runs, with the offensive stats, that these last three teams have had, in a very long time.
And Mattingly was a big part of that. Mattingly never tried to do anything different, to try to make these teams, score more runs. And that is how he managed,most if not, all of the time, he was the Dodger’s manager.
It would take him way to long, to make a change, that should have been made, much sooner. He kept both Rollins, and Pederson, in the lead off position much to long.
And how many times, did runners on third base, with less then two outs, not score? This would happen again, and again! Not once, did Mattingly try a bunt in these instances, even when a pitcher, was hitting. And I am not talking about Greinke or Kershaw.
There were times the Dodgers needed to move runners over, and a pitcher, was hitting, and there were times, that Mattingly didn’t even have the pitcher, do a bunt.
There was an article in Fangrahs, about these Dodger teams, that didn’t score runs, like they should, and Mattingly was the manager, for all these teams. In fact the front office, had to bring in, a former manager, to get this team, to run the bases, and to get runners in a place to score, because all of these things, we’re so bad.
Roberts already by telling every player, there role, and there position, is doing more then Mattingly did, when he was a manager, and Roberts, hasn’t even managed a single regular season game yet.
Mattingly should have made it clear, which three outfielders, he was going with, instead of taking turns, playing every outfielder. If he would have made it clear, from the begining, he would have had, only one unhappy outfielder, instead of four unhappy outfielders. And the outfielders, would have had more consistent playing time, as well as at bats, and most players, perform much better, when they are played this way. Mattingly eventually went with three outfielders, but this was much to late.
Mattingly had trouble making decisions, whether it was the outfielders, the lead off position, or making a pitching change, or which pitcher, to bring in the game.
Everyone says that a manager, in baseball today, mostly has to handle the different personalites, but a manager must make decisions. And if you think about it, decisions are one of the main things, that a manager has to make. And Mattingly really couldn’t make decisions well, and when he did make a decision, it was painfully late.
Welcome back Rick. I tend to agree managers usually don’t win games, but bad decisions can cost games and are magnified in the postseason. As you know, Dressen was replaced because he had the nerve to ask for a three-year contract. Walt Alston never made that mistake.
Luckily it’s ST but what if this kid was benched or out for an extended period of time. Could Kike play SS for N extended period of time? Like I said luckily this happened right now. Get well kid.
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Alex Wood also in pain.
A few observations.
1. Ethier is hitting left handers and looks good against them. Mattingly platoon him so most people think he cannot hit left handers. He could just be a full time starter.
2. Frias looks like a relief pitcher to me. He has a fast ball and a slider.
3. Stripling looked good to me. Should be in the running for the 5th starter.
4. When it comes to the last half of the games, our farm boys are beating the opponents farm kids.
I will watch the other game this morning. Nice to have MLB TV.
I gave you the numbers on Ethier’s hitting of left handed starters, both over his career and recently. The idea he can’t hit left handers is nonsense put forth by people who don’t look closely at the numbers – some called Ethier “Mr Softie”. Ridiculous. Ethier is one of the elements that has gone right for this team. He keeps his mouth shut, he works hard and he produces. On almost any other team he would start.
I, along with a few others, have been a proponent of letting the younger pitchers pitch. It’s time. This is the year to find out if some of these guys can, or cannot can, pitch in the Major Leagues. It is also the year to play Hernandez full time, but the signing of the 70 year old Utrick prevented that. We are once again off to an oddly constructed roster.
Who were those newly hired trainers? And did they get to this roster as soon as they were hired, or were they introduced a few weeks ago. We are not off to a great start here.
Do not be surprised if Seager begins the year on the DL. I know his problem has been downgraded to a strained ligament but my experience tells me that term could mean a lot of things. He’s young, he could heal fast. He’s young, why does he have a ligament issue at all? It’s the first month of the season, why a ligament strain? Freak accident? Sign of things to come? Maybe it’s nothing.
Here we go on our rebuil…. I mean reboot year. Stand by to stand by.
