Well guys we’ve made it. Today is the end of the 2017 regular season for the Dodgers. The boys in blue will wrap up their series in Denver and the regular season on Sunday with an afternoon matinee. This has certainly been one of the most memorable seasons in Dodgers history. The club broke the all-time Los Angeles record with 103 wins. No Dodger club has won this many games since the 1953 team won 105 games when they were still in Brooklyn. The season has been filled with incredible highs and lows. Records were broken, lots of home runs were hit and the Dodgers clinched their fifth consecutive National League West division title.
The Dodgers will be trying to break the nasty 29-year World Series drought that has been hanging over the franchise. Before we head into the postseason I just wanted to thank all of you (yes you!) for coming to Ladodgerreport throughout the season. This site wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for you guys. From Oscar, James and myself, we want to thank everyone who took the time to read or comment at LADR. I wanted to let you all know how much we appreciate you so we are declaring today Ladodgerreport reader appreciation day. Thank you so much and I hope we can celebrate a World Series championship in a few weeks. Once again we thank you!
Thank you Scott for not being an A-hole blog boss. Thank you for not have a VERY questionable character (like child molester or pedophile, etc.) Thank you for not making a site that is mostly about you and you constantly telling everyone how brilliant you are and what a bunch of morons others are if they don’t agree with you. A disclaimer, none of these characterizations are meant to point a finger at any other blog bosses but they do sound a lot like…
I have enjoyed the whole experience. Most of the folks who come on here have a real passion for the team. It has been a lot calmer on here in recent weeks and that has been refreshing. Of course we all felt the angst when the team went into it’s slide. I miss a few who have left, but there may be a time when they feel like returning. We head into the playoffs with high hopes that this is the year they finally make it back to the big dance. I did not realize that the Rockies starter for the wild card game is 2-1 against Az this year, so they have a real shot at being our opponent. Greinke on the other hand is 1-1 this month with an ERA north of 4. Go Rocks! Good news in todays game is that Seager is 3-3 so far. Breaking news. Louis Avilan is out of the NLDS with a sore shoulder.
I would like to say Thank You to the few who have had interaction with me. Although I am new I have the same enthusiam and love of the Dodgers as you all. I hope to continue to be accepted. This is a good blog and I especially like Scott’s posts and Oscar’s. Thank You guys. I hope more will converse with me going forward. Again, Thank You.
Package
I may not always agree with your thoughts, but I appreciate everyone’s thoughts, including yours, because we all can learn from one another.
This was the best of times to be a Dodger fan, and it quickly became the worse of times, when they went into that losing streak.
But this is still typically how the Dodgers do things, so hold on for the next ride!
Thanks Scott Oscar and James. I enjoy being here and appreciate the blogs and the posts. I must also add that the writing has improved a lot in my opinion, since the first year.
If Avilan is off then maybe both Stripling and Baez make the postseason roster? Locastro is a real possibility as a pinch runner.
I think whether Ross makes it or not depends on which starter they decide to keep as the long man and right now that is looking like Maeda. Baez is a lock, I am telling you Roberts loves the guy and his last 3 appearances he has pitched well. Me? I am not keeping some rookie on the roster simply to be a pinch runner. Makes no damn sense and shortens the bench. Rather have a guy like Farmer who has seen action and actually responded in a close game.
Couple of things I saw today.
The long rest will do Seager and Bellinger some good. Yes Joc hot 2 doubles today, but Joc needs to work on his swing 365 days of the year until he gets comfortable. Taking it easy last off season didn’t work. He’s got a new swing now – again! – it’s shorter and more compact, more speed, but he’s lost a few steps and needs to get more loft with this new swing.
Barnes should be a real weapon for us, for years. Scoring from first on that second Pederson double was great – the Rockies weren’t prepared for a catcher running that fast with a grounder double up the middle (the Rockies CF sucks).
YF
I hadn’t thought much about who I prefer we would face, but I think it would easier to face the Dbacks.
And that is simply because where the Rockies play, that place, makes any game, a wild card game!
With the way the elevation effects a pitchers stuff, and with that outfield that never seems to end, so many things can happen, that wouldn’t normally happen, at any other stadium, in baseball.
And the Rockies know how to play there, better, then any other team, in baseball!
Here is a little stat for you and this counts this years games. The Dodgers are 102-95 all time at Coors Field. 7 game difference. They are 93-85 all time at Chase, 8 game difference. Since 2010 they are 36-31 at Chase. Coors because it is a hitters park evens the odds a bit, but balls fly out of Chase too. At Dodger Stadium against AZ they are 101-74 and 134-83 against the Rocks. I prefer playing the Rockies because their starting staff is less than stellar, but they have a decent bullpen. Arizona on the other hand has better starters and a bullpen that has some holes. Pick yer poison…..
