The Dodgers wouldn’t be where they are today without contributions from their part time role players. Guys like Chris Taylor, Max Muncy, Enrique Hernandez, David Freese, and even Joc Pederson have given them incredible roster depth. Those guys can play multiple positions and come off the bench in the late innings for late game hits. Some of them have gone onto exceed their temporary roles into members of the starting lineup on an everyday call. They are flexible, powerful and talented. There is one such player who has gone above and beyond his part time tag, playing his way onto the active roster on a permanent basis. The man I am talking about is Matt Beaty.
The 26-year old outfielder has been undeniably one of their best clutch hitters throughout the season. One didn’t think much of him when he first arrived. Although to be fair he did look impressive in spring training. Cactus League pitching however is a far cry from regular season major league pitching. Fortunately Beaty has shown the ability to hit anyone.
Through his first 160 plate appearances Beaty is slashing .292/.319/.487 with 5 home runs 31 runs driven in and 45 base knocks. He’s posted an .806 OPS and an above league average OPS+ mark of 109. What’s even more amazing is what Beaty does coming into games off the bench and with runners in scoring position.
As a pinch-hitter, beaty is 6 for 15 (.400) and 8 for 22 as a substitute. It’s no surprise that during Dodger wins he’s hitting .321 (36 for 112) 25 runs driven in. He hasn’t slowed down during the month of August either, batting .350 and .326 in the second half. He’s been one of the Dodgers most consistent hitters.
His biggest skill is hitting with runners in scoring position. With RISP, Beaty is slashing .415/.467/.756 (17 for 41 with 3 home runs and 27 runs batted in. With men on base he is batting .338 with 4 home runs and 30 runs driven in and against opposing team’s bullpens he is batting .300 with 20 runs batted in. In high leverage situations he is hitting an unbelievable .400 (12 for 30) with 3 home runs and 19 runs batted in.
I love to recognize players who go above and beyond their job titles. Beaty is not only an assassin with runners on base, but he’s as poised as a player who’s been in the majors for a decade. The man has ice in his veins and when the game is in the later frames and the Dodgers have runners in scoring position, there is nobody else I want up at the dish more than him. Let’s take a moment out of our day to pay tribute to Matt Beaty’s solid hitting. Mr. Beaty, keep up the great work. We at LADR salute you.
Both Beaty and Smith have risen to the task, both are clutch hitters.
Don’t leave early, don’t turn off the radio, don’t turn off the TV, keep streaming because NO lead is safe, ours included.
Joe Kelly finally (I hope)
True Blue, since I live approx. 800+ miles from Dodger Stadium, leaving early isn’t a factor. and with an HD DVR in the living room, master bedroom and den, I can turn off any of these TV’s because I have the games being recorded so as not to miss a thing.
A.J. Pollock (R) CF
Justin Turner (R) 3B
Will Smith (R) C
Cody Bellinger (L) RF
Kristopher Negron (R) LF
Max Muncy (L) 2B
Corey Seager (L) SS
Tyler White (R) 1B
Walker Buehler (R) P
Hey Mexivin,
Let’s see more of you!
What a disappointing game, Dodger bats (Ol’ Lefty Lineup) go silent. Dodgers could only manage two measly hits, and double-digit strikeouts. I would take Pederson over Tyler White any day…. White is just too slow. Really getting tired of these random, lottery lineups,, dreamt up by Roberts.
Relief fails to save the gem by Buehler. Just when we think Kenley has shaken off the yips, he blows a two run lead, and save, giving up a two run dinger to Dodger nemesis, Carson Kelly…. the new Goldschmidt. Kelly has Jansen’s number. Urias surrenders the backbreaker HR, also to Kelly, and loses the game. Dodgers have to realize that every ninth inning is no longer an automatic Jansen save moment. They should have left Baez in… Pedro was doing just fine.
Two incredible defensive gems by Bellinger, wasted.
Bad call by umpires on that so-called foul tip. Ball hit the side of Pollock’s wrist as he backed away from the pitch. He did not swing, and ball did not hit the knob of the bat. How could the review Umps miss that? Time for a little retaliation on the Snakes, for Bradley’s and Ray’s foolish antics. Dodgers cannot continue to be timid, and let these other teams take cheap shots.
The kind of game you have to just forget it ever happened.
Management should never forget this game
Why BlueFan, you haven’t heard? Roberts is the best thing since sliced bread according to some posters. He never does anything wrong. He used to but not anymore. Who knows why these terrible lineups are sent out there. It must be the players fault, huh? Yes siree, This FO and manager are absolutely the best for sure. Check the posts, you will see.
Who’s this Roberts guy? You have never mentioned him before.
Good to see you back Package.
Thanks True,
You know this is when Dummy is at his best, The Playoffs.
Hello package206 yesterday’s game was a great example of why I predict Dodgers may be eliminated in the 1st round of playoffs this year but the bright side of that is we won’t lose 3 WS in a row and on our home turf no less.
I remember when Paul was worried about making the playoffs, so now at least we’ve moved his optimism one round later in the season.
