Fresh twenty-year old Julio Urias was given the ball on a sunny, Saturday afternoon and told to stop the Cubs.
Spoiler: He did.
1st inning
After a walk and two singles, Urias gave up a run. 0-1
Dodgers
A Corey Seager home run evened things up. 1-1
2nd inning 1-1
Two Ks for Urias
3rd inning 1-1
Urias kept the inning scoreless, and had four strikeouts after three.
Dodgers rally.
Andrew Toles opened with a double.
Urias showed bunt, and then knocked a single past the drawn in infield.
Chase Utley knocked in Toles with a single. 2-1
An out later, Justin Turner singled in Utley. 3-1
That was the end of Jason Hammel.
4th inning 3-1
Good infield defense kept the Cubs scoreless.
5th inning 3-1
Scoreless again. 7 strikeouts for Urias.
6th inning 3-1
8 Ks and only 3 hits for Urias after six. Pitch count: 94
7th inning 3-1
Pedro Baez in.
First batter bunted, Baez picked it up and fired the ball out of play for a one base error. He then balked the runner to third.
Next batter, single for an RBI 3-2
The tying run was then CS and thrown out by Yasmani Grandal.
Baez then walked Kris Bryant. Baez was done with two out and two on.
Adam Liberatore in. Job done, 3u.
The Dodgers offense must think their job is done, because they haven’t scored since the third.
8th inning 3-2
Jesse Chavez in. Job done.
Dodgers went 1,2,3
9th inning 3-2
Kenly Jansen right back in the saddle. Job done today. 2ks and F9.
Dodgers win 3-2
He’s our ROY: Corey Seager’s homer broke the Dodgers single season home run record for shortstops (23).
The first three batters to face Urias got on base with one scoring, and it looked like it was going to be a long day. The young lefty quickly settled in, and used his change-up with an occasional fastball to hold the Cubs scoreless over the next five innings. The kid definitely could have gone an extra inning.
Frankly, I would like to see that happen. It could build Urias’ stamina, which he will definitely need – should the Dodgers make the playoffs. Of course, there’s a camp out there who believes the Dodgers should conserve his innings to keep him fresh. The Dodgers are showing they pick the latter strategy.
Hats off to the Dodgers defense: who did their part in backing Urias with two big double plays.
The Traded Flop went O for 3. After his third flop of the day he almost slammed his batting helmet on the ground. I get it. He’s frustrated. But at this point, the Dodgers would do him a favor by sitting him out for a couple of days to clear his head. Two days off sounds good for an injured finger. I would love for the Dodgers to start the same lineup tomorrow but Reddick out, and Howie Kendrick in. How’s that for a long line up?
Julio Urias(W 5-2) went 6 innings with 6 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 8 Ks ERA 3.71
Home run: Corey Seager
Team with RISP: 3 for 6 It aint rocket science.
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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The kid lowered his ERA to 3.71 and his record to 5 – 2. He is going to be very special. I am so happy FAZ didn’t trade him and Seager for Hamels. And even though he is over swinging again, I am glad FAZ did not trade Pederson for Miller, like so many wanted.
Yes, give Reddick a couple days off and then only play him against right-handers.
Great job by the rookie. Zobrist certainly helped when Urias was on the ropes in the first–when was the last time you saw a cleanup hitter bunt? Then he misplayed a fly ball into a double. Makes you wonder if he still owes his old boss a favor. Cubs don’t look quite so tough today…but tomorrow I don’t know.
Snider
Once Maddan brought in that leftie pitcher, the Dodgers didn’t do much.
That was a smart move by Maddan, and every team is going to do that, until we probe we can hit a leftie.
It is a big problem for this team.
Reddick just needs to sit, and Toles needs to start playing, especially if a rightie pitcher is throwing.
But Toles has hit leftie pitchers.
Yup.
The previous game Oklahoma City got only 2 hits, and Puig got one of those in a shutout. Today, OC got five hits in a 1-0 victory. The team got 5 hits, two by Puig who scored the only run.
Puig has all the talent in the world. Dodgers need a right handed masher, sounds like a match made in heaven. But, we don’t know the rest of the story. Just how big of knucklehead is this guy?
That being said, I think we see him in September.
Shouldn’t he be brought up in August? If stays hot, wouldn’t we want him eligible for the post season?
