Hey everybody,
The Dodgers have a day off today, but LA Dodger Report is still here, churning out Dodgers content for you to enjoy.
This time it’s in the form of our second Youtube video. Oscar is flying solo on this one, and discussing the .500 Dodgers, this report’s Hero and the Goat, and a quick review of Fifty Fifty, a beer from Green Flash Brewing and Trader Joes.
Just google LA Dodger Report in youtube or follow the link below.
Enjoy!
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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That was interesting Oscar. The video was a bit choppy, and I don’t drink anymore so the beer segment didn’t interest me.
Zaidi is what he is, not a baseball guy, but a numbers guy. We’re about numbers now. If it ultimately works then he’s the right guy for the job. So far, we’re really no better than we were when he and Friedman got here. You mentioned the pitching. As I posted yesterday, tough it has often has looked ugly, the stats say we are pitching well enough to win. I too am hoping Kiké rebounds but I am not a Rich Hill fan. He’s a Dodger, so I hope he pulls it together, but I have serious doubts.
I’ve noticed our minor league teams are all around .500. Does that mean they too are just starting slow? Does it mean maybe other teams minor league players are as good as ours? Does it mean anything?
Could mean a lot of things, and I am no expert.
Some teams, I know the Angels of 2 or 3 GMs ago, used to put a high import on Minor League Teams “fostering” winning culture.
I know other teams are much more interested in fostering AAAA talent in AAA for call-ups which results in atypical distribution of non ex-MLBers on other levels.
Yet another group of teams just likes to develop talent. I’m not sure the Cubs teams had great records as Bryant and Schwarber made their way up.
I agree Bluto, I remember as a kid a friend gave me a book, it was called ” The Dodgers Way to play Baseball” and it was written by Al Campanis, yeah that guy. That book was pretty much the gospel for the way the Dodgers trained their minor league teams well into the 70’s. It stressed fundamentals. It also stressed winning. Interesting book, wish I still had it. You look at our AAA roster and they would seem like a steam roller. But it does not always go according to plan. I think somewhere along the line they will hit a hot streak. Too much talent down there not to. But they are probably not playing as a team just yet.
I read Zaidi’s interview and watched a little of it. As Badger said, the guy is a numbers man and a Billy Beane school of thought devotee. Myself, I do not really care for the saber metric side and I have stated that a lot of times. Being old school baseball has it’s drawbacks I guess. My problem with it is that it cannot measure desire and heart. You base your lineup decisions on history, and trends. Say Grandal hits Walker in the past at a 340 clip, so naturally you think he is going to repeat that over and over, but maybe while you were not looking, Walker added something to his repertoire that he found on video that Grandal cannot hit. Throws those stats right out the window. Baseball is a game of adjustments. The great players make them constantly and can do so in game situations. As I have watched this team over the first two weeks a couple of observations I have made seem relevant. 1. They are not very good at situational baseball. They do not move runners over and have productive outs. 2. They are abysmal again at hitting with runners in scoring position. 3. The team speed they do have, Toles, Pederson, Puig, is not being utilized very often. For a team with a base stealing instructor like Maury Wills, they are woefully inept at base stealing. 4. Their RH scrub team is not getting the job done. They still have problems with LH pitching and it can be traced right to the platoon that is not working at this point. 5. Their starters, for the most part, are not doing their jobs. Except for Kershaw, they do not go very deep into games, and let us hope MR. Wood can buck that trend tonight. 6 The bullpen has been a bright spot. But how many of you think it can continue to do so when by July if the starters stay the way they are, this bunch will be worn out. What it all boils down to is that they need length from the starters, more situational hitting, and RISP base hits more often. I am not worried about the power on this team, that will come. But stringing together hits and extending innings is something they need to work on. Final thought….I understand Zaidi is a Beane disciple, I have no problem with that. But Billy Beane has never won a championship in all his years in Oakland. He has done the same thing there that has happened here for years. Close, but no cigar. There are no easy fixes, and no quick ones either. We have a strong farm system, and pieces in place. It is up to FAZ to either make the team better, or play second fiddle again.
