The Dodgers will be getting their first looks at a division rival on Saturday afternoon when they face the Snakes. The Dodgers are playing in their third game of the Cactus League season. After defeating the White Sox 6-1 on Thursday, the boys in blue played to a 3-3 tie against the Rangers on Friday. The highlight of that game was Scott Kazmir’s Dodger spring debut. He allowed two earned runs on six hits across two frames. Scott Van Slyke belted a two-run home run which highlighted the offensive side.
The Dodgers decided to hold Adrian Gonzalez out of the lineup another day because he is still a bit sore after aggravating his rusty neck again. He is expected to be in the lineup on Saturday, but the Dodgers may just wait another day again if he is still feeling sore.
Saturday’s game will give us our first glimpse of Japanese import Kenta Maeda as he will be countering Shelby Miller and the Dbacks. Of course you will all get your first glimpses, while I will be at work yet again. Paying the bills keeps getting in the way of Dodger baseball. Have no fear my lovely Ladodegrreportians, I will be able to watch Sunday’s game with all of you.
In the meantime, the game will be televised on SNLA and MLB.tv at 12:05 PM. You can also catch the game on the Dodger’s radio Network of AM570. As noted by Clyle via twitter, the game is not on radio today. TV only.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Arizona
Kendrick 2B
Ethier LF
Puig RF
Gonzalez 1B
Grandal C
Seager SS
Guerrero DH
Herrera 3B
Brown CF
Dbacks @ Dodgers- 12:05 PM
Shelby Miller vs. Kenta Maeda
TV-SNLA – MLB.tv
Why a DH?
Cactus League has been using a DH for a while now Badger. All of the CL does.
I know. I just asked why they do it. If the NL insists on not using a DH, why not let pitchers hit (they sure as hell need it) and start practicing double switch and other substitution patterns right out of the gate. If I were manager every starting pitcher would get one at bat, that is if they are still in the game when their at bat comes up. The NL using the DH in these games tells me they know it’s a better idea. Who wants to see pitchers hit? With the rare exception they suck at it.
In spring games, there’s no reason to risk injury in meaningless games. However each club can decide not to use the DH the closer we get to opening day. They do that so the players and pitchers can get used to a normal lineup.
The Dodgers need to evaluate hitters and the more ABs they can see the better. The starters are only going 2 innings for now so they might not even get an AB anyway. The rest of the innings are being pitched by relievers and non-rotation starters for the most part.
Risk injury in meaningless games? That’s the reason?
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Well it’s my opinion there is no such thing as a meaningless game. All of these games, every pitch, every at bat, are learning experiences. The first at bat Maeda has in a season game might be the first live pitch he’s seen in years. Same with Kazmir. Nobody will breeze pitchers in these games. That would be dumb. Put elbow pads and Kevlar riot gear on them if you’re worried but I think it’s important they see live pitching. I’d sure want it if I were them. Less likely to embarrass myself later in front of a sold out game in San Diego. That was a joke. That said, maybe Roberts will do it later.
I think they are right to use the DH this early. Otherwise you do not get good looks at some of these kids who in 2 weeks will get hardly any AB’s at all. And yes, I also agree getting a pitcher injured running the bases in spring would be pretty dumb too. I am sure the pitchers are getting their cuts in the cage. I defer to the Dodger coaching staff, who in my opinion know what they are doing a lot more than all these sideline managers and GM’s do.
Sometimes one team uses the DH and the other doesn’t. That really makes no sense. So far, our young hotshots are 0-4 or so. Peterson with 2 K yesterday. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Who is Brown, the CF? Maybe Culbertson is a keeper. First round draft pick of giants 9 years ago. Still 26, I think. He might be a baller. We need a few of those.
Sorry bobbie17, Culberson missed 2015 with a bulging disk in back, therefore, he can’t be a baller. Just another walking wounded.
If Guerrero is playing, I think he should be playing thirdbase. He didn’t look bad at third, so let him play. All we hear is he is terrible on defense, but at third, I have not seen him play bad defense. If he makes all the routine plays, and hits like he did, in Cuba, and AAA, he will be fine filling in, at third. I know the Dodgers might be playing him, to showcase him to other teams, but maybe the Dodgers, should take another look themselves. Turner is the thirdbase man, but the Dodgers have to be careful with him, and he is a free agent after this year, and who knows what the front office will do with him.
i suppose if he is being shwocased it would be as a 3rd baseman or DH. He passed my eye test as far as physical play but he did make a couple of mental mistakes associated with lack of experience at playing third base in games. He looks like he has enough experience taking ground balls in infield practice.