Ken Rosenthal: “Fans often are confused about which players are eligible for the postseason roster.
In the past, players on the 25-man roster as of Aug. 31 were eligible, along with players on the disabled list. The overall restriction was not that severe, however; any player in the organization could replace an injured player.
The difference now is that all players on the 40-man roster as of Aug. 31 are eligible”.
Thanx Box.
Schebler with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. We could have traded him and De Leon for Hamels.
Good outing by the kid.
I want Puig.
You still insist of not seeing the obvious. In 2014, we know Amaro asked for Urias, Seager and Pederson for Hamels. That we know.
But we could have gotten Hamels for Schebler and De Leon the next year… even though Philly currently has two starting pitchers from that trade in the rotation and their #3, #4 and #30 prospects are from that trade?
You are either a comedian or an ignoramus!
Are you just kidding Badge?
Of course.
Braves 3 1 over the Giants in the fifth.
Three run HR from Kemp
Thank you, Matt.
See, he’s good where he is!
Mark
Kenley looked ready today.
That makes me think that he takes stuff for granted, and doesn’t prepare like he should.
Because the after he blows saves, he is almost always better, and throws like he should, in his next game.
I just don’t understand why Heyward got him so rattled.
It is to bad that he couldn’t make that happen last night, especially after winning this game today.
Kemp bats right handed doesn’t he?
Okay, Kemp didn’t take crap from Kent, Louise Gonzales, or Lowe so he is a bad club house guy. I wouldn’t take crap from those guys either.
Kemp didn’t get along with Puig but why single him out for that?
Kemp moved a trash can away from his locker–bad club house attitude.
Kemp ran onto the field and ripped off players jerseys if they hit the game winning hit–big bully.
What does anybody have on Kemp as a good or bad teammate?
At the risk of getting call a narcissist again, I have been in the locker room dozens of times and been around Matt Kemp a lot. I spend many weeks around him in Spring Training. I know his father and mother and I don’t want to just trash him, but he was not good for the clubhouse. Moody… even bi-polar comes to mind. There are times he can be wonderful and others where he is downright self-centered and uncaring about the team… talking badly about whoever is in his way. Hanley was the same. Andre used to be bad, but he grew up several years ago and is now a positive influence. Puig was more flamboyant while Kemp was more insidious. There are also some things I just can’t say…
Thanks for the honest take, Mark. I’m always leery of the unattributed second-hand stuff that shows up in the paper when the team wants to get rid of a player. Funny how when a player is producing they have nothing bad to say.
Thanks Mark. Too often people who don’t know the truth keep repeating what they have read and the story just feeds off itself.
Was Kemp like that from the beginning or did that persona grow after his huge season and relationship with Rihanna?
That was a time where he was particularly unsufferable. He used to be a hard worker and somewhere along the line nwasn’t.
Kemp is playing left field.
Bum
I didn’t notice that.
He said that Alanta is a real baseball city, unlike LA and SD.
That was enough for me, but I am happy he hit that one out, against the Giants.
And now he is playing leftfield.
It was to bad he wouldn’t play left for the Dodgers, he would probably still be on the team.
I don’t blame Matt about that.
Who can’t feel for a player, that got badly injured, and couldn’t deal with not being the same at first.
I blame that on Mattingly and you would think he had more compassion, especially with his back problem.
But he couldn’t handle conflict, and that is why Mattingly isn’t as good with people, like some say.
When two teams are paying you to go away LF starts looking pretty good.
Bum
I think it was more they thought they could handle Puig better, and Puig was younger, and cheaper.
He’s a liability anywhere else.
According to MLBTR the Dodgers were trying to deal Puig for Braun and couldn’t get the deal worked out. I hate Braun but he was the player that most made sense for the offense.
It’s pretty obvious to me that Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi are doing as much as possible to win THIS year while maintaining a top farm system. They traded three highly regarded prospects for Rich Hill and Josh Reddick. This trade can only be evaluated in the rear-view mirror, even though Josh Reddick currently couldn’t jump out of a boat and hit water. Things have a way a changing in baseball.
The thing is: There isn’t much time. Andre Ethier will be back soon and no one has a clue if he can be productive, but let’s assume he can play against RH pitchers. Reddick could be the odd man out in September.
As we all sadly know, AJ Ellis was traded for Carlos Ruiz, who happens to hit left-handed pitchers better than any of our catchers.
