The Dodger pitching staff is a mess. The pathetic state of the Dodger pitching became even more apparent after Wednesday’s 12-2 drubbing by the surging Rockies. It should have come as no surprise to anyone with half a brain that minor leaguer Brock Stewart would get lit up like a Christmas tree by the Colorado offense. Professional hitters such as Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez were like bus drivers taking Stewart and the rest of the Dodger’s sorry pitching to school. The Dodger bats did next to nothing against fellow rookie Tyler Anderson save for a Justin Turner first inning home run.
The pitching staff is a disjointed disaster right now. As I have said before many times you can’t have your bullpen pitch 5 innings every night. That’s not a sustainable strategy for winning. That will result in burning out your bullpen by August. So it’s no shock that two of the Dodger’s best relievers Adam Liberatore and Louis Coleman have landed on the disabled list joining the hordes of other Dodgers unable to stay healthy.
If you look at their respective injuries you can easily see it’s from severe exhaustion and overwork from the inadequate rotation. When relievers suffer injuries like “Right shoulder fatigue” or “Left elbow inflammation” that’s from the rotation not turning in enough innings. The Dodgers don’t even know who’s going to start from day to day.
Dodgers Lineup @ Colorado
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Reddick RF
Gonzalez 1B
Grandal C
Kendrick LF
Pederson CF
Maeda P
Kenta Maeda-9-7 vs. Tyler Chatwood-10-6
Game Time – 5:40 PM – TV-SNLA
That’s utterly sad for a club that has the resources that the Dodgers do. Unsurprisingly injury riddled pitchers like Brett Anderson, Hyun-jin Ryu, and Brandon Beachy were unable to ride to the rescue. Brandon McCarthy has pitched well since returning but he’s starting to break down too. The lack of durability and innings is the fault of the architects Andrew Friedman. The blame should fall squarely on his moronic shoulders.
The Dodgers desperately need innings out of tonight’s starter Kenta Maeda. Unfortunately Maeda has never pitched more than 7 innings since joining the Dodgers. So the odds of the team having to get another 4-5 innings from the bullpen are great. It’s up to good old reliable Kenta to get the Dodgers some innings.
Maeda has been good this season, posting a 9-7 record and a 3.22 ERA over 21 starts. His 9.0 strikeout per nine rate and 2.4 walk per nine rate are both excellent. He has 120 strikeouts and 32 walks while allowing 7.4 hits per nine innings across 120 frames. Maeda has faced Colorado twice this year and is 1-1 with a 0.69 ERA against the Rockies. Maeda has struck out 17 and walked two while allowing just one earned run in 13 innings pitched. He picked up a no-decision in his last start against Arizona after he allowed two earned runs on four hits over 6.1 innings.
Maeda vs. Rockies
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Nolan Arenado | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Gonzalez | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ LeMahieu | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .400 | .400 | .400 | .800 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cristhian Adames | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Charlie Blackmon | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Descalso | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Hundley | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Raburn | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Rusin | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tony Wolters | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Chatwood | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 37 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | .167 | .189 | .194 | .384 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Colorado will counter with right hander Tyler Chatwood as they go for the sweep in the series finale. Chatwood is 10-6 with a 3.50 ERA over 19 starts this season. In 110 innings he’s struck out only 70, good for a 5.7 whiff per nine rate. His walks are up too, up from 3.0 per nine last year to 4.1 per nine this year. He’s pitching more to contact and has the ability to induce some grounders. He’s allowed 8.1 hits per nine innings and has a 4.22 FIP.
Chatwood is 2-2 in the month of July and has faced the Dodgers twice this season going 1-1. Overall he is 4-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 9 career starts against the Dodgers. Here’s how the Dodgers have done against him.
Chatwood vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| A.J. Ellis | 24 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | .222 | .348 | .444 | .792 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 22 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | .211 | .318 | .368 | .687 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Chase Utley | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 | .222 | .222 | .444 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 | .143 | .286 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Seager | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .250 | .500 | .250 | .750 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .200 | .000 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 | .400 | .400 | .800 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe Blanton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .500 | .000 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenta Maeda | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon McCarthy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 91 | 77 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 11 | .208 | .311 | .312 | .623 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
The Dodgers need pitching help so the club has called up Grant Dayton from Oklahoma City and optioned Brock Stewart back to the minors. Dayton tossed two scoreless innings in relief back on July 22. Honestly I don’t understand why the Dodgers would rather use reclamation bums like Jesse Chavez and Josh Fields over a youngster (Dayton) who actually has talent.
