There are three things you can count on this life. Those three things are death, taxes, and the Dodgers losing in the first inning of a baseball game. That happened yet again on Sunday afternoon as the Dodgers lost their tenth consecutive game to the Rockies 8-1. The Dodgers continue to free fall into oblivion as their lead in the NL West shrinks. Arizona won their game in San Diego and the lead is now down to 9 games with 20 left to play.
At this point even the most ardent optimists and apologists are beginning to disappear. With each loss those guys wane into obscurity. The Dodgers are awful and I don’t see them winning another game for the rest of the season
I wish I could give you guys some kind of optimism right now. I want to. I want to tell you that the Dodgers are going to be alright and they’ll finally win a game. But I just don’t see it. If I were to see anything that points to that I would at least have a sliver of hope. Again, I just don’t see it.
Rockies 8 11 0
Dodgers 1 8 0
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Rich Hill did pitch decently today. Even though he allowed a run in the first inning. Hill Tossed five innings allowing two earned runs on four hits and struck out five. He walked two and made 88 pitches and really didn’t deserve to take this loss.
I was impressed with the way he got out of the first inning and kept the Dodgers in the game. The first three batters of the game reached base. Charlie Blackmon walked, DJ LeMahieu’s ground ball single to center sent Blackmon to second and Nolan Arenado’s ground ball single scored him. Hill then walked Trevor Story to load the bases. However after a meeting on the mound he got Cargo to pop out and then struck out Mark Reynolds and Raimel Tapia to end the inning. Arenado would hit another home run in the second inning to put the Rockies up 2-0.
Some of the games during this inexplicable losing streak have seen the Dodgers fight. They battled last night and the other night during two one-run losses. However there have been other games during the streak where they’ve just flat out given up. This was one of those.
Early deficits have been a recurring theme during this streak and I am at a loss for words as to why it keeps happening. Every game the starters give up runs in the first inning, (occasionally they give them up in the second frame) and they’re losing right away. Then the offense just gives up and does nothing. That’s actually been the losing formula for a long time now. They did that last year too, and I just don’t understand why the starters can’t get out of the first inning. The lead-off batter always reaches base in almost every game by hit or walk. Maybe one of you guys can give your thoughts on this and what you’ve noticed in the opening frames. What are the Dodgers missing here? What can they do differently to prevent these early deficits?
The Dodgers scored just one run on eight hits while leaving nine runners on base. They were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. They couldn’t hit German Marquez last night and couldn’t hit Tyler Chatwood (5 IP 5H 0ER 5K) today who was on a strict pitch count. The lone run was scored on a solo home run from Alex Verdugo in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases empty. That’s the first MLB home run for the young prodigy.
The Rockies put the game away with five runs in the top of the eighth inning against rookie Walker Buehler. Mark Reynolds grand slam home run was the nail in the coffin.
The Dodgers have moved Clayton Kershaw’s next start up to Tuesday. They’ll begin a 10-game road trip on Monday evening that starts with a series in San Francisco against the Giants. Kenta Maeda will take on right hander Chris Stratton in the opening game. Expect for Stratton to shut them out and Maeda to allow 2 or 3 runs in the first inning.
Or maybe the Dodgers finally win on Monday and our long nightmare will end? I’ll wear my lucky underwear tomorrow and pray.
I think this losing streak is done. Tomorrow is a fresh start against a team approaching 100 loses. Keep the faith guys!
I never saw a 100 loss team in the World Series.
If on Opening Day, we were told that on Sept 11, we’d have the best record in baseball, a 9 game lead in our division, and 4 game lead for home field throughout the playoffs, we all would have taken that.
Regardless of the weird path we took to now, we’re here. Let’s get this shit going vs our rival; it’ll be that much more worth it to get on the right track up there.
Not to be snarky to Bobby, but if on Opening Day we were told that we would have the best record in baseball but get swept in the division series, all of us would have been disappointed big time.