If Rich Hill can pitch the way he did in the first half and if Clayton Kershaw comes back strong, like it seems he will, then the pitching will be stabilized, especially with the roster expansion, but that is not enough! Ruiz will help a little, but in order for this team to hit lefthanders, it needs another strong, right-handed power bat.
The Dodgers lineup needs the RH equivalent to LH Corey Seager – a .300 hitter with a .900+ OPS with HR power. See here’s the problem – those guys don’t grow on trees. There are very few of them and only one is available. The Dodgers just need to pull the trigger and get Ryan Braun now. The Brewers don’t want to eat much (if any) of his salary and I think they would take Yasiel Puig for Braun if we took on his $74 million salary.
As much as I am against it in principle, if Hill and Kershaw can do what I think and the team continues to bounce back like they did today, Ryan Braun gives them an excellent chance to win it all. Puig may not pass through waivers – in fact, I would be he won’t, but the trade can be for a PTBNL and completed in the offseason. If the Dodgers take the money, the Brewers will do the deal.
It has been suggested that since the Dodgers were willing to trade AJ, they might as well bring Puig back up. Yes, morale was low when Ellis was traded, and if you really want to see it tank, bring that knuckleheaded-jackass back up and the team will melt down. They don’t want him. While they loved AJ, they do know in their brains that Ruiz improves the team… a lot!
If you want to send the right message, bring in Ryan Braun and then they will understand on an emotional and intellectual level how committed FAZ is to winning NOW!
(Written as I throw up in my mouth)
Mark:
I also would LOVE to have Braun wearing Dodger Blue. I don’t care what his history is. We don’t have ANYONE close to what Braun does vs LHP.
This year vs LHP .364 BA; 1.061 OPS
Lifetime vs LHP .333 BA; 1.036 OPS
One area we are so terrible in is RISP. Braun this year .351 BA.
Add that to his overall BA of .318 with 24 HR and 74 RBI’s and .935 OPS what the hell is there NOT to like?
BTW he is also an above average fielder already with 10 assists and an above average runner who can steal a base or two for us.
Braun for 2015-2016 38/7 in SB/Attempts= 84.4%
Mark, my comments about bringing up Puig was me venting about trading AJ. I was throwing team chemistry back in Freidman’s face. But if Freidman doesn’t care what players think enough to not trade AJ then surely he doesn’t care enough about what they think about bringing back Puig.
If it is a vote you want, then the players don’t vote for either trading away AJ or for bringing up Puig.
Losing AJ could hurt the chemistry but Ruiz is a great clubhouse guy. I think the team has moved on. Bringing up Puig would wreck it … most likely. However, if he were contrite and apologized to the team and asked for a second chance…
You know how I feel about his talent – I have never seen a player with more. When he is focused, he can get by solely on talent and adrenaline – he could carry this team to a Championship… or wreck it!
Lefty Killer Lineup:
1. Kendrick 2B
2. Seager SS
3. Turner 3B
4. Braun RF
5. A-Gon 1B
6. Segedin LF
7. Ruiz C
8. Hernandez CF
Mark
I saw that about Braun in MLB Trade rumors today.
I thought in that same article, that it said that Puig couldn’t be traded right now.
But we are so bad against leftie pitchers, every manager will do what Maddan did today, against the Dodgers.
And once Maddan did that, our offense didn’t do much after that
I hope Turner can figure it out, why he is so bad against lefties now.
He hit them fine in his first year here.
If he can’t clear waivers, he’s just a PTBNL. It can happen.
The Brewers seem to require the wealthy Dodgers to pay all of Braun’s salary but not do that for less rich teams. I wouldn’t do that.
MJ,
I was driving with the family back from Peoria, IL where we bought a Cane Corso puppy today:
So, I could not watch the game, but I listened. The Dodgers announcers said that Kenly pitched like he was mad. He’s a docile guy most of the time and I think he sometimes just is too laid back. Jansen’s problems are between his ears, not his stuff!
Mark
That is one big puppy, wait until it is an adult in two years.
I know these dogs have a bad name because of those idiots in SF.
But it is never the breed of a dog, it is almost always the training.
I bet everyone is excited in the family, except maybe mom, because she will probably take care of the puppy a lot.
If it is between Kenley’s ears, he is going to have to prepare differently, because thought is almost always action.
