There’s only three certainties’ in life, death, taxes, and Dave Roberts sitting his best offensive threats when an opposing left handed pitcher is on the mound. To nobodies’ surprise Roberts rolled out the all-righty lineup again on Wednesday afternoon and hold onto your hats it failed to answer the bell. The club scored one run on 4 hits in a pathetic 8-1 loss to the Nationals. Bud Norris was handed his first loss as a Dodger.
It wasn’t as bad as it normally is because Adrian Gonzalez, and Yasmani Grandal were in the lineup. Still when you sit Joc Pederson so minor leaguer Chris Taylor can play it’s pretty stupid. Corey Seager was still out sick so the Dodgers chose to play Charlie Culberson over Chase Utley. Utley could have played second base while Taylor played shortstop. Utley had only homered the game before.
Once again the Dodgers continue to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results. If you want to beat the Dodgers all you have to do is start a left handed pitcher against them. It doesn’t matter who that is, it could be your grandmother. Because rest assured Dave Roberts will sit all of his best hitters and the club will not score more than one run. Remember the Dodgers are the worst hitting team against left handed pitchers in the majors.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Washington-TBA
Julio Urias-1-2 vs. Stephen Strasburg-13-0
Game Time-9:05 AM – TV – SNLA
Today the Dodgers will play an early game against the Nationals as they wrap up the season series before leaving town for their weekend set with St. Louis. This afternoon’s pitching match-up seems like a mismatch as rookie phenom Julio Urias returns to the Dodgers to face undefeated Stephen Strasburg.
The Dodgers just suffered another huge rash of injuries. It’s almost a joke how many key payers are hurt. After Hyun-jin Ryu was placed on the disabled list, and the elbow surgery to Alex Wood, combined with Clayton Kershaw’s back problems the Dodgers have no choice but to use Urias.
The teenager is making his ninth start in the majors. This is his first start since July 4 when he got bombed by the Orioles. Urias faced the Nationals back on July 22nd and allowed two earned runs on 6 hits over 5 innings pitched in a no-decision. Overall Urias is 1-2 with a 4.95 ERA and 44 strikeouts against 17 walks. He has a 10.9 K/9 rate and a 3.56 FIP.
The Nationals will counter with Stephen Strasburg. If you check out the headline for this article you should understand what it’s about. You see Strasburg is due to lose at some point this season. He’s not going to be undefeated. So if he’s due to lose soon, then why not today against the Dodgers? Of course I’m mostly humoring myself to prepare for the 4-hit shutout that awaits us. You never know though.
Strasburg is 13-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 17 starts. What jumps out at me the most about Strasburg’s stats is not his 138 strikeouts and 33 walks. It’s his 6.3 hits per nine rate. Limiting base runners is an important skill of a good pitcher. That’s what Clayton Kershaw does. Strasburg has made 4 career starts against the Dodgers and is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA. One more interesting tidbit here is that today is Strasburg’s birthday. The best birthday gift the Dodgers can give him is an early exit from today’s game. Make it happen boys.
Strasburg vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Chase Utley | 28 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | .148 | .179 | .148 | .327 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .444 | .444 | .556 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yasiel Puig | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Taylor | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Norris | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 55 | 53 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13 | .208 | .236 | .226 | .463 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
The Dodgers are reportedly on the trade market for some “big-game” players despite Andrew Friedman’s dislike of impact players. I don’t want to say I told you so, but with all of the players on the disabled list I’ll go ahead and say it again. This is what happens when you build your pitching staff with duct tape and twigs. Health and innings are super important when it comes to building your pitching staff, especially the starting rotation.
|
#
|
Team
|
W
|
L
|
PCT
|
GB
|
HOME
|
AWAY
|
L10
|
||
|
1
|
|
57
|
38
|
.600
|
–
|
29-17
|
28-21
|
4-6
|
||
|
2
|
|
53
|
43
|
.552
|
4.5
|
30-18
|
23-25
|
5-5
|
||
|
3
|
|
43
|
51
|
.457
|
13.5
|
21-24
|
22-27
|
5-5
|
||
|
4
|
|
41
|
54
|
.432
|
16.0
|
23-25
|
18-29
|
4-6
|
||
|
5
|
|
40
|
55
|
.421
|
17.0
|
17-35
|
23-20
|
3-7
|
||
When you rely on injury riddled and mediocre pitchers it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they all get hurt or don’t perform well. This is my main beef with the Friedman administration. This means he’s going to have to go out and get some high quality players to fill the voids that he created. I’m not talking about getting Alex Wood’s or Jim Johnsons’, those are not going to cut it this year, just like they didn’t cut it last year.
