I heard a joke the other day. Most of the Dodger hitters were having trouble getting into their homes. Apparently someone put home plates in front of their doors. Hiyo! Hey I’ll be here all week. Seriously though there is some good news and there is some bad news in Dodger land. The good news is that the Dodgers have been getting a lot of guys on base. The bad news is they can’t knock any of them in.
The Dodger’s season circled the toilet bowl on Thursday evening with a 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. That’s right the Dodgers lost to the Reds! The Reds! In case you don’t know, the Reds are the worst team in the National League. Yet they still spanked the Dodgers in front of their home crowd. The Dodgers scored one run on four hits against Tyler Mahle. I can’t even put into words how pitiful that is.
Reds 4 9 1
Dodgers 1 4 1
WP-Mahle-3-4
LP-Buehler-2-1
SV-Iglesias-5
But there it is. Mahle tossed five innings allowing just one unearned run on three hits and struck out two. He walked four and picked up his third win of the season. The Dodgers were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. It’s not getting any better folks.
I feel sorry for Walker Buehler. The kid pitched outstanding and if not for the Dodger’s punch-less offense he would have gotten the win. Buehler struck out eight over six solid innings while allowing two earned runs on five hits. He walked none and looked every bit as good as advertised.
The Dodgers did have the lead for a while. They scored once in the bottom of the first, with some help from questionable defense from Joey Votto. In that inning Joc Pederson walked and Yasmani Grandal’s grounder was flubbed by Votto who bobbled and then double pumped and then dropped the ball all in one play. After Cody Bellinger struck out and Matt Kemp walked, Chase Utley’s single scored Joc to put the Dodgers up 1-0. Note: They would get three hits the rest of the game.
One of those was in the bottom of the second when Max Muncy’s lead-off single preceded a sacrifice, and a Grandal walk. With runners at second and third Bellinger failed to knock them in and the Dodgers got nada. Chase Utley singled and Kemp walked in the third, but the Dodgers again couldn’t score. Are we sensing a pattern here? Enrique Hernandez singled in the bottom of the seventh, but Grandal grounded into a double play. That was all from the Dodger bats. Over and out people.
The top of the sixth was Buehler and the Dodger’s undoing. The Reds would score twice to take a 2-1 lead. Here’s how it happened. Jesse Winker (???) singled and after Adam Duvall struck out, Votto’s single into right advanced Winker to second. Finally Scooter Gennett’s double scored both runners which put the game on ice. The Reds added an insurance run in the top of the seventh against Pedro Baez thanks to Billy Hamilton’s RBI triple. All four of the Cincinnati Runs were with two outs.
Oh Dodgers, how you fail. The series continues on Friday night as Matt Harvey will make his debut with the Reds. That means he’ll pitch a shutout of course. The Dodgers will send Kenta Maeda to the mound to counter.
We are quite bad. Pathetic is right.
Well, not much you can say. It was a pitiful display all around. I am very concerned with the approach of Cody Bellinger. He is still swinging from the heels and is missing balls he crushed last year. He left 5 men in scoring position. Not sure what the fix is, but something needs to be done to get the kid back on track. As for the rest, well it is what I have come to expect this year. But having a pitcher on the ropes like that and losing, well there is no excuse for that kind of play. So, until the time comes when I can have something positive to say, I will be leaving you all to discuss this train wreck on your own. I really am disgusted and fed up and totally pissed I paid good money to watch this shit.
You don’t have to leave just because the Dodgers suck Michael. You bring a lot here and your voice is important to this community. Plus we would all miss you. You are welcome to vent if there is nothing positive to say, and right now there is nothing positive to post. The Dodgers are terrible right now.
Michael I know you are just venting, and I myself have taken a day off here and there, but just in case you are really down on this team, stay with us because you are sorely needed and I’m sure lots of people enjoy your takes. We can just talk about the minor prospects too (though too early for that).