But I hadn’t seen him act as nervous, like he did with
Heyward.
Urias needs to start every five games.
Period.
Reddick should be out of the lineup until he gets it together.
Kike is a liability defensively in CF and shouldn’t play there any more. He should only be a utility IF – and he apparently can’t hit any more.
I would bring Puig up. If they REALLY want to try to win this year, Puig will help – and it will be easier to trade him in the off-season if he does something for the team now.
All true rick.
The thing about Braun is it would give them some protection if Turner left and when he got to the tail end of his contact the bloated contracts of Ethier, Crawford, Gonzalez, McCarthy, Anderson, and Kazmir will be in the rear view mirror.
Exactly. I would trade Puig and take on Braun’s ENTIRE salary in a New York minute. Without looking up the salaries of AGon,, Ethier, Crawford, Anderson, McCarthy and Kazmir, I dare say their total salaries along with Puig is more than Braun’s salary.
Problem is Brewers may not even want Puig and if they do would want than just Puig.
Exactly. I don’t want Turner to leave but I don’t have much to say about it. He’s the same age as Braun and it would be cheaper to give him a four-year deal than take on Braun’s contract. But Howard Cole at forbes.com had an interesting idea about trading Ethier to Milwaukee to negate part of that $80 million. But it wouldn’t have to be Andre…throw one of our oft-broken pitchers in along with Puig and it might work. I just don’t see it happening.
And I don’t agree that Gonzalez’ contract belongs in that list. He has been one of the guys carrying the offense the last two months. Kazmir on the other hand will be owed $35 million if he does not opt out.
Ethier is a 10/5 man and can’t be traded with his permission + he hasn’t played all year. Nor would they want our broken pitchers.
I’m not listing Gonzalez as a bad investment and we don’t need another debate on the Punto trade. I’m jus saying his $21 million a year deal will be gone when Braun’s play takes a severe decline.
Also, almost all of the Dodgers top hitting prospects hit left-handed. Verdugo, Bellinger, Calhoun.
Hawkeye
I agree with you about Agone.
SORRY BUT ONLY COULD USE CAPS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WROTE THAT JULIO URIAS WAS GOING TO HELP THE DODGERS DOWN THE STRETCH. SOMEONE DISAGREED WITH ME AS USUAL AND SAID HE WAS NOT READY. LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE.
1. KERSHAW
2. URIAS
3. ALVAREZ
4. DELEON
5. OAKS
BEFORE ANYONE PUTS ME DOWN. JUST THINKING IT SOUNDS GOOD. THOUGHTS?
You might replace Oaks with Buehler if all goes as planned.
THATS RIGHT HAWKEYE. I SAW BEUHLER IN COLLEGE AND HE IS WHEN HEALTHY A GOOD PITCHER.
I like Stewart as well. If anything this shows that Homes will not be missed.
Interesting take on the Ellis trade (again) – this from Craig Calcaterra quoting Dylan Hernandez
“Kershaw’s preference of Ellis was the subject of a longstanding tug-of-war between Kershaw and the front office, which wanted Yasmani Grandal behind the plate as much as possible . . . Some players interpreted the trade as a message from the front office.
This isn’t Kershaw’s team. It’s not Corey Seager’s team or Adrian Gonzalez’s, either.
It’s Friedman’s.”
If this is actually true, WOW!
Kershaw won’t want to stay if he views it as a challenge to him from the front office.
Here’s more from Calcaterra:
“All of which speaks to what we don’t know. What we don’t know about the mind of Andrew Friedman and whether or not there is something more going on here than is immediately apparent. About the relationship between him and Kershaw and, for that matter, him and the rest of the team that would cause him to make a deal that plays as poorly with his own players as this one does. It could be something about Ellis. It could be something about Friedman’s relationship with Kershaw….”
I am ready for some other team being Freidman’s team. Kasten, choose another leader from your stash of ex-GMs.
I don’t know how anybody can know that for sure, if they are not on the inside.
And I don’t see Kershaw as a guy that wants to use power on anyone.
I just think it was Kershaw doing something for a good friend.
And he liked working with AJ.
I don’t see this on Kershaw’s part, at all.
But I am sure Kershaw does feel different about the front office now.
It is hard to justify what they did to AJ, with all these other pitchers that haven’t done there job, or even made most of there starts.
