Hey everybody,
We’ve just posted our latest Youtube video: Series Wrap Up, which covers the a quick recap pf the game, thoughts on the weekend series against the Phillies, the series heroes and the goat, and a quick tasting of Dayslayer beer from Stone Brewing Company. Enjoy!
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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Ha there it is! Dodgers keeping their 6 man rotation one more turn through.
Badger I guess you’re not old school, you’re avant-garde!
It’s been a while since anyone accused me of that YF. With some teams, a 6 man just makes sense. With our fragile starting arms, it especially makes sense for us. 46 games in 48 days. What I read a few days ago said Roberts only planned to do it for a short time.
Things went our way in that game, including a strike three to Utley that wasn’t called, keeping the inning alive for Toles. When it all works, we look pretty damn good.
Gutierrez and Pederson are about ready. Roster churn coming up. Adios Scott. Hill? They say he’s ready, as in a 60 pitch minor league start Thursday. Roberts said yesterday “it’s mostly, obviously, based on his finger”. Oh, was that the problem? Duh. He may be a 4 inning pitcher now. A 60 pitch limit? Anything over that is just too much stress on that finger.
Things are heating up. I figured they would. Old dudes just don’t move that well in cooler weather. That’s why I moved to Arizona. I move fine now. Think I’ll move on in for another cup of coffee.
Sure is quiet in here.
Badger
When a player has played as long as Utley has, that isn’t a missed strike, that is just respect, on a border line pitch.
Scott just hasn’t had any good at bats really, this year.
I know it is hard to hit when you barely play, and don’t have enough consistent at bats, but Scott has made a living, just hitting against lefties.
I don’t know how many times he has struck out this year, but it seems like a lot, considering he doesn’t have that many at bats.
A strike is a strike MJ. That pitch wasn’t borderline. It was clearly in the strike zone. Reconstruct that game without Utley walking and there could be a very different ending. The integrity of this game is comprised by not using available technology to clean up these mistakes. I guess they justify it by knowing breaks like this fall both directions over 162 games.
Badger
Although I was only joking with you, I am probably right, about that respect, on anything close.
And you know Baseball, should have could have, can happen, with every game.
But I don’t know if you watch High Heat, but you would have loved it, when Mad Dog was appalled, and yelling, because the Phillies manager, left their closer in the game, after the first two HRs.
I know it happens, but it does not make it right. A strike is a strike, an out is an out, no matter it’s a rookie or Miguel Cabrera.
Kershaw is the one, that won’t want a six man rotation.
No problem! Just plug him in every fifth game if that’s the way he wants it, everyone else just moves back a day; in a few games Kershaw’s (empty) spot will come up and the next pitcher in rotation will jump forward one day and pitch, and voila!, everybody’s back in their correct rotation again. To put it another way, Kershaw pitches in the number one slot, 5 days later he pitches in the number six slot, five days later, the number five slot, and so on.
Apparently that’s the way the “rabid Dodger Fans” here like it, no off-topic comments and very few on topic. They like their quiet little domain.
By the way, my take on Oscar’s Videos? They’re audition tapes, he’s looking for a more active site that pays better. His right and I don’t blame him a bit, this is looking more and more like the HMS Titanic.
Still liking the idea of trading for McCutcheon instead of Braun. Younger, cheaper, better. What would it take to get him from Pittsburgh? They need infielders right now, Kang may not be back.
Jonah
Is Cutch in his free agent year?
I don’t know for sure, but I think he is.
The only reason I like Braun better, is because he hit about 300.
And I think Cutch was at about 250 last year.
But if Cutch is in his free agent year, he would be a lot less of a risk, because he isn’t under a longer contract like Braun is.
And we don’t know for sure that Braun will hit as well, at Dodger stadium.
Because the Brewers park is a park, made for hitting.
Are you still having to put the medicine drops in your eye?
And how are you progressing, after your surgery?
Yes, some of them for up to a month after surgery. I saw the doctor Wednesday, the day after the operation and he said everything is fine and I can have the next surgery a lot sooner than expected. I think he will set a date for that when I see him this Wednesday. My guess is late June, early July.
Jonah
That is good to hear.
I bet you wish you could have had both operations done at the same time, but if you could, you would have had, both done, that same day.
But like I told you, the cataract surgery wasn’t bad, twenty years ago, so the surgery now, should be a piece of cake.
How far is Vegas from where you live, and I am talking, time wise?