Badger he has stayed on the field in the minors.
Badger, Ethier’s career numbers show he hits right-handed pitchers much better than lefties–not just for average, but for power. This isn’t unusual; before last year Heyward had similar splits. IF you have a RH hitter who kills southpaw pitching, as SVS did two years ago, I think a platoon makes sense.
MJ, while I agree on Mattingly, I think it’s fair to point out that with our best leadoff hitter traded away and Puig and Crawford on the DL his options at the top of the order were somewhat limited.
Snider fan that is a good point.
Dodgerrick- Outstanding effort… Harper/busher=damn near didn’t make it to the head…
My first choice for SS would be Arrue… I think/hope there is flexibility in the 40 … Interested if Badger saw Arrue in the back fields and if he’s become a lard ass?!?! Were only talking a handful of games..
I’m close to jumping on the Barnes wagon…
My darkhorse for the staff was Deleon going into ST and I’m still staying with him…
I didn’t see Arrie. But if he has put on that weight he may be a lost cause. What a waste. It might be difficult to assess character of some of these Cuban players. Maybe the team trainers just couldn’t get through to him. If not, why not?
Having said that, I have no idea if the weight gain is even true. I also don’t know what the plan for Guerrero might be. I don’t know if FAZ knows what the plan is. I think maybe it was to showcase him, but now the conditioning factor of this organization put a hold on that idea.
Bum, your Barnes Bellinger wish is but a year or so away.
Welcome back rick.
The entire starting infield is hurt and 2 of the 5 starting pitchers are hurt. After 1 week. How are the optimists feeling? Pederson is still trying to learn to hit. Puig seems like the same Puig I have seen for 2 years. Double plays and no power or production. Optimistic, anyone? The way this is going, come August, the entire OKC team will be playing in the Bigs. Kike is no shortstop or any other position player full time. I give SS to Culbertson for now. I see two, healthy, dependable players on this team: Keshaw and Ethier. With all the crap that is going on, it should make us all realize what a good major league ball player Ethier has been and still is. It feels like Baseball Armageddon is in store for this team. We will find out how good these prospects really are when they first have a chance not to be prospects anymore. Urias was totally out of control the other day, throwing each pitch like it was his last. Hopefully he will calm down.
Ethier has had a number of injuries over the years and has shown to not to play well when hurting. Agon has a neck issue but I would put him on the dependable list ahead of Ethier.
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Kike’ has said that shortstop is his best position and the one he is most comfortable with. Until he gets a chance to practice and play mostly one position it is hard to know how well he could be. The coaches would know but it is hard for us to know.
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I assume that if a free agent agrees to be traded he can be before July. Desmond signed with Texas for one year $8M and will play left field. Just saying.
Agon stays on the field.
If you go to this page, you can see that Arruebarrena was listed at 230 last year. I know he’s at least 240 this year – probably heavier! He’s fat as a pig!
http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t260
I also have to address a couple of other issues. Kike Hernandez is not a CF, but he can be a solid backup. The same is true of him at most other positions, except 2B and LF (HE COULD START THERE). He can serve as a backup SS and spell Seager, but he’s not a starter. His range is not the greatest, but he has a good glove and the Dodgers could survive with him there for a few weeks. Jhonny Peralta is a SS who reminds me of Kike defensively and St. Louis does pretty well with him.
Kike has played 111 games in the majors and he just turned 24. He has 21 of those at SS. I do think that if he EXCLUSIVELY focused on SS he could do a credible job. JUst because someone writes that Kike can’t play SS doesn’t make it so. Maybe you agree with that, but lots of people don’t… including me (remember, I’m the guy who championed Kike and Barnes, when many couldn’t see the forest for the trees).
Arrubarena is off the roster, is too fat, and has no chance. Culberson has a shot and he can play SS just about like Kike. I like Charlie a lot, but his chances of making the team are long!
I also violently disagree that managers can’t make a difference. I agree that some don’t. I really don’t think much of Alston – he just filled out the lineup and let the starters pitch. In fact, a better manager might have gotten a lot more from a young Koufax.
