The Dodgers have hit 248 home runs setting a single season franchise record. They are just one shy of tying the all-time National League mark for dongs in a campaign. The Dodgers hit three of them on Tuesday night (all from a trio of veterans) against the Rockies helping them to defeat the Colorado nine by a 5-3 score. Two of those home runs (a three-run shot from Russell Martin, and a solo homer from David Freese) helped the Dodgers score four runs in the seventh inning rally to overcome a 2-0 deficit. The Dodger’s magic number to clinch their seventh consecutive National League West title is now at 5.
Home runs were the name of the game tonight and all seven runs in the game came on dingers. The Dodgers started Julio Urias, who pitched three innings and allowed a second inning home run to Daniel Murphy while also striking out three. Nolan Arenado homered in the fourth off of Yimi Garcia (what else is new?) putting Colorado up 2-0.
Meanwhile the Dodgers couldn’t hit Colorado starter Chi Chi Gonzalez. Hilariously Gonzalez held the Dodgers to just two earned runs on three hits over 6.1 innings while whiffing three. Up until the seventh inning the Dodgers had tallied just one hit off of the walking corpse of Gonzalez. It was almost as if the Dodgers had 27 Austin Barnes in the lineup, unable to hit one of the worst starters in the major leagues. In the seventh inning Cody Bellinger worked a walk. One out later Matt Beaty singled into right field to put two on. Bryan Shaw replaced Gonzalez and after getting Enrique Hernandez to line out to center, couldn’t retire Russell Martin. The veteran catcher slugged one into the left field pavilion to put the Dodgers on top 3-2. Then David Freese immediately homered as well and the Dodgers extended their lead to 4-2.
The Rockies threatened in the top of the eighth against Casey Sadler. With two outs consecutive singles from Arenado and Charlie Blackmon put runners at the corners. But sadler got Murphy to fly out to center field to end the inning. In the bottom half of the eighth, Justin Turner got in on the fun with a homer down the left field line to put the Dodgers ahead 5-2. That’s Turner’s 27th home run of the season. In case you were wondering about wonderkid Gavin Lux, he batted lead-off and recorded another hit. The super rookie looks polished beyond his years.
In the top of the ninth, the Dodgers brought in Kenley Jansen, who is now a shell of his former self. As usual Kenley threw nothing but ineffective cutters that don’t cut much, but was able to secure the win. After Ian Desmond lined out to right, Ryan McMahon walked. Pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso doubled McMahon to third. Tony Wolter’s grounder scored McMahon to cut the lead to 5-3. However by then there was two outs. Finally Kenley gets Raimel Tapia to ground out to end the game. Dodgers win. The boys in blue are now 91-55 and end the series with Colorado on Wednesday night. They’ll go for the sweep and give the ball to Hyun-jin Ryu in hopes that he can recover from four poor starts in a row.
Another late inning rally, fueled by the dinger.
The barrage of HR’s the Dodgers have mounted are incredible, to say the least. 11 players in double figures, and almost 4 in the 30+ Club. The late inning rallies and walk-offs are exciting, indeed. Many of these feats, and 91 wins, are fueled by the caliber of teams the Dodgers face in the National League, the inability of the offense to score early, the ability of the starting pitchers to surrender early leads, or the inability of the bullpen to hold a lead. But what happens, should the HR barrage cease?
Don’t forget the negatives. If not for the HR’s, the Dodger offense is mediocre, to say the least. The inability to take advantage of scoring opportunities and their “swing for the fences” mentality, leading to strikeouts, will be exposed against the more elite teams. We all know that the Achilles Heel is the Dodger bullpen, the bullpen is a travesty, and will be their demise, should the starting rotation continue to come up short with a weak 5 innings of work. As many HR’s the Dodgers are hitting, the Dodger pitching staff has forked over quite a few, as well, many coming at the most inopportune time. And then their biggest problem is Jansen. The lack of a legitimate closer will send the Dodgers packing early for winter break.
So, enjoy these games now, Dodger Fans. It might get ugly, come playoff time.
The Achilles heel of our bullpen is our relief pitchers.
Wow, GasKanley just can’t get thru a clean inning anymore. Can we really survive our Achilles Heal (yeah our bullpen pitchers)? No lead is safe!