As you know, a couple of days ago (see above post) I said “Don’t leave early, don’t turn off the radio, don’t turn off the TV, keep streaming because NO lead is safe, ours included.”
This just can’t be allowed to go into the post season. It is time to re-arrange the deckchairs in the bullpen. People will have to assume new roles (I don’t give a rat ass about “there are 20 million reasons for Jansen to remain the closer”) NO more bullshit, management has to experiment and give others the chance to perform new roles in the bullpen. They have the cushion to use August and September to tryout those bullpen members and then be in a better situation for post-season. Bozo, Maeda, Julio down by the schoolyard, sadler, all look to be prime candidates to play key roles in the post. Kelly may damn well have positioned himself to be the Closer come the playoffs, his stuff is beginning to get very nasty , plus his explosive arm.
You and I all know, that these Dodgers are not going to do well in the playoffs. Yes, they lead the West, but they will not be able to defeat the elite. They will be crushed by quality pitching and quality hitting, and a strong defensive play.
The Dodgers are way too predictable. Their use of the elevator “Lefty Line-ups”, their inability to defeat the shift, their over shifting defense, their lack of running game, and their “closer” Jansen, can no longer seal the deal. The opposition knows every move this team will make. Their constantly changing lottery defense will be no match for a well seasoned, cohesive defense unit that have played together, and know their positions and responsibilities. The Dodger defense looks like Keystone Cops out there.
Last but not least, the Dodgers are too timid. They seem to be intimidated when bullied, and they fail to protect their players. They let the opposition literally spit in their face, and walk away with their tails tucked between their legs.
Can’t wait for the “automatic outs” to return.
Let it out BlueFan, tell us what you really think, lol.
Exactly!
You know I will! ??????
True Blue, it’s tough to dispute what BlueFan says here and I don’t have to repeat it because it’s right on the money.
Sarcasm is a tool that shows agreement in this instance.
Before I depart I will just say it is time for Dodgers to show some guts against these snakes, and I hope the umps warn them before the game starts that if they even THINK of hitting one of our guys, that said pitcher and manager must be kicked out, no questions asked!
You are right Paul,
The Dodgers have a big target on their backs, and teams cannot wait to plug a Dodger and take a cheap shot…. especially the venom-less Snakes. Why not? Because the Dodgers are wimpy. Teams know they can get the edge, intimidate, and possibly knock one of their stars to the IL. It is a free shot, because Umps allow it to happen. They know the Dodgers will not retaliate. Umps are basically useless. They call inconsistent strike zones, and do not keep the game under control.
This is one reason why I actually miss the “Wild Horse”!…seriously!
They got a lot of worthless players on the roster who they can sacrifice, in order to set the tone of the game. Let the other teams know that they will not stand for it anymore. Baseball is not a gentlemen’s game, that is for sure.
Well, Maeda and Jansen both rebound, after disastrous outings to spark a victory. Really impressed with Kenta’s pitching, and those two SAC’s show his skills at the plate.
I guess game one was just a brain fart. We will see if they can take the series today, with Ryu returning to battle.
Everyone admit it, everyone is (or should be)terrified of having to go into the post season with GasKanley as our closer. He was great in the past but has really declined steadily the last three seasons. I did notice the Kiss of Death statement from Roberts the other day regarding GasKanley torching the game the night before. Roberts (sorry I mean Dummy, that’s for you patch, my friend) said he was still had total faith and confidence in Jansen as his closer. KOD.
Post season: Kelly will be one of the closers and don’t be surprised to see Bozo come in to get a save or two in the post season.
I appreciate Jansen for what he has done in a career for the Dodgers, he was definitely great, but his best days are behind him and he really has become a roll of the dice type option in the ninth. Really no lead is safe when he enters the game, he is that iffy in my observation of him.
As you all know (see me working?) GasKanley’s biggest problem is his command of his pitches. He consistently misses the target being asked for by the catcher, thus poor location leads to giving up HRs. I think the Joe Kelly experiment is about to begin.
True
I have to agree that Kenley has lost velocity and is not as good as years past but I have not not lost total faith but I definitely have lost confidence for sure. He allows the ole HR ball way too much and his control is not nearly as good. He is being paid to close ballgames so I bet Dummy will use him way to long and should go with a different pitcher as much as possible when possible.