Michael
I just think that this year’s Rockies team, is set up better this year, especially their pitching.
And that may be because of Bud Black’s input, and the way he manages his pitchers, and the team, in general.
I think their pitchers have learned to pitch hitters better, in Colorado.
And they have constructed this team, and especially the pitchers, keeping Coors, in mind.
And that is why the Rockies have an advantage when they are playing at home.
The Dbacks have a hitter’s park, but there outfield is not as big, and I just think it is easier playing in Arizona, then Colorado, because the altitude affects to many parts of the game!
The Dbacks closer is there biggest weakness!
Their starting pitching is pitiful MJ. No where close to the D-Backs. Their bullpen is better maybe, but their starters leave a lot to be desired. They have 4 starters with 10 wins or more but nobody with more than 11. All their starters except Gray have ERA’s over 4. The Rockies are 46-35 at home. Both the D-Backs and Dodgers have over 50 wins at their home parks. Teams have a .273 batting average against the Rockies at Coors. The one thing the Rocks pitchers have done is keep the ball in the park. Only 98 HR’s hit by opponents there. Team ERA at Coor’s, 4.93, by comparison the D-Backs ERA at home is 3.79 and the Dodgers 3.01. So that analogy is wrong. The might be a little better than before, but they are not all that good at home. Here is another little tidbit, the Rockies and the D-Backs both have the same record on the road…….41-40.
Uh, that was not their regular CF. That was a rookie. Blackmon is one of the best CF’s in the game. And he plays in probably the hardest, next to AT& T in Frisco CF to cover in the league. That kid that was out there was just called up a few days ago. I agree about Seager and Bellinger. They both need a couple of days to clear the mechanism. And on a final note, prayers for the family’s of those killed in the shooting in Vegas. Totally senseless act of cowardness.
Michael
My point is the Rockies are better at there place, then other teams are.
And that is why your comparison of these teams home ERA doesn’t apply to what I said!
What is the Dodger’s pitchers, ERA at Colorado, and what is the Dbacks pitchers ERA at Colorado also?
It is easier to pitch at Dodger stadium, then either of these teams, stadiums, so the Dodgers pitchers, should have better ERAs anyways!
They have park adjusted ERAs, for stuff like this!
And pitchers wins, don’t mean much, because a pitchers win, is to dependent of how many runs their team scores!
Baez has a confidence issue, and just because he pitched better in two games that didn’t mean a thing, doesn’t mean anything, especially when we were 7, or 8 runs behind, in one of those games!
Baez pitched 7 innings in the post season last year, and he allowed 6 hits, he walked four hitters, and he hit a batter, and gave up a HR, and in this process, he allowed 6 runs, but he was only charged with two runs.
And that is why a relievers ERA doesn’t mean much!
The problem is that Baez can’t handle pitching in any high league situations, but that is what relievers are for!
Baez should not be pitching in the post season, until he gets over his confidence issue, and he has confidence, in his pitches!
And if I were the Dodgers, I would insist that Baez sees the sports psychologist, and work on his issue, in the off season!
Baez has not earned the right to be on the post season roster, and he has been a disaster in the post season, every time he has pitched, in the post season!
I get what you are saying MJ< but, Roberts and the FO love the guy. He will be on the post season roster, bank on it. It will be Morrow, Jansen, Fields and Baez from the right side, Cingrani and Watson from the left with 1 or two long relievers depending on how many pitchers they carry. I think they will carry 11, but a lot of people think they will carry 12.
Michael
Roberts loves all of his players!
And Roberts wants to bring home a World Series Champion to LA.
Baez has not down well at all, most of September, and his post season numbers, are more of the same!
When a pitcher only pitches 7 innings how in the heck does a pitcher give up 6 hits, walk 4 batters, and hit another batter, and give up a HR, in only seven innings, that is ridiculous!
I don’t dislike Baez, but he has a problem in between, his ears!
And pitching well in two games that didn’t mean anything, does not cure a confidence issue, or give Baez more confidence in his pitches.
And every pitch in the post season, is focused on, even more then in the regular season, because one bad pitch, can change the momentum of a game, or even a series.
And all of this, will be on Baez mind, just before every pitch he throws.
I would put Stripling on this roster over Baez, if it came down to these two.
I think Stripling is a little tired, because he was probably over pitched a little, because Stripling usually pitches with confidence, and he does have confidence in his pitches, unlike Baez!
And Stripling pitched well in three games in the post season last year, and he only had one really bad innning last year.