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If he can play third, he can play first.
Bum you know if your not playing on an everyday basis, your going to try to hard sometimes, and be to deliberate with every grounder, and every throw you make, especially if someone has labeled you bad defensively. You have to get in the flow of the game, if your are not playing everyday. I know there are some part time players, that can hit and defend playing part time, but there are not many players, that can do that.
That’s why young, inexperienced players are better off playing everyday in the minors than occasionally in the Show.
I agree with that.
Bum who is Brown in center?
He has not been nor is now on my radar. He could be like Alston in that regard so look out Pederson and Thompson.
I totally agree MJ. I said that on another blog almost word for word. How can anypne say Guerrero is a bad fielder when he had a .978 Fld % ? True it was a small sample(45 chances),
What was it that made him so bad at 3B? Not his fielding. Maybe his range? No it was above league average. His arm? No? Then what exactly.
Certainly he has more experience than Utley and Howie combined.
RichieF I think it might be range, but if he hits like he did in Cuba and AAA, that isn’t a biggie. This guy had better offensive stats that even Joc in AAA, and I think Joc was the best player, in AAA for the Dodgers, when they played on the same team. I don’t buy that he is just pull happy, and can’t handle curves. He was working on driving the ball, the other away, and he had an opposite field HR. He was good in Cuba, and pitchers throw curves in Cuba. I think it was the lack of play, and consistent at bats. I saw in Cuba, that Guerrero had tied Abreu in HRs one year, and Abreu hits well, in the major leagues. This was one year, and Guerrero was I think about 11 in the Cuban league in HRs, that year, but he still hit for a good average, and had the Rbis, and OBA. He didn’t last year, because he was swinging to aggressively at times, because he wanted to prove himself, but I think he learned a lot, even if he was on the bench.
Because you don’t evaluate defensive ability based on fielding percentage.
Unfortunately you cannot carry more than 25 players on a roster. Turner is the 3rd baseman. Guys like Hernandez and Utley are more valuable than Guererro because they can play other positions. If Guererro is doing anything it is increasing his trade value…………he sat out today with a sore knee, and his replacement at DH had 2 hits. Segedin, the guy they got from the Yankees for Torryes, hit 2 homers, and made a great play at 3rd.
Yes Segedin hit 7 HRs last year, in AAA hit 287. You should look at Guerrero’s stats in AAA. And Guerrero hit one HR and hit the wall, for a double, aganist a major league pitcher in the first game, not a AAA pitcher.
Trayce played the first 2 games. I think he’s like 0-5 or 0-6 with like 4 hard hit shots right at somebody. He could be a really nice pickup for us
When do our real prospects get a shot to get out there, and not guys like Brown etc
I already predicted that Thompson makes the 25 and that Crawford doesn’t. And, I already got the replies that Crawford would be on the 25 because of his contract. We will see.
Good question Bobby. Their time will come. It looks to me like our most ready position prospects, the guys we just traded for, are blocked so it doesn’t matter how much time they get, they aren’t making the 25 man. And MJ I too believe Guerrero is being showcased. We have two other potential third baseman that look decent. Turner isn’t likely an every day player so planning for his days off is necessary. If it isn’t Guerrero, hopefully somebody bids in him.
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Just read an interesting piece on Peraza. His current hitting instructor was with him in Atlanta and loves the kid. Seems the Reds targeted him in that trade and were ready to plug him right in at second base – because they thought they could move Phillips. Oops. Now Price has to figure a way to get Peraza 400 at bats as a utility guy. He’s got him at all 3 up the middle defensive positions and third base. Nice tool to have in the belt. And, I don’t know if it means anything but Schebler is listed as third option at all 3 outfield positions.
The Dodgers need a fast, good fielding second baseman so if Peraza were any good at all, FAZ wouldn’t have traded him for a high risk pitcher.