As I see it the difference between Beane and Zaidi is one works for the Dodgers, a very rich organization. When you have more money you can afford expensive toys. A lot of them. I think what F and Z will be attempting to do is blend Moneyball with expert free agent and international signings. So far? Meh. We haven’t lost ground in the standings, and we appear to still have a good system. We just don’t have the look of world beaters. Like you Bear, I would like to see these expensive players play a more fundamentally sound game of baseball. And maybe being old school guys we expect pros to be able to bunt, hit behind runners, hit your cut off, back up bases, run the bases like you have a freakin clue what you’re doing – a long list of things like that. Today it’s about on base plus slugging, a stat I believe in but I believe is only part of the picture. I still don’t understand the metrics of defense, I just know from playing and coaching I can watch a player and tell you if he’s any good at it.
I’m not sure about this team. I like it but I don’t love it. I’ve been over the reasons why.
Remember when Piazza came up? I saw that guy hit just once and I knew he was going to be something special. They said he was weak defensively. Mike worked very hard on that part of his game and is now a Hall of Famer. If some of the players worked as much on the fundamentals of the game as they do keeping in shape, they would all play a lot better. I think sometimes the physical side of it can be a detriment. Players are bulkier than ever. Yeah most of it is muscle, but those muscles have limits. We see injury’s today we never saw in the 50’s 60’s and 70’s. Quad strains, more hammy’s than I can ever remember. Medicine is better, but players go down for reasons that were not around 20 years ago. I do not know if you have noticed, but it seems to me, and I could be wrong, that these guys when they have 2 strikes do not shorten their swing. Corey, Grandal, Pederson, Puig, all seem to take that big swing, even Kike does it, and he of all people should just be looking for a hittable pitch. They all have been guilty of chasing pitches way off the plate and out of the zone. I was really surprised when Turner did that a couple of games ago. That is not the way he usually hits. I love the Dodgers, they have always been my team, but I like you and quite a few other fans I know am not totally convinced this is a championship team, or even a legitimate contender as presently constructed. Too many moving parts. Too many journey man players in positions where you really need a consistent threat. Too many scrubs being relied on to carry the load. It might work once, maybe even twice, but it is no way to build a winning team. They were lucky last year that 2 things happened. The B team produced, they got just enough out of the scrubeenies, and the Giants totally went in the tank. That happening twice in a row, is not likely, and other teams in the division got stronger and they maintained the status quo. They need something to shake them up. And you are right about the difference between Zaidi and Beane. Billy has never had a huge bank to work with. But this is LA. Dodger fans expect and deserve championships for all the support they have given this team since it’s arrival in 58. If for no other reason than to shut SF fans up.
The first time I saw Piazza swing a bat was in batting practice. Damn. The ball off his bat looked like a 7 iron shot. He was special. All he wanted was $100,000,000. So we shipped him and gave that money to the surly Kevin Brown. Shame on us. Maybe our non World Series schneid is Piazza karma.
Turner went to Mayfair High. We played them every year when I was in high school. He hit .514 there and wasn’t drafted until the 20th something round. Damn. Southern Cal high school baseball is the best in the nation. To hit over .500 there is very impressive. He’s showing them now.
Interesting little story on LA Times site this day. Dodgers ticket sales down 8% from last year over their first 10 home games, and they have had 4 crowds smaller than the lowest attendance all last year, and ticket prices have increased. Any connection there, and for the first time in a long time there is no waiting list for season tickets….personally I think you need to be in the upper 15 percent to afford those things anyway……
Doesn’t surprise me a bit. Tampa Bay and Oakland don’t lead their leagues in attendance every year, do they? By sweating and straining, FAZ just might manage to limp into the playoffs most years, but pretty soon the fans won’t give a damn anyway. If these owners are as smart as their money makes them look, they’ll soon figure out FAZ is not a winner and can him and his nerds.
You are right about that Dirk. I just keep hoping one year out of all these playoff appearances will be our year. If it’s a crap shoot aren’t the odds like 17%? Let’s say 20% so 1 out of 5 should be ours. Kasten got one in Atlanta right? And they were there 5 ti ……….. never mind.
What really gets me is when the FAZMANIAN DEVILS praise his acumen when he has not, excuse me, they as a unit have never won squat. Oh, they have been to the dance and like the girl with no personality have not been asked to the dance floor for the big finale. Is the farm system solid? Yes. Are they a better team than when they took over……..NO.
Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, “Where did you get such a great bike?” The second engineer replied, “Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, “Take what you want.”
The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, “Good choice: The clothes probably wouldn’t have fit you anyway.”