Hello Bluefan4Life and True Blue! I think i can answer that question of surviving in this upcoming PS with our Achilles heal…NO, it’s as simple as that. And to Bluefan’s point on what happens when the HR’s are not there…they won’t be there like they are at the moment because of the better pitching they will face in the PS. If they can’t score in other ways, and strike out on many occasion with men on, then it will be a very short PS appearance and that BP speaks for itself. But Roberts has a lot to do with all this, because of the decisions that are continually made in spite of what has taken place and witnessed BY ALL OF US!
What happened to Package? Maybe he just couldn’t take the madness any longer. Or maybe he is just “beating his dummy”. Did the stupidity of Brutus end him? Did Michael’s lack of humor bore him to death? Did the Little Ole’ Lady from Pasadena snivel once too often?
Of course, I kid, I kid, lol.
BlueFan, we are beating a dead horse, they’re definitely some very big issues for this club and the post-season. It has all been said, time and time again. Most of us yearn hugely for a WS Championship, others are just pleased to have a lot of wins in the regular season, we can’t change those in the latter category. I am of a firm belief, that those that never really played team sports or competed on championship caliber teams (at whatever level) really don’t get it, feel it, or understand the drive to not only be good but to be great. You see, we are speaking a foreign language to them. For those type, good is good enough, hand them a Participation Award and move on. It is just WRONG that the Dodgers have not won the big coconut since 1988, far too long.
Paul and True,
Thanks. You guys know where I am coming from, and I know where you are coming from. We “are” beating a dead horse.
I am no expert, by no means. I hate to be such a downer, because I know it hurts many Dodger fans. I am a Dodger fan, and always will be. But, the bottom line is I cannot be swayed into visions of grandeur. I cannot buy into this “sabermetrics” stuff… It is just not bringing home the ring. I used to be a real “Homey”, and the Dodgers could do no wrong. But, as time has gone by, I realized that I just have to keep it as real as I can. I’ll, “Root, root, root for the Dodgers”, and I will reward them with accolades when deserved. But I refuse to make excuses for the team’s shortcomings. Even when they win, there is aways room for improvement. I just hope that these die hard Dodger “Homeys” are not fooled by all these wins, because the negatives will be more apparent as they get into the playoffs.
I certainly hope that my negativity has not chased away anybody. I am open to hearing from both sides, but not open to nonsense.
They’re big boys (or I hope they are), they should be able to take it. Are you negative or are you in fact just pointing out some negative things that will continue to haunt this team? Your assessment on shortcomings isn’t negative at all, now if you were out in space just talking nonsense for the sake of being negative, that would be another thing, however I don’t sense that is what you are doing.
Root for the Dodgers for sure, with no blue dodger goggles on.
????. No blue goggles here, True! I think you know Me well enough by now! I can honestly admit that I am a glass half empty kind of guy. Therefore I can be known to lean towards the negative side. I think there is nothing wrong with negativity. In most cases I think it leaves room for improvement.
Like I said though, I will shower the Dodgers with nothing but positive praise, when they have earned it. I know nobody is perfect, and that is why baseball is just that, “a game”. It is the Dodgers’ responsibility to at least put out their best effort to win this “game”. If after the dust clears, the Dodgers are carrying that WS Trophy and hoisting that WS Pennant, then all the negatives are just water under the bridge, and nothing more.
Also, negativity, I hope, makes for good conversation. Positivity is a good thing, as long as it is not based on nonsense.
Bluefan, reread my text, I never even implied you had blue goggles on, just opposite actually. I don’t wear blue dodger goggles and like you said we are on the same page. Besides, Michael has cornered the market on Blue Dodger Goggles, they must have been purchased over on the Pedro Files blog or somewhere like that.
Ryu”s tank is on empty, btw. He needs to miss two starts at least and see if he can get recharged.
No hard feelings True. We all know how things can be taken out of context.
Yup, Ryu needs a recharge for sure. I am a bit concerned, not only for Ryu, but for all the starters. It may be “pitching rotation by committee” in October.
Forgot to mention that although Ryu struggled on the mound, he had a key sacrifice in the 4-run 3rd, as well as a key single (1 of the 7 hits by the Dodgers last night) that set the table for Pederson’s second dinger of the game, in the 4th. If not for the 3rd inning rally, and those two runs in the 4th, we might of had to sweat through the ninth with old reliable Gaskanley, or they might have even lost the game before having to witness another Jansen meltdown.
Bluefan, I know that you can see that I am also on those same pages as you and True. We ALL wish we didn’t even have to bring the subject of Kenley up or that of Roberts if those 2 were a bit better at doing what they are PAID to do. Meaning Roberts should do a better job at decision making and managing the pitching staff and Kenley should be closing most of his games WITHOUT the drama of allowing too many base runners and or HR’s that cost the Dodgers the game.
