The Dodgers got some bad news today as Clayton Kershaw went back on the DL with a strain in the lower back. Kershaw will be out for a month. The injury is similar to last year where he missed a month. The Dodgers traveled to Coors at 26-30 and four games behind the Rockies. Today started a three game set that could get the Dodgers back in the race. Today was a bullpen day for the Dodgers and Scott Alexander got the start for the Dodgers against Tyler Anderson of the Rockies.
Kershaw diagnosed with lower back strain. Similar diagnosis to last year, as he said yesterday. He missed five weeks last year.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) June 1, 2018
This game would be a slugfest. Chris Taylor started the game with a triple. Justin Turner flied out to score a run. Matt Kemp then hit a solo shot to make the score 2-0. In the bottom of the first, Carlos Gonzalez singled in a run to make the score 2-1. Scott Alexander came out in the 2nd inning and Dennis Santana came in to make his major league debut. Chris Iannetta doubled and then Santana hit the the pitcher Anderson. D.J. LeMahieu singled in a run to tie the score. Charlie Blackmon then tripled in two runs and the Rockies led 4-2.
In the top of the 4th, Logan Forsythe singled to start the inning. Austin Barnes reached on an infield single. Yasiel Puig then reached on an infield single as well. Then Dennis Santana doubled in two runs to tie the score at 4-4. Chris Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 5-4 Dodgers. In the bottom of the 4th, D.J. LeMahieu singled in a run to tie the score 5-5. In the bottom of the 5th, Gerardo Parra singled in a run and the Rockies took a 6-5 lead. In the top of the 6th, Yasiel Puig singled to get things started for the Dodgers. Breyvic Valera then walked. CT3 then hit a three run shot and the Dodgers took an 8-6 lead.
Three games under .500 but only three games out of first place. https://t.co/t4VLQEqI5R
— Dylan Hernández (@dylanohernandez) June 2, 2018
Logan Forsythe then hit sacrifice fly to score a run and the score was 9-6 Dodgers. Nolan Arenado then hit a solo shot off Yimi Garcia and the score was 9-7. In the top of the 9th, Austin Barnes walked followed up by a two run shot by Yasiel Puig to make the score 11-7. Kenley Jansen came in to get one out in the 8th. Jansen got into some trouble in the 9th and gave up a run to make the score 11-8. He was able to get out of the jam with the tying run at the plate.
James Moya
Hi I’m James Moya. I am an avid Dodgers fan. I graduated Cal State Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications. I used to freelance at the San Bernardino Sun. I’m excited about this opportunity to write for LA Dodger Report to gain experience. I’m a straight shooter on my opinions and I hope to get some good conversations going. My dream has always been to report on the Dodgers because Baseball is the National Past-time. I hope you enjoy the ride with me.
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Not pretty. Santana able to settle down after a disastrous beginning.
I think we are in for a few longish games in Colorado. Stay away from those walls Dodgers outfielders !!
Where to begin?
Alexander starting!? Is this the beginning of the end of the starting pitcher? All relievers, all the time? If they can win this way, I’m on board. lol. But what won this game was not the pitching. Kaboom. Bats Ahoy! Even Santana had a clutch double which won him the game. Does his pitching
even matter? What possessed Roberts to start the game this way?
Our FO and manager like, no LOVE, to get cute and show that they’re avant-garde. That’s what happened today.
We may see more of Santana as a starter with Kershaw on the DL. If I was Kershaw’s agent I may be advising him not to opt out ….
We have a ways to to go to be as good as Tampa at starting a reliever. Something to strive for.
The NL West doesn’t look all that good to me. It’s made even worse losing a talent like Kershaw. I think some of us knew with the herniated disc it was likely the beginning of the end for him. Bad backs don’t get better with age. He might still pitch, but his ace days are in all probability over. Time to plan accordingly.
Yeah, we won a shootout in Colorado. Colorado is not more than an 82 win team. It’s good that we beat them. Beating .500 teams is what we are supposed to to do.
Anybody seen Cody Bellinger? There is a good read by Sunit Bhakta at Dodgersway regarding just how bad he has been the last month. And it was written before that ridiculously inept at bat last night. Cody looked like me up there.