#Dodgers have recalled LHP Grant Dayton from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned RHP Brock Stewart to OKC.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 4, 2016
The pressure is on because the Giants won at Philadelphia this afternoon to avoid a sweep. The Dodgers will have to do the same if they want to remain 2 games back in the NL West race.
|
#
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
PCT
|
GB
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
L10
|
||
|
1
|
|
62
|
46
|
.574
|
–
|
32-21
|
30-25
|
4-6
|
||
|
2
|
|
59
|
48
|
.551
|
2.5
|
33-20
|
26-28
|
5-5
|
||
|
3
|
|
54
|
53
|
.505
|
7.5
|
27-24
|
27-29
|
8-2
|
||
|
4
|
|
47
|
61
|
.435
|
15.0
|
26-28
|
21-33
|
5-5
|
||
|
5
|
|
43
|
65
|
.398
|
19.0
|
17-38
|
26-27
|
2-8
|
||
Go Blue!
I liked what I saw of Dayton that one time. I have never like what I’ve seen from Chavez and Fields. I see no logical reason to have those 2 on this roster. Ross Stripling has a brighter future than both of those guys.
Agree. They keep bragging on the farm but dredging up guys to block the kids. Dayton came over for Chris Reed, one of our less distinguished #1 picks. Where in the world is Jose De Leon?
Good post from “Always Compete” over on TBLA. He usually has some good insight on the intricacies of the farm system, I believe he has or had a son in as high as AA recently. Since he doesn’t post here anymore I will take the liberty of cut and pasting his post.
“I think it is a testament as to the quality of Drew Saylor and his player development skills that got his players ready to move to AA. While Advanced A is in fact when prospects really burst onto the scene, most of the minor league prospects that I have talked to said that the step from Advanced A to AA is tougher than the jump from AA to AAA. It can be argued that AA is the toughest link in the advancement change (especially mid year). It takes a great player development guy to ready the true prospects. Not only congratulations to the players that got the promotion, but also to Drew Saylor and his coaches, Rafael Ozuna, Kip Wells, and Jay Gibbons.” Posted by AC on TBLA 8/4
http://www.truebluela.com/2015/11/17/9747988/drew-saylor-hired-dodgers-player-development
We need more like him at all levels, including the Major League level.
So Bud Norris is still not healthy from his back strain or whatever it was. Therefore, it looks like Jose DeLeon could be making his mlb debut Saturday afternoon v. Boston.
Finally. Hope they bring him up a few games before his start and let him sit on the bench and get dressed in the locker room a few times before he pitches.
I think I better get my glove out of the closet and start getting my arm back in shape, I really couldn’t do much worse than the retreads, un-trieds and never-weres are doing. I might even give them a home club discount. On second thought, screw the discount, they have been throwing away good money for years now, why should I stop them now?
Don’t sell yourself short TrueBlue
Here is where I disagree with most of the comments that want more from FAZ.
If FAZ had to give up Holmes, Montas, and Cotton to get two rentals don’t you have to ask yourself what they would have had to give up for Archer? The teams that seemed to get more help also gave up top prospects and here is my thought of why that might not be such a great idea.
I want to watch a team full of players that came up through the Dodger organization and not a team full of free agents, rentals, aging veterans. I don’t want the Jeff Kents or the Gonzos on the team that complain about having to play with rookies like Loney, Kemp, Billingsley, etc.
In the next couple of years I want to see a team composed of Bellinger, Seager, Verdugo, Pederson and I want to see a rotation of Kershaw, Urias, De Leon, Alveraz, Buehler, and yes Stewart.
What players do you want to see on the Dodgers in the coming years? Given that, who do you want to trade for the players that you crave? Just bitching without sticking your neck out and identifying who you would give up is chicken shit.
I didn’t care about Cotton or Montas. I likes Holmes but the Dodgers have had pitchers that has good stuff but never masters control and command.
The Dodgers are in a pennant race. It is a good one. We might prefer for them to be 15 games ahead of the second place team but that rarely happens. They have a mix of young and veteran players. They get along with each other.
It is more fun to see the Dodgers as a glass half full.
Many of you talk like players like Bellinger and Verdugo and others are sure to be star players. Their future in 2018 is no more guaranteed than Urias, Montas et al were. We’ve seen many of our projected all stars fall flat on their face, or trade for shoddy goods. I think if we get a chance to trade a “Maybe” or three for a proven performer we desperately need, only a damn fool would turn it down. The future is now!