Seriously has anyone heard if Package is alright? That dude is definitely on the same page as the three of us, maybe even a step beyond the three of us, combined.
Oh well, we rattled some cages and some couldn’t handle some thoughts contrary to their own, funny how some will step up and some will runaway.
Michael means well, so I’m alright with him.
Brutus is just an idiot with no clue to what he is even talking about or what actually drives teams and the players (I have to admit, I haven’t read a single one of his posts for at least two months, so maybe he actually started sounding intelligent, you guys would have to tell me. Stupid and ignorance runs deep in some so I am not hopeful that that may have occurred with Brutus).
Caleb Ferguson seems to be starting to figure some things out. Kelly is definitely starting to regain his form from last year’s WS. Baez is sometimes there and sometimes not. GasKanley really is on a highwire in every game he enters, Dude really is a basket case and a gascan just waiting to explode. If Bert insists on GasKanley as our closer throughout the playoffs, it is going to be a total disaster. I find it very hard to sit and watch him come into games, Bert and the rest must have bleeding ulcers watching him.
Did I mention how much better this team is with Puig and Grandmal gone, night and day difference, I’m sure the players in the clubhouse feel it too.
“Peace and Love” — Ringo Star
True Blue, I haven’t seen a post from Package for a while either. As far as the Dodgers go, I am elated with the team setting a new NL record for team HR’s with 250. I didn’t realize any other NL team never hit that many, especially during that steroid era. But honestly I never thought it would be the Dodgers to set this HR record because I can honestly tell you that when I became a fan in 1965 at the age of 11, the Dodgers were no where near any type of home run hitting team. To show how this game has changed since then, did you or anyone realize that the Dodgers won the 1965 WS with a TOTAL of 78 HR’s? Unbelievable!
Have not seen a post by Package in a while. I like his posts….He is a bit overboard, but they make my posts seem a bit tamer than I think.
I like Micheal. Anybody who loves baseball as much as he does is OK in my book. I really admire his knowledge and passion for the sport of baseball. Have not seen much from Michael, either.
Brutus…?, he knows how to get under my skin, but I don’t mind it. I find it somewhat amusing????
Calib has shown some positives…. Kelly too. I would rather see Baez (and Kelly) closing sometimes, rather than Jansen every single time.
The team looks better without Puig and Grandal. I was a bit upset when they got rid of Puig for basically nothing, but after seeing the difference it made with the chemistry of this team, I have bought into it. I do not miss Grandal at all. Fresh Prince is in a bit of a slump, but Martin has emerged as a valuable veteran.
True
I know I have not posted in quite a while but I just felt that some were offended by my thoughts. Some have changed their previous thoughts and I felt sometimes that I did not fit the conversation. I feel that management has not carried out their roles and I will feel that until they win a championship. They get no points from me for using the press for things that they have not done. I think that Colletti did just as good of job with way less money and was beat up. Neither of them won a championship and I think that the current regime gets undeserved credit for not winning, plus I hate sabermetrics. Some feel I should just accept that baseball is just changing and I never will. Thanks to all that had concerns about me.
Hi Package,
I’m Bluefan. I too was ready to quit the blog, as I felt the same as you…. maybe I was a bit too negative, and was preaching to the choir. I too, felt I was offending the Dodger Blue Goggle Crew. Also felt I was like a broken record, ranting about the same old things game after game. I was getting bored of it, and felt other bloggers were too.
Even though they have won a lot of games, This team has been exhibiting the same vulnerabilities since the start of the season, that will be their downfall in October if they did not make improvements. I hung on because I felt that I needed to be heard. Then, I was also finding a few bloggers who were on the same page, which was nice to know.
Maybe the “glass half full” side of the blog has had enough of me, but I felt that the “glass half empty” side needed moral support (strength in numbers), and needed to stand for our beliefs, just for the sake of conversation. A good blog needs both positive and negative opinions. Your posts were fun, and I definitely enjoyed reading them…. For the Blue Goggle Gang, sometimes reality hurts.
So, I’m still here. And still hoping for another World Series Championship… as much as the Blue Goggle Gang, believe it or not.
Peace to you, Package! Peace to “All” Dodger FANS,
Hi Paul,
Yup, seems You, True, and Me are basically on the same page. Nice to have a few allies on this blog.
