These games don’t count. That’s what we gotta keep telling ourselves after the Dodgers lost the finale of the Freeway series to the Angels by an 8-1 score. The Dodgers were easily swept and looked pathetic. Alex Wood got bombed, and the club only scored one run again. It’s almost as if we never left 2015.
You know I want to give Alex Wood a chance, and trust me I will wait until the real games start before I rip into him over here. The guy is not making it easy for me though. Once again, Wood had another horrendous outing. I guess it wasn’t that bad, so I might be exaggerating a bit. The Angels crushed him though as he allowed four runs on eight hits across 3.2 innings pitched. Wood had no strikeouts and walked two.
That seems to be a problem for Wood lately. His inability to miss bats has been present. Although he has struck out 13 in 14 innings this spring. Overall, Wood has looked bad. I won’t quote anymore spring stats to tell you this (despite his 6.43 ERA); you can just watch him pitch. He’s just been bad overall. He allows a ton of base runners and can’t get past the third or fourth inning without getting torched.
Fortunately for Wood, Zach Lee was equally as bad. So Lee’s lousy pitching somewhat overshadowed Wood’s awful pitching. Lee relieved Wood and allowed three earned runs on five hits across 3.1 innings pitched. Those hits included a three-run double from Mike Trout, who had missed the first two games of the series because of illness. Albert Pujols added a three-run home run for good measure, and the Dodgers were out of it.
The Angels scored one run in the third, three in the fourth, and three more in the sixth. As for the Dodger offense, it didn’t exist on Saturday night. The only Dodger to have two hits or more was Adrian Gonzalez. The Dodgers scored their lone run in the fourth. In that frame, Corey Seager doubled, and went to third after Joc Pederson’s bloop single. Seager scored on Scott Van Slyke’s double play grounder. That was how the Dodger’s only run touched the plate. If you remember the Dodgers only scored on outs in a lot of games in 2015. It was common to see the Dodgers scoring one or two runs on a ground out, double play, or sacrifice fly. Overall the Dodgers scored one run on seven hits.
Opposing starter Nick Tropeano did his job quite well. He kept the Dodgers quiet all night. He allowed just one earned run on four hits through four frames. He struck out two and walked two. Tyler Skaggs pitched three scoreless innings of relief whiffing three.
The Dodgers also got the news that second baseman Howie Kendrick, and catcher Yasmani Grandal will both be starting the season on the disabled list. Kendrick is battling a strained calf muscle, and Grandal the forearm problem. We knew about Kendrick, but the Dodgers were hopeful that maybe Grandal could make the opening day lineup. Both players are expected to be back by Dodger Stadium opening day on April 12th. The disabled list stints are retroactive back to March 25th.
What concerns me more than anything is the lack of offense. The Dodgers haven’t hit much the last couple of weeks of spring. They scored just three runs in the three Freeway Series games against the Angels. The games don’t count, but perhaps we should be a little worried.
I’m just concerned because I see them falling into the same bad habits from 2015. You know, the terrible plate approaches, routine outs, and the non-existent offense. Giving up too many runs early in games, and overall poor offense and fundamentals. I think the players are capable of turning it on come Monday when the games count. So this is no time to panic. This has been a lousy spring anyways, and I am glad it’s over. I’m ready for the regular season to begin. Let’s just put it behind us and look forward to an exciting season.
Despite the poor spring, the Dodgers are a deep and talented club, and are going to be very competitive this season. The Dodgers have Sunday off, and then opening day in San Diego is Monday afternoon at 4:00 when Clayton Kershaw will counter Tyson Ross. We’ll be covering every game over here at Ladodgerreport. So this is the place to be for daily Dodger coverage, opinions/discussion. The journey to stop this nasty 28-year World Series drought starts now! Here we go guys!
Go Blue
yes, thank god spring is over and we can finally begin the season!
So far, has the new manager and almost all new coaches helped to make this team — better players and do they play better than under Donnie Boy and last season?
Watching Lee a bit last night — he is so easy to pick up his motion and delivery. Looks like batting practice pitches.
Time to put Spring Training behind and get the start of the season . . . now it all counts.
Yeah. Time to “turn it on”. Good luck with that.