There ya go Pack, blaming performance on management. Get it through that head of yours that it is up to the players to perform. No matter who Roberts runs out there, it is their job, and they get paid for this by the way, to perform. After all, baseball is entertainment, not life. Yep, Roberts is a terrible manager. He mixes his lineup almost every day. It sure does not work. He only has managed his team to an 18 game lead over the second place team, the largest lead in the majors. He is real dumb. He is also hamstrung by injuries to key players. So mix and match is about all he can do. Joc does not hit lefty’s worth a damn, so you going to play him anyway and have an automatic out in the lineup aka Barnes? His star players are doing their jobs and whether you or anyone else can see it, most of the scrubs have done just fine lately. They win 8 of 10 games and you gripe about a blown save. They cannot win them all. No MLB team has ever done that and the only professional baseball team that ever did that was the Reds of the 1800’s. Once in a while, you are going to face a pitcher that shuts your offense down. That’s what happened in game 1. Jansen made 1 bad pitch. The single that preceded the homer was a flare that barely made it out of the infield. The pitch he hit was in almost a perfect location. So Jansen is a bum because he made 1 bad pitch. I have seen some pitchers make 7 or 8. Buehler was in trouble all night, one reason he only went 6 innings. Enjoy the fact that they are winning and walking away from the rest of the division. No one can predict how they are going to perform in the playoffs. If they could, they would be making a lot of money in Vegas. There are going to be close games that they lose, and some they will win. Losing 1 game to the Diamondbacks is not the end of the world. They are 9-4 against them this year. 37 games over .500, They have spent 138 days in first place and been in first 103 consecutive days. They have 13 shutouts to 3 for their opponents. Pitching staff is # 1 in the league. They lead the league in HR’s. They have 10 walk off wins and have been walked off only 4 times. There is a lot to like about this team. By the time the playoffs roll around they will be back to full strength. They are fun to watch and very resilient. Focus on the good because there is a lot more of that than bad. You will end up with less grey hair. And if they end up losing the World Series again, well then you can scream to the heavens about the incompetence of Roberts and Friedman and probably will have a lot of company joining you. Until then, it is out of our hands. The players will either get the job done or they won’t.
Michael
You have been drinking way too much Dodger management koolaid. You are not a dumb person and you know as well as I that management as well as the manager can cause losses. To give them all a pass and blame everything on the players is wrong. If Dummy puts in the wrong replacement at the wrong time or does something dumb like play Joc at first base he becomes the problem, not Joc. Or if he uses the wrong pitcher or pulls one too early he is the problem and finally if management does not bring in top caliber players then Friedman and company become the problem. Also luck plays a part. You know all of this to be true so stop with the excuses for them.
I love Package being back!
Gotta love the guy sticking with his opinions in the light of everything.
And so tell me oh swami of all things baseball related, just how in the hell is he supposed to know prior to the at bat or defensive switch who is the right player????? Playing Joc at first was the product of 2 things. None of them Roberts fault, and if you read more about stuff you would know this. First, Joc volunteered to try it because he wanted to make himself more valuable to the team by adding versatility to his game. Second, the FO signed off on it. All party’s need to agree. Was the timing the greatest? No, they should have thought of that in spring training where he would have gotten more practice time. And don’t tell me how to think. I have not been drinking the Kool-Aid as you say. And when he does something I feel is really not that great I pile on AF as much as anybody. And you still have not answered the question I asked quite a while ago, who was he supposed to give up for Vazquez, Smith or some other top of the heap reliever??? They have the 4th highest payroll in the majors. Their farm system has moved up 4 spots to 3rd in the majors since the start of spring. They use a system to evaluate their talent that I do not necessarily agree with. But it works. I am not making excuses for them, I am stating facts. Facts that you with that narrow minded mind set of yours fail to see. I listened to his explanation of why they did not make a trade for the top 5 relievers that they targeted and it made a lot of sense. Many of the Dodgers fans disagreed and they voiced that opinion. Cool. I am not telling them how to think. I think getting White was nothing more than a stop gap move to replace Freese for a time, and that has not worked out at all. But the Negron deal looks better every day because he has been productive. I get that Roberts does not always make the right move at the right time, but which manager out there does??? All managers make moves they THINK are right. Tommy pitching to Clark with a base open in the playoffs is one of the worst in Dodger history, Alston putting Williams in to pitch the 9th when he had Drysdale pleading to let him pitch was another. No body is perfect, and with all his warts, Roberts manages his team well. We don’t have to like it, and a lot do not. We do not have to agree with the methods used by AF, but we have no way of changing them. But ultimately, winning and losing is on the players. Check the percentages. Manager decisions impact very few of the games. You are being irrational in your dislike. You dislike these guys so much that only if they win the World Series would you admit they did a good job. Even then I think you would have something negative to say…..you do not have a leg to stand on unfortunately and as Mr. Spock would say, your logic is illogical.
Michael
I am going to answer you question on Vasquez. I never would have traded for him period. My issue is that Dummy does stupid stuff. If he does not bat a certain individual, OK but when you pitch a position player at a time when a game was very winnable that is stupid. I know you are smart enough to get that, and that is not the only occurance. Even in the Joc experiment, if the FO made the decision that does not make it right. The front office is saddled with the 4th highest payroll because of irresponsible moves with some players who never played for the Dodgers. Yes, they have hit with a couple of scrap heap moves but that is where the luck comes in. Did they know that Muncy would play as well as he has. NO! Or Taylor! NO! They have not quite been as lucky with the pitching. They don’t even try to improve the bullpen till on into the season when they knew it was a problem last year. Irresponsible for sure. I have not stopped respecting your knowledge of past Dodger seasons just as I have witnessed the same in my life but please give me a break on the unquestioned support of management and the manager. I have not changed my perception of Dodger baseball since the years of Snider, Koufax, and all the rest and I sure will not change them for this group of idiots.