Managers like Tommy, Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox, Earl Weaver, Sparky Anderson and Joe Maddon make a difference. Don Mattingly was not a difference maker. Don managed the way he played: Station-to-station. Dave Roberts manages the way he played as well – aggressive, running and taking the extra base. I have watched every televised game and I have seen a change in the Dodgers’ style. I have seen a change in their hitting with RISP. I have seen a change in the team! Not every manager makes a difference, but the more I see Roberts, the more I believe he does.
Show me a team or a business with a dynamic, fair and respected leader and I will bet that they will outperform another team or business that has a manager like Milktoast Mattingly, who has now decided that his players have to be clean-shaven.
I am not calling anyone names, but I happen to disagree with a number of things, especially the importance of managers. You can’t take a bad team and make it good by changing managers, but you can take a good team and make it better with the right manager. I do expect the Dodgers to score more runs and I expect the pitching to be better with Roberts. Some of it will be maturity and some of it will be management.
WATCH OUT FOR BRANDON BEACHY! I cannot see Zach Lee making the team. He needs to move on…
Finally, one final shot on the bat flipping.
I heard an interview with a white American baseball player who went to the Dominican to play baseball. He said that the “bat flip” and demonstrative behavior is part of their culture and that it took him a while to adjust to it… but that he did and now embraces it.
It’s hard to change baseball’s culture and it’s hard to change Latin American culture. It’s a fine line. Chase Utley is the antithesis of showboating while Yasiel Puig is The Showboat! Maybe there is a happy medium. I like what Walter Peyton did when he scored – he just handed the football to the official, but I do enjoy a good bat flip!
Someone asked about the injuries: I THINK IT’s AWESOME – it gives others a chance to play. The depth of this team is amazing: There are multiple options at every position.
I can also see some trades coming down the pike to think the herd! Trades that are made from a position of strength!
Mark I read an article, and it had metrics on Kike playing shortstop, and his defensive metrics were pretty good. He is better then just a replacement shortstop, maybe not a regular shortstop, but people are unestimating his defense at shortstop, and in center.
I think people under estimate his defense, because he doesn’t look so smooth doing it, but he is doing a good job on defense, in both of these positions. Sometimes some players, look more smooth on defense, but they are not always better. Many people think that Joc is a great centerfielder, but Joc isn’t as great, as some think. Joc is a very good centerfielder, but he is not a great centerfielder, and his metrics in center, are not really better then Kike.
That might be because, Joc has more chances in center, because he plays there more. And Kike, doesn’t play as much, but he is juggling more positions, this kind of evens up it up, for not having as many chances.
Agree 100%!
I think I agree with Mark here about the club looking overall more aggressive especially on the basepaths. From the few games I have seen they are running the bases better. Roberts is probably going to play a more aggressive style of baseball. They also have better plate approaches. So far from what I have seen
Andre Ethier has a career BA against RH pitching of .304 (.889 OPS).
He has a career BA of .234 against LH pitching (.635 OPS).
Last year, he OPS’ed .900 against RH pitching and .474 against LH pitching.
Why should he play against LH pitching? Do we really expect him to suddenly get better at age 34?
It’s possible. A-Gon hit .01 against LH pitching in 2014 and upped it to .295 in 2015!
Your numbers are skewed. Last year in limited duty against LH starters Ethier hit .273 and OPS’d .708. Not as bad as you make it sound. As I said before, perhaps you missed it, the key just might be against lh relief specialist, often called LOOGY’s, GET HIM OUT OF THERE!
Also, you might be interested in SVS splits against lh starters – career .246 with a .780 OPS. Last year? Versus lh starter .231 with .690 OPS. Ethier was actually better against left handed starters.
Ain’t facts a bitch?
I just looked at his overall stats against a LH pitcher and it was poor. I’m sure you can find a stat ot two to support your position, but it doesn’t change the fact that he hit .200 against all LH last year! .200!