Bum do you think that this front office knew that that pitcher, was high risk? It has been so weird, because everytime the front office try’s to make a good deal, it seems like something always comes up, or someone is hurt. And I am not talking about Anderson and MCCarthy, because they already knew that they had big injury histories, but some of the other deals, seem to always have something come up. And non of us, want the Dodgers to get the worse of a deal. We want the front office to do well, and I don’t understand why some don’t get that. And everyone had a problem with MCCarthy and Anderson from the begining, it wasn’t second guessing, after the fact, it was when they were signed.
I just talked to a Doctor friend of mine today who is a big sports fan as well, and asked him about Montas. He was familiar with the case and said it’s really no big deal. He said he should be back working out within a month and maybe throwing within 60 days. When I asked if he could throw 100 MPH again, he said “If he could do it before, he should be faster now.”
Doesn’t sound high risk to me…
Back to McCarthy and Anderson: No one has mentioned a better option (that didn’t involve big contracts or multiple top prospects), so I assume there’s nothing there but sour grapes anyway! You’ve thought about it and have no answers!
Maybe Dee Gordon is available….
Mark I took you bait! Here are a few of other pitchers, they could have got, insead of those two. And that doesn’t take in consideration of pitchers, they could have trade for. All of these pitchers have better eras, and cost less then MCCarthy. Francisco Liriano, three years 39 , Jason Hammel, two years 18, Edinson Volquez, two years 20.
Badger Peraza was a good fielding second baseman, and a great contact hitter. I didn’t believe that Peraza was bad defensively, because I had read differently, and I saw how he handled second base. I think it was Mark that said he wasn’t that good defensively. It would be good for the Dodgers, to at least, have one good contact hitter, that can run. I couldn’t believe Phillips wouldn’t take that trade to the Nationals. Most players, want to be on a winning team. That trade was the best thing for Schebler, because he will have a real chance, to make that team.
I’ve never said Peraza was not good defensively. Her has a very good glove. His bat is the question.
If Schebler makes the team in Cincy, he will hit 30 HR, but he had no chance for the Dodgers.
Micah Johnson can run… better than Peraza and is a dramatically better hitter – the question is his glove.
That’s why I said I think, I’m sorry. That is good news, that Montas will be ok. I hope that this, might improve his control.
MJ, I do not remember Mark saying Peraza was a bad defensive 2B. I know he thinks Micah Johnson is better than being portrayed. Right, wrong, or otherwise, I do not believe FAZ thought that Peraza was an upgrade over Kike’ as a 2B or utility. They were able to turn Peraza for Montas, Thompson, and Johnson. I know that Schebler and Dixon were included, but Dixon is an organizational piece, and Schebler is not as good as Thompson (IMO). So Peraza brings Montas and Johnson.
Contrary to popular belief, not all former Dodgers are better than current Dodgers. In actually comparing Peraza with Micah you will see that Peraza has a fld % of .963 and Johnson is .961. Peraza has a career RF/9 of 4.43 while Johnson is 4.88. So I would not say that Peraza is all that better defensively compared to Johnson. Offensively Peraza has a slash line of .302/.342/.387 while Micah is .301/.368/.431. So why is Peraza considered so much higher than Johnson? FAZ would rather have Kike’/Montas/Johnson than Kike’/Peraza. Perhaps that is the answer; because FAZ likes the former, the latter must be better.
AC I thought that was a good trade.
Mark has seen Johnson play second, up close.
Wrong – Peraza was a SS for the Braves. He is a much better defender from all accounts.
Dodgerrick, Peraza is a better defender because he played SS? Why, just because you say so? The metrics do not bear that out. Actually he played 210 games at SS, 196 at 2B, 17 CF, and 17 other OF. So he has played nearly as many games at 2B as SS. Or are all SS just better defenders? I assume that you would take Hanley Ramirez and Ian Desmond as quality defenders.
A better fielding percentage does not tell what kind of defensive player, a player is. Because if you have a player, that covers more ground, and gets to more, balls, there always will have more chances, and more harder chances, then a player, that covers less ground, or does not get to balls, that are difficult to get.