I know the game you are talking about. It was when Kike pitched and gave up a game winning homer. If memory serves me right. that was an extra inning game. Against the Phillies in Philadelphia. Gave up 2 walks and then a 3 run homer. Only time I can remember that a position player cost them a game when he was on the mound. Roberts has been in this game a lot longer than either of us. Has he made bad decisions, hell yes. A couple of doozies in the World Series. With guys like Taylor and Muncy they have to be given the opportunity to do well. They both got that in LA. If you remember, Taylor was not lights out in 2016. As a matter of fact he was close to the Mendoza line and he had 1 homer. A grand slam against Arizona. He only played in 34 games and hit .207. Nobody anywhere could have predicted the jump he made in 2017. Not you, AF, Roberts or anyone else. They got him for a guy who was not in their plans. You can nit pick all you want, but the fact remains that they saw a solid defender with multiple position skills that fit the kind of player they wanted. Same with Muncy, multi position player. And he was obtained for just money. I am not defending the players they have obtained for the bullpen, but bullpens are never sure things anyway. Want an example? Who’s save percentage is higher. the Reds, or the Dodgers? Reds, their bullpen has been one of the better ones in the league all year, and for a while, they were the BEST in the majors. Only 5 teams have a save percentage over 70 and none above 78 %. That means that they are losing 3 of every 10 games that their closer comes into. The Dodgers are even worse at 61 % And Jansen has only blown 4 of the 20. They tried improving the bullpen way before in season. They signed Quackenbush, traded for McCreery, signed Kelly. Traded for Schultz. They signed Defratus, J.D Martin, Faulkner, as free agents, claimed Hart off waivers from the Orioles, signed Grimm and Zastryzny. Signed McAllister, and all that before April. They were not able to upgrade because of the exorbitant return these teams wanted for their players. And no way they were going to make the Giants better by trading for Smith. Yeah, they avoided the high priced players in free agency. That’s on the owners not AF. The mandate to stay under the tax is there for all to see. These guys are not idiots. They are business men in the game for the profits. Railing at them serves no purpose as it serves no purpose to throw all the vitriol at Roberts that you do. He is not dumb, he has more baseball acumen in his little finger than you have in your entire body, and he does what his bosses want him to do or he is out of a job. Just like I did what I was told to do. None of what they do is irresponsible just because you think it is. Get a grip on reality. They are doing what is best for their business. And increased attendance, a highly competitive team play right into what they are trying to accomplish. The difference between us is that I have accepted this as the way it is going to be, you on the other hand are fighting a losing battle, and will never be satisfied or win the argument….
Package,
I definitely see your point.
IMO, you have to start at the top. FO created this team, not Roberts. I truly believe that the FO says who plays, and who does not. In the case of Pederson, FO says sit him against lefties. The FO turned Joc into the one-dimensional player he is. DR tried to get Pederson some more playing time with the 1B experiment, but IMO, Joc is already a basket case, he is convinced that he cannot be trusted against lefties. His career has been undermined by the FO.
FO tells DR to keep throwing Jansen out there, in hopes that he resurrect himself, and return to form. In reality, DR has no choice , but to continue to put the games in Jansen’s hands. He really does not have a true closer to go to. If DR had a choice, he would give Baez a shot, or even Kelly or May, but his hands are tied. DR only does what his bosses say.vjust wait until the “automatic outs” return to the roster. You can bet your ass that they will be back in the lineup. The kids will, no doubt, be back on the slow train, back to OKC.
Sure DR may not be perfect, but he can only work with the cards he is dealt. Considering the team he has been given, he is doing a hell of a job. I just wish that he showed a little backbone sometimes, and go with his gut. It is like he is afraid of losing his job if he does not follow orders. He has to gamble sometimes. 60/40 he succeeds. A real Manager would take the chance. Like you said, a lot has to do with luck. You have to be willing to try something new…. don’t be so predictable…. the opposition feeds on that.
Tyler White at 1B? What a disaster! Simple solution…. Bring Belli back to first, and open up a slot for Pederson’s natural position, the outfield. You cannot deny he has tremendous defensive skills, and just maybe he can break out of his phobia of lefties. A big part of Peddie’s problem was trying to learn a new position, and hit against lefties at the same time…. way too much for him to handle. Pederson is too valuable a power bat, that cannot be wasted on the bench.
Nice imagination/conspiracy theory BlueFan!
It’s imaginative to me, but who knows it could be right.
We will never, ever know.
Blue
I agree with you on Joc. At the first of the season when Joc was red hot, what did the manager do, start benching him again. I believe had he played him against lefthanders Joc would have passed the test but instead he played him only against righthanders ruining his confidence. I truly believe Joc would have turned a corner and been a real superstar. We will never know because of the stupid behavior of either the manager or the FO or both.