About 60 some miles. Either over a mountain or around it. What everyone out here hates about Vegas is the traffic. Like LA. In our whole valley, about 30 by 50 miles, there are THREE traffic lights. Rush hour is when the schools get out. Literally, I can drive from my house to the “downtown area” (about a mile long and about 2 blocks wide), three and a half miles, without seeing a traffic light or another car. It’s real easy to get used to, I wouldn’t live in Vegas at all. Must be close to a million people there, and they’re still building houses like crazy. When we moved there in 1956, it was a nice, small, quiet town, about like Corona 20 years ago.
Does not make sense for the team. McCutcheon is hitting .244 with 3 homers, our present LF, Toles is close to that with 5 dingers. You are not going to stick him in RF over Puig, nor in CF over Joc. They have a ton of outfielders, and Gutierrez is coming back tomorrow. And the Pirates would not trade him right now anyway since Marte is suspended for 80 games and Cutch is back to being their CF. They are only carrying 3 outfielders.
None of that matters. FAZ wants a right-handed hitter; I would rather have ‘Cutch than the ones FAZ would likely choose.
They have a ton of RH hitters. And it does matter, why replace a guy who is doing as good or better than the guy you are trading for? Makes no sense, and especially makes no sense for the Pirates since they only have 3 outfielders on their roster right now and the only CF in the bunch is Cutch. And FAZ has a bunch of RH hitters, Eibner, and Dickson down at AAA are both RH, Gutierrez is coming back and he is RH, SVS is RH and so is Segedin who can play 1st and the OF. McCutcheon is not needed.
Is the felon’s site doing better?
Kershaw would benefit from an extra day rest. He could still get 200 innings and put up the same value. With an extra day off he could pitch 8 regularly. Same innings, and maybe even more wins as he hands the game directly to Kenley. Who wouldn’t want to skip the bullpen bridges from 7 to 9? And often in our case, from 5 to 9.
Gutierrez is set to return? I heard Joc and Logan, not Gutierrez. Whoever comes off the DL will make the roster decisions interesting.
Hats off to Ryu!
Gutierrez hit a 2 run homer and scored 2 on Sat. He is set to be activated on Tuesday when Moore pitches, so it is adios to someone. Fringe guys would be Taylor and SVS I would think, maybe one of the relievers. They only have a 4 man bench right now. Bellinger will go down sometime this week, probably when Joc is activated.
Artie boy
Are starting pitching rotation, is starting to look better, with the way Ryu is pitching, and with Urias now, in the rotation.
If anyone has continuing worries about the Dodgers use of pitch count and measured usage for young pitchers, just take a gander at the Mets young staff and the recent news therefrom.
Obviously, what happens in one place may not happen in another. But the Dodgers have teams of people researching arm health and development. They obviously have plans and data to collaborate the real life results we see in Mets-land.
Is this the same young staff which beat us in the division series two years ago and pitched the Mets into the World Series?
Yep, and they are falling like flies. Anyone ever noticed how many Mets pitchers have suffered injuries that have kept them out for long periods of time? Wheeler, Harvey, and a few years ago they had some young arms that got burned out. They are not the only team that has had that problem, but it seems they have had more than their share. I remember Karl Spooner. That guy could flat throw hard. And his debut was spectacular. But his arm went not long after that and he was gone in a very short period of time. Medicine now is better, but even Big D had to retire because of a rotator cuff injury.
Bluto
If you are talking about Synderguard, I think his problem is from, throwing that hard slider, way to much.
And he was having problems last week, and he told the team, he wasn’t going to have any film done on his arm, even though he was asked to.
Not sure how much data needs to be collected to show that pitchers today throw too damn hard too damn often and need more rest than they used to need. Another thing I would recommend is learning how to spin the ball to a spot with less stress than trying to blow a hole in the catchers mitt 20 times an inning. Orel often speaks to this when he refers to “pitch to contact”.
You may be right about Gutierrez Artie. In looking for info I found reference to him being 80% a week ago. He’s on assignment in Rancho now. I know they wanted his RH bat in there against SF but they may not get it if he’s minor league assignment hasn’t gone well. He was 2 for 4 yesterday with an RBI so I expect him in the lineup tomorrow against Moore. Hope so anyway.
Badger
I read the same thing about Gutierrez too.
Once again, how many at bats, do you think it takes, to show that a player, can hit major league pitching?