(Note) Kendrick now has a 12-game hitting streak
So skip school! Call in sick to work! It’s Dodger baseball in the morning!
Go Blue!
What’s the lineup?
Scott
I agree with you about Strasburg.
He is going to lose this year, why not to the Dodgers?
I think this team has a much better chance beating Strasburg, because he pitches with his right arm.
It looks to me, that almost everybody has given up, because they believe that Kershaw has no chance of coming back.
That might be true.
Why would the front office let info out, that Kershaw might require surgery, if they are trying to get another starting pitcher?
That will only make the price go up, because other teams, will know the Dodgers need a starter badly.
And other teams will ask for even more.
I know that Kershaw was going to over do it.
Roberts is going to have to learn, to protect Kershaw from himself.
Because Kershaw will want to pitch nine innings every time he pitches.
And this year he had the added pressure, because all of these pitchers the front office brought to the team, that can’t pitch deep into games.
So Kershaw tried to pick up for all the other starting pitchers, that can’t pitch deep into games.
Kershaw also tried to pitch an entire game, to help give the over worked bullpen a rest for the day.
And no one here, thinks this factors in, to why Kershaw is hurt.
It may not be the main reason, but it does factor in, because Kershaw has had to almost be perfect, and actually throw less pitches, so that he can finish a game.
I don’t like when Roberts starts that platoon team, but I do think that Roberts has done well, considering the starting pitchers, that the front office, gave him to work with, as well as a couple of the relievers in the pen.
MJ said: “Why would the front office let info out, that Kershaw might require surgery, if they are trying to get another starting pitcher?
That will only make the price go up, because other teams, will know the Dodgers need a starter badly.”
The only ones that said that FAZ was smart was FAZ himself.
The Dodgers need a pitcher like Archer more if Kershaw can play to give them two top pitchers and innings eaters for the playoffs. They might as well just hold onto their prospects if Archer is going to be alone at the top of the rotation.
Wondering, I might be wrong, but I do think a little before I jump at the first thought that lets me be negative.
Greetings friends. Just saying hello as I head out for a bit. I overheard a group of Pols talking about the election ahead and the candidates of our choosing. One said these idiots told many-many pollock jokes! This one they’re telling themselves tops any before. I agree. This is the biggest joke of all time.
I am in favor of Clayton taking the rest of the year off to get whatever surgery he will need and rest and recover. A stiff back can lead to a sore arm. If I were Friedman, I would sit down with Clayton and sign him to whatever deal he wants so that he can retire as a Dodger (it will be insured).
Then I would sell, sell, sell!
Utley, Kendrick, Van Slyke, Gonzo (doubtful), Jansen, Kazmir, Norris and Puig… maybe even Turner. They could always re-sign Turner and Jansen, but maybe I keep those two.
Get as may prospects as they can. Call up Verdugo, Bellinger and Calhoun in August – get them some experience.
Rotation: Maeda, McCarthy, Urias, De Leon, Stewart
Lineup:
1. Toles LF
2. Verdugo RF
3. Seager SS
4. Turner 3B
5. Grandal C
6. Bellinger 1B
7. Calhoun 2B
8. Pederson CF
Tank the rest of the season and get a top 10 draft pick! You don;t risk your ace and with our ace gone, it’s time to get this rebuild moving ahead!
What did the front office think would happen, when they brought starting pitchers, that don’t pitch deep into games?
Did they think that Kershaw wouldn’t try to pitch the entire game, almost everytime he pitched?
I just wish someone would have slowed Kershaw down, when he first went out.
He hardly even stopped doing at least some baseball activities.
He was playing catch at the Allstar game.
Doesn’t trainers understand that someone like Kershaw is going to over do it, because of his work ethic, and his desire to help the team?
Didn’t they make Kershaw understand that his pain threshold would not be there as much, after getting that injection, so he would need to take it easy?
Because he might over do it, without feeling much pain, or any pain.
Where were all these shinny new trainers, that the front office brought to the team this year?
This even more important then just this year, because orignally Kershaw only had a mild heriated disc, that might be normal again, if he just rested it, at that time.
And now if Kershaw’s mild heriated disc is further along and not mild, because Kershaw tried to rush his recovery, that has further implications, on his eventual recovery.
I was thinking if payroll comes down with this lineup, will ticket prices come down also.
But of course it will….
I have a bridge!
Mark
Have you ever heard of Grant Dayton?
He is a new leftie pitcher AAA, and he is up with the big team now.
Mark
He was called up from AAA.
God help me, I’m agreeing with Mark!!!
I’ve been saying for months don’t trade anybody. When Kershaw went down that was even more reason to check the bet.
