The Dodgers have some decisions to make concerning their starting rotation. The club is finishing up their road trip with a series in San Francisco against the Giants starting on Monday night. Lanky right hander Brandon McCarthy is due to be activated off the disabled list and start in the series opener. Southpaw Rich Hill is also slated to be activated and start in this series as well. With those two returning the Dodgers are going to have to make a couple of roster moves to clear space. Most importantly they’re going to have to figure out who stays in the rotation and who goes.
The club has already announced that left hander Alex Wood is staying in the rotation. That’s not a surprise after his recent dominant stretch of starts. I’m good with that. Obviously Wood has been very strong and you have to leave him in the rotation.
The Dodgers could use a six-man rotation which is something they were doing earlier before guys went down with injuries. Otherwise at least one starter is going to have to be removed from the rotation. Right now, the Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Julio Urias, Hyun-jin Ryu in the rotation with Kenta Maeda still on the disabled list as well.
Maeda should come back soon as he recovers from hamstring tightness, but with McCarthy and Hill returning in this series the Dodgers can choose between using a six-man rotation or letting someone walk.
The Dodgers could option someone like Josh Fields back to Oklahoma City again since they’re carrying 8 relievers. However Fields has pitched well and the choice could come down to either keeping Hyun-jin Ryu on the roster, or sending Urias back down to Oklahoma City.
I’m going to go out on a limb and make a bold statement here. Hyun-jin Ryu is cooked, I think they should release him instead of sending Urias or Fields back to triple-A. It pains me to say this because I’ve always liked Ryu. He’s been great for the Dodgers since he was signed in 2013. He had two solid years in 2013-2014 for the Dodgers, but sadly he has been riddled with career threatening injuries since then and hasn’t been an effective pitcher in years.
Look, I hope I’m wrong, but looking at the numbers and facts and seeing him attempt his comeback this season and the way he’s pitched you can tell. He doesn’t look good. Hs velocity and command have been poor.
The numbers don’t t look good for him. Ryu is 1-5 this year in 6 starts with a 4.99 ERA in 30.2 innings pitched. He’s given up 10.3 hits per nine and struck out 33 against 14 walks. His FIP is at 5.06 and he’s allowing over 4 walks every nine innings. Ryu has had two good starts this season and has pitched past the fourth inning in only 3 of his 6 starts.
As for Urias, he’s had some control issues this year. He’s walked 11 in 21 innings and has yet to win his first start of the season. His strikeouts are down and he’s struggled with his secondary pitches. Urias is still a multi-talented young pitcher and a rising star from the Dodger’s farm system. Urias is developing but he needs to be pitching. He needs the major league experience right now.
The Dodgers management know that things don’t look to be working out with Ryu. He doesn’t look good and the club is going to try and give him some extra rest by pushing him back a couple of days.
I don’t think that’s going to help him much. I know that this is a process with Ryu and that management believes they can build him back up into a reliable starting pitcher again. That takes time. However the numbers and results say otherwise. I think that Ryu is not the same pitcher he was and may never be again. He didn’t pitch in a major league game for over two years. Sometimes guys don’t come back and you have to make a decision that’s best for the club.
We may be approaching that point with Ryu.
My guess is Ryu back to the 10 day DL, nothing bold just DL business as usual. A bold move would be to send Urias down. But FAZ aren’t into bold moves. We shall see later today.
Boy is SF off to a horrible start or what?
Why in the world would the team even consider sending Urias down?
Because of options? Oh. That makes some sense, but not a lot.
I agree Bluto, but they’ve done it before. Unless they send Fields and Van Slyke down, they need to clear two roster spots.
I have a solution as far as roster space is concerned. I think Ryu is cooked also but if the FO wants to keep him, say bye bye to Romo and Hatcher. They are so far absolutely useless.
That doesn’t address the problem of too many starting pitchers.We have CK, Hill, Urias, McCarthy, Wood, Maeda. Maeda in my opinion, would probably benefit the most in a 6 man rotation. Put Ryu either on the 10 day DL or in the pen.
Our BP would have Kenley,Baez, Avilan, Fields and Stipling along with Ryu. If needed we could bring up Ravin, Dayton(is he on the DL?) or have a look at Rhame, Schuster, Younginer or even Somson.
It was a pleasant surprise Ryu did anything. DL him. And send Dayton down. He has options left, right? Left, right. That’s funny.
Get out the brooms, we’re favored in all 3:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-mlb-predictions/games/
Did everyone get their recent shipment of Dodger Blue Kool-Aid this morning? Produced and distributed by FAZ. They are calling it their special mid-season formulated mixture. I wasn’t going to partake but hey, when you get something free from the Dodgers you take advantage of it. Correct?