I find this hilarious, but also telling. Bill Shaikin predicts the Dodgers to win the West. Of course he does. You are labeled negative if you don’t. But he says not THESE Dodgers:
“The Dodgers as they stand today? No way. But the Dodgers can make over their roster at any time, and the mounting pressure on the front office might finally make this the summer that legitimate prospects are traded for legitimate midseason upgrades. All that depth, all that urgency, and all those injury issues, and they could turn over the outfield and the non-Clayton Kershaw part of the rotation by October.”
They will win, but these guys won’t. It’s going to take an overhaul. And that’s what I’ve been saying since the FAZ swallowed the olive last July. Frankly I wouldn’t do it the way Shaikin suggests. We’ve committed to building from within. Building something worthwhile takes time. How much time? Good question. I’d give them two more years, ’16 and ’17, to get it done, with the third year, ’18, being the start of something that could last a while. It’s that or more of what we’ve seen, in which case the FAZcapades get shutdown and go the way of the De Podesta.
For the record, I sure hope THIS team can turn it on.
At least they won’t lose again today.
Shaikin did say one good thing, and he said it to Friedman. Shaikin told Friedman, you don’t call it depth, when the depth your talking about, is not quality.
I didn’t like any of the three games against the Angels and no one cheered me up here.
Joc hits 6th in the lineup, walks, singles, and strikes out against a left hander that was really on his game and most here basically say he failed as the lead off hitter and should be traded. Now, I know no one literally said he failed at lead off, but …
Its way too early to trade Joc. For one thing, he is the only good CF and success requires strength up the middle.
I have made proposal after proposal that would have traded Puig for a pitcher so I am on record that Puig should be traded but SVS has faded this spring and Thompson never did enough to justify putting him on the team. Its too bad Ethier got hurt. Ethier and SVS would have been a good platoon in RF.
I have also made many proposals that would have traded Wood plus others for a better pitcher. That still needs to happen or Wood has to go to the pen as a lefty reliever in place of Avilan.
Crawford, I have predicted he would not be on the opening day 25. I have one more day to repeat it. I don’t think he will be on the 25 on April 4.
Bum I answered you over there, but I will say it again. I know deep down, you are unhappy with the way that Joc hit last night, just like the rest of us. It is not all about Joc, it is about a lot of the players.
When the Dodgers have people on base, a lot of the players, don’t just try to get a hit, they have to swing big, and try to hit a HR. And that doesn’t happen. Joc, Puig, and Scotty, all did this, last night.
And Joc did get a hit, but he was very lucky, that that swing, and Pop up, was even a hit. And I noticed in his last at bat, Joc was not concentrating on hitting, he was talking to the catcher. The Dodgers need someone in the outfield, to provide consistent offense, and that is not happening.
And Joc is not going to be able to play center, if he doesn’t hit. And if he continues to swing at every pitch, from his heels, he is not going to hit major league pitching. It is very disappointing, for most of us, that Joc continues to have, that big swing.
And Bum, I think you are also disappointed, with the way, that Joc is swinging the bat, because you are the most invested, when it comes to Joc, so you want him to do well. And believe me, we all want Joc to do well, and hit, because he is a good defensive centerfielder.
But when Joc continues to swing from his heels, it makes it seem like, he didn’t learn a thing, from last year. And Puig is not reasuring either. When Kemp was traded, it was either keep Puig or Kemp. I then, was afraid that Puig, would not be that power right handed hitter, that could hit and provide power, in the middle, of the line up.
And that is why I was so upset, that Kemp was traded, at that time. And it was going to be either Kemp or Puig in rightfield, and Puig was younger, and cheaper. The Dodgers to this day, miss Kemp’s right handed power bat, because Puig, has never come close, to filling in, the middle of the line up, like he was expected to do.
And right now, he doesn’t look like he will, this year. I know it is spring training, but the season is here, tomorrow, so all of the practice at bats, are over.
And right now, all of the outfielders, are looking very bad, offensively.
And the Dodgers can’t afford to have outfielders, that can’t provide offense. The Dodgers are not a big offensive team, like the Bluejays, so the Dodgers need offense, anywhere they can get it. I just hope that Roberts is just being really careful, with the players, so everyone makes it to opening day, unhurt.