I almost agree with Mark. See what the market is for those who are not in the ’18 plan. It’s kinda weird to still be in the hunt mathematically and talk of selling everyone, but without Kershaw, honestly, what are the chances? We can bulk up for the future if we do this right. If done wrong? Yoiks.
Badger
That is the problem.
Do you have confidence that this front office will
bring the team the right players, and prospects?
And really the Dodgers were not as bad as the Cubs, this front office just wanted there chosen players, to be on there quote super team.
But they did make exceptions, like Seager, Urias, and Deleon, and any players they thought were good enough.
I still can’t believe that people are sold on this front office’s depth.
When they considered pitchers like MCCarthy, Anderson, Beachy depth, that depth doesn’t last long.
And Wood has always been looked at like a pitcher, that would eventually get hurt again, because of his terrible delivery.
He already had a TJ surgery in high school, and he didn’t change his delivery after high school.
Anderson, MCCarthy, Wood Beachy, these pitchers can’t be considered real depth, because they all have injury histories.
And this front office, choose the first two pitchers, to make up part of the starting rotation, even though they have had long injury histories.
And don’t use the excuse for MCCarthy, that they couldn’t have known about his elbow.
Because when a pitcher is getting injured enough, over time.
The other parts of his body that he uses to pitch, will have to almost always have compensate, for the other weaknesses.
And those parts that are having to compensate, become stressed too.
Just because MCCarthy, never had elbow problems, doesn’t mean he won’t have them.
The fact that he has injured other parts of his body, and has had injury problems, throughout his career, makes him an good candidate to get injured again.
After all, both MCCarthy and Anderson, have long injury histories throughout there careers.
There is a reason why they are so much cheaper.
And you don’t fill your starting rotation, with pitchers, that have long injury histories, especially if you are a big market team, like the Dodgers, that don’t have to settle!
There are two type of pitchers: Ones that have been hurt and ones that will be. That argument is about as circular as it gets!
Answer this question: Who could FAZ have signed to cheap, short term deals other than the broken down ones you refer to? What if McCarthy continues his dominance for two more years?
And… Anderson was a GREAT acquisition last year. Answer my question above!
There is a God: Hatcher goes on 60 Day DL.
Grant Dayton recalled.
Why another leftie?
Hammels, as well as the pitcher they already had, that went to the Royal’s, and is with the
Royal’s now.
They could have kept Haren.
Mark
I hope MCCarthy does.
I am not one of those people that want to see failure.
I want the Dodgers to do well.
Don’t know what Dayton has to K so many hitters(IP-48; K’s-85) plus excellent control but from little I’ve read on him, he has a high spin rate.
What pitches does he throw and their speed? Anybody know?? Any way to find out??
It’s clear to me that DeLeon is ready now. In 4 days he better be starting at home at Dodger Stadium next week. He won’t do any worse than most of our staff; perhaps he takes Urias’ next start
And yes, Strasburg hasn’t lost all year; let’s give him his first!
I agree Bobby.
Bobby
Last night they said that Cory would play if needed, but Roberts doesn’t play him today.
I think Roberts should have thought more about Urias, then giving Cory another day.
Why doesn’t Roberts have Urias bunt with Toles on third?
That is that perfect combination that the Dodgers need to score a run on a bunt!
I forgot there was two outs!
The Braintrust won’t sell-off the team. The Dodgers are 1st place in the wild card and the fans would go nuts.
The question then is whether they go all in, even with Kershaw hurt, or whether they stand pat. I have a 3rd option – they may try to make a trade for a big bat or arm that is controllable long term and thus make sense from a long term perspective. If they go for Sonny Gray or Chris Archer, it would improve the team short term but not be a “rental”. They might be inclined to give up some of the Dodgers’ treasured prospects that way.
If they can’t swing a deal like that, I suspect that the Braintrust will do what it has done since it has been installed – nibble around the margins and get the likes of Bud Norris.
Dodger rick
I don’t know if Jerry Hairson knows about Kershaw’s injury, but he probably does.
It sounds to me from Hairson, that Kershaw didn’t hurt himself more, so he might be able to come back.
But he needs take a week off, with out doing anything baseball, and that includes throwing.
Then see how he feels, and ease into playing slowly.
And he needs to know that that injection, will cover up pain, and he needs to
take it easy, and let the steroid work.
I am saying this, because Hairson said that he thinks Kershaw will be back.
I think most fans would understand if the team stands pat or makes more of their iffy washy moves. Nobody believes this team wins a post season series without Kershaw. This thing feels more complicated to me because the midgets are flopping. Wild Card? Yeah, I guess. But only if we do it by using A players in trade. I won’t use the “trade the farm” phrase because I find it patently ridiculous.