Hatcher has survived and that is another pitcher, that really hasn’t done much, since he joined the team, except the last month of last year.
The thing I don’t understand, is why haven’t we heard specifically what is the injury that Kazmir and McCarthy have.
All we heard about Kazmir, is his neck and back is bothering him, but what is the injury?
The same with McCarthy, we heard it is McCarthy’s hips, but no specific injury was reported on McCarthy or Kazmir.
I am not mentioning Anderson because I know he is on the DL because they just don’t want him to pitch again, and I understand that.
But what is the doctors report on Kazmir, and McCarthy?
The way it ahould work is that it should be Robert’s team. Unless we get to that point, we have no chance of making a deep post season run.
And I don’t mean Roberts, just the manager of the club. I felt that that is one thing that Steinbrenner was able to do – as big a personality as he possesses, you rarely heard that his manager’s a stooge, and his managers got as credit for their championships as any. And when things were not going well, he let them fall on their own swords. Cold blooded, yes, but the manager’s being paid to make hard decisions.
Why the talk about Kemp?
Braun. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Freidman. Would like to see him gone, but as long as he’s here I expect more of the same. He’s throwing a lot of darts. Most miss.
Puig isn’t being traded this year and apparently he isn’t coming back. I’m sure there is an explanation. This isn’t a players team. This isn’t a managers team. This is KasFAZten’s team. Ask them. I’m sure there is an answer that would not be forthcoming.
This is getting tiresome for me. Same circular arguments, same know-it-all bullshit coming from the same loudmouth source. “I know Matt Kemp’s parents”. No you don’t. But we know you. Some of us do anyway.
This team has changed faces so many times in two years I wouldn’t know half of them if they showed up on my porch. Who will finish the season in the lineup? TBD.
We all knew they would likely be a decent team just because of the non FAZ talent that remains on the field but the truth is the only reason we are in first place is because of the collapse of the giants. We were a .567 team on July 1st and we are a .558 team now. Smoke and mirrors. This is what the Los Angeles Dodgers have become.
Badger
It has to be more then that, since Kershaw went down.
And I give credit to Roberts, his coaches, and the players.
And the Giants had an easier schedule in the first half of the season, then the Dodgers.
But once again, I don’t give the credit to the front office.
If the team wasn’t doing this well offensively, they wouldn’t be where they are right now.
The bullpen has been the other big thing.
Yes, definitely no credit to the front office. Who put together the offense and the bullpen.
And who hired Roberts.
LOL.
That would include Grandal, Sedegen, Ruiz, Culbertson, Thompson, Reddick, Kendricks, Johnson, Utley, what other thumpers am I missing?
Well, there is Toles, who has the highest batting average on the Dodgers. Additionally, instead of trading Seager and Pederson, as many on this board wanted, FAZ wisely brought them up to thump for the MLB Dodgers.
Just reviewed the prior thread.
Brilliant post, dodgerpatch, at 7:45AM (In the Kenley Jansen Meltdown thread) regarding pitch framing. Truly a treatise on the subject of pitch framing, even though short, it totally covers the subject. Should be required reading for ALL Sabermetric phobes. As you point out, with the tools available today, teams can objectively quantify the benefits of pitch framing, with pin point accuracy. I am sure FAZ now has the total scoop on how highly to rate pitching framing.
Badger: “Yeah, framing is a thing. So is flatulance. I don’t like either. And I can promise you umps know who it is that is successfully making them look like horses asses. Those framing numbers will change month to month as umpires make their own adjustments”.
Just when I thought you might be some sort of “Shag Crawford”, you say this???
Spoken like an arrogant SOB, who thinks they, the umpire, and their feelings are more important than the game itself. If an umpire looks like a “horses ass” because the catcher is a great pitch framer, he BECOMES a “horses ass” when he makes “his own adjustments”. Are you speaking from experience? A sad commentary, Umpire Badger, nonetheless a window into the mind of a “former” umpire.
Any MLB umpire who feels he has a right to be more than an “impartial enforcer of the rules” is worse than the smelliest fart!! Thankfully, with the tools dodgerpatch noted above, that MLB umpire would be gone in no time.
Patch, we interpret Badger differently. I heard him say that umpires can use technology too and note which catchers are getting strikes that are not strikes and stop giving them the closest calls and going back to technology to see how that worked out.