And I do hope,
once the season begins, things will be different, but this might be just, wishful thinking. After all of the injuries, the Dodgers are behind, and once they get the rest of there line up, it will bring a couple more bats, into the line up.
I hope this brings more offense, because it looks like after these three games, that some offense, is badly needed, if these last three games, are any true reflection, of this Dodger team.
I hope Roberts begins his agressive base running, once the season starts, and he can stop worrying about players getting hurt. Maybe Roberts, told the players to take it easy in these games, because of all of the injuries, and that is why the team looked so bad.
On Monday, all the games, start to count, so I hope the players, and all of the coaches, come to opening day, ready to do all they can, to start winning games. And we all can forget this terrible spring training, or the Dodgers will be out of the division race, and the trade deadline, won’t help at all.
A team can’t win a pennant in the begining of the season, but they can sure lose a pennant, in the opening months, of the season.
“What concerns me more than anything is the lack of offense.”
Gee, who would have ever predicted such a thing?
I’m concerned about the rotation. And the pen. And team conditioning. And, yeah, the sudden lack of offense is disconcerting as well. Funny, I wasn’t as concerned about the offense as I was about pitching and conditioning, but now I am.
Morning Bum. I responded to your post on the other thread. Guess that thread died when I wasn’t looking. It’s a dead thread, not to be read…. rewritten here by Fred instead……….
Time for more coffee and Meet the Press.
Sudden lack of offense? This goes back to last year, this lineup is horrendous (they proved it) and it involves the same group of guys minus Rollins and, well, Ethier AND for the moment, Grandal and Kendrick, so you tell me?
You could essentially replace the entire outfield, if Joc and Puig continue to underwhelm, might this be the worst outfield in baseball? Agon WILL decline, I predict under 20 HR, actually, I predict no Dodger to hit over 20 HR this year.
And yes, the starting pitching is terrible, the bullpen is terrible…..this team is REBUILDING, it has been, the question I want to know it, how long does FAZ get? The automatic ASSUMPTIONS that these guys are the second coming of Jesus Christ is getting comical with some of the hindsight going on but I’ll stop, I’m going to hold my breath, maybe I’m wrong…….
This team is TERRIBLE.
79-83.
We actually hit pretty well early Spring. At least that’s what I remember. Our record reflected that. The sudden I refer to is the last dozen or so games. We’ve flatlined offensively. Last year, we hit ok in general, but horribly in specific – specifically WRISP.
If no changes are made? Yeah, I could see this group around .500. But I agree with Shaikin. Changes will be made in an effort to keep fan interest up. Will it work? Good question. I really don’t know, but it depends on how “work” is defined. If work means keep the stands full, then yeah, it might. If work means win a championship, then I really doubt it.
Just want to warn people that I picked up a phishing virus from the list in blue beneath Scott’s column by clicking on “motion computing800”. Never seen this list before. Just don’t go there.
Really Emerson? Im so sorry. Ive been meaning to remove those links. They’re just ads to help bring in a few more bucks for the site. I had no idea one of the links would give someone a virus, or malware.
Historically Angels usually best the Dodgers in these games. And usually the Angels fade there after. Guess they should of listened…..”don’t look up”. Stage freight is the cause of many failures. Hope that’s all it is. But please please don’t put the certain out makers in front of the most dependable at getting on!
Let’s hope when the jucies start to flow, the boys will turn it on. They did look very good in this series.
There is very little correlation between Spring Training success and regular season success. I know everyone wants to form an opinion after every game, but I have learned to let my eyes tell me the truth and the truth is: the whole team looked horrid the past three days. Even Ray Charles can see that. Today is the day that Dave Roberts has “that talk” with the team. He will explain that if you want to play you will do the little things necessary to win: move the runner, hit behind the runners, play smart, quit swinging out of your shoes. If you do that stuff, you will play, if you don’t I’ll play guys that do. This applies to everyone!
Roberts won’t put up with that crap. I wanted to trade Puig after the first season, but most were in love with him. They tried last winter, but the takers weren’t willing to give much back. All we can do is hope that he can regain his Rookie form. The injuries that the Dodgers have now will open the doors for others.