Injuries are awesome? Though I don’t violently disagree, I do firmly disagree. This is not a team that can continue to suffer injuries to starters. When you begin talking about backups at so many key positions you can’t in the same breath be saying this team will contend for a championship and be considered credible. It’s Kershaw and the 4 amigos in the rotation and limping starters and backups behind them. This is not how championship teams are constructed. If you recall, 2005, the Dodgers had several key injuries and ended up with 71 wins. That was a team put together by a certain A’s assistant Moneyball GM named Paul De Podesta. After that disaster De Podesta was canned. Any similarities between De Podesta and our current AGM are purely very much real and maybe that is why truth has the under on 80 wins this year.
I don’t know what’s going to happen here but my gut instincts on all of this are manifesting in reality. Again – stand by. I think we are in for a whole lot of you ain’t seen nothing yet.
I assume that our win total will be close to 90 this year. The Dodgers will have the same starting players as last year except Seager for Rollins (a clear advantage, assuming that he stays healthy). The rotation will lose Greinke so whatever they gain from Seager they will probably lose in losing Greinke. The 2nd and 3rd guys (Maeda and Kazmir) have to stay healthy and pitch credibly and they will have flotsam pitching in the 4th and 5th spot like last year. The bullpen is the same except the miraculously-improved Joe Blanton for Nicascio. Looks about the same – except that SF and Ari should be better this year than last and the Dodgers will play each team 19 times this year. The team has won 92 – 94 games each of the last 3 years and they look a little worse with the competition being better, so assuming that young players like Garcia, Baez improve and assuming no further drop off due to injury, then I’d guess around 90 wins.
If injuries are great I assume that we all hope that Clayton Kershaw gets hurt so that one of the spare parts stocked by the Braintrust gets a chance?
Walt Alston once said, “I’ll take my winning streaks in September.” I’d imagine he’d sooner have his injuries in Spring Training. Hernandez can’t be as bad at short as Mariano Duncan or Alfredo Griffin.
I thought Beachy looked good. I hope he wins the 5th starter position.
I like both Hernandez and Barnes. They play the game the correct way. I also like Johnson at second base. He has speed and would be a good lead off batter. Signing Utley or Kendrick would of been ok, but both, no.
I know a manager can make a difference. If Roberts is leading correctly, the players will reflect their manager. That is happening right now. Yesterday with runners on first and third, the pitcher threw a wild pitch. The runner scored from third and the runner from first went to third. He then scored on another wild pitch. Two runners scored without a hit. That would of never happened under Mattingly.
I agree about Beachy. He looked beefed up, especially his right side. He reminded me of some A League fast pitch guys I played against in the 70’s. Many of those guys looked they only worked out one side of their bodies. I sure hope Beachy is healthy and ready to go 6+ several times. With this team, he will likely get a shot.
I also agree that a manager can make a huge difference in getting the most out of players. Look no further than Bochy. That said, I’d rather have better players on the field.
“If injuries are great I assume that we all hope that Clayton Kershaw gets hurt so that one of the spare parts stocked by the Braintrust gets a chance?”
It’s comments like that which makes it easy for someone to call someone a name… and rightfully so!
I was writing that in the context of the Dodgers current injuries, none of which are serious. In light of that, I do like the fact that it reveals our depth – Actually, I know why you said that – It’s an attempt to obfuscate the fact that you have stated the Dodgers don’t have depth. So, you just try and change the narrative. Just like Badger. I’ll stop there…
I think starting players stats against starting pitchers is an important stat. You don’t. There is no attempt to change narrative. There is only an exchange of relevant information.
None of the Dodgers’ current injuries are serious? Really? Anderson just had back surgery. Montas had a first cervical rib resection. Ryu is recovering from labral tear repair. McCarthy from Tommy John. Turner from microfracture surgery and he hasn’t been able to play yet. Kike is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery – his shoulder isn’t strong enough yet to play OF.