The crazy thing is that if technology can help GMs evaluate the benefit of a good pitch framer it can instead eliminate the umpire. Isn’t that where things are going? Robotics, self driving cars, …
Bum
Box just doesn’t understand that Badger doesn’t take himself so seriously.
So why does he take others seriously?
🙂
Badger
Kemp–I like Kemp and think he could be the RH bat the Dodgers need. I don’t think Atlanta will give him up for what the Dodgers would offer.
Smoke and mirrors–Probably right but not sure I am there yet. FAZ is way too infatuated with draft picks to the extent they offer QOs to players I don’t think they want and wind up getting stuck with. Also FAZ doesn’t seem to want to sign free agents if it costs them a draft pick. FAZ needs to win a WS in 2016 or 2017 in order to put the team they want on the field in 2018. That process is challenging and smokey.
2018 could have a team full of young players and void of veterans like Gonzales and Turner and even Kershaw. If Urias, De Leon, Buehler, Alvarez, Stewart, Oaks, and a few others that are progressing, I can see Freidman trading Kershaw for a young stud player(s) to accompany Bellinger, Seager, Verdugo, Pederson, and maybe Diaz, Thompson, Puig, Calhoun, Hernandez…
The thing I don’t get is Braun that much better defensively then Kemp.
I don’t want Kemp anymore, but it seems like Kemp should be able to play defense as well as Braun.
I haven’t looked at the numbers, and I haven’t seen Braun play enough on defense to know.
I still don’t like what Braun represents, that is for sure.
If the front office is going to bring a good right hand bat, it should be before we face the Giants again.
I did notice that Toles has got a couple hits off a leftie pitcher, but I know it doesn’t mean he hits them well, but it is good to know.
About Reddick, he is acting out to much now for me, and it is getting old, watching react after he doesn’t get a hit again.
Some of his hits are hard, but some of those hits, like when he hit the pitcher, would have been outs, because the shortstop would have got that ball, if it didn’t hit the pitcher.
What I am saying is Redick might be just hitting into the defense on him, like everyone else, who doesn’t adjust, so even his hard hits, is not being unlucky.
MJ:
I have looked at Braun’s numbers on defense and they are above average. This year he has 2 errors and 10 assists.
On Toles: I watched him on FS1 yesterday and the announces mentioned that he crushes FB but is very weak on slow stuff especially curve balls. He K’s on three straight curveballs.
Info on hitters & pitchers seem to get around on opposing players pretty fast.
I have seen Toles hit curves, and even Cory has trouble with curves on his hands.
Since the AS break: Urias is 4-0; 2.03 ERA.
Bum
I read this about Kemp, he has 23 HRs against the Giants.
But I did see him go for the outside slider yesterday, and the broadcasters called it ahead of time.
“smoke and mirrors?”
They did it in 1988 with smoke and mirrors, so that’s OK with me.
Let’s not forget that this has been done with the most players lost to the DL EVER… and most were not named Anderson or McCarthy!
Even the RH power bat we acquired (Thompson) who looked like a very solid up-and-coming power outfielder broke his back in June.
It may be smoke and mirrors but I think it’s also guts, grit and an attitude of “never-say-die.”
Never underestimate the power of a group of guys who believe in each other and have a common goal.
I have been thinking about this for a while. There are lots of different types of players:
Guys with a world of talent who squander it (Puig)
Guys with a world of talent who surpass it (Seager, Kershaw)
Guys with little talent who get the most out of it (Pete Rose)
Guys with no talent who make the show (AJ)
Some of these guys are pricks or knuckleheads (Rose, Puig, Kemp)
Some of these guys are genuinely good people (Ellis, Kershaw, Seager)
Ellis and Puig are both gone for the same and different reasons (Ellis couldn’t play while Puig didn’t play because of his attitude)
I think the players knew both had to leave. It’s just that one was beloved and the other one wasn’t.
But, in the end, if you can’t help the team, you have to go.
Players understand it, but they don’t like it.
Fans don’t understand it and don’t like it either.
Mark
I was just concerned that trading AJ would mess with the team’s chemistry.
Because like you have said, it can do things, that are not truly explainable, but you know it when you feel and see it.
I just thought how much different will the trade really make, and if it was worth the chance that it could mess with the team’s energy.
