The Dodgers finally beat a bottom feeder. They jumped on Patrick Corbin and the Washington Nationals for six 2-out runs in the first inning. With 2 outs and Mookie Betts on third:
- Will Smith walks with 2 strikes on a questionable call.
- Justin Turner singles on a 1-2 pitch. One run scored. Nice barrel to the bat swing, not trying to hit it 600 feet.
- Trayce Thompson singles on a 3-2. One run scored.
- Hanser Alberto doubles on a 2-0 pitch. Two runs scored.
- Austin Barnes singles on a 1-2 pitch. One run scored.
- Gavin Lux doubles (misplayed) on a 1-2 pitch. One run scored.
- Mookie Betts infield single on a 2-1 pitch.
That is 6 runs with 2 outs on 6 consecutive hits and 7 consecutive batters reaching safely, 5 with 2 strikes. Patrick Corbin’s day is over. His line – 0.2 IP, 6 runs, 7 hits, 1 BB, 45 pitches (26 strikes). The day could have been different if Corbin got the called 3rd strike on Will Smith. But he didn’t.
Rough day for Patrick Corbin 😅
Allowed 7 hits and 6 ER on 45 pitches and didn't make it out of the 1st pic.twitter.com/RgHSBNEnyV
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) July 27, 2022
I know that this is a game played mostly by millionaires, and those who are not millionaires still get paid handsomely to play a game. But it is hard not to feel for a player who just feels lost. I will never forget my son’s first start, June 9, 2004. He was at 1B. It was a 0-0 game in the top of the 5th. It was Nomar’s first game of the year, and he made a good play on a ball but Andy could not handle the throw. If he did not catch it, it probably was not catchable. He VERY RARELY ever made a fielding error. A throwing error? Yeah! He did not make the play (it was called a single), but a runner was rounding third, and the ball slipped out of Andy’s hand as he was throwing home. The throw was wild, and two runs scored. Andy was booed relentlessly in Fenway for that play. One for not picking up Nomar, and 2 for the bad throw.
To make matters worse, he had a chance to tie up the game in the bottom of the 5th and he hit a 420 foot bomb to CF in Fenway. If anyone knows Fenway, there is a section of the stands that jets out at 420 feet and Andy but it into those seats only for Jay Payton to reach in and make the catch (See below). The wind held it up or it was 440+. In 29 other ball parks that is a HR. Instead it was an out. As he got to 1st, Phil Nevin told him that there is no way that is not a HR. The weather conditions played badly for Andy in the 5th inning. But he never made an excuse. He owned it all.
Luckily he had his teammates pick him up…especially Nomar. Papi and Manny had fun with him after.
That is how I felt seeing Reyes Moronta by himself in the dugout after getting pulled in his game against SF. After getting two quick outs, he walked the next two batters who both came home to score on singles given up by David Price. The runs were charged to Moronta, but Price gave up the hits.
And that was also the look on Patrick Corbin’s face that reminds us all that game strategy may be dictated by computers, but it is still played by humans. Professional sports are results driven and my son, Reyes Moronta, and Patrick Corbin did not get the results, and 2 of those guys paid the price by being optioned. The third? He’ll survive on his 6 year $140MM contract.
Patrick Corbin has been to the zenith with a WS championship and Game 7 winner, and is now firmly entrenched in the depths of Hell. Orel Hershiser has never been in that quagmire, but I am sure he has played with players who have been. One look at Corbin’s face and Hershiser commented, “and there is the human side of this game”. You know he felt for him.
But enough of that. This was a great getaway game. Andrew Heaney freshly back form the IL pitched an effective 4.0 innings, allowing only an infield single. But he did surrender 3 BBs, two coming in the 4th. His velo was dropping, and you know he was hitting a wall. But he soldiered on and got out of the inning and his first game back was a good one. Now, hopefully he can build on that. His next scheduled start is TBD, but it will be in SF.
On Wednesday the bullpen was mostly good. Phil Bickford walked one but struck out two in his 1.0 IP. Alex Vesia pitched a perfect inning with 2 Ks. Just called up RHRP Jake Reed had an eventful 1.1 IP. He got Nelson Cruz on a K to start his day, but then gave up back to back doubles to Lane Thomas and Luis Garcia. But he got Maikel Franco to ground out to Mookie Betts at 2B, and struck out Tres Barrera.
With one out in the 8th, Reed gave up a double to Cesar Hernandez. Enter David Price. He got Juan Soto to hit a F-7 and then got Josh Bell on a line drive to RF where Zach McKinstry made a tremendous diving catch to end the inning.
In the 9th, Price walked Nelson Cruz and gave up a single to Lane Thomas. 2 on and nobody out. Here is where many LAD fans were going…here we go again. But Price got Luis Garcia on a F-7, and then induced Franco to hit into a 4-6-3 DP. What made that play a little more special were the players…it went Mookie to Hanser Alberto to Jake Lamb. How many more times will we see that DP?
