In case you missed it, here is a series review of the Dodger’s opening series against the Padres at San Diego. The series couldn’t have gone any better for the Dodgers than it did. The Dodgers broke records, and I am sure that after the incredible performance in the opening series, their odds of winning the World Series on odds maker sites like baseball betting at william hill increased at least slightly. Or maybe not. Because it is the Padres after all, and the Padres are pretty bad at the baseballs.
The Dodgers set a franchise record by recording three consecutive shutouts to open the season. The 27 scoreless innings pitched was the second most to start a season in major league history. They outscored the Padres by a combined score of 25-0. The three starting pitchers for the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, and Japanese import Kenta Maeda all did not allow a single run. The Dodger offense scored 25 runs on 34 hits during the three game series.
Opening game- Dodgers defeat Padres 15-0
The opening day game was spectacular. Clayton Kershaw threw seven innings of shutout ball and struck out 9 Padre hitters. The Dodger offense rocked opposing starter Tyson Ross and the San Diego pitching staff scoring 15 runs on 17 hits. The Dodgers scored 12 runs in the final four innings. Every Dodger in the lineup had at least one hit and one run scored. Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez each had 3 hits. Yasiel Puig tripled and scored three runs. The Dodger bullpen pitched three scoreless innings to seal the victory.
Game 2- Dodgers defeat Padres 3-0
The good times continued the following night, as the Dodgers defeated the Padres 3-0. Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir made his Dodger debut and was fantastic. He threw six innings and allowed just one hit and struck out five. Corey Seager had three hits, and the Dodger’s bullpen did not allow a run in the final three frames. Kenley Jansen earned his first save of the 2016 season.
Game -3 – Dodgers defeat Padres 7-0
The Dodgers beat the Padres again in dominating fashion during the series finale. Japanese import Kenta Maeda was the star of the game. He not only did it with his arm, but also hit bat. On the mound he threw six innings and allowed no runs on five hits while striking out four. At the plate he slugged his first major league home run in the fourth inning against opposing starter Andrew Cashner. The Dodgers mobbed him in the dugout after his line drive home run cleared the left field wall. Puig added a solo shot of his own later, and Justin Turner, and Joc Pederson each had two hits apiece. Yimi Garcia, J.P. Howell, and Joe Blanton each pitched a scoreless frame in relief to preserve the win.
6 runs on 13 hits should be enough to win.
Can’t blame the offense.
OK, so the Dodgers are in a game, where in the 5th or 6th or 7th or 8th inning — and the other team gets 2 on or bases loaded.
So who is that closer for those situations? Some games, that point in the game is more important than the 9th inning situation — because the game can get out of hand and the 9th inning is only an after thought.
Dodgers spend all that money, and still need that middle of the game CLOSER.
Seems to me they have 2 basic choices:
A. build from within, and try to teach present 40 man roster to do the work, or,
B. take a farm talent or two — and trade for a solid piece who can come in tomorrow and be the man.
Keeping score on this: Blow-Up #1 – April 7, Giants come back 12-6. Dodgers were up 4 to zip.
3 games the relief was excellent and then one game it’s horrid and we have a problem?
I’ll take 3 great games and one blow up game all year!
Only one of those 3 games was there any pressure on the reliever. And I agree that bases loaded would call for bringing in the closer IF you had a lead to protect. Down by two already, maybe and maybe not. These days no one dares use their closer except in a save situation.
You could do something much more simpler: bring in your best relief pitcher at that point.
But hey that isn’t exciting enough. It’s much more exciting to bring him in for one inning, with the lead, and no one on base!
much drang, let alone any sturm
Jon is getting Vin like
Interesting take Bum. I don’t know if I read it right, but if so, I am guilty of some of that myself. There will be several thousand posts between now and the first week of October. Let’s hope it’s held together until then.
I was on the road during the game yesterday and got home late, but I watched it on MLB in my car.
A few observations:
Alex Wood was good until he wasn’t. Roberts left him in because he needs to build arm strength. The goal is to get him to pitch into the sixth. In 2014, he pitched the first two months out of the bullpen and then started 17 straight games. He went at least 6 innings in 15 of them. He went 7 in several others and once went 8 innings.