You got it right Bum. Box has his own prism through which he views my take. It’s reached comical levels of absurdity for me, which is why I find it humorous to see his panties in a twist. Anytime I can contribute to that I do, as I find it entertaining.
I don’t see Kemp coming back here. Egos involved are not compatible. And Braun? Does he fit the FAZ profile? I don’t see it. They are yet to bring on any stars, and stars with extended contracts appear to be taboo.
Mark, you and I have a different take on “never say die”. Different backgrounds, completely different life experiences.
It may work this year, but for obvious reasons I still have my doubts. This appears to be a .500 club of late with management operating a musical chairs roster. Frankly I’m more interested in the Rams at this time. And I stand by my prediction of all three LA teams being much better in two years. Oh, that and the PAC 12 will be outside looking in again this season.
If the Giants new leftie pitcher, continues to pitch well, it looks like the Giants have done the right thing to keep the Dodgers in check, if we don’t get a good right hand bat, or do better against lefties.
Hill kept the Giants in check, but Reddick is just another player, taking up space on our roster, that we really don’t need.
And eventually Roberts needs to stop putting him in the line up.
There is just not enough time left, to see if he will hit.
Reddick has been given enough chances to prove he can hit, in the short time that is left in the season.
We have players sitting on the bench, that have earned the playing time, over Reddick.
And if we don’t use the players on the bench, they won’t continue to be sharp, and be able to hit.
Different weapons – Shanks and Bars vs. Guns and Grenades – Same Thought
I know Urias has an innings limit, but man, he seems to be getting stronger as he goes! He could have def gone into the 7th yesterday.
Perhaps he’s further along and more ready than anyone gave him credit for. All that tells me is that he’s our #2 next year. Even if they have to monitor him a bit for the rest of the year, perhaps that helps us use him in October. He’s that damn good!
Today is a huge game. Beat a leftie and take the series from the best team in baseball. It’ll say a lot. It’l say a lot if we sit Reddick again today. I’d rather have Nancy B Hefley bat than him at this point.
Bobby
It sounds like you had a great time.
I glad you did!
That umpire didn’t help Urias much, or the Dodger hitters, he was terrible.
It is to bad that Urias seems to have those long first innings.
Because yesterday he could have went at least a inning more, because that is the only time Urias had a big pitch count.
Dodgers should have won the first game but 2 of 3 from both Giants and Cubs says the Dodgers are WS capable.
This team is a mid playoff team already. What would it take to be a championship team? A healthy Kershaw. Really healthy, with no holds back. An effective Hill and Maeda. A solid Liberatore. A perfect Jansen. A hot Agon, Turner, Seager. A solid Kendrick, Grandal, Ruiz. All in house already. Throw in a good Blanton and Jesse Chavez, and there is a chance. The Cubs are the obvious target, and they are beatable if we don’t self destruct. I think the giants, Cardinals, Marlins are beatable to get to them. Home field advantage would be nice until the Cubs series. In short, keep doing what we are doing. On Puig: Roberts commented that he is getting along with his OKC teammates. Why would he volunteer that comment unless that is the basic problem with him? It’s surprising to me that one guy can be so disruptive to a group of professional adults. What is it about that guy? It must have something to do with obvious wasted potential. Even so, it’s hard to understand that one person can have such an effect on a group. On yesterday: Kudos to Urias, Liberatore, Chavez and Jansen. Seager, of course. And always, it seems, to Roberts for keeping these guys going in the right direction, no matter what.
Today will be a real test. We probably would not see the last two starting pitchers in a playoff series with the Cubs. Of course we probably wouldn’t send out Brock Stewart either.
Dealing with my dog Lucy a petite Rotty diagnosed with IMPA non erosive. An auto immune arthritis that hits dogs around 4 to 6 years old. Supposedly can be controlled with immune suppressing drugs and steroids but when it hits Lucy she cannot move and is in pain and it just breaks my heart. Not to mention the incredibly high prices of vets and drugs. Lucy just the best dog ever. But anyway really enjoying this season with all the rookies doing so well and the Dodgers rising above crippling injuries. Julio and Brock looked awesome this weekend. Dodgers have done a good job of competing this season and not totally depleting the farm with trades. I like FAZ and hope they keep up the good job. No one makes all good moves, except the big guy in the sky, I guess. Sometimes I wonder about him too. Anyway GO DODGERS.