It was a positive home stand…5-2. The Dodgers are 11.5 games ahead of SD and 17.5 games ahead of SF, with 64 games to play. The team now hits the road for 8; 4 in Colorado and 4 in SF. Two venues where they are a combined 2-7 so far in 2022. The Giants will be especially engaged due to the embarrassment of losing four in LA and then 3 more in AZ. They catch a break with 4 at home against Chicago Cubs before the Dodgers come to Oracle Park. The team rosters may look a bit different from when the series starts to when it ends. The trade deadline comes before the second game between the two rivals.
The Giants are now 3.5 games behind the Cardinals for the final WC berth, and are 3 games behind Philadelphia who is only 0.5 games behind St. Louis. While Miami has a 2.5% chance at the playoffs (per FanGraphs), the Giants have a whopping 25% chance. The chances of them being in a buying mode are slipping.
For the Dodgers, they did get Andrew Heaney back. Mitch White and Ryan Pepiot are both a plane ride away in OKC, unless one or both are traded for a pitcher. Walker Buehler and Dustin May are supposed to be back in September. But the overtures are that while he is scheduled for a build up for starting, Buehler is sounding like the bullpen is a real possibility. I still think that is where May will end up this year. I believe May is due to make his 2nd rehab start for OKC on Thursday.
Blake Treinen is pushed back again. He is now not scheduled to face batters until mid-August. Look for him late August or early September. He is only a 1.0 inning pitcher, so it should not take long to get him ready. Doc says that it is not a setback, but with a big lead, they want to be cautious with him.
I still do not see a time table for Edwin Rios.
Series matchups with Colorado:
- Thursday – Tyler Anderson (LHP) vs José Ureña
- Friday – Julio Urías (LHP) vs Chad Kuhl (RHP)
- Saturday – Clayton Kershaw (LHP) vs Kyle Freeland (LHP)
- Sunday – Tony Gonsolin (RHP) vs Germán Márquez (RHP)
Go Blue!!
The first big trade of the deadline season. NYY acquired LHH OF Andrew Benintendi from KC for three pitching prospects:
T. J. Sikemma – 24 year old LHP (#19 NYY prospect) – High A
Beck Way – 22 year old RHP (#21 NYY Prospect) – High A
Chandler Champlain – 23 year old RHP – (not ranked by NYY) – Low A
The Benintendi acquisition has not soured the Yankees from continuing to pursue Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas.
It feels odd to say it but I will anyway. This team keeps winning but the occasional hiccups seem indicative of a fault line. I’m still looking for Gonsolin, Urias and Anderson to tire. Mookie can be on fire or 0fer several days. Bellinger is our blind squirrel and Muncy looks like burnt toast. Smith looks tired. Turner is no longer every day. Trayce and Lamb? Ok, maybe. Maybe not. It appears to me that Trea and Freddie are the only players who show up every day. Again, it APPEARS, that way to me. When we fire on all cylinders we can play with anyone. But are we built to go full speed until November? To me, it just doesn’t feel like it.
Maybe all teams are built similarly. It’s a long season, anything can happen and typically does. I’m trusting Friedman to add the support needed to get to the finish line. Whether by trade, or prospect promotion, I believe reinforcements are on the way.
Nobody shows up everyday. Everybody goes into slumps.
It’s why the best team, IMO, rarely wins the World Series.
Good point.
First half, second half, post season. A different team typically wins each of those.
Well, they got out of town with a win. First salvo in the trade winds fired by the Yankees. Most likely means they will endeavor to move or release Joey Gallo who has been worse than Muncy in a Yankee uni. Worse part of watching the next four games is having to listen to the Rockies broadcast team. Drew Goodman is beyond awful.
We get Joe and Orel. Joe’s interesting. Orel isn’t.
I figure things will start happening now. Slowly at first, but there will be a lot of movement.
News from Internet:
FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski made up some trades!
The San Francisco Giants acquire OF Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals for SS Marco Luciano, P Kyle Harrison, OF Luis González, OF Heliot Ramos, and the privilege of not being P Patrick Corbin’s employer.
The trade simulator says it’s a viable trade, but a minor overpay for the Nats (i.e they should get more)
Baseball America says: Teams Rarely Regret Cost Of Trading For A Star Position Player
($$$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/teams-rarely-regret-cost-of-trading-for-a-star-position-player/
Ben Clemens Chat:
jas: Who do you see as realistic suitors for Soto? Or is there really one? Hard to see any FO giving up the pieces it would take.
Ben Clemens: I’d put realistic suitors as: Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Padres, Mariners, Cards (tier 2), Rangers (tier 2), Giants (tier 3), Rays (tier 3)
Matt (Oceanside): Got to get my Soto trade proposal in on behalf of the Dodgers. Do you think Cartaya, Vargas, Busch, Miller, and Pepiot is enough?