You know you’re not walking away, Norris. Too much invested. It’s okay to hate what has become of these bums. We all do. Personally, I can’t wait for this team to explode and I don’t mean to snap out of their bi-weekly, bi-polar slump. I mean explode in blowing up this organization. From the top down, a complete overhaul of old timers, geeks, and good ol’ boys. Ownership doesn’t give a shit, so they hire a yes manager. Spend as little as they possibly can and pray for that needle in a haystack. Their best player, a re-tread who nobody respects (of course, the real fans do) because of a bloated contract they wish to shed ASAP but will have to re-think this strategy with no one behind him to replace him. The no-talent Dodgers. A hapless bunch of underachievers who keep praying their farm system is going to save them. Grab your life-jackets, folks.
Mr. Norris
I know watching this happen is extremely painful it is something we knew would happen. I love reading your posts and looking at situations through your eyes. Please don’t stop posting as when things go bad we need the voice of reason and experience. Plus you have lifted my spirits many times and selfishly I still need that voice. Please reconsider. Things will get better.
I believe rhings will get better. But it frustrating to see the Dodgers do the same undisciplined bullsh*t night after night.
I would have a little pow wow with Turner Ward and find out why these hitters do not seem capable of adjusting. I would also talk with Honeycutt and get an honest opinion on this bullpen. Frankly the 5 inning wonders, as in wonder if they’ll even go 5, are not surprising me as I never had much confidence in them. But if Kershaw is now one of them that starting staff has no anchor. And if we must keep going to Hudson this bullpen needs help. Currently the bullpen is ranked 22nd in MLB. Obviously that must improve.
From my chair we are doing a lot of little things wrong. Tighten it up mechanically, get the starters back and start over. There is time, but if this is who we are things won’t improve by the deadline and we can blow it up then.
Good quote from Roberts that echoes a lot of what Badger has been saying:
“You have to have different clubs in your bag,” Roberts said. “And when you have one club, you get exposed. You look at our lineup, and there’s a lot of guys with one club right now. It doesn’t translate to production.”
Bluto
I agree, having only one club can hurt you but the Dodgers have more than one club. What can you do? Well, you can modify your existing club to be more than 1 club if you understand your game. You can add more clubs. You can repair clubs if they are damaged in some way. Bottom line is that in golf you play with 14 clubs and if one or more are not up to snuff you compensate in some way. That to me is the problem. Dodger management does not seem to know what to do when they do not have a bag full of clubs.
Interesting way of putting it.
Bellinger looks depressed. Barnes looks lost. Taylor and Puig continue to be undisciplined in the strike zone, Grandal is squirrely, Muncy and Farmer look like .220 hitters, Pederson looks like a #4 outfielder, Utley at .268 now but you know he won’t finish there, and the bullpen looks like a group that will put up a 4+ ERA. Kemp is the only one who looks excited to be there.
I don’t know what it will take to light the fire under this team, but losing the way we did, at home, to what used to be called a “second division” club is just downright embarrassing.
Zaidi on what’s wrong with the Dodgers’ offense (from Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times):
“We just haven’t hit homers,” Zaidi said. “When you look at our overarching team performance, I think we still have a positive run differential. There are some positive indicators. But we have been outhomered. We’re a team that’s played a lot of close games. When you’re playing close games and you’re getting outhomered, it’s really tough to win those games.”
By the way, I love this site and Scott Andes’ writing.
Good to see you here CT.
It’s my opinion that the home run mentality might be what’s wrong with this team. I question whether Zaidi’s message, go for more home runs, is a dangerous one. What? swing harder with an even more pronounced uppercut?
This team needs to play better fundamental baseball and on offense that means stay in the strike zone and hit line drives where the ball is pitched.
Badger
Right on target Badger. Fundamentals can win ballgames for sure.
I don’t agree with Zaidi. The problem is not the homers. Trying to do that is what gets Grandal in those two month slumps.
Thank you CT, we appreciate the kind words.
The wait for the HR offense is the problem, not the answer.
Especially when hitters are struggling, or when we are facing decent pitching.
When a hitter is trying to hit a HR every time they are up, they are nothing but an easy out!
I still am wondering if the extra muscle Cody put on, is messing with his swing.
Because like Rick Monday said in spring training, it takes quite a bit of flexibility to swing like Cody does.