Yeah, McCarthy could be good for a while. But he always has a matter of time feel to me. I don’t trust he will ever throw 200 innings again. He’s still a back of rotation guy to me. All our guys are.
Urias 47 pitches to get through 2. He’s working way too hard.
The team should stand pat, unless there is some young stud type reasonably available, who will be around for a few years. Let’s keep using the farm. That’s what it is for. If nothing else these guys are getting major league experience. It’s looking like the bullpen pieces will be most important. And consistent hitting. McCarthy, Maeda, Kazmir. Our big three. Could be ok, but they make #4&5 more important. Let’s just hit our way through this season. I like pitching, but it looks like this will be the hitters’ year.
Random musings;
Why start Colberson? He did drive in the Dodgers only run.
Why haven’t the Dodgers brought up JDL? While Daytons been one of their best relievers, he’s a lefty and and we already have 3 others on the team. Why not have JDL around for long relief?
Anyone know where Kike is?
No one told Charlie he couldn’t drive in a run from third with two outs.
I think we established Kiké has been FAZ’d out (see what I did there) and is in therapy Gracie. Trade chip I reckon.
Is this Dayton feller one of the Minnesota Dayton’s? If so, he should be well appointed and probably drives a nice car.
Culberson was sent down.
I posted this the other day at the close of a blog, but it bears repeating regarding Kershaw:
—
From personal experience, if they are dealing with L4, L5 or sacrum, mild is only a word, serious would be a good substitute word for mild. If it is L3 or above, it may work out. Temporary fixes can help in the short run, very short, due to the scar tissue that develops when the spine is operated on. I’m afraid that Kershaw’s dominance may be a thing of the past. However, without knowing more exact information I can only guess. Remember the old adage, you don’t have back surgery, you have your first back surgery.
—
Back injury and FULL recovery are like real estate: Location, Location, Location.
At the major league level, you can’t be mostly recovered from the surgery or almost completely recovered from the surgery. A big factor is how much scar tissue occurs as time goes on following the surgery, some people are more prone than others to have that scarring.
So for what it is worth, hope for the best, but don’t be surprised.
It won’t be a wholesale yard sale, nor should it. The Dodgers are still in the 1rst slot in the wildcard standings. Because of the small sample size, the playoffs are unpredictable. You get to the playoffs, strange things happen. The Royals were in the midst of a losing season in 14, went on the winning streak and barely got into the wild card playoff. Then what happened? If not for Bumgartner….Oh, and they did it by relying on their relief pitching. How many Royals starters were going 7 or 8 innings in 14 or last year? Did they have a Kershaw?
The 88 Dodgers were woefully outmatched by the Mets. They were woefully outmatched by the A’s.
The Dodgers are going to “nibble around the edges,” not due to any flaw in their strategy or some fundamental ineptitude on the part of the front office, but because circumstances make doing so the best option right now. There’s really not a lot of big impact players out there this trading season, and the ones that are, as a result are too expensive, especially the ones that are young and controllable. Do you WANT to give up a Urias or DeLeon and a Verdugo and some other top prospect package for Gray or Archer….with their already questionable performances this year? If you yourself realize that would compromise the future without getting enough in return for the short term, you can hardly be critical of the FO for coming to the same conclusion and not pulling the trigger on a folly trade.
Is the season over? I don’t think so. The bats of Turner, Agon, Kendrick and Puig are starting to wake up. The relief pitching is still tops. McCarthy has pitched well.
DP-
You make good points and that should be the mentality of the team going forward. Everyone needs to raise their game.
But as a GM or looking at things from a GM (in this case the great and mighty FAZ) is the way many folks comment. It’s one of those situations where ‘what would you do’ if you were FAZ…….without speaking for Mark as he does an excellent job of speaking for himself, Mark’s proposal or idea would create something similar to the Cubs situation. And right now, there is a lot to like about where things are at with them.
And I am on record of bringing up the kids but that is because FAZ did not make deadline trades and did not sign any significant pieces in the off season. If FAZ is going to continue to ‘downgrade’ the team (94 wins prior to him, 92 wins last year and probably something less than that this year) than might as well get to the point and play the kids……and trade for more kids so I do agree with Mark that a commitment to rebuilding (or retooling) needs to happen and the sooner the better.
Not too many folks, probably zilch would think a team would more likely win a championship without Kershaw rather than with him. Don’t jump to conclusion as I know you would rather have him than not but my point is that even you would have to agree that their likelihood of going deep in the post season has diminished significantly if Kershaw is out for the season.