In 2015, he started 32 games and went at least 6 innings 19 times, including 8 innings twice. It’s not like he’s this horrible pitcher… now he’s not a #2 or #3 – probably he’s best suited as a #5, but he is capable. He will get some time to iron out the kinks.
I have no clue if he will iron out the kinks, but he is certainly as good or better than many teams’ #5:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodal02.shtml
Yesterday was “one of those days.” It’s good to see that some people now have a reason to post again.
Grandal and Kendrick played yesterday. Both 0 for 3 with 2 K’s. Lee pitched 6 scoreless because of course he did. He’s depth at the starter position that few really want to see the team go to. We also signed a 32 year old reliever named McClure, a guy I’ve heard of only because he was released by my favorite team the Dbacks this Spring.
Your favorite team also, released/let go, a guy named Bolsinger. Think they would like him back?
Good to hear your honesty!
Mark or someone out there… Living here in SoCal I have had enough of the TWC conspiracy… I’m going for the MLB pkg. and Hidemyass.com combo…
Not being the sharpest guy at computers and stuff, do I go with signing up for hidemyass first followed by MLBTV pkg???
Not much to say about the game… A friend and I following it on our cells while watching NYY vs Houston game on TV…
I guess I could say from the penthouse to the outhouse quickly…I still have faith and hope Ross has a good start…
,m
peterj, I still have faith also.
Painful game yesterday, penthouse to the basement. But, as many of the naysayers said, its just one game. Wood 9.00 ERA, Greinke 15.75 ERA, De La Rosa 16.20 ERA, Peavy 7.20 ERA.
I believe we would all like to see FAZ do a quality for quantity move. Deal some of the depth for quality. But, of course, so would every other team. There has been a lot of talk about Bauer at Cleveland, he could be such a move, but, his history is similar to Wood. Granted, I believe, he has better stuff, I would like to get him, he represents better quality depth.
Howell is the biggest worry to me right now. Get Bauer and move Wood to pen.
OK, Stripling, you can do it. I heard a lot of crap from Midget fans, in my neck of the woods last night. I want to dish it out TODAY. Had to remind them were tied right now.
Boxout 7 I have concerns about JP too. He hasn’t been that good, for the last couple of years.
He had one really good year, but it seems that every time he comes in, he makes the situation worse. He needed to have one clean inning, and he came in the game, with no one on base, and couldn’t get anyone out.
Yimi came in, and pitched the ball, right down the middle of the plate. Any big leaguer, can hit a fastball, down the middle of the plate. Joc had a good game, and he went for the gusto, when he needed to, and made the game closer, so that is a good sign.
It was to bad, that Agon, and Scotty’s hard doubles, didn’t go out. But today is a new game, and I hope Stripling, has a good game, for the Dodgers, and for Stripling. Because if he does well, maybe he can stay in the rotation, when Ryu comes back, and Wood can go to the bullpen, or can be traded, for something the Dodgers need.
Because I think that Stripling has better stuff, then Wood. I think we all here, wanted Wood to pitch a good game, but no one here, have much confidence in Wood, because he hasn’t put together, more then four innings, since he has been with the Dodgers.
That game fell apart so quickly, and the Dodgers need to do the same as the Giants, when they need runs. When the Giants get two strikes, they put there bat on the ball, anyway they can, to get a hit, just over the infield. And they just get on base, and don’t try to get it back, in one swing.
They wait until a big swing, is appropriate. We can’t say that they have all of these little singles that are dingers, that are pure luck, because that is not true. The Giants continually get these type of hits, because they go out of there way, to get the bat, on the ball, and get it over the infield.
naysayers and FAZophants. Labels.
We appear to be a divided family. A microcosm of our national macrocosm.