He benched him because his career splits against LHP are abysmal. Even when he was in the minors. He had one good season against LHP. In his first season at AAA when they were still in Albuquerque, he hit over .300. The next year when they moved to OKC, he was under .200 and was only hitting .206 when he came up to the big club in September, and that was in well over 100 games. He has had close to 300 AB’s against LHP, and is hitting below the Mendoza line. That does not sound very superstarish to me. Bellinger has become good against lefty’s because he worked on it in the offseason. I do not know what Joc worked on in the off season, but it definitely was not hitting lefty’s. One other thing. Joc was a base stealer along with being a power hitter at AAA. First player in years to hit 30 dingers and steal 30 bases…he has stolen 16 in his 5 years in the majors. He is what he is. A platoon player who hits RHP well, and sucks against the lefty’s. Maybe if he gets traded somewhere, which could happen this winter, he will get to prove he can hit them. But in the saber metric world of AF< he is not going to get that chance.
Hummm….
A somewhat normal lineup. Up and down, a very productive group. What?… Pederson in RF, Belli back at 1B? Who knew? I could never have thought of that, now could I? The batting order worked well, the order dictates how the pitcher will approach the hitter. Who bats in front of who, can really work for or against you…. today, it worked in favor of the batters, who saw some very juicy pitches. Really no holes in the lineup… only weak spot being Negrón. Peddie 2-3 wth a walk, RBI, and a run scored? Who Knew?
Ryu, welcome back. Sorry the bullpen could not preserve your shutout. Yimi and Chargois still serving up the dingers again. At least the team scored enough to get Ryu the win, and avoid Jansen.
So, will we see this strong, run producing lineup again? Probably not. DR will mix things up again. Probably the only weakness I see in Dr is his constant shuffling of the lineup.
Oh well, nobody listens to me anyway. They think I’m crazy in illogical! ????
Go Blue!
Blue
You are not illogical or not normal in any way. The fact that you act like a logical person is proof to me that you get it. The manager and FO is who is illogical and worse. Do not be troubled my friend. Also, you stick to what you believe and do not change.
Not troubled by Michael, in any way. I actually respect his opinions and he is a very good fan of the game. I believe we have built a mutual respect for each other. I do not agree with everything he says, nor does he always agree with me. I am by no means always right, nor is he, or anybody on this site, for that matter.
When he responds to my rants, at least I know someone is reading them, and taking them to heart. That is what this blog is for. A forum where everyone can express their opinions, positive or negative, logical or illogical, without biased censorship.
Love it! Go Dodgers!
BTW…. I just read that Astros have taken the #1 spot in the MLB power rankings from the Dodgers, due to their acquisition of Greinke. ????
Really well-said BlueFan. I wish I could have said that.
I respect his right to his opinion even if it is illogical……..
I was not calling Bluefan Illogical, I am referring to Pack. He never backs up anything with facts, he just keeps on blaming Roberts for his lineups and AF for not doing this or that. It has gotten OLD. Not one person on this site has any idea what goes on in the front office, in the dugout or clubhouse. These are nothing more than opinions. None of the people who are in charge of what the Dodgers do is a dummy. They are all pretty intelligent people. Roberts played the game, and played it the right way. He was no super star, but he was a good player. He knows what it takes to win more than most because he played on a Championship team and was a huge part of why they got there. I personally have never bought in to saber metrics. I still believe in the old show me what you can do on the field and not on paper. But that’s the way front offices do things now. Whether you think they are trying hard enough, or doing enough or spending enough, they base everything they do on what they believe will help the team win. Bottom line, AF said the price for a premium reliever was higher than the VALUE placed on the player by the Dodger organization. They feel good about the players they have in the system. Do fans like it? Probably not, but fans are not driving the bus. For all of his rants and ravings against AF and Roberts you would think Pack thinks he is going to make a difference in the way the team is run. They feel they have a chance to bring the championship home. They have been winning. The team is playing well, and the starters they do have on the roster are doing a pretty damn good job. When their injured players return the team will be stronger. A lot of things can happen in a short series and usually do. In a 7 game series, the pitching is set up so no more than 4 starters are needed. Our top 3 match up with anybody. So Hill won’t be available, no big deal. But he might be ready out of the pen. No matter what happens, no one player acquisition can guarantee a Championship and considering the last 2 deadline pickups by AF we know that is a fact. Greinke, who’s so called acquisition put Houston ahead of the Dodgers in the power rankings, got lit up in his first start in Houston. Rankings mean BUPKIS. It is how you play the game on the field that counts. And the bottom line is both teams have to get there first. Astro’s and Yanks are battling each other for the best record in the league. The winner of that gets the wild card team, like the Dodgers probably will unless they tank totally. Let the games be played, and after it is all over, if they fall short again, well I will be pilling on with you. A lot of things have to fall into place to win. Not anyone here or anywhere else with all their projections and stats can say how a certain player will play when the chips are down. I respect everyone’s opinion here. Pack is a passionate guy, and he loves the team and wants to see a championship brought back to LA. I get it. He is old school like I and many others still are. But Pack my friend, baseball is not the same game now it was in our youth. Things are done a lot differently, and we either have to accept that, or quit being a fan of our team. It is not going to change anytime soon. And with the new rules coming into effect next year, things will be even more different. 3 hitter rule for relief pitchers, 26 man roster and no more than 13 pitchers allowed on the roster and only expanding to 28 players on the 1st of September, and before long, look for the DH to be adopted by the NL making the game uniform. In a couple of years, the electronic strike zone. Which, with as bad as it has been this year, I welcome.