2018 Dodgers. Duct tape and bailing wire. Like an old International Harvester.
Badger
You said you think he will come around, but he does not look close, and that is why, I am concerned.
What is it, your mighty Badger?
He adjusted all through last season, so I think it is something else, because they made it easier to get to the ball by making him start, without the bat on his shoulder, but he looks just as bad.
This looks more then a timing issue, or the way pitchers are pitching him.
Confidence. He looks like a guy who expects to fail.
MJ
I think there is some merit to you thinking that increased muscle could cause batting problems for Cody. I once put on muscle mass thinking I could increase my distance on my golf game and guess what ? It effected my whole game. You do not have the same muscle memory and it also effects your actual swing. Short game was also effected. Cody does not have the same flexibility and that along with muscle memory will do it every time. Just my opinion. Also, he will get it back but it will take time.
So you guys don’t buy what PhDs in Physiology of Exercise have been teaching at leading universities for decades.
So noted.
Are you also flat earther’s? 😉
I think Bellinger will adjust. It also looks like Taylor and Puig are (very slowly) getting better. I also think our bullpen will end up top 10 again by the end of the year (yes you heard it here first).
What I really, really need, in terms of adjustments and improvements, is our FO and our dear manager. They’ve been trying the same things the last 3 years and other teams have passed them. They are the equivalent of Grandal.
I thought last night’s game, was an enjoyable game to watch.
I don’t think Santana did that bad, because he did do better after a while, and his off speed pitches broke at Colorado, at times.
Remember when Mattingly had Frias make his first start at Colorado, and he didn’t have anyone go out to Frias, until six runs scored, in the first inning.
I would give him another start, at Dodger Stadium or at a pitcher’s Park.
Puig didn’t start hitting until June last year, and it was good to see him have a good night up at the plate.
I didn’t like that he tagged up, to go to third there, because he can easily score from second, so it wasn’t worth a chance to me, especially when we know Para has a pretty good arm.
I thought Para already taught Puig that lesson.
The Rockies spent a lot of money for their pen, so I was surprised their pen is not pitching that well.
I also want to see more of Santana. That was quite a double! Maybe he could pinch-hit more often for us! I think with Kershaw on the shelf, we’ll see more of Santana. Pickings are slim, after all.
Taylor and Puig are definitely coming around.
Jeff
I rather see our young pitchers pitch, even if they have some trouble, then any of those other pitchers they signed, like Anderson and company.
Anderson just went out on the DL again, but he is still able to make pretty good money, from all these baseball teams.
It is amazing when someone like Forsythe gets a raise in money, and gets his option picked up, or what ever it is called, after what he did at the plate last year.
He was rated the best defensive second baseman in the National League last year, but he is not the same on defense this year, so it is hard to Carry his lack of bat, especially with Corey out.
Forsythe for Starlin Castro.
That’s Jonah’s idea.
Sweeten the deal by adding an arm we will never use.
There are some outfielders you can run on. Parra isn’t one of them.
Cody is only 22, with a few hundred at bats in the bigs. He will figure it out. I’ve read he is a hard worker, so just keep at it and believe.
I also think FAZ isn’t as good at this as some of the other moneyballers. Look at the construction of the best teams out there. None are perfect of course, but some look closer than we do. Houston looks like an absolute lock to play for the AL Pennant again. I really like that Yankee lineup, in fact, the offenses of Houston, New York and Boston look so much better than ours. Pitching? In the NL the Cubs, Nats, St Louis, Philly, Milwaukee and dbacks are better than us. 5 NL teams have more quality starts than us. Houston has 42 quality starts and leads everybody with a 2.68 ERA. An American League team with an ERA under 3? Unbelievable. The next 7 teams on that list are all NL teams.
Right now there are about 10 teams that would kick our ass in a 7 game series. That could change of course. Stand by.
Badger
I think the Yankees are most comparable to us, because they never had to rebuild, and they only missed the post season, for one year.
I am very impressed, how they went from an old line up, to a young line up.