Seager has only suffered a knee sprain thank goodness. Grandal a contusion – not a big deal. Kendrick a strain. We don’t yet know what Wood has suffered.
I have said that injured players can’t play so they aren’t depth. As others have stated, signing a lot of injury-prone pitchers is a high risk strategy. The risk hasn’t worked out so well so far. The real depth appears to be young starting pitchers who are the team’s top prospects. Here is one thing we agree on. So – let the real depth work. Let one or more of the kids pitch.
As to my quip about Kershaw, I was simply using an extreme to make a point. You were the one who said “Someone asked about the injuries: I THINK IT’s AWESOME – it gives others a chance to play.” I disagree – given the recent injury history of this team, we don’t need more injuries!
Van Slyke goes bomb!
First base looks like it is in good hands with Agon and Bellinger.
Bellinger is really doing well. He has never played above A, right? I like the way, he went the other way, so decisively, and came back up, and hit that double to left centerfield. The Dodgers are hitting well today. It looks like they are hitting in Colorado, if I didn’t know better. That is how good they look today.
Bellinger looks confident. Kike doesn’t.
Isn’t Bellinger only one year younger than Seager?
Bellinger looks as confident as Cory did, when he first came up. He sure looks more then a 250 hitter, in A ball.
“Someone asked about the injuries: I THINK IT’s AWESOME – it gives others a chance to play.”
I thinks the Donald used that same quip in Ohio!?!?
Maybe I need to spell this out for those of you who can’t or won’t comprehend. Early injuries reveal a teams depth and character. I welcome it. I hope we can get them out of the way now, but it is good for the team when the next man steps up. That is awesome!
Badger,
You are just “cherrypicking” statistics to fit your narrative.
It is true that last year Ethier hit .273 against LH starting pitchers, but it was a very small sampling – 33 AB’s!
In his career, he has 1,125 AB’s against LH starters and his BA is .250.
It gets worse: 2015 was his best year (only 33 AB’s), but is 2014 he was .184 against LH starters in 38 AB’s.
In 2013, he was .240 in 145 AB.
Go back to 2011 and you will see that he was pretty even from both sides of plate. He has gotten worse against LH pitching over the years. That tells me that the league has figured out how to pitch him.
Also, on SVS, you are again “cherrypicking” stats. SVS is a career .265 BA /.865 OPS against LH pitching. You just quoted his worst year. In 2015, he hit .315 against LH pitching and OPS’ede 1.045. Any way you dice it, against LH starters or LH in general, he is dramatically better than Ethiers’ numbers.
How can you say this crap with a straight face?
“I think starting players stats against starting pitchers is an important stat. You don’t. There is no attempt to change narrative. There is only an exchange of relevant information.
Your numbers are skewed. Last year in limited duty against LH starters Ethier hit .273 and OPS’d .708. Not as bad as you make it sound. As I said before, perhaps you missed it, the key just might be against lh relief specialist, often called LOOGY’s, GET HIM OUT OF THERE!
Also, you might be interested in SVS splits against lh starters – career .246 with a .780 OPS. Last year? Versus lh starter .231 with .690 OPS. Ethier was actually better against left handed starters.
Ain’t facts a bitch?
Last year was SVS worst. The year before, he was .302 and .967 against LH starters. Facts are a BITCH! You are so full of crap that if they gave you an ennema, they could bury you in a showbox!
By God Trump is here amongst us!!! Hallelujah…
Badger, no to argue, what we have here is a movement!!!
You need new material Timmons. You’ve used that line many times before. Try someting original. Like this:
“Mark is so full of sh*t his eyes are brown”
That’s mine.
So you finally did some reading. Good for you. .250 isn’t anything to submit for HOF consideration but it isn’t awful. And yes, last year’s sample is small, but only because Ethier was platooned. The platooning is a sabermetrical thang. Yeah, it’s probably here to stay, but I do get tired of hearing Ethier can’t hit lefties. He hits them better than Pederson hits righties, which isn’t saying much. He also hits lh starters better than Grandal, YOUR GUY, does and Grandal is a switch hitter!