The only things I like are the 3 hitter rule for relief pitchers, the 13 pitcher limit on the roster, and automated Strike-zone.
Never liked DH. Wish they would get rid of it, period.
I am OK with 26 man roster. But 25 is good as is.
Playoff roster is good, as-is
Things I would like to see are, a limit on moves to IL, restrictions on how far you can shift from normal position, shorter season, and eliminate inter-league play.
Too many teams exploit the IL… prime example, our Dodgers. Many trips to IL seem to be fake or frivolous injuries, just to make room for roster moves.
Example regarding the shift: No reason why a 3rd baseman should be allowed to play short-right field or short-center Field.
Shorter season will help lessen wear and tear on players, also will prevent having to play WS in bitter cold weather.
Inter-league play gives teams an unfair advantage/disadvantage, depending on who they play…. Elimination will make the WS a real knock down, drag-out showdown, like the old days. Also will enable an increase in games between NL East & NL Central.
Purists would love to see the DH eliminated, the players and union and the AL would not. So it is not going anywhere. 26 man roster was pretty much a pre-strike by MLB in preparation to the new talks which will replace the old agreement between the players and ownership soon. Players like it when more of them can make MLB money by adding to the active roster. AL likes it, because it means one more position player available on an every day roster. 28 man in September is to stop the insanity of having so many people active at that time. Some teams use that period to give their prime rookies a look at the majors. Dodgers last year called up Will Smith in September, but never put him on the active roster. That is a move I think a lot more teams may use just to get the kids acclimated to a major league clubhouse. Inter-league is here to stay, although I would not mind it against your closest AL rival like the Angels. Reduction of the amount of games has also been discussed. Owners do not like it because it means a loss of revenue. That’s one of the reasons you do not see doubleheaders any more unless it is a make up game. Even then, they make them day-night jobs so they still get the money for the second game. They might do something like implement a limited shift. but until hitters start to beat it, it is here to stay. I saw numerous times over the weekend where a simple slap hit the opposite way would have been an easy hit. Bunting would be nice too. Rarely used as an offensive weapon in today’s game. Face it friend. the old days are gone for good.
You can probably tell I am one of those baseball purists, Michael.
It is all about money. I am all for unions, but sometimes they go too far. MLB Player’s Union, I think got a little too greedy, at the expense of the integrity of the game, and the Fans. On the other hand, if their was no union, the owners would do anything they can to screw the players. Player’s Union is is mighty, so owners give in because they still know it will not come out of their pockets… costs of everything to the Fans increase accordingly to make up the difference. If they do not give in, the games stop, player’s and owner’s revenue stops. Everybody loses…. I get it.
I worked for a unionized company, and lost my job, locked out due to a strike…. Union wanted too much, but I had to strike. That company ended up getting swallowed up by another company. I ended up working for a non-union company, and had a successful career there. The company still is non-union, and one of the top companies in their industry, and in the world today. They always paid wages and benefits equal to unionized competitors, and were fair to their employees. Employees were happy, and did not need a union. Unfortunately, there are too many businesses out there that will not be fair, and unions are necessary. Baseball is one of those businesses. I just have to face it, Baseball Owners are ruthless and greedy, and the players deserve their fair share. That’s right, not a fair contract and salary…. their fair “share”.
With baseball, the Fans still flood the gates, regardless, so why not give in to the Player’s Union. Give the Union what they want. No sweat off the owner’s back.
I know, I’m preaching to the choir.
Agree. the aggregate good produced and contributed by Unions far exceed their negative. Especially in the private sector.
I tend to think their bad reputation comes from people’s experience with public unions.
One question Blue:
They always paid wages and benefits equal to unionized competitors
Shouldn’t unions be pushing those wages higher? Not keeping them equal?
Yes Bluto, the Unions did keep our wages going up. When Labor disputes elsewhere were settled, my company would usually give us a raise comparable to the settlement. Benefits were always as good or better.
Benefit to us was there was no need for negotiation. Raises and bonuses were more than adequate… they kept up with their competition and kept us happy.
Well Dodger fans, Rich Hill most likely will not be ready for October playoffs.
Dodger FO once again sat on their hands, fully optimistic that their injured player(s) will come back 100%, in time for playoffs. Now there is a huge hole in the rotation. Before there were a lot of fissures and cracks…. now the starting rotation integrity is compromised. Also limits their relief options.
They may have to depend on rookies May and/or Gonsolin, or even Maeda to fill the gap in the rotation in October. Three arms that could have helped bolster the bullpen in the playoffs.
Also, there is absolutely no guarantees that Kiké, CT3, Verdugo, Stripling, or Freese will be ready, either. Pollock returned, but is not near 100% recovered.