And they sure made the most of that Chapman trade, because they got that top prospect, and he has played well, this year.
I think he had the same TJ surgery that Corey had..
I believe his last name is Torres.
Badger
On an earlier comment you said that MJ and I did not conform to what the Phds day on exercise. I did not say that but I am telling you in real life exercising will effect your game, be it baseball or golf. I do not know if you play golf but if you do, try cutting bushes and schrubs with hand clippers and then go play golf. Your game will be effected. I think that is all MJ was trying to say . That extra muscle will have an effect until you get used to being bigger. His flexibility. I am not a flat earther either.
Package
Thanks, I missed your response.
Badger can call us, unlearned if he wants, it is hard for a skinny player to suddenly put on some extra muscle in the off season, and use it at the beginning of the next season.
Your right, it takes a while to learn how to do the things, you once did, without that extra muscle, Maeda has to deal with that, after he put on extra muscle too.
You know the one thing about the pop up I hate. It seems like Dummy is always on it talking his ass off. Sickening.
He always has a lot of splaining to do pack.
Package
Funny , I didn’t even know what the pop up was about, today.
The pop up is about the same thing everyday. Revenue. And as was explained to us, if a guy can make a buck on it, who are we to complain?
That Chapman trade worked for both teams. That’s what was supposed to happen in the Darvish trade.
Badger
That is true, but the Reds sure missed out.
But I think a team has to do that, when it is the right time to do that.
And that sure didn’t hurt the Cubs much, but Karma is a B, because they have Darvish signed now, to a multi year contract.
They also have a Championship and remain a contender.
The FBZ handed Chapman to the Yankees. No guts and no vision.
Some Guts – they took a chance on McAnderzmir.
No Vision – they took a chance on McAnderzmir
What’s the encore to the World Series performance? Cap reset – 2019 and beyond!
Package the game is on Fox today,
MJ
I get the Dodgers every day. I have Directv and the extra innings program. I can always get the Dodger announcers too.
Taylor
Turner
Grandal
Kemp
Bellinger
Joc
Puig
Valera
Buehler
Actually a better lineup than yesterday. Batting Hernandez, Barnes, Muncy and Forsythe together puts fear only in our pitchers.
+Took a break to get a new perspective. I had to watch the game on ROOT Sports here in Colorado. I really dislike their lead announcer, Drew Goodman. Biggest HOMER in the league. Farmer had 3 hits at OKC yesterday, right now I would prefer him to Barnes as the backup catcher. Hitting over .300 and has 3 homers and 13 ribbies in about 16 games. As for Santana, I would think nerves probably affected his performance. He showed some good and some bad. But overall his stuff looked pretty nasty. He missed a grand salami by this () much. The offense bailed him out. Kemp keeps rolling, really frightening moment when he got hit. We need more days like yesterday from Yasiel. And Taylor seems to be making better contact.
Who would have thought that at this point of the season, June 2, that Brandon McCarthy would have more wins than Clayton Kershaw? He has 5, and an astronomical ERA over 5.
Dodgers claim PJ Conlon, a LHP off waivers from the Mets. Don’t get excited, he was hammered in 2 games with the Mets and has an ERA over 6 down on the farm, they also signed Logan Ondrusek to a minor league deal and he pitched last night for Tulsa. FAZ has officially jumped his dumpster diving game to a higher level.
Yeah. I am far from excited. We should give Broussard, Sborz or Sierra a chance before Conlon. They cannot be worse.
Puig’s HR yesterday was the farthest HR he has hit, and the farthest HR on the Dodgers, this year.
What I liked best about his HR, was the fact he hit that up the middle.
Alert the media Joc homers
Where is the game? I’m on charter and can’t find it. Fox is golf, dodger network is old shit. Help!!!!
I had to down load Foxsportsgo to get the game…..
Game finally switch from golf. Which wasn’t too bad cuz it was the ladies golf. And some of them are really cute. Switch just in time to watch Bellinger strike out. This dude looks lost. Something needs to be done. Maybe a trip to anywhere? just might be the trick. These auto outs are getting really hard to watch.