By the way, over/under on Grandal games played – I’ll say 110. What you got?
Trump-Timmons. Yeah, I can see that.
1. My eyes are blue – yours are brown.
2. OK, new material: If BS could bounce, you’d be in orbit!
3. I can’t stand Trump.
4. Grandal – 125 games.
1 – Ethier can’t hit lefties. Van Slyke should platoon with him. He should also get more time at 1B to give Gonzalez more time off.
2 – Platooning is not a new Saber thing – the Yankees who won all of those championships in the 50’s and 60’s did it a lot – many teams have.
3 – Grandal is used in a sort of platoon too and plays 110 – 120 games – hits .270 with 22 bombs.
4 – I can’t stand Trump either.
dodgerrick
1. You are correct! Van Slyke, Thompson or another righty should platoon with Ethier. PLAY THE PERCENTAGES!!
2. Correct again! Dodgers need a Championship. Yankees knew how to win. It isn’t about Ethier being an everyday player. PLAY THE PERCENTAGES!
3. Correct! Third time a charm. I like my catchers well rested. Grandal 100-120 games (with .270 and 22 bombs) and Ellis/Barnes 40/60 games would be awesome. Its a depth thing.
4. The Trumpster is growing on me. The Trump Train looks to be picking up speed. He has got to be better than what we have had the last eight years. All you Hillary lovers better think about the buyer’s remorse you felt after waking up to see the “little sweetie” you picked up the prior evening after drinking too much. Its probably the reason Badger quit drinking. Four years of Cankles Clinton and we will ALL want to kill ourselves.
The irony of Trump wanting to harm protesters is that Trump himself is a protester.
Bumsrap, its comments like this that are pushing millions of us apolitical, centrists into the Trump camp. The following links show what is really going on and most people know it. I am all for fighting back against anarchy. We do have freedom of speech in this country and its worth fighting for.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/03/70-year-old-trump-supporter-faces-harassment-home-vandalized/
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/03/report-black-trump-supporter-murdered-in-chicago-after-trump-rally/
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/03/sickening-racist-black-fascists-spew-vile-hatred-at-trump-ohio-rally/
Yes, platooning has been around a while. But I don’t recall Alston or Lasorda doing what Mattingly did. I could be misremembering it.
Good one Mark. Is it yours? Of course not.
Here’s another example of original:
Timmons is so full of crap his bald head grew brown hair.
Now, give it another try.
Oh, since your choice, Carly, got run off early, you saying you will now vote for Hillary instead of Trump? Your wife will be proud of you!
I am not voting. PERIOD! If Trump is on the ballot.
I don’t like anyone on either side!
I don’t think you are stupid. You just have a bad luck when thinking.
It’s not luck. It’s karma.
I might take this opportunity to vote Green Party. It’s going to be a throw up between those two. This is my chance to help that karma thing.
I was thinking the same about Trump – but the Supreme Court already has one vacancy on it. A Hillary replacement justice for Scalia would be a disaster.
Justices Breyer, Kennedy and Ginsburg are all retirement age. The next president could appoint 4 new justices. As bad as Trump is, a Supreme Court remade by Hillary Clinton would be a disaster!
That’s one good point, but I would throw up in my mouth if I voted for him.
If Hillary or Bernie become President, there is a good chance that the Democratic Party wins back the Senate. That would allow Hillary or Bernie to nominate a more liberal Justice and get them seated.
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Who knows who Trump would nominate or which party would control the Senate to temper his appointment.
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If President Obama nominates a Justice with the Senate controlled by the Republican Party, the nominated Justice is more likely going to be more acceptable to both Parties. The just say NO Republican Party needs to rethink their position on an Obama nomination.
WRONG!!! The Repubs are just following the Obama, Schumer, Reid position on allowing LAME duck Presidents to nominate SC Judges.