Now that’s funny right there…..
Happiness in Dodgertown tonight…
Giants Place Madison Bumgarner On 10-Day DL After Dirt Bike Accident
By Jeff Todd | April 21, 2017 at 3:39pm CDT
Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is headed to the 10-day DL after injuring himself in a dirt bike accident, the team announced. He is said to have suffered bruised ribs along with “a grade one or two left shoulder AC sprain.”
I heard he’s out 6-8 weeks. What a dope.
Badger
I let you beat me to it too!
Badger
How long does it take you to go to a Dback’s game, and how much cheaper, are there tickets, then the Dodgers?
I’m 2 hours from the park. Tickets for box seats can be had for $75.
Badger
Thanks I was wondering!
Jonah
You beat me to it!
But now they are saying, that Bumgarner, will be out, six to eight weeks!
Quit it, you’re drowning my keyboard…
Jonah
I guess they say, that good news always, travels fast.
And when anything bad happens to Bumgarner, the S flys, and it sure makes a Dodger fan, happy.
And it is even better, because he was suppose to be pitching against us, real soon!
I was hoping that Puig would be able to finally hit another HR off him, but we will save that, for later.
I am glad the games are starting a little earlier, this week end.
And I hope it really feels like we are hitting in a hitter’s park this weekend, but only on offense.
I’m a loyal Dodger fan, but an injury to any player doesn’t bring me any joy. Teams are teams but players are people, injury is no fun for anyone. Don’t wish ill will on anyone, or you will most likely regret it, cast your bread upon the water…
I honestly agree with you 100%. I just post stuff like that because it pleases some of the more ardent Dodger fans who have forgotten their Bible Studies.
I think I told you guys that one of Bumgarner or Cueto would hit the DL, that McCarthy would be solid, and that Pederson would pop 30 hrs. 2 of 3 ain’t bad.
I’ll sell short on your stock. McCarthy could be terrible for the next 25 starts, Joc has a few less than 30 HRs so far. I think he’s as likely to be traded as to hit 30 HRs. You have ONE. And you know what that pays on KENO… NADA.
I don’t trust McCarthy. Has he been solid? 3 starts, 17 innings, 2.12. He’s been better than I thought he would be. I think Joc can hit 30. As a platoon player? I don’t know, but I doubt it. I would have bet on Cueto before Bumgarner. Dirt bike riding? What a maroon.
Badger
I don’t trust McCarthy either, but I give him credit, for what he has done, up to now.
I rather Joc hit 250, then hit thirty HRs, but if he only tries to just hit, he might still hit thirty HRs, anyways.
But both Corey and Grandal, hit more HRs then Joc did, last year.
If the Giants can have Cueto healthy, and pitch well, the rest of the season, they might be stuck with him.
Because I think they may resign him, after he opts out after this year, because they don’t have much in there farm system.
And we can see how long Cueto stays healthy after the Giants resign him.
Yes you did. But maybe SF rallies around Bumgarner and/or the Dodgers tank. It’s a very long season and right now I think it’s a 4 team race in the NLWD.
Intersting issue regarding attendance.
Prices?
Ugly baseball?
Weather?
No more Vinny?
Boring baseball. No TV deal. Too many strikeouts in key situations, turning off fans. Better situational hitting would help a lot. And when will the suits figure out that TV and stadium attendance in LA is symbiotic.
Roberts has Joc hitting in the lead off position, maybe Roberts is trying to get Joc, out of his slump.
Joc is pretty good, at getting a walk.
I hope the whole team, comes out hitting.
Puig is hitting fifth, we might see if Puig can hit a little better, in the fifth position, then he has lower.
I am not a believer that what position a hitter is hitting in in any way affects his ability. If it does, it’s a mental hang-up he has been taught and can be untaught.
Place in order is more a mental thing. It feels different moving from 8th to lead off, or from the bottom of the order to the middle of it. It shouldn’t change your approach but it does.
Inasmuch as the “lead-off-man” actually hits first only in the very first inning (usually) and other positions are subsequently jumbled throughout the game, I’m going to call “Bullshit” and baseball “traditional mumbo-jumbo” on the whole load of crap. I grant some players may hit better when no one’s on base (less pressure) or others when a runner is in scoring position (clutch hitter), but a good hitter should be a good hitter wherever he hits, and the same is true of the bad ones. Add “Never swing at the first strike” and a bunch of other old sayings that don’t mean crap..