OK I have become a chronic poster…. Temporarily…. Forsythe F’ING SUCKS???? sorry I would not post the word I was thinking. Between him and Bellinger… My God are these actually major league players? And I am a Cody fan!!!
FO and Dr!!! Fix this shit!!!!! It ain’t frikin rocket science!!!!
They have no one at AAA right now who plays first and is ready for MLB. I would send Bellinger down, recall Farmer and Verdugo, release Forsythe, and play Muncy at 1st until Cody gets his swing back, or bring Edwin Rios up to play 1st, but Forsythe has to go.
Farmer and Muncy both play first and second. I’d send Bellinger down and trade Forsythe.
Kemp comes through again !!
According Baseball Reference, Kemp has a WAR of 1.5 this year (dWar of -0.3) and McCarthy has a WAR of -0.1).
YF
And Forsythe is last on this team.
GO GO TIM!! MY MAN!!
Welcome back Tim
Well, I will never understand Dummy not playing Kemp ALL THE TIME. He has just hit another HR.
Package
I didn’t understand Roberts hitting Grandal third, that should now be Kemp’s place in the line up.
Where would this team be without Kemp?
He is having one heck of a season!
And this is the best game I have ever saw Joc have at the plate, I give credit when credit is due, I hope he can keep it up.
And even Valera is having a good day.
The strategy continues to work pack.
I’m happy to do the 5 push-ups. I think with 450 at bats he could put up a 3 WAR.
Pederson looks like he knows what he’s doing today.
Bellinger will come around. The more the team scores the less pressure on him. Just work the at bat like we talked about. Stay calm, focus, swing but don’t overswing. Soon. Very soon……
50!!!!!! Badger would you let me know what stats Kemp has to achieve to earn his money?? I would like to track it for fun. This is not a joke, I am serious. He can’t get 450 abs because either Dummy won’t play him or pulls him early.
50?
50 what?
I can help you with that information pack. Google “mlb cost of war” and click the fangraphs splanation. Last year Dollars per WAR Using Actual Unadjusted WAR was $10.5mm, up 3% from the year before. It goes up almost every year, the only year it didn’t was 2012. Forecast $ per WAR has ‘18 at $11.1mm, ‘19 $11.7. Some people would, and have argued that’s unrealistic as the payroll divided by wins gives cost for wins. The practical application for me is what would it cost to get a free agent in here to do what Kemp is doing.
When you sign a free agent you are hoping to get most of the wins you pay for up front. That’s why we so many bloated contracts for decaying numbers. Will guys like Stanton and Cabrera keep putting up 4-7 WAR into their late 30’s. Cabrera until he’s 42. Cabrera gets paid $30 million for 4 years then $32+ for 2 more. You think he will be putting up 3-4 WAR for the next 6 years?
Kemp is in the last 2 years of his contract. If he puts up the numbers to earn his money, something he hasn’t done in 4 years, I think it would extraordinary. I hope he does it.
I just checked out the WAR and dWar numbers for Grandal, Kemp, A-Gon, Pederson, Forsythe and McCarthy. Conclusion is (1) we won the trade by a lot, although A-Gon is not bad with the Mets and (2) Kemp has a higher dWar than Joc (whose dWAR has fallen off a cliff even before he has reached his prime ….) and (3) we overpaid Forsythe by a ton.
I hope Pederson doesn’t go back to his old ways after this game. Some of those HRs will be fly outs anywhere but Coors Field.
YF
I hope so too, because that crossed my mind too, but I don’t think he would want to go back to where he was, because this is far more rewarding.
I know he won’t do this everyday, but I think he is a better hitter, even without the HRs today, but he can be streaky, so I totally understand.
Kemp has the highest total war on this team, why bat anyone else third?
I actually thought Cody looked a little better today.
Well, now they have removed Kemp and moved Joc to left and put Kiki in CF. What does Kemp have to do to play a full game????? Who ever heard of batting pitcher for the NL leading hitter. Call me dumb if you want but Dummy has me beat. Not only a Dummy but an idiot.
Another thing, Kemp could have hit against a left hander. Nice. I truly hate and despise this stupid Idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Package
It is Colorado and they play early tomorrow, so I have no problem with Roberts resting Kemp now.