Could we possibly see a few more last minute Dumpster acquisitions by AF? I doubt if he would, or could swing a super deal for a bonafide pitcher without losing the farm in the process, for an expensive band-aid.
The article said Hill would not be ready to be a starter. As for Kike and CT3 they both are expected to be on re-hab starts soon. Gyorko is already at AAA playing games. Freese is basically being held back so he is healthy. Verdugo is expected to be out about 10 more days. Pollock has done ok, but they are not going to push using him too much with the lead the way it is. May gets another start Wednesday at Miami. Gonsolin could be used out of the pen in the playoffs since he is on the 40 man and has spent time on the big club this year. They have already stated they will mix and match as needed. They have gotten by fine without Hill for a long time now.
Do you really think the Dodgers did not know about Rich Hill’s recovery?
Come on.
That’s silly.
Next years schedule released today. Dodgers start the season at home against the Giants. 6 of their first 9 games against the Gnats. A couple of different spins, they are done with playing the Cardinals, Phillies and Pirates before the 1st of May. Never seen that before. And the all star game is at Dodger Stadium on the 14th of July…..Giants picked up another reliever off of the trash heap. Freddie Galvis claimed by the Reds.
Rotation for this series with the Marlins switched up. May going tonight instead of Kershaw who will pitch tomorrow with Buehler scheduled on Thursday. Means Maeda, Ryu, and May against the Braves this weekend in Atlanta… Phillies replaced their hitting coach with former manager Charlie Manuel. The Mets earlier replaced their pitching coach with 82 year old Phil Regan, going very old school, now the Phil’s have 75 year old Manuel tutoring their hitters. Ianetta will be moved off of the Rockies roster and replaced by a rookie. Just how has not been announced yet.
Dodgers exploit the IL again, this time placing Tyler White on the IL for a trap strain. Sounds like another one of those phony injuries (that are hard to prove) to me, so they can replace him on the roster with Garlick.
Oh well, does not surprise me…. in fact I almost saw this one coming. White has done nothing for this team. Should go back in the dumpster.
Yeah, the Dodgers manipulation of the IL is pretty blatant, but it has no downside. It effectively enables them to rest players without losing the spot on the active roster.
If you can, you do, and they probably do it better than any other team in the league. It has kept players fresh. If they are really injured bad, they end up on the 60 day. I have no problem with White being out. It means we won’t have to see that weak stick of his in the lineup, and he is no gazelle over there at 1st. Garlick has shown some pop….
Throw dumpster quality players back in the bin.
Give Garlick a chance, quit defeating your youngens before they even get a chance to producing something.
???when is trash day at Dodger Stadium? It is about time to clean house. Get rid of the dead wood just taking up space on the roster.
These kids are playing their hearts out, trying to earn a little respect. They are proving that they are more than an injury replacement. They know that chances are, they will no doubt return to OKC once the injured players return. Might as well make a statement, before they get their one-way ticket home.
Stop wasting your time in the dumpsters, Andy. “Let The Kids Play!”
A wild game in game one vs. the worse team in baseball. Somewhat what we expect should happen, so nothing to really get excited about. Nothing more than a scrimmage vs. a AA caliber team and the old bum, Donny Baseball. Kershaw was probably saying, “Why did they move my start to game 2? I hope they save some offense for me!” Kershaw could possibly be a victim of a post-route meltdown…. Dodgers tend to come out flat after a run-a-way laugher.
So consider this series as just extended batting practice. They better pump themselves up for the Braves. Winning in ATL will be something to boost about.
Problem is that there are not that many garbage bin position players on this team. White probably, but he is not blocking anyone. Garlick is not young. He is pretty grizzled at 27. He was a 28th round draft pick in 2015. He has been OK as a major leaguer, but is he better than who is ahead of him on the roster? I doubt it. He was an emergency player when called up the first time. His best bet for playing time anywhere is to be pretty good while he is up here and hope he gets traded to a organization that has a need this offseason. Negron, who has been OK since he was traded for is probably spending his only time with the Dodgers. He is redundant as far as being a utility player. They have 2 pretty good ones in Taylor and Kike, who both will be back soon. I sure as hell do not miss Grandal at all. Oh, the guy has power, is streaky, but I do not miss his defense one bit. Our catchers are doing fine. Barnes is hitting .300 at OKC and has as many HR’s 5, in 13 games as he had in 70 with the big club. I wish him well, I like the guy, great defender, weak stick. Last night was how you are supposed to beat the teams that are that bad. 6 homers, 6 doubles a triple and 2 singles. You grab them by the throat and never let go.
You said it, Michael.
These are the team you absolutely have to beat. Take no prisoners!
You know what really gripes me? Teams like the Marlins, who are just leaches on the MLB. There is no way they could be making any money, based on fan support. That stadium was so empty you could hear the whistles echo throughout. I bet you could hear a rat farting (but I guess Donny Baseball failed to “pass gas” ‘cause he did not eat the pizza he found on the clubhouse floor). The Marlins, like many other low attendance markets, survive on revenue sharing. high revenue teams like the Dodgers (and their devoted fans) pay their bills and salaries. But, you can bet your ass, that the Marlins owners are not suffering in a soup line. They are laughing to the bank, because they would not be owners in this business if there was no money in it.