I do agree that this team will change. That was the reason behind the acquisitions last off season. They were assembling the necessary pieces – if it seemed odd, it was just buying low regardless of the spot.
The Braves are not going to win anything this year or next, so Incarte does them no good. They need some youngsters ready in 2 years. They will ask for Bellinger and Holmes or Urias and De Leon. Those four are off limits. I would trade anyone else, including JOC. The Dodgers will have to overpay, but they have the pieces and I do think it is going to take a trade to wake up Joc. Some GM will jump on that!
I do not believe Dee Gordon would have become the player he is in LA… and neither does he.
Scott nailed it; This IS a deep and talented team, but it needs some changes. The change will come. All in due time.
BTW, Joc is a good CF, but by no means is he “elite.” He’s just so much better than the last guys we just think he is.
Mark, your opinion about Joc’s defense does not match with Vin’s opinion who said Joc was the best Dodger CF he ever saw. Sorry Mark, it’s a no brainer to take Vin’s opinion over your’s.
Vin also said McCourt was a great owner, and I’m sure he went home and washed his mouth out. #4 was the best Dodger CF Vin ever saw.
That is not what Vin said about Joc Mr. Snider–love the name btw. McCourt treated Vin extremely well.
Mark do you really think that Roberts will talk to the team? I sure hope so!
Here is another perspective on last night’s game.
The game plan was for Wood to start and Lee to finish the game. Wood threw too many pitches but he did well through 4 innings. When the opposing team gets a player on base with a walk we all worry because those walks always seem to come back to haunt the team that gives up the walk and Wood gave up a walk in the 5th. He also gave up a weak hit and with two outs Roberts put Lee in.
Roberts would have left Wood in a regular season game and he probably would have pitched at least through the 6th. But, since Lee was ready in the pen because he was coming in in the 6th regardless, he was brought in to see what he could do with 2 on and Trout at bat. Lee gave up a soft liner that fell in an empty spot in the outfield. Trout put a good pitch in play and well, shit happens. Lee made a good pitch.
Lee had good speed on his fast ball and lots of break on his curve ball. After a few ground balls that went where infielders weren’t, Pujols came up with two on. Lee shook off a couple of catcher signs and threw three consecutive fast balls to Pujols and Pujols managed to fist a lazy fly ball down the line about 340 that found the seats. Barnes was catching. Might have Ellis insisted on a curve ball?
The Angels scored 8 runs and still I felt that Wood and lee looked good. Can either pitcher look good the third time through a lineup? For me, the weakness of the rotation is not in their skill but with their propensity to wear out a bull pen.
Bum if Lee shook off Barnes, and threw three fastballs in a row, that would be on Lee.
It’s on Lee and Barnes. Barnes needed to visit the mound and have a chat.
I don’t like Crawford’s defense but putting that aside I think Crawford and Hernandez could platoon in the lead off spot, not necessarily in LF, and solve the Dodgers lead off problem.
Kendrick is the best hitter for the #5 spot so the RBI spots would be Turner, Agon, Kendrick. Maybe Seager could fill in at #5 until Kendrick returns. Need to keep Puig, Pederson, Thompson, Utley, Barnes, Ellis, out of the #5 spot.
It looks like Kike’ needs to play somewhere every game against lefties.
A few observations:
1 – Spring games don’t count.
2 – The trend line isn’t looking good. Once the Dodgers started playing the actual 25 man roster more often, they played worse.
3 – The offense has done what it has done the past 2 or 3 years – go for stretches where no one hits. The team lacks the personnel to manufacture runs when the big bats go cold and lacks situational hitters other than Gonzalez and Kendrick, and Howie isn’t playing. Like many “Moneyball” teams, they play for the 3 run HR. The Dodgers Hit .250 last year with a .739 OPS and 187 HR (including pitchers) (2nd in OPS, 1st in HR in the NL) but only 8th in runs scored. Look for the same thing to happen this year.