And Cody is missing fastballs right down the middle of the plate, and I remember him hitting a fastball that was up by his ears last year, and he hit that fastball out.
And the extra muscle is the difference with Cody, and we are not talking about curves on his hands, we are just talking about fastballs.
He may have lost some quickness in his swing, with that extra muscle too.
And don’t we have better options in the minors, then Hudson?
I don’t understand why they always go to these retreads, instead of giving some of our young pitchers, a chance, to see what they will do.
I won’t be surprised to see Turner Ward’s head on the chopping block if the offense doesn’t improve soon. In my opinion, the results under his tutelage have been underwhelming. He’s not doing a great job (and yes, it’s up to the hitters to hit), which should be enough for him to lose it. He also makes a convenient public sacrificial lamb for the front office, which may want to take some action to pacify the fans.
CT Dodger Fan
I agree, somebody will be the lamb. I would rather it be Dave but I think Dave may be next time. The players seem to love Ward.
I would also rather it be Dave, but that will never happen. The front office loves him.
Roberts contract has not yet been renewed….so anything is possible although not probable.
I guess last night, Nomar and Jerry, really put the front office on blast, in directly.
They said forget the analytics, and play the game the right way.
I am going to take a look at the post game show myself, later today.
I think the problem is they believe they are playing the game the right way. I blame it on Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.
Badger
That way was a means for a small market team to get the best, of what they have.
And as you know, the Dodgers are not a team, with not a lot of means, so that shouldn’t be the concept for a team, like the Dodgers.
And saber metrics should only be used as a tool, not a total team concept.
And that means you don’t forget everything else that has been proven about the game, throughout its history.
MJ, I figured they would use a blend of a lot of metrics and a lot of money. They spent huge early, mostly on Cubans, then started throwing $48 million around (remember those?) now the tax reset. Looks like they are now between a rock and hard cap. They aren’t going over $197mm. Should be enough if you’ve done the ground work. Don’t see it yet.
Badger
I thought exactly like you, but if they are not going to do anything after this team went to game seven, that says it all.
Well MJ, an argument could be made that you don’t mess with a 104 win 7th game World Series team.
Replace those who choose to walk (Morrow, Watson) and tee it up again. They got Koehler and Alexander. Let’s go.
Now they are somewhat handcuffed by not being able to address this broken team by throwing money at it. Now the depth they’ve been building for 4 years gets seriously tested.
How’s all that working out?
Badger
C’ mon man, MJ has a point. Just because the Dodgers got to game 7 does not mean you don’t try to improve.
All I said was an argument could be made. They did make several moves. Nothing that cost much though. I think they figured it was a good time to reset the cap.
Farhan Zaidi in the LA Times yesterday said the Dodgers were losing close games because they were being out homered. Honestly, it just shows these guys in the FO just aren’t as bright as they claim to be. Now that the outlier seasons have regressed (Puig, Taylor), Kershaw has begun his decline, Jansen has begun his decline etc, all the terrible moves these guys have made have come home to roost.
Out homered? How about assembling a bullpen that isn’t an unmitigated disaster. Fields and Baez were going to be your setup guys? How about mixing in some hitters that aren’t all feast or famine.
Yes, the Dodgers are awful and this is going to be a lost season, but some of garbage that these guys say does not bode well for the future.
Exactly Package, it should make them want to improve the team, to win it all.
And they already knew Corey was iffy.
And a team’s value goes up, after a team wins, a World Series.
They could have at the least, got a couple good arms for the pen, and pay the luxury tax penalty, one last time.
Because a lot of money comes off the books, after this year.