I agree, the management and conditioning of the starting rotation, as well as the bullpen, has a lot of room for improvement. I have blamed a lot of the bullpen problems on Mark Prior. Conditioning of the starters I blame Honeycutt and DR.
It all begins with the starters, I have not seen so many starters who cannot make at least 100 pitches, and/or at least 7 innings, before they run out of gas. DR yanks them after 80-90 pitches, or 5th inning. Then he plays the matchup card, and ends up using the same 4-5 relievers almost every game. This has to take a toll on the reliever’s arms. This bullpen is overused, and abused…. not a good thing when you have a less than mediocre bullpen staff, and a washed up closer. It is a wonder the relievers serve up the dinger so often. Very rarely does a reliever stay in for more than one inning. Then to continually go to Jansen for closing in ridiculous. I know Jansen is paid to close, but when he can no longer do his job, you have to find someone else. It is not the team’s fault, or the fans’ fault that you paid him all that guaranteed money to do it.
The Dodgers know they have a huge handicap with their bullpen, yet they refuse to do anything about it. When you have starters who can barely get you through half a game, having a strong bullpen is crucial.
All so very true, Bluefan! Many say that’s what all teams do as far as not letting their SP’s go through a lineup 3 times, or make 100 pitches, or go past 5 innings, thus the results are exactly what you say they are, the BP get burned out with over use to the point where Freidman and Roberts have to employ that ‘fake IL to bring in replacements during the season. I understand the complete game is a thing of the past but if the starters are not allowed to or are not able to give ya length, then these issues we see are what are the results time and time again. Dodgers have about a month left to figure this BP situation out but if KJ continues to show what he did the other night, it won’t look pretty come the PS. I can just imagine guys like Koufax and Drysdale agreeing to allow Roberts to limit their innings and pull them out before 100 pitches, or 5 innings. Yes it is a different game played today and as I said, I am a bit surprised that the previous NL record for HR’s in a season was 249 and the Dodgers of all teams now establish an NL record with 250. Believe me when i say that when i was a kid first following the Dodgers , OH how I longed to see even 1 HR hit in any game!
4
The Sharks have hired former LA Dodgers GM Ned Colletti as a scout.
Good to hear from you Package. Don’t shy away, the majority of fans know the truth that you speak, there will always be some dunderheads that don’t get it or are capable of getting it. Good is good enough for those type, I can think of one particular dunderhead that is totally lost and clueless, I think we all know who I am talking about. He will flee to the Pedro Files and pick up there, that’s probably a good fit for him. Plus he won’t be missed in here one bit.
As far as Micheal goes, he isn’t a dunderhead, but has a way of talking out of both sides of his mouth occasionally but for the most part, he is a good guy that loves the Dodgers . He might return, he might not. I might have given him a little to much of his own medicine that he dished out to MJ however.
On to the lowly Giants, they will be playing like this series is their WS, so hopefully they don’t get too aggressive and start hitting our batters or something stupid like that.
I still think RYU needs to be shut down for the next two or three weeks (as you know) and see if he can get some energy back into his worn out arm. They don’t need him in September , he is needed in October.
I was surprised that the Gnats ate putting up 3 consecutive right handers against the Dodgers. I think Bochy has something up his sleeve. Maybe R/H’d “Openers”…. “Hitmen” to nail a few of our batters, then bring in the lefties and force DR’s hand. I would not put anything past the Gnasty Gnats.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
Hello Bluefan. Yes I am surprised at Giants putting 3 RHP but I didn’t know that until you pointed this out. Believe me, Dodgers will in some way shape or form see their LHP, even Bumgarner during this series because Bochy knows that 32+ HR’s would be relegated to the bench if they do.
Hi, True Blue, and good to see Package on here today. Very true about this Giant series, this is their focal point of the season, as I see they will try harder against us than perhaps any other team during this year. Ryu does look like he is out of gas , so some re-fueling might be necessary. Question I would have is that if Bumgarner pitched on Wednesday, will Giants bring him back on short rest just so he can pitch against Dodgers this weekend? My guess is he will try and talk Bochy into it because of his obsession with Dodgers.
Bumgardner is a cranky bastard, for sure, which makes all the better when the Dodgers push his nose in the giant pile of shyte (see me working there?)
Package will be posting often from now on. Question for package, who is the bigger dummy, Roberts or Friedman? Me thinks that Friedman has to have most of the blame for the lack of bullpen that he routinely shovels onto Robert’s plate, I would guess that Robert’s isn’t real fond of the shit sandwich that Andy serves him. Andy says “here’s your bullpen now take a big bite DR”
Blue
No question that Dummy is a Dummy and Friedman does not know what day it is. I think I will rename them, Beavis and Butthead.