They called it a 6 pack but upon opening the box there were actually 7 bottles. Made me wonder if they even have a Quality Department but of course my immediate assumption was that they probably do not. Quality is non-existent in FAZ Land so the 7 bottles getting shipped out as a 6 pack was probably quite common. After all 6, 7, 8 does it really matter how many bottles are in the box as long as all Dodger fans get their special formulated mid-season Kool-Aid from the great and powerful FAZ.
Upon opening the box I also noticed that many of the bottles were different sizes. There was one bottle that was much taller and more pronounced than the others. It seemed that the bottle itself was of much higher quality than the rest. On the label it described the Kool-Aid as exceptionally tasteful, very consistent and will always provide a pick you up if you are in a bad streak. The name on this very exquisite bottle was covered up with some strong duct tape but I could vaguely make out the first letter as being a ‘K’. Rather than pull off the tape I grabbed the next bottle.
This one was slightly smaller in size and stature. It along with all the other bottles in the box was not made of the same quality as the first one. Not sure why but evidently that is what they chose. Nevertheless they all still contained that much needed Dodger Blue Kool-Aid. The label on this one referenced that it was freshly brewed as it had a ‘born on date’ of 5/14/17. Wow that is quick turnaround. Brewed yesterday and delivered today. However the label said that the contents of the bottle should be taken in moderation as 1.) they do not know what effects it might have on the consumer and 2.) it can vary each and every time you take a drink. Just very inconsistent with a touch of guacamole flavor added. I went ahead and pulled the electrical tape off of the label and it called that bottle Urias. Hmmm.
Oh well. I was so tempted to start drinking my FAZ Kool-Aid but did want to see what else was in the box. 5 more bottles.
There were 4 bottles that were very similar to one another with slight variations. The commonality of each of those bottles were the tape used to cover the names……well upon further review it wasn’t tape after all. That’s weird. It was actual Band-Aid’s covering the names of these bottles. Did they run out of duct tape and electrical tape? Again, can only assume that their no Quality Department at FAZ land.
The label on the portly ‘band-aid’ bottle identified the content as containing a slight taste of green tea which makes the Kool-Aid go down a little slower with much more movement. I’m just hoping that the movement would not end up being me puking after consumption. They named this one Ryu.
Another of the band-aid bottles was much smaller and the label said best to consume in smaller increments and if possible take a drink every 6th day as it will taste better. This was identified as Maeda.
Another was much thinner and was identified as consume like a shot, once you start drinking you will not want to put it down. They named this bottle Mac.
The last ‘band-aid’ bottle after picking it up had an odd shape to it. Reminded me of the Aunt Jemima syrup bottles with the nice large hump. Humps are good when it comes to bottles containing Kool-Aid because they can hold a lot more. The label on this one was quite interesting in the sense it stated this Kool-Aid has been around a long time but has survived the many trials and is a favorite of FAZ Land. The only known side effect is that you could very easily break out with zits, mouth sores or blisters but it is well worth it. They named this bottle Hill.
Finally, down to the last bottle in my shipment. The label identified this one as ‘for that top performance in the middle of the night.’ What? It’s mid-morning and I’m not planning on consuming Dodger Blue Kool-Aid in the wee hours of the night. The label also states that it is yet to be fully proven but can definitely supply some kick when you need it. Guess I’ll have to keep that in mind. You never know when that might come in handy. The other difference on this bottle is that the tape used was a rubbery substance. I pulled it off and lo and behold it was like a balloon. Hmmm. This one was called Wood.
At the very bottom of the box were instructions. What? Who needs instructions to consume Blue Kool-Aid. There was a special note from FAZ saying that these were provided to every blue blood Dodgers fan and that they should consume this 6 –pack based on when those pitchers are pitching. This is a 6 pack that will last a full week. After a full week of FAZ Kool-Aid you will be thinking and feeling even you are as smart as he is.
There is a warning identifying the 4 ‘Band-Aid’ bottles that consumption of those could result in various and multiple injuries some being quite serious so definitely consume at your own risk.
Who is pitching tonight…..it’s time to see the game as the great and powerful FAZ see it.
Who is pitching? Didn’t you read my clever line in the last thread:
“Cain and dis-Abel’d today. Could be biblical.”
Dis-Abel’d of course is Brandon McCrystalpants
That’s ok. Nobody else commented on it. And if I have to explain it it’s either not funny or I’m wasting my incredible talents on the wrong crowd. Not funny is the better bet.