For a 12 year vet, not many. His track record shows he can hit. It is just getting game speed pitches. Gutierrez has played 2 games with 6 at bats, he has 3 hits including a HR and 3 RBI’s. He will be back Tuesday vs Cueto, there, I finally spelled it right! All Star ballot on mlb.com. I made my selections, and no, I did not just vote for Dodgers, I voted for the guys having what so far I consider all star seasons. Seager and Turner were the two Dodgers I picked.
Michael
I wasn’t talking about Gutierrez, I was just talking in general.
Gutierrez has already proven, he can hit major league, pitching.
I think it is to early to think about the All Star game, but I would guess, that both Corey and Turner, will deserve to be there.
Depends on the hitter MJ. Some guys can just hit – they figure it out right away, and pitchers adjustments to them won’t matter. Some guys take a few hundred at bats to patch all the holes that ML pitchers find and pummel.
A reference to Badger’s comment to MJ about the strike zone. I cannot remember a year when I have seen so much inconsistency in umpires strike zones. They have been all over the place. Some of them are so bad it is hard to watch. On a sadder note, I found out this morning that a good friend of mine passed away yesterday. Bill Bryson, bass player and former member of the Desert Rose Band. He was a great guy who always had a ready smile and a great personality. He will be missed….
Michael
Sorry to hear about your friend.
That is one of the things, that isn’t fun, about being older.
Thank you MJ. Bill was a great guy, and a damn good bass player. He had to be otherwise he never would have gotten the job with Chris Hillman and the Desert Rose Band. We have lost some good ones in our musician’s fellowship these past couple of years. But that happens in all walks of life. Just makes it a little more real when someone you worked with and knew well passes.
Michael
That is so true, it hits everyone hard, when it is someone close, and someone, close to our own age.
1 – No on the 6 man rotation. By definition, your 6th starter isn’t as good as the 1st 5 but he takes the ball out of their hands. It’s like the change from a 4 man rotation to a 5 man – your best starter only gets 33 starts instead of 41. Anyone want to see Maeda or Ryu 8 times instead of Kershaw? I don’t.
2 – No on McCutcheon. He’s washed up. His numbers declined rapidly last year and haven’t improved this year and he can’t play CF any more.
3 – With people returning from the DL, they really should consider roster construction again. If the “starters” (platoons notwithstanding) are Grandal, Gonzalez, Forsyth, Seager, Turner, Toles, Pederson and Puig, and Barnes is backup C, they will need 4 more players. Kike Hernandez is back SS and CF (apparently), Gutierrez platoon LF and PH, so that leaves 2. In theory, they need a RH hitting 1B to spell Gonzalez but Van Slyke can’t hit. Keep Segedin and send Van Slyke down. DFA Utley – he’s through. Keep Taylor as backup INF.
4 – What to do with pitching? 5 starters – Kershaw, McCarthy, Ryu, Maeda and Urias. Wood back to bullpen. That leaves room for 6 more relievers – Jansen, Romo (I would consider DFA’ing him too, but they won’t), Dayton, Avilan, Hatcher (they’ll keep him too) and slowman Baez. Option Stripling – he has been getting hit lately. Wood is #1 longman, Hatcher #2.
Rick
That sounds about right to me.
Except I think Segedin might not make it, but I agree, Scotty is not only not hitting, he isn’t having very good, at bats.
I was wondering if Taylor could play first base?
Only because Corey plays in almost every game, and Kike looks shorter to me.
And we really don’t need both Kike and Taylor.
Anyone can play first base, easiest position on the field.
Not really…..I played 1st, and the OF and I pitched. Not very easy at all……
Can you imagine Agon in any other position than first? Not even drunk could I do that… Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensive_spectrum#The_spectrum) ranks DH as easiest, then first base. All the other sites I found had either the left fielder or first baseman as easiest. Think of many of the major leaguers who play there and try to imagine them anywhere else on the field… Prince Fielder. Michael Morse. Ortiz. Thome. Pujols. Cabrera. Ryan Howard. Mike Napoli….
Jonah, you try digging low throws out of the dirt everyday, stretching that far because your infielders are inaccurate, or fielding back hand a scorcher down the line away from your glove hand….Not that easy… Good ones make it look that way. Yeah, some guys are only adequate over there and I can name a few that were downright bad, including Dick Stuart, or as the called him, Dr. Strangeglove. GONZO is still a very very good first baseman, and by all accounts so is Bellinger. SVS is pretty good over there too. But it just is not as easy as it looks. Wikipedia has never played 1st base. DH would be easy because you do not do anything. First base and catcher are in more plays than any other position.