LOL But I think we all know that no BP means no WS ring too. If one looks at one reason for Dodgers to lose in last year’s Ws was the difference in lineup stability and I see the same thing possibly for this year and there is no guarantee of another WS appearance anyway. The manner in which lineups are managed in the regular season do NOT play as well during the PS IMHO. And of course a huge problem in addition to the shuffling of lineups due to the opposing pitcher’s handedness is how our staff could not keep the baseball in the yard as well. They gave up 8 HR’s in only 5 games in 2018 and another 15 bombs in the 2017 WS. Both starters and relievers were the culprits too.
Where is Bluto? I miss his insightful posting.hehehe
Hi, Package! I haven’t seen him (Bluto) around here for a while. Anyway, because of what took place at this deadline , if Dodgers do fall short in the PS and don’t even get to the WS this year, believe me, I would think there will be crucifixions taking place! It never ceases to amaze me how Roberts and Co. have to shuffle around the lineups on a daily basis, and yet often times it doesn’t work But nothing we say will change anything so IIWII.
Brutus is playing ostrich and has his head buried in his ass. lol
Okay this is too funny, I am not making this up, I went over to the Pedro Files just to check for Brutus posts and yup he is right over there where he fits in. And no, I did not read any of his utterances, as you know I don’t read that jackass’s posts for some time now. That’s beautiful, he’s right where he fits in.
Well, no tricks by Bochy. He just let the Dodgers trip over their own feet. The Dodgers totally self-destruct.
Another key starter that the Dodgers will need to count on in October ran out of bullets after 4 innings. Kershaw could not get an out in the 5th. Clayton and Floro dug a hole too deep for the sputtering offense to overcome. Once again, the long ball, all three by Pollock with nobody on, and a lone RBI single by Bellinger, was not good enough. Pederson is hot, was 2-3 with a double, and DR elects to pinch hit for Joc in the 8th with an “automatic out”. Kiké, first ball swinging, pops out to the shortstop. Dodgers come up one run short.
Magic number remains 4, so the Dodgers just might have to moonwalk into the playoffs, unable to take care of their own business.
Gonna’ be a long September, Dodger Fans.
And a short October, I’m afraid.
Look on the positive side of things, the bullpen only surrendered 4 runs, Brutus is gone to a place best suited for him, Dodgers punctuated the fact that they better hit more than 3 HRS/game if they are going to win. I’m not liking what I am seeing, and as you know, I haven’t liked it all season, nothing new here.
“RUN AWAY!” — Monty Python, Holy Grail
Hello, Bluefan. I am sort of glad I wasn’t able to see last night’s game to be honest. Up here in So. Oregon the local station that carried last night’s game is currently unavailable with DTV for one reason or another. And what ya said he did with Joc after his 2 for 3 performance with removing him just because of a LHP is just plain irresponsible as far as I am concerned. I will tell ya this …2020 is Joc’s walk year before he hits FA and I would bet he will seek to play elsewhere because of how Roberts and Co. handled him. I know if it were me I sure as heck would not want to re-sign with Dodgers
I think you are right Paul. Joc probably should walk, and I hope he does. He had not been given a fair shake with this lefty/righty crap, yet he has been able to rack up 32 dingers. It is not like he is a defensive liability, he has just been unfairly branded as a a one dimensional, left handed hitter. The Dodgers show him no respect. To pinch hit for him with an “automatic out”, cold off the bench, is outrageous, to say the least. Like I always say, if a batter is seeing the ball well, it does not matter if a righty or a lefty is pitching,
…. very short October, True.
Luckily, I have prepared myself to expect another postseason failure, so it will not hurt so much. I will still be angered by Dodger Management for letting this happen year after year. It is not like they cannot afford to create a “Winner”. This franchise is just too legendary to fail. MLB needs teams like the Dodgers to carry the load of the less fortunate teams who would go bankrupt, if not for MLB mandated revenue sharing. Ever since the McCourts and Fox took over ownership, the pride of ownership of this coveted franchise has bowed out to greed and ignorance.
It really must be tough for the “Die Hard Homeys”, as reality finally sets in and they realize that those Blue Goggles can no longer camouflage the truth. They have been awfully silent on this blog lately, or have abdicated completely from existence. I truely do feel sorry for them.
They say that sometimes truth hurts, but in my case, “truth” has kept me sane throughout this debacle.