When the team could not make it to the WS any of the last 3 years with both Kershaw & Grienke well, logic says they definitely won’t without them.
Referencing the 1988 Dodgers…..well they had ONE helluva a pitcher and the bulldog carried that team. They also had an excellent, seasoned Manager. Without Kershaw (if that is the case) where’s the bulldog on the staff?
Regarding the KC Royals of 2014…..that no name, no good starting staff, had 4 pitchers start a minimum of 30 games each with a fifth starting 25. That’s 151 of the 162 games or 93%. Those 5 pitchers threw a total of 943 innings. Divide that by the 151 starts and that AVERAGES nearly 6-1/3 innings per start. To accomplish that every one of those pitchers had to be going 7 innings every other start or at least every 3rd start.
Again, I think your mindset is very optimistic and I do agree there is not a lot of ‘game changers’ available. Some of those were available in the offseason and there are no good FA pitchers this offseason. Trading top prospects now makes little to no sense whatsoever.
I’m not being a Pollyanna, but simply articulating the most rational course of action. When a team has a winning record and is a playoff candidate, you don’t blow it up. Any chance a team has of winning a championship needs to be exploited. The balancing act in this case comes from not paying too much in future success for a marginally increased chance of winning a championship.
The team’s current success and possibility of making the playoffs and a possible championship dictate you can’t blow it up. The team’s long term success dictate you don’t trade the future on a middling playoff contender, especially with Kershaw shut down. Get a decent relief arm if the price is right, maybe another Bud Norris type, but that’s it. Stay the course.
Makes sense.
We had a better chance last year and they didn’t go bold. With Kershaw, we have a chance. What do you have in mind patch?
The problem with holding the course is that the team misses out on opportunities to acquire top prospects via trade. Grienke would have netted 2, 3 or 4 good prospects. Hanging on to others until they walk is not getting maximum return for them. It’s called having a visionary plan. Holding the course is similar to an NBA team barely getting in the playoffs year after year. It’s the worse position to be in as they will never get the pieces needed to make the jump to be truly competitive for the ultimate goal.
I think there is a visionary plan, which explains the reluctance to trade valuable farm pieces for rentals, the current status of the Dodger farm system, and the prodigious tossing around of money at Cubans.
You’re right that the Dodgers are in this sort of hazy zone of unexceptional competence, but but a lot of the pieces are already in place. Unlike say the Altanta Hawks, the Dodgers have a future. The difficulty is not squandering it while still giving the team a chance now.
Just for clarification, when I referred to them holding the course, was meaning them hanging onto the veterans in order to remain ‘in the hunt..’ Wasn’t advocating trading off any top prospects. Holding that course, yes. But hanging onto veteran players that could net additional young prospects, no. I would be willing to sacrifice a few wins over the next 2 years to further enhance the farm and from what I can see we need a few more position players.
We need everyone else to start hitting, especially toward the bottom of the order.
I agree Patch
And there is not many decent players, out there.
Don’t trade, just to trade.
And even the game today, we were not favored, but we won.
I just want to wait and see about Kershaw.
And I will say no matter what the front office does, no one will be happy.
We don’t know who is out there patch. The available players could change considerably depending on what prospects are made available. It’s an easy decision for me. I don’t try to go big this year. If it happens organically? Far out. Way to put it together FAZ.
I hear what you’re saying True. And I agree. It’s lower back on a ML pitcher. It’s serious. I’m not counting on him this year.
Badger
How do you know it is serious?
He wasn’t in an accident that injured his back. It was probably the stress of his occupation. If his back was injured when it was perfectly healthy, it takes a lot of optimism to think he can go back to doing the same thing without re-injury. In fact, his back will be easier to injure in the future than it was at the time of this injury. The protocol would be to strengthen the supportive musculature after some rest. If that is not enough, build in some protection through surgery.
Badger
Do you think Jerry Hairson, who works at the Dodger Channel, knows about Kershaw’s injury?
Puig left the game limping after only one inning. Any report on him?
The club announcement was hamstring tightness.
Tight hammy
I don’t know what Hairston knows.
I know enough about disc injuries to know they are serious business. Especially on a Major League pitcher. I wouldn’t count on him the rest of the year. There is too much invested in him to risk it.
Badger
Why I was asking, was because Colletti was asked who will make the final decision on a surgery if one was needed.
And Colletti said everyone would get together after they find out the options from a doctors, and Colletti said, ultimately it would be Kershaw’s decision.
And Hairson said he thought Kershaw would get another injection, and finish the season.
I would think that Jerry does know what is going on, because he works with the Dodger people, but I don’t know that for sure.
That is why I asked you.
And Jerry said that more then just one time.