Maybe you should have $5.38 dotcom write your jokes for you…
There’s a 73% chance they wouldn’t be funny either.
I’ll have what Chili’s having.
Chili
I am not trying to start a political war, but I was just wondering what you thought about those pictures of the Russians in the White House, and the smart A remark, from the Russian guy, about Comey, the day after Comey, was fired?
And I truly am not wanting to start anything, I just a wanted to know your opinion on this, because I know you will tell me what you truly feel, about this.
I have no opinion on it. Wasn’t there and do not believe ANYTHING the media says or prints.
The last President bowed to a foreign leader.
Told the leader of Russia to wait until after he were elected before doing anything.
Lied to the American people about the number of refugees he was willing to allow in this country.
Allowed the terror state of Iran to have access to billions of dollars.
Sat by and did nothing while the little man in NK were developing nuclear weaponry and the means to deliver them.
The last President encouraged protests and division within our country.
Those are true acts of treason.
Do you want to know who the 2nd person after Hillary that should be in prison?
IMO, Donald has the best interest of this country in mind. Quite a contrast from the last 8 years.
Now he has to try and clean up the mess left him by the incompetence of the ‘community organizer.’
Chili
I didn’t expect this from you!
I was just asking you because I thought you would give me an honest, opinion.
You sure believe a lot of right wing media nonsense to not believe anything media says.
I think there are several levels of decision makers above the president. This world is not run by politicians. It’s run by billionaires. The media has been neutered.
Right wing Media Nonsense? I’ve seen with my own eyes the majority of what I just mentioned. Didn’t need any media to tell me what my eyes seen and my ears heard.
Badger
Sorry I wasn’t trying to bate Chil I just thought he would give me an honest take, because he has, before.
No problem. Minds are made up.
Interesting development yesterday, don’t you think?
Minds are indeed made up. Arguing politics is often entertaining, but fruitless.
Yeah MJ,
Let’s, as usual, get political.
Keep watching Madcow, she..he..whatever, is all knowing. As long as you watch that
you will for sure be misinformed. That is fake news that is meant to divert your attention
to total nonsense
You’re expending an awful lot of mental energy not liking this current front office.
Starting line up for tonight’s tiff with SF. Pederson CF, Seager SS Grandal C Bellinger LF Puig RF Utley 1B Taylor 2B Hernandez 3B McCarthy P. No word on who is coming off the active roster yet. As to the question posed by our illustrious host, Ryu should go to the DL. I do not know if he still can veto a trip to the minors, but he might be better served working on his stuff at AAA. Get stronger, get better and come back after the break and make your case for a new contract, either in LA, or elsewhere. Well word just came down on twitter. Eibner back to AAA. McCarthy activated.
So it’s a non DL move this time. Let’s see what happens when Hill comes back.
First nothing should be done until Hill can prove he can pitch well enough, and is able to pitch through the rotation for at least three or four times, without having to really to go on DL.
What has Hill done to prove he can pitch to major league hitters, this year?
He pitched in an A ball game for five innings well, only once.
And if Hill was made to pitch in Colorado after not pitching in a game for ten days, he wouldn’t have pitched any better, then Ryu did.
And Ryu has had to pitch in Colorado, twice this year.
Mr Curve ball or Hill, would have not been able to take one for the team, like Ryu did.
And just the fact that Ryu had to go through that, he deserves another start, to prove his worth.
And why is Hatcher still on this team anyways?
YEAH…..
Jonah
Are you going to watch the game?
I don’t do TV anymore. Or streaming MLB. I’ll watch a couple of innings on Gameday, Then to sleep, perchance to dream – ay, there’s the rub, for in this sleep of death what dreams may come…
Jonah
I thought so.
Ryu has worked hard trying to come back from his injury for the last 2 seasons. He was a very decent pitcher before his troubles started. I think the least the Dodgers could do with him is put him in the bullpen and see if he can be effective. He is no longer starter material. If Stripling can survive the bullpen, why not Ryu? Cut Hatcher! He’s been given enough chances and has blown enough appearances to be deemed close to worthless. This is the big leagues. Borderline doesn’t make it.
As far as Urias goes, you keep him in the rotation. He’ll find his legs with consistent starts. We are not in bad shape with the remaining starters.
I’m never going to have any respect for ballplayers at all until they quit taking perfect pitches right down the middle of the strike zone for third strikes. Like Seager just did…
Bellinger strikes out. The only ball that was in the strike zone was the last one. Which he looked at.
Moisture in the air in SF. Good place for Blister Boy to get a start. Hopefully he gets through the weak SF lineup while keeping his pitch count down.
Well, the good news is, McGlasswing almost got 6.