4 – The rotation has done little to inspire confidence. Other than Kershaw, there isn’t anyone gives me the feeling that “They’re going to win today because he’s on the mound”. I reserve my right to change my mind a few weeks into the season if Maeda and Kazmir show some consistency. My reservations about Maeda are just that he has never pitched in the Majors before, but the early returns look good. Kazmir had a rough spring.
5 – The bullpen had better be great. See #4 above. There are lots of question marks in the ‘pen, but lots of available arms in the minors, so we will probably see the Oklahoma to LA shuttle that we saw last year.
6 – There is no evidence to suggest that what Bill Shaikin has said will happen. This front office will not trade prospects except for guys that they don’t want, and they won’t take on significant salary in light of the currently high payroll and luxury tax. There will be changes around the margins, but you are already looking at the 2016 Dodgers. We’d better get used to them.
I agree with most of this.
I wonder what the fans response, in the form of attendance, will be. If this team is as bad as they have looked, will 3.7 million show up?
And how bad have they looked? In all games played since the trade deadline they are 48-45. If they play at the same rate they win 85 this year. With the current group of players, that sounds about right. I don’t believe the current 25 will be the final 25. Some guys will be coming back off the injury list, some guys will likely be going on the injured list, some guys will be traded, etc. What will the final result ne? Who the hell knows. I figure another hundred moves will be made (one was made today) and the result will be – no championship this year. There are just too many teams out there that are better than us.
Dodger rick I just saw a interview with Crawford, and he said that the team was going to be different this year. He said that they were going to take the extra base, hit the runners over, and play good defense, and not try to hit a lot a HRs.
not this Spring…
I like your enthusiasm Scott!
Has the official roster been published? It’s due by 9:00 am.
This is probably the official roster:
http://dodgersdigest.com/2016/04/03/injuries-small-play-role-in-dodgers-opening-day-roster-choices/
Except for about 6-7 guys, this team is 3A. The good news is that anyone in the high farm system has a chance to crack this pathetic group. Of course, our suits have their kid gloves on, so unless these guys have just the perfect amount of at bats or innings pitched ,we will never see them. The depth we talk about is overrated and undertrained and can’t hack it in the lights of LA. I will be curious to see how Stripling handles pac bell park and the giants. Wouldn’t it be nice for a prospect actually TO BE GOOD? That hasn’t happened since before 66 flamed out. I share the view of some that our new cheerleader manager is in over his head and the rose colored glasses will be buried in his locker by about June 1.
The roster was announced after the game last night. Coleman is in the pen, no Avilan. And Barnes and Thompson, and Charlie made the roster.
Bum,
Fangraphs has Joc Pederson ranked #16 out of 23 Centerfielders on defense. He is no where close to elite. Maybe he is the best defensive CF the Dodgers have had (personally, I think John Shelby was better, but I won’t debate that – if Vin thinks he’s the best, so be it. I haven’t heard him say that). I just said that he was not an elite CF and Fangraphs bears out that he is in the bottom third. That’s all!
Mark Vin said it, but he went on to say something a little different, after his first remarks.
OK, I found it:
http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb-news/4647581-vin-scully-joc-pederson-best-center-fielder-dodgers-history-young-joc-duke-snider-willie-davis-rick-monday
I have to say that as much as I respect Vin, his eyes must be growing dim. I don’t buy it.
First of all the quote starts with”looks to be” and it takes about fielding not hitting. So the writer of that article needs to put the brakes on interpreting those words.
If I recall correctly Vinny has said that Pete Reiser 1941 is the gold standard of Dodger CF defense.
I was thinking about these last three games, and if you remember, in all of three games, the Dodger starting pitchers on the major league team, didn’t pitch many innings, or pitch deep into games. And the Angels, kept there major league starting pitchers, in the game much longer.
And in the begining of these games, when both teams, had there starting pitchers, still pitching, the games were much closer, then in the later innings. So I think this had an effect, on the Dodger’s hitting, and losing these three games.
I must say that the Dodger bullpen pitchers, didn’t pitch well, and Hatcher, hasn’t looked good, at all. The Dodgers can’t afford to have Hatcher, start as slow as he did last year, or have to stay out on the DL, to get his control. I hope the bullpen is ready, and they know, that they will be pitching a lot of innings this year.