Ben Clemens: probably? I like 3 of tohse guys quite a bit, and the other two are still good…
Dakota mckee: Could Cody bellinger be part of a (boring ass) dodgers deal for Soto as a potential name replacement? Or is his value completely negative at this point?
Ben Clemens: negative
Mets fan: Where does Trea Turner sign? Seems like a perfect fit for the Mets, especially if Nimmo walks
Ben Clemens: I could see that, but I think he’s most likely to remain with the Dodgers. They have some money to spend, and though I know he’s not actually a California guy, he seems like a California guy to me.
The Dodgers Undrafted Free agents
Connor Godwin, RHP, JC of Central Florida
Carter Lohman, LHP, Louisville
Livan Reinoso, INF, Tennessee Wesleyan
Christian Ruebeck, RHP, Kansas State
Lucas Wepf, RHP, Louisiana-Monroe
Woman disputes claims in Trevor Bauer’s defamation suit, denies making false allegations
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34278876/woman-disputes-claims-trevor-bauer-defamation-suit-denies-making-false-allegations
Baseball America’s latest top 20 prospect list ($$$$$)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/hot-sheet-baseballs-20-hottest-prospects-from-the-past-week-71922/
15. Jose Ramos, OF, Dodgers
Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .308/.357/.731 (8-for-26), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO
The Scoop: …He’s showing big-time power in the process. He’s slammed 12 home runs in 52 games with Great Lakes after a mid-May promotion to the level. A quarter of that total came last week. (JN)
Dodgers2080 takes a look at, and interviews Austin Gauthier
https://www.dodgers2080.com/dodgers-prospects-austin-gauthier-shaping-up-to-be-mlb-mainstay/
Against Gauthier, every pitch is a pressure pitch thanks to his advanced control of the strike zone. When you factor in his 9 stolen bases and 78 runs scored to the equation it becomes clear that he is a top-of-the-class table setter.
Put this prospect on your radar:
On Monday, Guillermo Zuniga picked up his 10th save of the year for Tulsa & stayed perfect in save opportunities this year.
His fastball is big (100), his slider is as big, and so is his competitive nature. He backs down to no one!
He may be the new pride of Cartagena, Colombia
A look at Heaney’s slider from his time with Angels vs. Dodgers
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1552399147680124929/pu/vid/1280×720/f9govLdx1LmKDONq.mp4?tag=12
Specs on the two pitches…
LAA – 81 mph, -5″ VB, 10″ HB
LAD – 85 mph, 4″ VB, 1″ HB
Less spin-induced movement could allow him to control the ball better / “gyro stabilizes flight.” The interesting thing is that the Driveline model is more in line with the LAA breaking ball better — 99 stuff+ vs 77 stuff+.
Thus perhaps the Dodgers are factoring in other variables here in determining this new pitch was better. And so far, they’ve been spot on.
The four (4) most recent trades from the Trade Simulator:
From dayvid July 28, 2022
Angels GET
Diego Cartaya 50.6
Wilman Diaz 3.4
Brusdar Graterol 9.6
Bobby Miller 28.7
Max Muncy 9.9
Dodgers GET
Shohei Ohtani 107.6
From nostradamus July 28, 2022
Dodgers GET
David Bednar 28.7
Bryan Reynolds 77.1
Zach Thompson 5.6
Pirates GET
Diego Cartaya 50.6
Bobby Miller 28.7
James Outman 2.4
Gavin Stone 19.7
Alex Vesia 10
From sean.maitland July 28, 2022
Dodgers GET
Anthony Bass 1.7
Garrett Cooper 10.3
Pablo Lopez 45.7
Marlins GET
Michael Busch 27
Jose Ramos 10
Gavin Stone 19.7
Mitch White 1.3
From: silentbob2001 July 27, 2022
Tigers GET
Michael Busch 27
James Outman 2.4
Ryan Pepiot 18.2
Dodgers GET
Tucker Barnhart -1.3
Joe Jimenez 0.7
Jonathan Schoop -0.9
Tarik Skubal 48.5
That Mets fan who thought Trea’s signing with the Mets was a perfect fit either thinks the Mets can play with two shortstops or expects Trea to sign with a team which will put him in center field. Neither of those two is happening, and apparently Ben C. doesn’t know that Trea doesn’t want to play center either.
50% of people are below average intelligence, STB.
Yes, but what about the other 33%?
We’re here.
Bluto, thanks for all of these. It does spark thought synapses for me. I am headed out to my water aerobics class, but I will have to comment on a couple of these. Keep them comin’
Trade simulator again. I just read that system is under constant redesign.