MJ, I understand that fielding percentage is not the only defensive metric. But I have never seen either player play that much to determine range. So I used the RF/9 on Baseball Reference, and Johnson’s metrics were better than Peraza. FanGraphs only showed ML defensive Metrics and neither player was considered a solid defensive 2B. But my point was, just because somebody tells me I am wrong about Johnson vs. Peraza because one player was a SS (and that was not altogether complete), and offer no other evidence, then why should I believe that Peraza is a better defensive 2B? The metrics do not back that up. Just because somebody tells me it’s so?
Look – I don’t have an opinion about how well either Peraza or Johnson field. I have only seen Peraza play a little and haven’t seen Johnson mat all. I only know what I have read. Every scouting report that I have read (except for Always Compete of course – and he knows more than all of the professionals) relate that Peraza is a plus defender. Some of them question Peraza’s arm at SS but all like his range and hands. No report that I have read on Johnson like him defensively at 2B. The Friedmanophiles at Dodgers Digest describe him as like Alex Guerrero – awkward with poor footwork and so-so hands:
“Where Peraza has the edge is on defense. Johnson is less than graceful at second base. His footwork and mechanics are poor and not terribly conducive to him remaining at the position long-term. His arm is average at best, so there’s no ideas of him playing third base at some point. If he cannot make the necessary improvements to be a full-time second baseman, he’s rangy and athletic to handle center field. It remains to be seen if he make the correct reads to be a legitimate center fielder. He could be the next in the long line of second baseman/left fielder types — better than Alex Guerrero, though.”
There is a Cincinnatti Reds fan site that has gathered all of the various scouting reports on Peraza if anyone wants to peruse it:
http://redlegnation.com/2015/12/17/scouting-report-jose-peraza/
The upshot is according to the professionals, Peraza is a better defender. Again, I haven’t seen enough of either of them to have an opinion, but if Johnson was going to be the guy this year they wouldn’t have spent $20 mil to sign Kendrick.
All that I tried to say is that the numbers sited by other posters weren’t just at 2B, I assume, since Peraza spent most of his time in the Braves’ system at SS.
AC I never said all former Dodgers are always better, have I?
MJ, the comment was in response to what you wrote, but it was more directed to Dodgerrick. You were praising Jose Peraza and not giving Micah Johnson his due. You said that it would be good to have a contact hitter that could run, and the Dodgers do…Micah Johnson. You, Dodgerrick, and others cannot let Greinke go, but say nothing good about other Dodger pitchers other than Kershaw. I am right in the middle of tax season, and I am getting weary with hearing how the Dodgers blew it with Greinke. He’s gone, and I would rather talk about Dodgers than DBacks.
I was probably wrong to just tie you in with Dodgerrick. You have made recent positive comments about Bolsinger and Guerrero, and undoubtedly others. But I cannot remember one Dodger who Dodgerrick has praised other than Kershaw. He has ripped Kazmir, Wood, Grandal, Utley, Montas, Johnson Thompson, Seager (because he is only a prospect)… I hear nothing good about Dodgers here in Northern California, so when I come on this site and hear how messed up the Dodgers are or that their pitching is a trash heap, I get defensive. While I will be careful not to lump you in with Dodgerrick’s comments, I would hope that you will let Greinke go, and say something positive about…Oh say Maeda, or De Leon, or Chris Anderson, or Joe Blanton and his two innings, or Jamey Wright and his 3 up and 3 down inning today. Dodger pitchers have done well in the three games thus far. Truce?
What – no response?
For the record – I am a Dodger fan. I like lots of the players. i am excited to see Cory Seager and hope that the is the Dodger’s SS for the next 10+ years. I am a fan of Puig and Pederson, Jansen and Yimi Garcia, Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner, AJ Ellis – lots of them, although I don’t have to justify it to you.
I am not a fan of how the Braintrust has assembled the team’s starting rotation. I am ticked that they lost Greinke to a competitor. I am unhappy that they have chosen to sign a bunch of injury-prone, injury risks, or injured guys and called it “depth”. I have the right as a fan to call them as I see them. And I am upset that the Friedman fanboys can’t be objective enough to see when they have missed the boat.
I will be excited to see which of the prospects are ready to step up. I have been waiting for the management to allow some of the kids to show what they can do. Colletti was always about hiring some broken-down veteran instead of seeing if the kids could get it done. Now that Anderson is gone, Ryu is unavailable, McCarthy is out – now is the time. Give Lee a chance to shine – or DeLeon – or Stripling. Whomever it is – let one of the kids pitch. We won’t know if they can do anything unless we give one of them a chance.
