I thought it was pretty hilarious when Oscar called Adrian Gonzalez a file cabinet. Well the Dodgers finally placed the file cabinet on the disabled list as they activated Joc Pederson from the 10-day disabled list before their three game series in San Diego. Of course it’s important to remember that we love Adrian Gonzalez. He’s been one of the best hitters in baseball over the last ten years and a great Dodger. Gonzalez has slugged 98 home runs as a Dodger and 105 total blasts since 2012, if you count postseason homers.
Today, the #Dodgers reinstated Joc Pederson from the 10-day DL and placed Adrián González on the 10-day DL with right elbow soreness.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 5, 2017
But getting back to the file cabinet thing, it’s hard to talk a grizzled veteran like Gonzalez to just go on the disabled list, especially when they have never been on the DL in their career. Gonzalez has played in over 1,833 MLB games without being on the DL. Normally these types of players are used to playing through injuries, which is what Gonzalez has done throughout his career.
We’ve seen Gonzalez struggle with neck and back issues, but never anything that would disable him. Earlier in spring training Gonzalez suffered from tennis elbow. Apparently this was not supposed to affect him during the regular season. The Dodgers listed the official reason for injury as a “sore right elbow”. However I have heard from other sources that he may actually have a herniated disc. I can’t confirm this, but regardless Gonzo has not been the same this season.
Through 29 games and 105 plate appearances Gonzo is slashing .255/.327/.635 (24 for 94) with 11 runs batted in. Gonzo has yet to hit a home run and has just 5 extra-base hits this year. That comes out to a .635 OPS, and a 74 OPS+. That’s definitely not Gonzo like as he has averaged an .851 OPS and 27 home runs with 102 runs batted in per season during his 14 year MLB career.
Gonzalez has averaged at least 156 games per year with the Dodgers and has played in 693 games as a Dodger and has averaged about 160 games per season during his career. He’s been an ironman at first base and it will sure be strange to not see him manning his position and his familiar cleanup spot in the Dodger’s lineup.
However he was hurting the club. He wasn’t hitting and was having trouble fielding his position. It was the right call to get him some rest. In the meantime super kid Cody Bellinger gets a shot to play some first base and stay with the club a little while longer. We all know that Bellinger should remain with the club for the rest of the season, despite Dave Robert’s flawed babblings about Joc not losing his job or something. Perhaps the Dodgers instead could maybe cut one of the Mendoza line hitting utility bums to keep Bellinger on the active roster? I guess that is a discussion for another day.
In the meantime Gonzalez will rest and we get to have an extended look at Bellinger. Hopefully the file cabinet will get some new drawers and some wd40 and be back in the office in a couple of weeks.
Okay, who is the moron who keeps hitting Grandal in the 4 hole?? Excuse me, the guy is hitting .063 in that spot. 6th and 7th is where his average is best.
Nice shot by Cody……bye bye Gonzo….
Nomar was just saying Gonzalez told Roberts he would go on the DL to help the team. He’s a team guy. He didn’t need to be talked into it. I hope he’s gone longer than a couple of weeks. If it works out, we don’t really want him back until Bellinger needs a few days rest. Make AGon like a September call up. Of course, I expect pitchers to figure this kid out. Looks like a good mistake hitter to me. Stop making them and you may get him out. In the mean time, he looks kinda like Puig did when he first came up.
Some former Dodgers having a night. Greinke went 7 and beat the division leader. Schebler and Peraza with 6 hits between them, Peraza with another stolen base and 4 RBIs. They beat up the giants so, good for them.
Michael is right. Why on earth is Grandal batting 4?? I’d rather Maeda hit 4th than Grandal
Grandal needs a DL stint too. Our minor league catchers are on fire.
When he first arrived Timmons was talking about the FAZ getting the stars before they become stars. Where has that gone? Meanwhile Dee Gordon is not a wreck, and a lot of the churn has help teams all around the league. The rest of the league has been better because of the moves the FAZ has made. I’m just saying that accountability goes both ways. Trade Grandal if we can before he hits FA.
Also, I want to lay it out here that our MLB club is not better since the FAZ has gotten here, and seriously, consider whether our minor league talent is due to FAZ moves, or due to all the extra money that ownership has laid out compared to the prior regime that was operating local and international scouting and player development on a shoestring? I contend it is the latter, and in fact despite the “improvement” (which is simply matching what other contending clubs are doing), a lot of the money has been wasted. The amount of $ per WAR for our MLB squad is laughably bad, even taking out AGon. Most of the problem is in the injured starters and paying for platoon players
I agree YF. We are not better and the moves made have been the subject of much debate. Not getting on the FAZ wagon is a big part of why Timmons left. He and the other FAZophants just couldn’t take the criticism. Here we are, middle of the pack, and what’s right about this club appears to be mostly the players who were already here.
A long way to go in this season. We all hope it comes together.
And one more thing. I feel like I’m on a roll so forgive me. Instwad of trying to trick yourself into trying to find that great platoon combination and ending up signing 2 (or 3, meaning “depth”) players to play 1 position, or signing the second player with “versatility” when in fact they’re there to fill a statistic gap as a platoon, try developing and promoting players who do not need a platoon and unload those who do need a platoon. Value the everyday players as bargains, and stop fooling yourselves that two players are cheaper than one. In reality two players are not, and you end up carrying too much deadweight that blocks real talent (which forces you to trade away such talent). The vaunted 2018 is actually here already, but the FAZ has screwed those up with the moves of the last two years.
I love that 4th run. That’s the Dodger baseball I like. Infield singles and aggression on the base paths. Don’t wait for the HR (or strikeout). Go GET the runs.
Chris Reed for Grant Dayton
Zach Lee for Chris Taylor
Matt Kemp for Grandal
Grandal is no #4 hitter. He made a good throw to get the runner on that steal attempt, but the guy is the biggest rally killer on this team. 214 BA, 3 HR’s and 9 ribbies. Kemp hitting .329 with 16 ribbies and 6 HR’s…….that was not a good trade sorry…….and Kemp KILLS leftys..
Montas, Holmes, Cotton for Hill and Reddick…..bad trade…. Kazmir, bad signing, resigning Hill big mistake, McCarthy 2 wasted years….Anderson….15.6 million for zip…..Norris…bad trade….Latos, Johnson, lousy pickups in a 13 man deal that got you Wood. They shed Olivera’s contract, but signing him was a total loss. Peraza, Schebler and Dixon to the Reds For Frazier who was in turn sent to White Sox for Montas, Johnson and Thompson. They have made no major trades at the deadline that made this team the class of the division. They do shit piecemeal and call it depth, Their free agent signings are less than inspiring, they have so many hospital cases they should open a clinic on the grounds of Dodger Stadium. I for one am fed up with them. Have been for a while, to hell with it, blow it up and play the kids. If they had any balls they would release all the fodder they have and instill some youth. Roberts is the perfect manager for that kind of team…..Gonzo should be Gone-zo…….Utley is toast, Grandal can’t hit. And he sure as shit cannot block pitches in the dirt.
I have one comment left then I am off to bed since it is after midnight here. That home plate umpire tonight was TERRIBLE. He missed so many pitches he should be fired.