Those are interesting trade ideas, the most interesting to me is Ohtani and Lopez, but I don’t see any of them happening. We don’t need Soto. Not for that price. I don’t mind using a few prospects but I see Cartaya, Miller and Pepiot as useful starters beginning as soon as next year. If it came to Soto or Turner I take Turner.
It’s so easy to steal stuff from the Simulator!
In Rosenthal’s latest piece on TheAthletic, he postulates that the Astros may be looking to trade a pitcher for a position player. He cites that the Astros have a surplus of starters, as evidenced by their going to a 6 man rotation, and it just makes sense to move one. Especially with McCullers coming off the DL.
Can someone tell me why the Dodgers (who are now using (albeit limitedly) a 6-man rotation AND have May coming back) are not in the exact same position? (pun!)
A trade for a position player seems more likely to me, why am I wrong?
You May not be. We could use a bat. JD sounds good to me. But May won’t likely be starting any games when he gets back. I still say Urias, Gonsolin and Anderson are going to need time off or they will melt like our staff did last year. Am I wrong?
I’m most concerned about Gonsolin (and was even before his last few games).
Then Anderson.
And least of all Urias, who at least has last year’s innings so that a similar work load this year won’t be something totally new to him.
We, more than likely, don’t want to depend on White, Pepiot, Grove, Stone or Miller to start a playoff game.
Kershaw is quite likely to have another IL stint somewhere between now and the playoffs. If he doesn’t, his workload will have been a fair amount heavier than it has been over the past two years.
We have no clue how Buehler will be if/when he returns to the rotation after such a long absence.
This confirms that we don’t need another starter……………………….if everything breaks absolutely perfectly.
It won’t, which confirms what you have been preaching about since early this season. We don’t have enough reliable starting pitching to count on for October.
I would be very surprised if Andrew isn’t thinking along those very same lines.
We’ve heard about the availability of Castillo, Montas, Lopez and Skubal but if AF doesn’t use his prospects to pay for Soto, he would certainly have enough to possibly convince a team to part with a starter whose name isn’t even being mentioned.
Like you and Badger, I have been adamant that I never believed the Dodgers had enough of an October pitching staff, and as was Badger, I was ridiculed for my eloquent but mindless babble. It came to a head when I dared to write that Walker Buehler just might be hurt…and he was.
I have been consistent stating that the Dodgers pitching depth is outstanding for a 162 game season, but that depth needs to be elite in October, and it does not appear to be at that level. Right now that four person rotation will be Gonsolin, Urias, Anderson, and Kershaw. Heaney could piggyback with one of them, or one of Gonsolin, Urias, Anderson, Heaney will go to the bullpen. I am not confident of any of the four being elite (or even healthy) in October, with the possible exception of Urias.
Like you, I am not especially enthralled with the thought of White, Pepiot, Grove, Stone, or Miller starting a playoff game.
I have this sinking feeling that AF is simply waiting for the Juan Soto cost to drop and then pounce. I am not an advocate for that, but that lineup sure would be fun in the playoffs. Thus far, AF’s only comment on trades: “I will echo what I’ve said in the past. Star players don’t become available often. When they are, we owe it to our fans to see those things out… Whenever star-level players become available, we’ll always have the conversation and dig in and try to make something make sense.” I do not think that the way fans reacted to Soto in the All Star game went unnoticed. Will he pull the trigger, or just try to drive up the cost for the Padres.
We ridicule you always, even when, those rare times, your mindless babble isn’t eloquent.
What an eloquent put down.
Thank you!!
Somehow, I don’t see the price of Soto coming down. I see it going up as we get closer to the deadline and more teams get panicky that they might get shut out on the “deal of the century”.
Preller owes us one for stealing Scherzer out from under him last year. I think the Pads are more likely to wind up with Soto than we are. In the meanwhile, I think Andrew is saying whatever he needs to in order to drive the price up.
I still think we wind up with a #1 or #2 starter type, but have no idea who that might be and as I said above, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to wind up with someone that no one even knew was getable.
Here’s my trade prediction:
Angels won’t trade with Dodgers.
Nats won’t trade with Mets.
Angels trade Ohtani to Mets.
Nats trade Soto to Dodgers.
Dodgers trade Soto to Mets for Ohtani.
Roberts used Urias 3 times in the final 6 days last year, asking him to go Mad Bum, and it didn’t work. In 10 innings Urias gave up 8 earned with 4 home runs. I do not want to see that happen again. I’m assuming neither does Friedman and he has a plan to have 4 rested starters to go through to November. That is why I think he finds pitching.
That said, I think it’s now time to plan a finish sans Muncy. We can live with one blind squirrel, Bellinger, but not two. Hit Bellinger 8th, Lux 9th, and get a middle order stick. I like Jeff’s suggestion of JD Martinez. I believe he would love to be a part of this.
Not only is Dustin May starting his second rehab start with OKC, but Edwin Rios will be beginning his own rehab start. He is penciled in as the starting 3B.