The season is not yet over, but it is not consistent to keep referring to the record and also say the postseason is a crap shoot (Bobby I’m not directing at you just venting at apologists in general). How the team is constructed for the postseason is what matters, and the gaping holes in the roster are coming home to roost. Again.
And Again.
It’s really frustrating when 2014 hindsight becomes 2015-2017 foresight.
Time, as always, proves the old timers right. I called this series the bottom before it was even over, and if we are going to get into the WS it will have to start on the road.
What’s next? There are no SABR solutions now. We have to do it the old fashioned way. Buckle down, manufacture runs, find 3 starters that can go 6 innings (i.e. We are not bailing you out if you give up 5 in the 7th in the regular season), take chances on the basepaths, stop worrying about stats like OPS/OBP and make effective outs. Sit those who cannot – here’s looking at you Grandal and Forsythe. Walk the hot hitter. WHiP and FIP mean nothing.
And be humble and pull together as a team. The record and the standings mean nothing. Play reserves only if it’s a blowout either way. And eventually the scoreboard will come around and then the comebacks and the highlights will come.
Again this is not anything personal to Bobby, but looking at the standings is a major reason why we’ve gotten into this mess.
well again, it’s Sept 11, so we haven’t been swept in the division series yet. Hence I’m not freaking out over what could happen a month from now.
But we have lost in the division series 2 of the last 4 years without losing 15 of 16 in September, so this current horrible streak may or may not have any bearing on what happens starting Oct 6
Yes. Just venting, Bobby.
Oh, I know you are. And I’m not taking it personally. Just playing devil advocate.
God willing we turn this crap around tonight.
YF
I agree with you about the offense badly needing to do all the little things, to make the offense more productive, and to give the team, a better chance to score!
And if a team wants their offense to be more productive, you don’t want hitters, in the line up that are hitting, just over the Mendoza line.
Because these type of hitters, that can’t hit for an average, are not going to be able to do the little things they need to do, to help make the offense, more productive.
These hitters, not only can’t hit for an average, they have to much trouble even making contact, to move the runners up, when it is needed, like Granderson, in that one game.
And apparently they don’t know how to put down a bunt, so forgot about these type of hitters!
And how likely, will these hitters get a hit, when a runner is in scoring position, if they can’t hit for an average, not very likely!
And that is why YF is saying forget about OBA, because some hitters, like these type of hitters, have pretty good OBAs, but their OBAs, don’t mean much, because these hitters, are way to dependent on getting a lot of walks, to boast their OBA, and the truth is, walks don’t do the same thing, a hit will do!
So that means, Granderson, Forsythe, and Joc, shouldn’t be in the starting line up, and with Forsythe, it is mainly against righties.
All three of these players, are not even hitting 230, and they are not even hitting with any power either, so they should be on the bench.
And right now, Grandal is striking out way to much, especially when runners are on base, so Roberts needs to either move Grandal to the back of the line up, or have Barnes catch, instead!
And Barnes bat is to good, to have him, sitting on the bench, especially when the team is having so much trouble, scoring runs, and when this team is in an all time, losing streak!
Roberts must play his best line up, and that is a line up, that will be more likely to make the offense more productive, so that the team can score runs, much easier!
And hitters that are barely hitting over the Mendoza line, are not the type of hitters, that will help make an offense, more productive.
Great article on the multi-dimension collapse of Dodgers play:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-dodgers-look-beyond-terrible-right-now/
But this stat really summarized the core problem, that over the last 16 games — team is hitting .1996/.266/.319
Bluto
What are our odds, at this point?
Odds of what?
The 2005 white sox hit a rough patch toward the end of the season, “a sinking ship”. They turned it around before the season ended and finished beating Houston in the WS.
Doesn’t mean it will happen the same way to us, just saying this has happened to other teams as well.
Artieboy
What are the guys saying about this, on the radio?