Jonah
No offense to Michael, but I do agree that first base, is the easiest position, on the field.
I wasn’t sure if Taylor was tall enough, but Howie played first base, and he isn’t a tall guy either.
And I don’t know how tall both Kike, and Taylor are.
No offense taken, but you never know until you play there. I always felt playing the outfield was easier. I played both, and played them a lot. I always felt 1st base was harder because there is a lot more action than any other position except catcher, and you are constantly working on fixing people’s mistakes.
I think they think more of Segedin than you think, he can play 1st and 3rd and the OF. Taylor has never played 1st, but has been working out in CF. Me, I would keep Taylor and send Kike down, keep Segedin and DFA SVS. He has no options left, so clear a spot. He might benefit from a change of scenery.
Michael
Scott does have an option left.
I agree that Segedin has more value than some people here think.
I would say that Kike does as well.
Bluto
You were just saying that you didn’t think Segedin, didn’t have enough bat speed, for the majors.
He doesn’t have bat speed, but frankly he’s a much rosier option that Gonzalez is currently.
But you are right. I’m not a huge fan of him and that my greater point is what I should stay with: That other people think more of Segedin than I (and others) do.
Michael
I would too, but just like we know that they won’t drop Hatcher, they won’t send Kike down.
And Segedin has been out for quite a while, so I just was thinking of a way, to keep Taylor up with the team.
I actually think Taylor will hit better, at this point.
1. the theory behind the extra days rest is that all our crystal armed weak ass 5 inning starters might be an inning stronger and a half run better with more rest. It’s just a theory. We KNOW what they’ve done in a 5 man rotation. They kinda sucked. We don’t know if an extra rest will help. It might be worth a try. You don’t think so. You may be right.
2. McCutcheon is only 30. That’s not washed up but it is past his prime. FAZ won’t be interested for a few more years.
3. The regular starters are Seager and Puig. Everyone else will be platooned through the course of the year. And yes I put Turner in that category. He’s gonna need time off. He is older than Cutch and has questionable knees.
4. What to do with pitching? Churn, churn churn. Only Kershaw is capable of 30+ starts. The rest of them are their wing and a prayer. 13+ will take the ball again this year.
Badger
Turner is going to play more then you think, because he is hitting against lefties this year.
Puig is not hitting against lefties, at this point in the season.
And his career stats, look a little like a reverse split, against lefties.
But we will have to see with if Puig can turn that, around.
Fangraphs doesn’t think Turner will play more than 115 games, maybe 480 at bats.
Badger
I didn’t know that Fangraphs, thinks.
I agree with all 4 points, and McCutcheon is in no way tearing up the league.
To Watford:
Good luck on your other match today. Per the BBC “Very good atmosphere.”
Mail just came, got some new Dodger baseball cards I ordered. I like the retro heritage cards, they pick old designs and put the players on those designs. 59 was my favorite and a couple of the early 50’s cards too. I have a Matt Kemp that looks like a 54. This batch looks like the 1968 cards. Also got Willie Nelson’s new CD, God’s Problem Child. A couple of great songs on it. Including one called Not Dead Again……very apropos song, for us old geezers anyway.
It’s been quiet in here because when the team actually plays to their potential and executes there isn’t much to critique. We just sit back and enjoy it. Everyone has been doing their jobs admirably, well except for Romo and Hatcher. Back when Timmons and CatBox and a few others were over here on a regular basis any time the team started winning and the Anti-Faz people were quiet we got ripped a new A-Hole for it.
Ok so maybe we should be doing a bit more cheering too, I do understand that part, but some of you are doing just that, recognizing who is contributing. Toles is doing a super job, let’s hope he keeps it up, the film on him is getting longer so the pitchers will start mixing things up a lot more. Can he adjust, let’s see.
I agree that Taylor needs to stay but Kike’ is doing an okay job, maybe just enough to send Taylor down. SVS, I don’t think they will send him down, he has pictures of FAZ doing something weird.
Gonzalez will stay, he is the southland face of the Dodgers. Elbows are a bitch to heal when in use.