At least until Ryu and MCCarthy come back. This is because, the Dodgers starting pitchers, that are currently in rotation, don’t look like they will be pitching deep into games, so the bullpen, must be prepared, to pitch a lot of innings.
There was some positive in these last three games, and that was Cory. Cory carried out his at bats smartly, and adjusted, after everyone of his early at bats, in all three games. It is good to see that kind of adjustment, especially after, having to watch Puig, get schooled, and schooled again.
Cory had at least one hit, in all of three games, and he has only been back, for a minute. I was really impressed with what Cory did, and I am glad Roberts, put him in a place, in the lineup, that Cory could be successful, and gain some confidence, before the season begins.
We scored 1 run in each game, so unless Kersahaw pitches a complete game shutout in all of them we don’t win any of them. I don’t know that any of those on that “deep” DL change the outcome of those three losses.
Badger I don’t remember saying the Dodgers have a deep DL, if your talking to me. And it wasn’t only the starting pitchers, that didn’t pitch, more then about four innings.
The everyday players, didn’t play the whole game either, so we don’t know what they would do, with more at bats. I am more worried about the outfielders, then the other everyday players.
I think that Agon, Turner, Kike, Cory, Crawford, and Howie, or Utley, will hit, and do hit major league pitching. And if Grandal can stay healthy, he will hit too.
I’m writing this from a condo in Myrtle Beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a beautiful day and I’m hanging with the family.
Tonight we will watch this:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/the-story-of-god-with-morgan-freeman/?gclid=CjwKEAjw_oK4BRDym-SDq-aczicSJAC7UVRt4tLDuEGriUa-HTaqn0h68qE50eegqqMoEQEhMTNLoBoCaDbw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
My oldest son spent 2 months with Morgan Freeman traveling the world as a cameraman in Morgan’s private jet for the 6-part series. He has become pals with Morgan.
March was a rough month. Our beloved family Rott, George Cooney succumbed to cancer and at the 11th hour the deal to sell my company unraveled as I walked away from the table and told them to have sex with themselves. Unethical actions and failure to bargain in good faith leads to $10 million dollar lawsuits. I have moved on – but my attorney hasn’t!
But life is good. I never have a bad day and I am blessed. The season starts soon. Let’s go Dodgers.
Mark I’m sorry to hear about everything, but like it is said, when one door closes, another door opens. And it is really hard these days, to find people, who even know what good faith is, and you have the right attitude, and that will prevail.
Thanks for the Nat Geo tip. I just set up a recording.
So, telling people to go fu#€ themselves is a good day? Yeah, I can see that. I’ve had a few of those days myself.
Best overall center fielder is probably Duke Snider. He was in right field when I became a fan. My favorite is Willie Davis in the early 60’s. That guy could flat out run. He was a track meet out in center. And if you remember the Coliseum, it had an enormous center and right center field – 425′ and 440′. Nobody ran them down like Willie did. Moving into the smaller Dodger Stadium was a breeze for him. He put up a 3.4 dWAR in ’64. Has anyone else done that?
I agree Badger. The “Duke of Flatbush” was the best all around CF in Dodger history bar none. I saw him playing CF when he was in his prime. The routes he took and the jump he got on the ball were great.
Willie Davis is probably the best defensive Dodger CF I ever saw even with 3 errors in one game. He could get to balls that nobody else could and more often than not actually outran most of his mistakes.
Badger did you read my response about you, when you said, I didn’t believe you, because I did leave a response? I said that I do value your opinion, and I am not patronizing you.
I can’t say these last few days has made it easy for me to be chipper. Sending off another childhood pal is not enjoyable. Especially as he’s been scarce and hard to get ahold of for about 2 years because I loaned him money and he knew it put me in a bind. It’d of been nice for me to be able to tell him it wasn’t all that important. I thought for certain I was a no brainer for the earliest checkout as reckless as I lived. My steady diet of sins is probably the reason I’m living a long painful life. Looking through photo albums is like going to the graveyard. The meds I’m consuming are supposed to bring on depression. Sorry.
I promise to bring more cheer tomorrow! Just thinking it’s the start of the new season is perking me up! CHEERS friends!
Quas tomorrow is a new day. Hang in there!