Dodgerrick, You do not have to justify anything to me. Just as I do not have to justify how I feel. You say you are a Dodger fan, why would I disbelieve it. Your word is good enough, in fact I believe that you believe everything you say. I stopped coming to sites like these 13 years ago because of fans like you. Always negative. The difference then was that one of the players that was ripped was my son. “He was a bum” . “Didn’t belong in Baseball.” “He needed a tether to tie him down behind the plate.” And yet while all these arm chair baseball experts were castigating my son, he earned his way to the Show and earned a WS Ring with the 2004 Bosox. He’s got the very same ring as Pedro Martinez, Big Papi, Nomar, and even Gabe Kapler…He was ripped even though he was an All Star at every Minor League Level and put up good numbers. So Dodgerrick, you go ahead and continue to trash Alex Wood, Grandal, Kazmir, Zach Lee, Utley (who by the way is a great teammate and will be a stud for Seager to be mentored by), and everyone else you do not like. Those are the guys I will be rooting for. They are the ones that will win that one game when needed. They will not be CY candidates or MVP candidates, just players good enough to make a 25 man MLB roster, others going up and down from LAD to OKC. From now on, I will consider the source and move on.
That is my response.
AC, you recently described Dodgerrick as a pragmatist/realist. I think you’re beginning to realize that this description is not really true. There’s a difference between being a realist and just being a pessimist.
There are a few regulars here who believe this team is a disaster. To them, this front office cannot do a single thing right. It goes deeper than trades made or trades not made, but is something deeper and visceral. They absolutely loathe Friedman for whatever reasons. ANY trade or signing or non signing, no matter how beneficial it turns out to be for the team, will be criticized. Any player acquired will be castigated. I really do get a sense that there are people here that would actually, deep down, like to see the Dodgers have a losing season because it would validate their negative world view as it relates to baseball and the Dodgers. At the very least, it puts them in an awkward position, because if the team is successful, they have to eat crow because they’ve spent so much energy criticizing everything this front office has done.
Geez, lighten up patch. Nobody wants the Dodgers to lose.
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If this team does best the better teams in the league, last I looked it was the Cubs, Mets, Nationals, Cardinals and Giants with better odds, ALL of us who have been critical of FAZ would be both surprised and delighted. I still believe these guys aren’t done molding the roster. It’s not going out on a limb to say the team that starts the season won’t be the same team that finishes it. There is still some work to be done to compete with the elite.
This is the game I’m really interested in. Showcasing our new Japanese star.
Very interesting play to end the first inning. Left handed batter up shift is on runner at second tries stealing third. Grandal cuts him down with a good throw to Seager covering third.
MJ: In your reply to me about Guerrero. I looked it up and his range was above average. His range: 2.65. ML average: 2.46. Certainly better than Utley(3 games-9 chances) and Howie(1 inning-0 chances)
RichieF I do think that Guerrero will handle third better, then Utley and Howie.
Does not matter if he handles it better or not….it is a numbers game. Hernandez has more value as a super utility. And there is no way Guererro starts over Turner. They have been offering him around for the last month or so. Utley is Howie’s and Adrian’s backup. Along with SVS. This team wants guys who are good at more than one position. Even Turner can play SS or 2B in a pinch.
Michael it matters because everyone should want Guerrero to have a good spring, so maybe another team will want to pick him up.
Guerrero was scratched today due to a pain in the knee.
Liked the look of De Leon but was amused to see Puig miss the 3 Cut off men. That must be quite hard to do.
It does get old.
It sure looks like it was a bad day for Guerrero to come down with pain in his knee. Rob Segedin played very well. 2 HR shots (one a line shot down the LF line, and one to straightaway CF), and a pretty good play at 3B defensively. One game does not a ST make, but as I recall a couple of years ago there was another non roster invitee who came to ST and earned a job. I think that both Guerrero and Segedin get to play enough to try and impress. Good luck to both. Charlie Culberson hasn’t looked that bad either.