I will always look 3 years out. Verdugo, Bellinger, don’t have to carry the team on their backs. They just need to a little better than replacement. The Dodgers will still need somebody like Turner and Agon to anchor the team but a young core is also needed.
If the Dodgers trade away their young core who will they get to take their places? Free agents? Jeff Kents? Veterans trying to stretch their careers one more year?
This front office could have got some decent arms for the pen, if they looked in the National league.
And they wouldn’t have gave up much.
They will have to trade some of there young pitchers anyways, to get either young position players, are a proven major leaguer, because the Dodgers don’t have many good position players, in the minors.
I guess they prefer to wait and hope. Sometimes that pays off, but in the meantime some of us just grind our teeth. Wish I could be that optimistic and just enjoy watching Vin’s final year…oh, wait.
The Giants slowly brought up their guys; Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Belt, Panik, Crawford, Duffy (till he was dealt), Posey. The Cubs brought up almost all of their team. Sometimes when you have a lot of top prospects, you need to give them a shot; they’re top prospects for a reason. Yes, not all win pan out. But some will, and many should be contributors.
We did that for a while in the mid-2000’s. The 2008/2009 teams that were lost to Philly (who also had home grown guys) was this close to being really good. Martin, Loney, Kemp, Ethier, Kersh, Bills, Brox, etc. If we could have made a real trade (CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee), we would have at least 1 ring.
We’re not at a crossroads point. We have some older guys (Turner, Agone, Utley, Howie), and some younger guys (Seager, Joc, Grandal). We’ll need those top prospects to join Seager, Joc, Grandal, Urias ,etc in the next couple years, and then go out and get the final piece to win it (something this management team has not been able to do/ hasn’t wanted to do)
They are doing exactly what you said they need to do so not sure what you mean by your ending thought.
If Ned had been allowed to add some pitching instead of letting Lowe and Wolf walk, that might have done it. Were the Dodgers worse off for getting Reggie Smith, Rick Monday and Dusty Baker in the outfield? Or Tommy John, Burt Hooten and Jerry Ruess on the mound?
Just do it Snider Fan. Its a decision, a choice. Make it.
Bum
There will only be one 1968 draft.
Scott, how can you say the Dodger pitching staff is a mess?
We have the wonderlicks running the show with a new paradigm for starting pitchers – go after everyone’s rejects, and save a lot of money in the process.
The BP arms are starting to look used ( two recent additions to the DL), and no hope of it getting any better.
Don’t hold your breath because we will get the same thing next year, with some not quite ready kids in the mix.
As much as Magic has a history of championships, and winning, you would think he might have something to say like: the ‘Plan’ isn’t working Andrew, you need to make a U turn and rethink the dumpster dives.
Yea, wishful thinking.
The guy announcing the the game with orel and Nomar is that Joe davis
it is
“The future is now!”
I don’t think that’s true.
I have no problem with older proven vets coming to play for the Dodgers – if they are Southern California guys. Kent and Utley are good examples. Surly dickwads like Kevin Brown can stay wherever it is they came from. I think Brown came from Georgia. Nothin much good comes from Georgia. But ‘cept peanuts. Peanuts are ok.
What some are forgetting is the free agents that will be available in the coming years. Of course not all of our prospects will be stars, but some of them will be. Seager already is. Urias should be. No way of knowing until those other guys get here, but I trust we have some good talent working its way up. I think our future looks exciting. Not the one now, the one that comes later. The future now, as in the next few months, looks opaque to me. Not having our ace just doesn’t fill me with confidence. But, I’m in for the ride. I’m ok with surprises. Let’s see it.
I like Utley as well Badger. Never liked Kent or Gonzo. And, I only like Utley because he plays well with the young guys and because we also have young guys. Don’t want a team full of other teams’ ex-players.
Unfortunately Bum most of the current team is other teams ex players. Sorry DL markers. We need proven talent to mix with our current group of home grown kids and the up and comers. Guys that want to play in LA and work with the developing “monster” to quote Mark. Will FAZ do it? Past patterns say no. I sure hope something changes with that part of the “plan”. Cause retreads working with the potential studs ain’t working so far.
Once again I will say, has LA become a non destination for proven veterans….. By choice?
Will I think that crossed Greinke’s mind, when they didn’t do much
Can’t create a hole when filling another. Teams are now demanding a ransom in top prospects now for proven players.
Hard to argue with someone improving the team with a magic wand.
Bum
There will only be one 1968 draft.
Literally.