Never said I was leaving for good, but I definitely need a blow. At this point I find nothing compelling or good to say about the team or the organization. Except for Kemp, and the last 3 games of Walker Buehler, this is not a fun bunch of guys to watch. It is a team full of utility players and not one single star of note. Baez is a walking gas can, enough already. Hudson is just as bad, ship him out. The team does have that homer or bust mentality except for Kemp and Utley. They also said last night that they were the 3rd worse defensive team in the league. They are also suffering from the at em ball syndrome. Because they have squared up some pitches and they have been caught. I think part of the defense problem is the constant movement to different positions of these guys. Some of it caused by injury’s for sure, but sheesh, it is a constant carousel out there. Chargois has his moments, but then all of a sudden the guy cannot find the plate. They are totally devoid of fundamental baseball, and I am sorry sabermaticians, there is a better way to play baseball than the crap you are trying to sell to the fans. The starting rotation is the first black hole. They put the team behind the 8 ball too often and this team has not shown the ability to come back, especially when trailing after the 7th inning. Buehler gives up two runs and loses, and then the kid says it is his fault for giving up the runs. That’s balsy. I would have cussed out my offense for leaving so many guys on base the first 3 innings. Would it kill those guys to shorten up and just go for a base hit? Chris Taylor 0-4, he is the table setter and he is hitting .228 with a OBP under 3. Pederson 0-2 with a walk and a run, still no power. Left 2 runners on base. Grandal, 0-3 with a walk and hit into a DP killing a possible rally. Bellinger, 0-4 with 2 more K’s and left 5 runners on. The kid needs a day on the bench. Kemp, 0-3 with a walk. Nobody on base when he hit. Utley, 2-3 with a ribbie…. Puig, 0-4 with 2 Ks and left 4 men on base. Muncy, 1-3 with a walk and 2 K’s. There are no quick fixes. Turner will be back when they go to Miami and Forsythe soon after that. Toles had a setback in his re-hab and remains out. If healthy, he could be a plus, but right now, that is not happening. Locastro was kept because of his speed. I would rather see Verdugo back. One thing is for certain. This team needs a shake up and a spark. Because it sure is not coming from management or the coaching staff. Make a trade, do something instead of just letting it spiral out of control until you are so far behind, you have no chance of catching up. They were lucky to not lose ground last night. All the western division teams lost. Harvey has a 7 ERA. They should beat that guy. But then again they should have won last night too. Make some moves, send some guys down, anything. Change the chemistry. Billy Beane has never won a championship with his way of doing things, but he started something that has made baseball the unwatchable mess it is today.
Lost season, nothing more to see
I dont know you guys get so upset.
These games are virtually meaningless.
MLB has way too many games that determine the playoffs.
Hard to watch and trust baseball these days.
Honestly, I think the players are just off their juice cycle.
They will collectively hit soon.
Once you accepted that, you will never look at baseball the same again.
Remember, the players make the manager look good, its never the other way around.
Never trust MLB
First addressing what MJ said. They lost Morrow and Watson, Kazmir, Gonzalez , Ethier, McCarthy, Avilan, Oaks, Dayton, Ravin, Granderson, Darvish, Gutierrez. Now not all those guys made significant contributions to the team, but a couple did. They signed Koehler, who is the only major free agent. Owens, Dylan Barker, they traded for Alexander and Kemp, and they picked up Chargois on waivers. So far they have Forsythe, Turner, Kershaw, Toles, Ryu, Koehler and Seager on the DL. They have Buehler to fill a hole in the rotation, but they really have no offensive upgrades at AAA. They did not in my mind upgrade the bullpen all that much. They are counting on the guys who got them there last year to at least match or improve on what they did. So far, that is not happening at all. Most of the team is lost offensively…except for Kemp….and for a while Grandal. But everyone else, they are a mess. The starting and relief pitching is inconsistent. They could have made some significant moves, and chose not to. They chose to get under the luxury tax. And friends they are paying the price for that right now. But not on the attendance side. The lambs are being led to slaughter as if this team was still good. What I see night after night it futility. I see no progress….I see a bad baseball team led by a front office that is more concerned with money than those who spend all their hard earned cash to watch this train wreck.
I think they figured Koehler and Alexander were lightning in a bottle again, they have Jansen, so….. with Kershaw in a contract year, ditto Grandal, Seager, Bellinger, Turner, Puig and Taylor anchoring the offense of a 104 win team, they had enough to do it again AND reset the cap. They have no real plan for losing this many starters.
Well it looks like the rest of the world is now finally admitting that this site and the rest of the real fans were right all along.