De Leon’s 1st pitch to Ahmed was right down the middle, and Ahmed turned on it. De Leon then thought that he better get off the plate a little more, and pitched a marvelous two innings with 4 Ks and against ML batters. Maeda moved the ball around with solid command. I think Chris Anderson also pitched very well, and may find himself in the pen and try to become a right handed version of Andrew Chafin. With the risk of sounding like Badger, I liked how Andrew Chafin looked for the DBacks. I saw him pitch in Reno as a starter, and was not that impressed. But he was totally different after he got moved to the pen. He was very good in that role last year with AZ, and I think the DBacks have a good late inning reliever in Chafin.
I put zero stock in Miller’s performance today just like Peavy’s or Kazmir’s earlier in the week. It’s great to see pitcher’s do well, but first time out for established pitchers is inconsequential.
Overall, the Dodgers depth is looking good so far.
AC Guerrero hit a HR and hit the wall, for a double against a major league pitcher in his first game. Segedin hit two HRs against a AAA pitcher, and Segedin hit 7 HRs in AAA last year.
AC I don’t remember you saying anything about Guerrero’s first game?
MJ, I don’t have a dog in this hunt. I doubt that either will be with the team come April 4. My only point was that it was good to see Rob Segedin have a good day, and that it was Justin Turner that turned a non-roster invite into a 25 man roster spot. I have an affinity for players that continue to get overlooked. I raised one. I did not say anything bad about Guerrero, just that he picked a bad day to have a sore knee (sarcasm). Unlike many on this site, I do not speak ill of Dodgers, with one exception…Pedro Baez. He is the only Dodger that I have not come around on. But Alex Guerrero…meh!! If he makes it good for him. If he doesn’t I hope he does well where ever he lands.
AC I guess I see Guerrero is a big underdog too. Because he came over to this country, and was playing well in AAA, and that crazy catcher, attacked him, and bit his ear off. He seems to be the only Cuban, that came over in that time, that isn’t a bad teammate, and just wants to play, and help the team.
Do you think the Dodgers just release Guerrero and eat that contract if he doesn’t perform here in ST? I think it’s 8 mil. Not sure how many years left on it.
It’d be great if he turns it around. I think the Dodger with their vaunted depth still need a good backup at 3rd and a solid defensive backup at SS. I know the FO likes Leatherman tool utility players who can play multiple positions, but maybe he could play 3rd and 1rst.
According to BR it’s $7.5mm each year for two more years. According to Cots, it’s $5mm with performance bonuses based on at bats he will never get here.
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The plan has to be to trade him. We have Turner for 120 games (hopefully) Utley, Howie, Segedin, Hernandez, Culberson – there are a lot of guys to stick in there. Somebody somewhere must have a need for a bat like Guerrero’s.
AC truce because I am very hopeful about the Dodgers this year. I really think Roberts, and all the new coaches won’t accept mediocrty. I just brought up Greinke, that last time, because I didn’t realize that the Dodger rotation was the highest payed rotation in baseball. I hadn’t brought him up for a while. I really like Maeda, and I think Wood will be better this year. I hope in the off season, Wood healed and I think that he messed with his delivery a little to. We were never told that Wood had bruised his foot last year, and like you know, it was the foot a lands on.
Good outings by Maeda and De Leon. De Leon with 4 k’s in 2 innings, struck out Lamb and Peralta both regular season starters for AZ.
Anyone care to comment on the OLD MANS perfect inning? Jamey Wright threw great. Deleon did not get rattled, and Chris Anderson pitched the final 2 without a scratch. All in all a pretty good day. Segedin 2 bombs, couple of doubles from other guys…..liked the hustle. 3 errors need to be taken care of though…time to work on those pick off plays to 2nd.
Michael- Stole my thunder… Really impressed with the other Anderson… Deleon, well he’s my dark horse to make the 25 out of ST… I know ‘good luck’…
De Leon and Urias will both start for the Dodgers THIS year. I’m not saying WHEN…
The depth of this team is astounding. Do any of you really appreciate that? It is amazing!
This is the best Dodger team I have seen in a long time… and some of it starts with Doc and Turner Ward and the rest of the staff! You can sense a change is in the air.
Mattingly is busy telling people to shave and Doc is just building his guys up.