Lame duck? Hardly. You need to read up on the definition. Obama is the President until January of next year. The term “lame duck” doesn’t apply until after the elections, which in case you haven’t marked it on your calendar isn’t until November. You also might want to check on precedent regarding this non-issue. Obama has the right, and the will of the people, to make a selection. And isn’t it sad, and clearly dysfunctional, that a few hundred can deliberately attempt to stall the will of over 65 million?
Bum can you imagine if it we were still in a Cold War with the Soviet Union, and Trump had to make the decision, on whether to push the button? I want someone who knows how to deal with these terrorists sorry. I don’t want someone that thinks they know everything. No one knows everything. It would be a very scary with Trump in control. And Bums right, you don’t know how Trump will make a supreme justice appointment. He is a moderate, and you will see more of this, once he is the republican candidate. In fact he has donated money to Hilary.
The will of the people? Just a reminder, but members of Congress are also there by virtue of the will of the people. If members of Congress say no to a liberal Supreme Court justice, they’re expressing the will of their constituency – the will of their people.
It’s that whole “checks and balances” thing.
Badger, your right about definition of lame duck president, however, it was a typo, I meant to say LAME PRESIDENT.
You are wrong about precedent and selecting judges in last year of presidency. Here is the truth:
http://thefederalist.com/2016/02/16/10-times-democrats-vowed-to-block-republican-nominees/
You might be right about 65 million, but, there is over 300 million in the country. Do the math!!
Not voting is voting!
This might the first time in my adult life I don’t vote in a Presidential election.
Here’s the best scenario: Trump, in a brief moment of self-reflection on the traits that make him unstable and unelectable, tabs Kasich as his running mate. Having now mitigated to some degree his many negatives, he goes on the win the Presidency. While celebrating on election night, he chokes on his crackers and cavier. The nation mourns….sort of, not really. Kasich inaugurated. The world breathes a sigh of relief.
Probably because O’Malley couldn’t afford two starters at every position. But seriously, in the early sixties several outfielders were platooned–Frank Howard, Duke, Wally Moon. Of course, we had a lot of switch-hitting infielders. Lasorda’s boys were primarily right-handed; it seems like the team was always looking for a big left-hand bat.
Seager — thoughts . . .
Will that knee injury — lead him to switch to 3B much much much sooner than later?
Maybe just pack him up and trade him to the A.L. to become a DH?
The brain-trust maybe better look make a trades for 3 or 4 shortstops. Go for the depth.
The June Draft is near — draft several key SSs.
It’s just a small sprain. They say he’s walking w/o a limp today.
Sunday March 13
“Seager told reporters there was concern of a meniscus tear, but that the MRI did not reveal one and that the “structure is good.” Seager added he had “some swelling” in the knee and “it kind of buckled” as he rounded first base.”
Who knows. Kinda buckled doesn’t sound good, and swelling is definitely bad. He might rebound just fine. Another question mark. Don’t rush it.
Well I started watching a game that the Marlins were playing, and they only have one hit in the eighth inning. Guess who is the manager?
Here’s a few things I see this Spring and some things I think I see:
1. The Dodgers are 28th in MLB in strikeouts (fewest) as hitters.
2. The team is 3rd in Batting Average and 9th in HR while 7th in SB. That are putting the ball in play more.
3. Austin Barnes looks like a keeper. 2B, 3B and C.
4. I think the Dodgers bought Kendrick because he was a bargain, but I look for him to be moved in the Summer. Buy low – sell for a profit!
5. Utley is here for a year – to show the guys how to play the game. I see him and Howie platooning until Howie is traded. Then it’s Kike and Chase. Next year? Micah Johnson.
6. Bellinger is going to be the story this year. Can he make the jump to AA? If so, AAA is not far off. This kid is a blue blood.
7. Don’t underestimate Louis Coleman’s value to this team.
8. I rooted for Brandon Beachy (he’s a local kid from near Indy) last year – I’m still rooting for him. He could be a nice #5.
9. Anderson, Ryu and McCarthy are all progressing – who will return and how do they fit in? I see more trades! Everybody needs pitching.