A new Forbes article is out – Forbes – that states the Dodgers “depth” is grossly overstated. The issue isn’t moneyball, or the approach to get depth, but simply the FBZ and the rest of the FO is not as good as people think. When the dust settles, the take away from the Guggenheim era may be the wasted opportunities. They still have time to turn it around but they have to build on moneyball and advanced stats, to win, not just to use moneyball and advanced stats to look good.
Listening to this interview with Mickey Hatcher is very enlightening. This is what the flip in Dodgers need, someone like Lasorda to come in although he’s too old to do it, and light a fire under these guys and get some shit going.
He was spot on with his comments about the strike zone.
Just read that article Yueh. He’s absolutely right of course. FAZ may be given some rope in a reset year. How much? Hopefully just one year.
Maeda might be next on the DL
Maeda has always been next on the DL. A weak pitcher with a weak arm/shoulder. He is not fit to be a starter, plain and simple. Damaged goods. Bullpen work will be a big plus for the Dodgers, however, he must be replaced in the rotation by someone decent. And, as you can see, it’s a disaster for the pitching staff and I don’t want to hear that they never saw it coming. All the fans knew it was coming but most wouldn’t believe it because of the cinderella year.
Blow it up!
Kemps at bat with Nomars commentary summed up everything. Kemp is pissed and getsbtossed but Doc argues and then walks away like a fucking puppy dog. Sorry for my foul mouth but I am soooo over this milk toast manager. I used to respect him…. NO MAS!!!!
Homer Orel could not even explain why they toss away the pitches that hit the dirt. Yet explains some other half ass shit that almost explains it. Really???? Are we actually hearing this crap? He is as bad as the team. STOP DRINKING THE BLUE KOOL AIDE!!!!!!!
I still think this team is better than this and will snap out of it. I also believe that FAZ ain’t the geniuses some people think they are. These two positions are not mutually exclusive.
Though I’m not entirely sure what Bert was talking about above, I agree with his statement about players/managers. Removing Roberts wouldn’t change a thing. These players are not playing well. Shake it up. Send Barnes down. He looks lost at the plate. Play Utley every day until Forsythe gets back. Play Farmer every day until Turner gets back. Outfield of Kemp, Verdugo and Puig. Infield: Farmer, Taylor, Utley, Bellinger, Grandal – every day until starters return.. Substitute and PH normally in later innings. We do this and ride this slump out. Pitching? The rotation sucks. Most of us here knew that. We need to get the best arms in the organization ready to step up now, or trade them for somebody who is ready to step up. So, consider AA prospects for a few innings. The late summer revolving door is already spinning. Until further notice, Stewart, Stripling are now in the rotation with Kershaw, Wood, Buehler, Maeda and Hill. Hill and Maeda may never be the same but at this point tough sh*t, the bed is made, we must lay down in it. If Banuelos is not part of the support group then wtf is he doing there? You can bet the phones are dialing and ringing at all hours. FAZ will try something and my guess is it will look Beachy.
It’s the cap reset year. We can add no salary so some creativity is needed here. Also what is needed is some patience and trust. It’s still May. We must ride the storm out. If this is the year all four FAZ tires go flat then so be it. This winter we can address everything, including Friedman, Zaidi and Roberts.
Badger
The key to your comment in my opinion. Play players in the same position every day and also include the batting lineup.
Yep. That’s what I would do for the time being. Everybody has a job to do and they know exactly what to expect when they get to the ballpark. If it doesn’t work, then we humbly accept our fate.
Getting Turner and Forsythe back will help, if only for the cursory stability factor. There appears to be no real help at Oklahoma, and we won’t be adding payroll so what you see is what you get.
In all honesty if Kershaw isn’t coming back full strength we are hosed. You can’t lose your ace and your best position player and expect to compete for a championship. Not with the unreliability of the rest of this staff. All you can do is keep playing and hope you are successful enough to sneak into the playoffs. Kinda like Arizona did last year. We do something like that, and I do think that is possible, we will likely suffer the same fate they did.
I am still hopeful we can turn this thing around, but I also accept that by the All Star break we may be facing a rebuild.