I took a deep breath after the game yesterday. I did not watch it because there was no way I could put up with listening to the Rockies announcers for another game. The series was blacked out here and I had to watch ROOT sports and listen to Drew Goodman, who is about as big a homer as it gets, and his sidekick, former player, Ryan Spilborughs. I probably spelled his name wrong, but no matter, they all are terrible to listen too. Alana Rizzo used to be their on field reported before she came to LA. So I listened to the radio feed on my TV. You could feel the air go out of the ball park every time a rally died. And the desperation every time the Rockies scored. I felt bad for Buehler, but now he knows what happens to fastballs in the majors. So I stepped back after the game was over, and sat down at my modeling table to work on my Revell kit of von Richthofen’s Fokker DR. 1 Tri plane. Very relaxing. I put the last couple of weeks behind me and said to myself, tomorrow is the anniversary of one of the worst days in US history. I need to put life into that perspective and I did. There are a lot worse things in life than a 10 game losing streak. And today is a new day. I am remembering those who perished without ever knowing why. I feel the same way on Pearl Harbor day. So many lives lost, so much pain for their family’s. I am just grateful that I have never had to experience that kind of angst. It’s a game. They get paid to play a kids game and entertain us. They get a hold on your heart and they make it soar one season and break in pieces the next. But in the big picture, it really means nothing. Oh it is great for the city and the fans can crow until the next season starts, and the anxiety starts all over again. I love the Dodgers, always have, but I have seen this movie before. 1962 for one. They played so bad the last 10 days, and the Giants caught them and forced a playoff. They split the first two games, and then had a 4-2 lead in the 9th. Walt Alston then made the worse decision of the season. He brought in Stan Williams to pitch the 9th. Williams was a starter. He had guys like Ed Roebuck, Ron Perranoski and Larry Sherry in the pen. But he brought in Williams. Don Drysdale volunteered to pitch the 9th, and Duke Snider pleaded with Alston to use Big D. But Alston said he was saving Big D for the first game of the series against the Yankees, forgetting what happened in 51, and forgetting that you have to get there first. That’s the lesson here. The Dodgers have to get there first. And Roberts has forgotten that. They were cruising to the division title, and now even that is in jeopardy if they cannot snap out of this funk. They need help now from the other teams on Arizona’s schedule to get to the playoffs. They need the magic back if they are going to secure home field for the playoffs, something that two weeks ago, looked like a lock, and more than anything they need to give the fans that have supported them some hope that they are indeed that team that was rolling through the league before this nightmare of a stretch started. They are pressing, you can see it in their faces when they make an out, or a bad play, and no one fears this team right now. Two and 1/2 weeks ago, it was a different story. By the way, that picture is my Dad’s ship, the USS Nevada. Beached at Wapiao Point after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Seemed appropriate since the Dodgers are taking on water and beached about now too.
Michael
What did Monday and his analyst, say about the team?
Because when Monday filled in for Charlie, during the series against the Padres, he wasn’t being to opinionated, probably because he feels more at home, to make his opinions about the team, when he is on the radio?
But what we are all forgetting, we have been playing against two of the best teams, in baseball.
And both of these teams, are having to win any game they can, because they are still in a pennant race.
So the players on the Rockies and Dbacks,, have had to play under more pressure, so they are playing with more adrenaline, then our players are.
We have had such a big lead, so are players, haven’t been playing under the same pressure, so it is hard for our players, to play with the same adrenaline, that the Rockies, and Dbacks have!
And we faced the Dbacks almost back to back in the last two weeks, and they were already really hot.
So these were really two bad teams to be playing against, when the team is slumping.
And these two teams, have better records, then most every other team, in baseball.
So we really didn’t give these games away, the Rockies and the Dbacks, are two very good teams, and they had more to play for, then the Dodgers!
And we didn’t have two of our best hitters in the line up, back to back, for quite a while!
And we didn’t have our top five hitters in the line up, until this last Saturday.
So it will take a little time, for Cody and Corey, to get back into the swing of things, as well as our top five hitters.
And they had that six man rotation last week, and the only starting pitcher, that probably helped, was Maeda.
Because Kershaw has never been good with more rest, and I would say most starters, are like Kershaw.
Starters need to pitch regularly enough, to keep their good command.