Although I gripe a lot about the Dodgers, I am sure glad Los Angeles does not have a team like the Marlins.
Nope, I do not miss Grandmal.
I just hope that Kiké and CT3 do not come back and be “automatic outs” again.
You never know how a player responds after a stint on the IL like those 2 are having, but Taylor usually does not alter his approach at the plate that much. Kike on the other hand is always experimenting. Hopefully they both come back and just be themselves and contribute like they have before. They have missed the RH pop Kike provides now and then. Smith has driven in more runs than games played. He passed Bellinger for the rookie record yesterday. By the way, the women in Miami are not all that good looking! Dodger Stadium has some real babes coming to see the games.
I don’t hear anyone missing Grandmal this season. It has been great to watch our catchers actually be able to catch a pitch consistently. Grandmal being gone has made an impact on the pitching staff, pitchers don’t pitch the same when they know their catcher just can’t stop, block or corral pitches in the dirt.
I noticed that Grandmal hadn’t hit an HR since July 6, until last night. Letting Grandmal move onto another town, has a lot to do with our 80 wins thus far. Even before the emergence of Smith, I was good with not having Grandmal on the team, now it is even more evident that Grandmal was needed to “help” another team. this season.
Best comment last night was Davis saying that Martin has the lowest ERA ever by a pitcher wearing #55. Obviously a dig at Orel, who was not on the broadcast last night. Time for baseball to END the Miami and Tampa experiment. Neither draw enough fans. That stadium was so quiet you could hear the thunderstorm pass through Miami, and after Beaty’s HR, when they panned to the dugout, you could hear the players ragging on Beaty because his ball barely got out. Tomorrow’s game is on early, then we go to the ATL. Dodgers are 80-41. They have 41 games left. AZ is 18.5 games back. They have won 61 games. They have played 1 less than the Dodgers. If the Dodgers were only to win 20 of the next 41, AZ needs to win 39 of their next 42 just to tie. I think they have the division locked up. Atlanta is 9.5 games back for the best record. The other contenders are pretty much out of it since all of them are more than 10 games behind LA for the best record in the NL. Yankees and Dodgers have the same record, and Houston has won 78 and lost 42. Yankees have a little tougher schedule this month. But in September, they have a bunch of cupcakes on the schedule. Dodgers play the Yankees Next weekend when they get back from this road trip. They have another off day next Monday, take on the Jays for 3 and then the Yanks. Then they go on the road to SD and AZ for 7 to end the month, back home for 6 against the Rocks and the Giants. Another east coast swing to play the Orioles for 3, then the Mets for 3. Back home for their last home stand with 2 against the Rays and 3 with the Rockies. Then the final 6 in SD and SF. Close the season on the 29th of October. They will most likely face the wild card team winner in the playoffs. Best thing I see is that they have 6 off days over the next 7 weeks. They can set their rotation up for the Yankees, and since Kersh is going today, that means he opens the series against Toronto and would pitch against the Yankees on Sunday next week. They should be pretty rested when the Yanks come to town and we will see how they match up. They went over 200 HR’s for the year last night, and should be a lock to better the team record that they set last year.
You covered it all, you left out the toilet and shower schedule of each individual player for the next three weeks however. Please be more thorough next time (that’s called sarcasm Michael, before you go and give me a serious (and boring) response.
Remember Michael, the most important lesson you have taught us all this season, “never throw bobbleheads from the stands, they could hit someone and that could cause injury!”
“I kid, I kid” … Triumph The Insult Dog
Hard to calculate the toilet and shower time, since pitchers are usually in there first….I used to think you were nuts, now I have concrete evidence….
Don’t focus on my nuts. Focus on not being a “know it all”, you’re not fooling anyone but yourself. Also buy, rent or steal a sense of humor.
Also remember, never throw your bobblehead doll from the stands, that could hurt someone.
I never have said I know it all, and I would put my sense of humor up against anyone’s. I never focus on the nuts. Can’t eat them anymore. I have never thrown anything on the field. Enjoy your nuts.
2 dingers in the 1st, and Cody beats the shift with a bunt. Nice inning. Kersh 6 straight K’s to start the game. Learned today that the Giants have 5 lefty’s in their pen. I think they know most of the Dodgers power is from the left side.
Kershaw 8 K’s over the first 3 innings. Rio’s gets his first MLB dinger.
It is just the Marlins.
But really amazing player drafting and development. Especially when you consider the drafting and Int’l signing restrictions and hinderances.
Agree Bluto,
It is just the Marlins, don’t get too excited…. I surely didn’t. I can wear my depends one more day. Another day of Extended batting practice, and a bullpen session. A great confidence builder for the Dodger farmhands…. “Let The Kids Play!”
Only problem is “Hey Batter, Batter…. Yi-mi throw you a dinger ball!” The clown has given up 2.4 HR’s per 9 innings.
One more scrimmage tomorrow and then they tackle a real team.
Go Blue!