As a famous Dodgers manager once said “No matter how good you are, you’re going to lose one third of your games, and no matter how bad you are, you’re going to win one third of your games. It’s the other one third that makes the difference.” I’m called a naysayer because I believe the Dodgers will win 55% of their games this year. A naysayer is defined as “a person who habitually expresses negativity or pessimistic views. One who casts gloom. A party pooper. A defeatist. Killjoy. Cynic. Complainer. Prophet of doom.” I don’t see it that way. 55% is a realistic number.
I use the word realist. But by doing so, I’m setting myself up for criticism by those who believe that Dodger management apparently can do no wrong. I don’t get that line of thinking, but then I’m trying to be a realist. Is this team, as it is currently constructed, good enough to win the NL pennant and go on to beat the best team in the AL? Oddsmakers and those writers who are supposed to “know” say – not likely. But in here, if you make any suggestions on how the team can be improved, the heat comes down.
The offense looks pretty good. Is it sustainable? Maybe. But it went like this the last few years for the Dodgers. How many guys currently in the lineup will be in the lineup for 148 games? And the pitching. Will any of 2-5 get 30 starts and 180+ innings? If not…… the bullpen. You really confident in this group for 162 games?
I still look for changes. I’ve made several suggestions over the last several years, some were done, most were not done. I’m no genius, but it hasn’t been that difficult to read “what is”.
Go ahead and frame that one Badger, for am organization that hasn’t been to the world series for almost 30 year, we sure have alot of happy fans! Maybe we just want more than they do….they are happy with sweeping the padres, winning the division every few years, be happy boys!
Yeah it’s 54 wins and 54 losses guaranteed. The differences is how you divide the remaining group of 54 games. So goal #1 is to get to 54 wins first before you get to 54 losses.
So far so good but audition #2 is tonight!
Negative people can’t hear your tongue in cheek humor. Oh well.
Mark, I agree and disagree with your statement about my statement above.
Yes, the Dodgers had 3 nice relief outings in S.D. But a terrible one yesterday.
My problem is for a championship team — they have a lead and shut down the other team. That is how they win. Yesterday was only a taste of what might happen numerous times this season. If it does — bingo.
The bullpen is not horrible, but it is not good. I am not a one bad game doom and gloom, but a good bullpen needs to be consistent, and this bullpen (going back to last year) is not consistent. You cannot rely on any pitcher (sans Jansen) pitching well in consecutive games. Just because Garcia and Baez can throw hard, that does not mean either one of them can pitch. Neither one can consistently count on command. Maybe they will be good (and maybe the best we have), but they do not belong on a championship MLB roster…now. Send them back down until they can consistently rely on their command and not MPH. What’s the definition of insanity…Doing the same thing and expecting different results?
I do not know if Andrew made an honest attempt for McGee, but both Tony Sipp and Antonio Bastardo are two LHRP who were available for less than Howie $$$. I am generally a supporter, but I do not understand FAZ’s strategy with the bullpen. They just signed Thayer and Leclure to minor league deals, so give them a chance while Baez and Garcia go back to learn command. They really cannot be much worse.
I agree that Wood gets another shot, and it will be at home where he is better. But if he cannot get out of the 5th again, then FAZ needs to address it. No matter how you try to explain it, Alex lost it in the 5th. He should have been removed and not come out for the 6th. This is not ST and you do not try to build arm strength during the season against ML hitters. If you want to be innovative, build a mound somewhere around the clubhouse or bullpen (enclosed away from fans), and use it as an area for pitchers to continue their work as they do in ST. Or put him in the pen as LH long reliever, and bring up Lee. Maybe he can get out of the 5th. But if Wood continues to not be able to get out of the 5th, something has to change. And this is coming from an Alex Wood supporter. I hope his next start against the DBacks will be the start of something positive, but if not…
AC I thought that was odd, when Mark said, that Wood was building up his arm strength. I too, thought that was what spring training was for, and I didn’t hear Wood had any kind of injury, in spring training.
Doesn’t it always seem like, Baez always comes in, and throws the pitch, that causes a catastrophe? He was only charged for one run. But I think that JP, pitched even worse then Baez.
And JP deserves all of the runners he put on, on his era, and that happened, so JP’s era, is the highest era on the Dodgers now. Hopefully, this will help JP, to come in, and pitch better, next time.