10. De Leon, Urias and Cotton – 2 of the 3 will play a significant role for the big club this year.
Not bad. I’ll respond:
1&2 – these numbers will change soon, but …. so far pretty good
3. Not this year. They’ll keep him alright – on the farm with a plane warming up with flight plans to bring him to L.A.
4. He may end up being not that cheap. If he’s any good we will need to keep him. If he isn’t, who is gonna want him? What changes that is if we are sellers in July
5. I agree
6. Agree with that too. He looks better than a .260 A Ball hitter
7. Don’t know him
8. Hope you’re right.
9. I see more trades too. In fact, these guys haven’t traded in a while. They’re overdue. Those pitchers you mentioned? Yeah. Whatever dude.
10. It’s 10 o’clock. I’m done.
Sanders & Cruz are true believers, just believer differently. Cruz gets my vote!
Ok, I got Sanders.
Score in the top of the first, Cruz 1 Sanders 1, Hilliary and Trump now at bat. No seriously, Trump has a bat in his hands and he’s threatening to use it.
Badger Trump really?
I will respond Mark and Badger.
1 and 2-looks good.
3. I like Barnes but do not see a place for him until AJ retires.
4. Signing Kendrick was a bad decision. I agree with Badger.
5. Agree
6. Bellinger is a keeper. He looks like Seager to me batting. Great defense.
7. I have seen Coleman pitch. He looked good. Could be on the team.
8. He could very well be the #5 starter.
9. Yes, more trades are coming. Lee and Bolsinger will be traded.
10. Deleon is the only one who may help. Urias and Cotton are not quite ready.
Thompson and Johnson will both be starters next year. Pederson is starting to look a little more comfortable.
I will respond Mark and Badger.
1 and 2-looks good.
3. I like Barnes but do not see a place for him until AJ retires.
4. Signing Kendrick was a bad decision. I agree with Badger.
5. Agree
6. Bellinger is a keeper. He looks like Seager to me batting. Great defense.
7. I have seen Coleman pitch. He looked good. Could be on the team.
8. Beachy could very well be the #5 starter.
9. Yes, more trades are coming. Lee and Bolsinger will be traded.
10. Deleon is the only one who may help. Urias and Cotton are not quite ready.
Thompson and Johnson will both be starters next year. Pederson is starting to look a little more comfortable.
B&B. Barnes and Bellinger will be starters in 2017.
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P&P. Pederson and Puig will have great bounce back years in 2016.
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W&W. Wood Will be traded.
Via J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group:
While Los Angeles has continued to invest in Cuban ballplayers, GM Farhan Zaidi also explains that the organization has done more to “create a stronger assimilation program” to help ensure they’ll succeed. “I think you sort of gain information from not just players you’ve signed from that market in the past, but who other teams have signed, what kind of players have succeeded. Why they’ve succeeded,” says Zaidi. “Not just their inherent talent level, but were they given the support system that I think these guys need to succeed?”
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I wonder what the Dodgers are doing with Arruebarrena to assimilate him to America and American Baseball?
He is doing just fine assimilating himself! He assimilates everything he can…
We need a third base prospect. Maybe he hit the gym real hard trying to be more like Puig. He turned himself into a 240 pound corner infielder. Or maybe he struck a deal with Taco Bell promoting the new Arrieburrito. Either way he’s still probably the best infield glove in the organization.
Isn’t that a sobering thought. Maybe the snakes will still want Howie enough to trade us a couple of prospects.
Apparently he is no longer all glove no fat.
I just read one of the first scouting reports on him. He’s listed at 6′ 200 pounds, so evidently he’s grown an inch and put on at least 30 pounds. BR has him at 230. It would be a shame if he’s a lost cause. He’s paid through ’18. Maybe the Dbacks would take him.
Did you guys already know that Wood has had a TJ surgery?
Yep. Out of high school.
Sprain is very minor..they are going to keep him out about a week..he can still hit, but not run…no need to frippen panic