Utley needs to go though. We have too many good infielders on the farm who can also play other positions and he is blocking them. The Fazophiles love to brag about how good FAZ has done building the farm, great, whooppee, then why does he leave the old and infirm on the 25 man to block all of the depth. I really wonder what guys in the minors think about playing for the Dodgers. Would they rather be elsewhere where the chance of getting to the show might come sooner? Going up and down has got to wear on their confidence, not to mention their preparation.
The Gints in town, what team will show up tonight?
Tim
Toles has already had to adjust, to bring himself, out of his slump, so that is a good thing, but I know he will have to do that, all year.
But he now has hit in as many runs, that Puig has, and he has hit as many HRs, as Puig has, too.
The Dodgers have placed lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day DL with what the organization is calling a hip contusion, per a club announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by righty Josh Fields.
It seems that the injury was incurred when Ryu attempted a slide while running the bases, per skipper Dave Roberts (via J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, on Twitter). The hope, though, is that he’ll miss just one start.
Jonah thanks.
I wonder if he is really hurt, or they are just using the 10 day DL, like they do.
He probably has a strawberry from sliding…
Jonah
I don’t know how he would get a strawberry, since he has pants on.
But I do know about those, because the Allstars teams I was on, when I was young, we wore white shorts as part of our uniform.
And when your a girl about 12 or 13, you have more to worry about, then just getting those strawberries.
I think it is just for a blow like I said.
LOL. His hip is probably as injured as mine. Mine is healthy.
I kind of expected this kind of roster/DL churn. It’s a little questionable in terms of ethics, but it may be the most practical way of dealing with the pitching depth. It’s going to get more comical when/if Stewart/Oaks/Hills/Buehler come closer. Obviously some of those necessitate 60day DL moves and/or 40 man changes.
On the subject of this board going “quiet”. My observation (a rash one at that) is that there isn’t nearly as much minor league talk here, nor is there inane trade talk that drives discussion. I’d love more of the former, but am fine with the latter.
I’m assuming you must referring to trade talk at another site. Most of those over the years were laughably absurd, but did add to number of posts traffic. I think Tim may be at least partially right with his take. I noted that if this club ever hits as a team it could be exciting. It has been for a few days, but as I also noted, yesterdays game could have been very different had the home plate not missed an inning ending strike 3. It takes some luck to go your way to put together a solid win streak. We could use some luck.
Bluto
Why don’t you write something here, about the minors, and other things.
You are a big numbers guy, so you could write on the different numbers the Dodgers have, both good and bad.
In other words, stand up there and let people throw rotten tomatoes at you… Just kidding, I think you could write some interesting articles, you do seem to know your way around.
Jonah
I read that Thompson is one for 48, and his batting average and slugging percentage is 038.
It said that Trayce is really messed up, because of this, and he is seeing a sports psychologist.
He must feel terrible about this.
He seems like a nice kid, I hope he can eventually come out, of this.
I would second that. Bluto is analytical and does not just throw stuff around just to make conversation or to pick a fight.
Talk about the minor leagues. Let me guess you want to talk about those ‘aces’ the organization is stock piling down in A ball. If I start talking about players playing class A baseball, shoot me. That is the most ludicrous thing I know. Here’s some talk about minor leagues. The majority, like 70% of ALL minor leaguers never make it to the show and if they do, most of the time it is with a different organization. Of the 30% that do make it to the show, 10% of them actually contribute and become starters. Everyone is wasting their breath talking about minor league baseball, ESPECIALLY when you are talking about guys in ‘A’ ball.
Here is a minor league report Bluto.
Joc struck out in his first at bat in Rancho, just a few minutes ago.
Proves he’s ready to go, bring him up…
Jonah
You are so witty!
You’re half right…
Jonah
Not a good start by Kershaw.
He didn’t fool anyone really yet, except the Giants, first hitter.
And I think that first hitter, has hit a HR off Kershaw before, even though he is only hitting 200.
Cueto pitched to Utley as a pro, then Utley looked at a tubed fast ball and Cueto smoked him.
Kershaw as always comes up because nobody else does.
Utley needs to go, he just doesn’t have anything in the tank.
Cueto looks good. We must get to their pen. But 0 for 5 RISP won’t help.
Kershaw not that sharp tonight. But 3 earned in 6 is a quality start. I’m sure he would be the first to call bullsh*t on that. Ok, he’d be the second cuz I just did.
Cueto looks dialed in now. If he throws 100 pitches he could hand it to Melancon. Hope not.