Have I ever mentioned that I detest Don Mattingly?
There is Enthusiasm in the air! And that is just from Mattingly being gone! Did you guys see the third base coach, talk to Ethier, when Ethier was walking back to the dugout. Either he missed a sign, or it was about Ethier running past second, on Puig’s fly ball. To bad that Puig missed up in the field, with his usual over throw, because he had a good hit to center, in the first game, and hit that fly ball, to right center, and hit it pretty well. And when Puig was hitting well, he was hitting to center, and right.
I don’t recall that word “detest”. You have written he’s a nice guy, we all pretty much agree he wasn’t the man for the job of Dodgers manager, which was always the gist in your words about him.
It really looks like these guys want to be at bat. Great energy! De Leon looked shockingly sharp! Arizona’s bullpen looks like they needed more attention.
Maybe “detest” is too strong! 😉
Peace Quas!
I think Maeda will do fine in the majors, because he is a pitcher. I read that Maeda was the runner up, in Japan for there CY Young, the year before last, so he has had a real good last two years in Japan. And has always been decent.
If his elbow holds up, he should hold his own. He did pitch 200 innings last year, but he did it with an extra day of rest. He won’t get that luxury here.
Patch, I remember calling Dodgerrick a pragmatist/realist but I have to agree with you. He just seems angry or bitter about the Dodgers. I don’t think anyone here believes that FAZ has pushed the right buttons every time, including Mark. But you are right, some seem to want to see FAZ fail. The days of Al Campanis and Buzzie Bavasi are gone. The game is now run by computer geeks (and I say that with respect), and Andrew Friedman is one of the best.
But it was my fault for letting him get to me. This is a place for all opinions positive and negative.
I have to hand it to Cubs fans. It takes a special kind of optimism to continue to be hopeful year after year. To me, that’s kind of the point of being a sports fan. It is based on hope and optimism. If you hate your team and think it’s going to be terrible, then what are you doing? Go find something else to do that is a little more fulfilling.
Here’s some cause for optimism – De Leon’s changeup.
http://www.truebluela.com/2016/3/5/11167504/watch-kenta-maeda-and-jose-de-leon-in-their-cactus-league-debut
I was reading some comments either on trueblue or dodgersdigest about DeLeon. ….some pros and cons with him making the starting rotation out of spring. Suppose he is that good. Do you put him on the starting roster? Do that and he fades in September. …or do you leave him in OKC and manage his innings, bringing him up after the ASB or in September?
Not angry – not bitter. Just disappointed. Not looking for anyone to fail – just disappointed in an approach. Computers are a tool – not a replacement for analysis – and especially not a replacement for the human factor. Baseball is played by people. It isn’t a computer game..
More name calling “bitter, angry” – I’m out.
Patch, it sure seems they want to move him. I don’t know whose place he would take. I figure, unless someone is hurt, that Ellis, Utley, Kike’, SVS, and CC will be the bench. Who would he replace?
I hope Guerrero hits a ton and some AL team will want him. I say AL, because right or wrong, he has the rep of a below average defender, but good hitter with pop, perfect DH. After seeing 1,000 + minor league games I judge defense by my eyes. I have not seen nearly enough of Alex play to determine if the rep is earned or not. I would not want to see him released. If they do, I hope they make a real effort to convince him to accept a minor league assignment.
Guys, We get to see bellinger today at first base. Guerrero dealing with sore knee, and Turner not ready yet. And I get to finally watch a game! No work today woo hoo!
I think De Leon could be special, but it’s too early to consider him in the rotation right out of ST. The Dodgers have options for #5, and they believe Bolsinger is at least a safe #5.
De Leon needs to go to OKC to at least get some success at that level. As well as he pitched yesterday, some of his fastballs were up in the zone and out over the plate. When Nick Ahmed can turn on one of your fastballs, it’s usually because of command. He threw some tremendous changeups, and it is truly a swing and miss pitch.
Bolsinger pitched well for his two innings and C. Anderson did as well. I think De Leon has too pitch much better than Bolsinger to get that #5 spot. Otherwise there is much he can work on at AAA. I agree with Mark, he will be in the rotation before September.
Kenta Maeda said he would not have woken up at 5 a.m. in Japan to watch himself pitch. He gets spring training.