And by this time, our starters, have had plenty of rest, they don’t need to continue to rest these pitchers.
And Roberts needs to play the best line up, to win this next game
No Granderson, Forsythe, Joc, or Grandal, or hit Grandal, at the back of the line up.
Ethier looked good this weekend, he deserves a start, he had more hits, then anyone yesterday, and he hit one out, on the night before.
My only concern with Ethier is, will he be able to play decent defense, in that big outfield, in SF.
Monday and Kevin Kennedy were pretty blunt about the whole thing. They commented on how during the last couple of weeks all the little things the team was doing before have more or less gone out of the window. They are not hitting with runners in scoring position, they are making mental mistakes and generally not playing good baseball. When they have gotten decent pitching they have not scored and when they have had the lead, the pitching staff is giving it right back. I think Roberts was totally wrong giving Kershaw extra rest because his history says he does not do well in those games. I think he should have started against the D-Backs because running the same 3 guys out there did not work again, but they were not hitting so it probably did not matter. They start scoring early and often, and it might reverse what has been happening. They are not having those big innings, and guys who were clutch are not doing that now. Taylor is slumping, Corey is only 3 games back from more than a week off, Grandal, Granderson, and Forsythe are contributing nothing. Forsythe hit a meaningless homer because Jansen could not keep the lead at 1. We as fans expect more from Kenley than that. The offense as a whole is in a funk, the starters giving up big early deficits that the offense cannot overcome. Too many times over the last 2 1/2 weeks I have seen hitters take pitches right down Broadway, and swing at pitches they have no chance of squaring up. Grandal, Granderson, Forsythe and lately Taylor have been guilty of that more than the others. Mixing the lineups too much. Leaving hitters in against their obvious weakness, IE Joc vs lefty’s and Forsythe vs RHP. They should never, I do not care how big the lead was, have lost 10 of 10 to Colorado and Arizona, big lead or no, they seemed and still seem listless. No life, no anger, and no fire or urgency to end the slide..oh, we are 21 games up, and that is now down to 9. No excuses. They have been playing bad baseball, and it is hard to come out of that kind of funk, so now they are pressing. As for Ethier, I want his experience and bat in the lineup. He has the freshest legs on the team and has always been a decent defender. I trust him out there more than Granderson or any of the other slugs on the bench. Put Puig back in the 8 hole behind Joc, and watch the difference in the pitches Joc gets with men on base. They do not want to face Puig.
Michael Thanks!
I remembered from you, that Kershaw has never been good, on an extra day of rest.
And I do think they over did that ten day DL with these starters, heck they started doing that, almost right when the season just began, and there was no need to do it then, maybe for Ryu, and Hill wasn’t right, for a while.
And I think they are either putting Ryu on ten day DL, or just skipping one of his starts, and I don’t think that is a good idea, because except for one start, Ryu has been pitching pretty well.
I think Taylor is not having patient enough at bats right now, to get on base, and he isn’t waiting for his pitch, so he isn’t hitting.
Taylor is basically having trouble, slowing the game down right now.
One of those blogs, suggested he should be moved to the fifth position, but since Puig has been ok hitting fifth, I wouldn’t want to move him.
Joc is probably better then Forysthe and Granderson hitting, because pitchers are always afraid of Joc, getting a hold of one.
But it seems like Joc doesn’t have the same drive that Puig has, to want to get better.
And he doesn’t seem to want to work with Ward.
But he definitely better work hard in this next off season.
And of course most of the players, are trying to over swing, even Cody.
We have not seen him hit one the other way, lately.
I didn’t realize that the Dbacks and the Rockies, are starting a series against each other next, so that will help us a little.
At least we let the Rockies, gain two games, on the Dbacks.
I don’t like listen to the radio, because there is so much static, and the time difference.
Jerry Hairson said that Ethier has really looked good in batting practice, and he is having really good at bats.
I was happy for Ethier, when he hit it out, and when he had those two hits yesterday.
I
They are skipping Ryu against the Giants, and setting him up to pitch against the Nats.