I totally agree about Wood, and I hope Stripling can pitch well tonight, and can stay in the rotation, when Bolsinger comes back, so Wood can go to the bullpen. The weather doesn’t look good, I wonder if this game will be played tonight.
AlwaysCompete, Sipp signed for $18M/3 yrs that would have messed with getting out of luxury tax in 2018. Bastardo signed for $12m/2yrs that would have worked, but, I don’t believe it was Kendrick or pitchers. If FAZ liked what they saw they would have got both. Don’t you agree?
I may eat my words, but, I still think bullpen will be good. We may have to wait for Montas or other help from minors, many options there. I believe they will get it right by playoff time.
Boxout, the Dodgers cannot get out of the luxury tax before 2018. Sipp would be at $6M that year. I do not believe the Dodgers would worry about $6M or $9M. I like Howie, but to me he was a luxury rather than as a necessity. Quality relief is more of a necessity.
I do not believe there are any real options right now to upgrade the pen, except internally. My comment on not signing Sipp or Bastardo was more of a question as to what value FAZ places on the bullpen. I do not think that either was signed because I am not sure that Andrew believes in multi year contracts for relievers. It was a comment that he made during one of those interviews with Dodger announcers during one of the ST games. I cannot remember the exact quote, but it was something along the lines that relievers are not likely to repeat performances from the previous year, except for the exceptional. Is there any other explanation as to why extension discussions were not held with Jansen? Rhame is now at AAA, and Montas will be returning soon. C. Anderson will start at AA, but I believe the Dodgers think his future is in the pen. It’s entirely possible that I am wrong (and I hope that I am), but I think that Andrew believes that either Rhame and/or Montas can replace Jansen next year. Jansen will undoubtedly get Papelbon $$$ and I do not think that FAZ values relievers at that level.
I hope you are right about the current pen, but I am not convinced that Garcia or Baez (especially Baez) are ML ready. They are currently hard throwers but not yet pitchers.
Alex Wood has generally not been impressive as a Dodger, but it’s not like we haven’t seen flashes:
September 5, 2015, Alex went 7 Innings, gave up 3 hits, 0 Runs while striking out 4.
On September 16, 2016, Alex went 8 Innings, allowed 1 hit , 0 Runs and struck out 5.
On October 2, 2016, he also went 7 Innings, Allowed 5 Hits and 2 Runs with 4 Strike Outs.
So to say he has never pitched well for the Dodgers would be wrong. I think there is plenty of reason for hope.
I am looking for consistency. Wood is not consistently good. He has been mostly bad for the Dodgers. He doesn’t pass the eyeball test. He doesn’t look like a good pitcher to me.
The bullpen isn’t consistent either, other than Jansen. (That’s why the Braintrust hasn’t tried to extend him.)
Why didn’t Roberts try and build up Kazmir’s arm the other night as Badger suggested if that’s the plan?
Wood missed significant time in Spring Training so it might be understandable that he’s behind in innings and arm strength.
KAZ had a horrid spring so when he was taken out after 75 pitches in the midst of a shutout, I think it was as much for his confidence as anything. KAZ did pitch 6 innings which was one less than the great Kershaw who pitched 23 innings in Spring Training Wood and Kaz pitched 17 and 16 innings respectively. Kaz is fine by me and Wood isn’t as bad as most of you think.
Why did Wood miss part of spring training, it was never reported that he was hurt?
He had forearm stiffness after one of his starts and missed a start and it was reported
Don’t suppose coming out of the game with a lead would’ve done anything for Wood’s confidence? Let him build up arm strength on his off days, or against the Padres.
Just saw this post snider and thought it was worth a response.
An honest 20/20 hindsight admission from Roberts would probably be “should have pulled him after he gave up 3, and gone with our long man”. Two problems with that though, who is the long man and how many times can we use him per week? I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it until something changes – we have 4 starters that might have difficulty completing 6 innings regularly. The stress that is going to put on this bullpen will be felt early and often. We have to be gentle with these guys in April, are they even going to be around in August and September?