By the way, Badger, I’m not discounting the fact that typical athletes like baseball players are very capable of being influenced by little things like where their name is on the batting order. Not too many Mensa members in any part of baseball…
So maybe disregard everything I said…
Badger
As you know, pitchers do pitch the hitters, in the first four places in the order, tougher.
And that it is easier to draw a walk, hitting eighth, and Puig has proved that, this year.
I’m not taking it personally Jonah. I agree in principle. The lead off guy always hits in front of the best hitters on the team. You want to set them up. Batting at the top there are expectations. It can get into some heads. Especially if you haven’t done a lot of it.
Jonah
You might not think that, but pitchers do pitch the first four hitters, much tougher.
And as you know, the pitcher on the other team, almost always doesn’t want a certain hitter to hurt them, so they will pitch them tougher, but if the count doesn’t favor the pitcher, they might just put that hitter, on base.
I think Agone use to be the guy, but now I think it is Turner.
And a pitcher definitely doesn’t want to put the batter on base, in front of the two, through fourth, hitter.
So, we should bat Kike’, Utley, SVS, and Barnes as the first four hitters and the pitcher will ease off on his pitches to the rest of the team? The pitcher bears down most to the best hitters, no matter where they are in the lineup.
Jonah
Usually the best hitters, hit in the first four places.
More good Giant news:
https://twitter.com/extrabaggs/status/855585014804873221
Jonah
Was he playing on the major league team, because the last time I heard about Upton, he took a minor league contract.
No, but they were likely going to call him up if he hadn’t been injured. They have had several outfield injuries so far.
Jonah
I know they lost one of there leftfielders.
That left fielder, had spent a lot of time in the minors, and he finally made the major league team, and then he broke his collarbone, I believe.
Dbacks lineup very much the same. They have some sticks.
Brenly all over Grandal for appealing to the wrong ump. He’s done it a few times.
Badger
They have always hit.
Did you see that the Rockies are hitting Cueto hard tonight?
Haven’t looked but will.
Wood getting hit pretty hard.
At what point is it okay to worry about Gonzalez’s lack of power?
He can’t even drive a ball off mid-rotation RHP.
June 1st.
Sounds perfectly fair.
But, TBH, there’s not much the team can really do.
Adrian Gonzalez grounds into a double play, pitcher Archie Bradley to shortstop Chris Owings to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Justin Turner out at 2nd. 3 out
Grounded Into DP
Batted ball speed 85 mph.
85!
I agree. AGon is the starting first baseman this year. If he folds, it’s gonna hurt. He sure looks weak up there. His average distance is 152′. I can do that. I’m thinking something is wrong with him physically.
Chain him to Utley and deep six both of them.
Not really fair.
Utley’s here for a very marginal role.
Gonzalez’ is, for better or worse, a much larger role.
But they are both failing to do it. I will never believe a younger, healthier player from the minors would not outperform Utley. When you’re old and can’t do it anymore, it’s time to retire.
I’m fine with Taylor taking over at second.
It’s just a year too early for Bellinger.
I mean if you are really complaining about Utley, you need to go take a walk in the sun. He’s a bottom of the bench guy, who is really here for intanglible/dugout stuff. If he gets hurt, there’s lots of people to step in.
Lux leads Loons.
http://www.mlive.com/loons/index.ssf/2017/04/dodgers_prospect_gavin_lux_hel.html#incart_river_index
Madison Bumgarner officially the first contestant for the dumb move of the year award. If the injury keeps him out 8 weeks as they are saying, it is at least another 2 to 3 weeks before he is game ready……close to 3 months without their ace….could not happen to a nicer bunch of people……..
Is Jansen warming up???
What a mess!
95 wins, hunh?
Romo 10 pitches, 4 strikes. Plus a balk.
Why is he in the game?
19 pitches, 9 strikes…yikes!
Two evenly matched teams slugging it out.
Ok, the one in second place looks better tonight.
Something just happened I don’t think I have seen before – two pinch hitters, both got two at bats in the same inning.
These guys can hack. Could it be maybe our bullpen is getting wore out in April?
I”m going to guess our bullpen ERA went up a bit tonight.
Oh well
Tonight’s game recap should be interesting. Pop open another one Oscar, you’re going to need it!