But I don’t bat Grandal third over Kemp!
MJ
Knowing Dummy, he will sit Kemp again tomorrow. Wanna bet?
Package
He better not!
Interesting numbers. I think they will change.
I’d leave Joc in center and Bellinger at first. At least for a while. Infield keeps you in the game more, so for now that would be a better spot for Cody. Center is Joc’s position. Hit him 50 flies every morning so he can get lighter on his feet out there. As long as Kemp is fresh I think he’s quite capable of ending with a positive dWAR, which he hasn’t had since ….. 2008. He was 23. If he can keep that number above zero his oWAR should be enough to more than earn his money. Heck, he may earn his entire contract this year. We pay him around $37mm. 4 WAR covers that.
Badger
Is the Rockies relief pitchers stuff, look as bad, as they do?
Did everyone know that Valera hit in the most runs in this game?
See, singles mean much more then walks.
Get on base. Keep the line moving. The Dodgers did that. 13 hits, 6 walks, 4 for 9 WRISP. 12 earned runs. It’s a thing of beauty when it works.
7-3. 2 games out. Half the team hurting, slumping or gone for the year. I’m impressed.
I think Kemp will get close to 4 WAR this year. He looks very motivated and the guys realize they need him.
4 guys with 2 or more ribbies, Taylor, Pederson, Kemp and Valera. Nice work. Bullpen did not allow a run, pretty nice work there too, although there were a couple of moments. Great throw by Kemp to nail Blackmon. Yasiel forgot himself again and tried to throw a runner out at the plate and that allowed them to get 2 runners in scoring position, both of whom scored. He has been better at not doing that, but sometimes I think the urge to just show off that cannon of his overcomes him. Joc homering to left was impressive. The 2nd shot that was hit to right field was a towering drive. I got a break and did not have to listen to the Rockies broadcast team. Kemp’s homer tied him with Eric Karros for the most HR’s by a Dodger at Coors Field. Had no problem with Roberts pulling Matt with an 8 run lead.
I don’t know Michael, that fly ball to left would be an out in most places.
What I liked about Joc today was that he hit both homers with good swings. The one he hit into the seats behind right field was not an all or nothing swing. I hope he keeps this up!
Even Grandal managed to not strike out on a full count when we had a ROTLeTTO – instead a ground out to second base but it got the run home to make it 5-4. That was a pleasant surprise.
I think you may have told us but I must have forgot. What is a rotletto?
Runner On Third LEss Than Two Outs
OKC wins 4-2. It was their 33rd win of the year, 33-19. Locastro hit his 3rd HR. He is hitting .315 on the year. Verdugo 0-4 but hitting .306. Farmer hit his 4th double and is hitting .328. Rios went 2-4 and is hitting .333. He also had an RBI. Gale, the catcher is hitting .325. Farmer played 3B today. Schlitter got the win, he is 2-0, Corcino went 6 and got no decision. Venditte earned the save, #2 Rancho is leading in the bottom of the 8th 5-1 over Lancaster. Lux, Bannon and Berman have homered. #7 for Lux, 13 for Bannon and #2 for Berman. Anderson started and went 4. Stetson Allie, who was an outfielder in the organization last year pitched a scoreless inning. Tulsa got beat 3-2 by Corpus Cristi. They only had 4 hits, one a triple by Yusinel Diaz. Mitchell White started and went 5 scoreless with 6 K’s. Dylan Baker got the loss and a blown save.
DJ Peters in a mini schneid. .194 in his last 10. 0 for June. Verdugo last 10 – .366 with no homers and a .799 OPS. 41 at bats, 15 hits, 1 double. That’s a lot of singles. Diaz is even less impressive – .270 with a .724 OPS in his last 10. It would appear there is no Bellinger/Seager to bring up.
Looks that way. 2 closest to being MLB ready would be Verdugo and Farmer. Locastro is pulling a Kike and playing all over the field, and he looks to be a better hitter than Kike and much faster. Rios has impressive power, but not a really great glove anywhere he plays.