I have no idea as to who should be blamed for playing that game. Stopping the game multiple time to apply quick dry soil. Slipping trying to get out of the box. Fielding ground balls in puddles/mud. The game was finally halted when Miggy Ro fielded a ground ball 5 fathoms underwater and threw to first with 5 pounds of mud. Unfortunately, Freddie could not make the play. Miggy did not take kindly to the game being played in those conditions.
What do you think Miggy Ro was saying to Laz Díaz?
Díaz was bad behind the plate as he normally is. But he did not cost the Dodgers. The Dodgers cost the Dodgers. Although I am sure James Outman is a little upset with Díaz on his called 3rd strike.
If the umpires are directed by MLB to push through these conditions to get the game in because of scheduling problems, the MLBPA should lodge a formal complaint. Both teams are lucky nobody got hurt.
They finally got the game in, but the game was lost in the first inning on a bases clearing double by Michael Busch. Busch had a good series against his former team. 3-11, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI.
I am very impressed with Shōta Imanaga. He has now pitched 10.0 MLB scoreless innings, 4 hits, 0 BB, and 12 K. He appears to be legit.
I continue to maintain that there are two parts to the game…run scoring and run prevention-n. The Cubs won both aspects in this weekend. The Cubs outscored the Dodgers 18-12. The Cubs defense saved Game 1 for Chicago, and the Dodgers defense was largely responsible for the Sunday outcome. Plus Nico Hoerner and Mike Tauchman made a couple of excellent plays.
Gavin Stone did not have his full command. He left too many of his pitches over the plate. The lack of command led to an average 95.2 MPH exit velo. Was it the rain? Was it the cold? Was it the stress of extra pitches because of poor defense? Regardless, he could not get the outs when he needed them. He could not get the chase.
Imanaga’s average exit velo was 90.1, which is not surprising since he relied almost exclusively on his 4-seamer (34 – 79%). He threw 7 splitters, and 2 sweepers.
Ryan Yarbrough was outstanding in being able to come out after the delay and finish the game. 4.2 IP. 55 pitches/42 strikes. One run on a Cody Bellinger HR. Only 2 hits and 0 BB, 3 K.
No reason to get overly exasperated about this one. These games happen. Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone were not good this weekend. But there will be other weekends when they are. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was good. Walker Buehler is getting closer.
What we did see was another short series when the Dodgers big bats (Mookie and Freddie) do not produce and the starters (except for Yamamoto) did not cover. Mookie was 1-11 with 3 BB. Freeman 2-10 with 3 BB.
Time to move on. Next up Minnesota.
- Monday – James Paxton vs Baily Ober (R)
- Tuesday – Tyler Glasnow vs Louie Varland (R)
- Wednesday – Bobby Miller vs Chris Paddack (R)
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
Dodger Affiliates broke out that bats for OKC, Tulsa, and Rancho Cucamonga. The three teams scored 37 runs on 38 hits. Great Lakes? They were shut out on 1 hit obtained with one out in the 9th.
OKC Baseball Club 11 – Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies) 3
OKC loaded the bases three batters into its first at-bat before Miguel Vargas hit a two-run single into left field. Ryan Ward followed with a three-run home run for a 5-0 advantage.
The Isotopes hit a solo HR off OKC starting pitcher, Elieser Hernández in the 2nd. In the bottom of the 2nd OKC put up 5 more, including a two-run home run by Andy Pages, RBI single by Ward and a RBI double by Jonathan Araúz. They also got a sac fly from Kevin Padlo.
Hernández took the hill in the top of the 4th with an 10-1 lead. He walked the leadoff hitter, and was relieved by LHRP John Rooney. Rooney gave up a run scoring double and a run scoring single in the 4th. OKC got one of those runs back with Ryan Ward opening the inning with a double. He moved to 3rd on a WP and scored on a Kevin Padlo single.
Four OKC pitchers finished the game with 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and no walks. They also registered 5 Ks combined.
- Drew Avans – 2-5, double (4), 2 runs
- Andy Pages – 3-5, HR (1), 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Trey Sweeney – 2-3, double (1), 2 BB, 2 runs
- Miguel Vargas – 1-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Ryan Ward – 3-5, HR (2), 3 runs, 4 RBI
- Kevin Padlo – 3-4, double (3), 2 RBI
- Jonathan Araúz – 1-4, double (2)
Pages’ HR was his first AAA HR. Today was his best AAA game thus far.
Andy Pages hurts this one!
The @Dodgers' No. 3 prospect sends his first Triple-A homer 397 feet at 110.1 mph. pic.twitter.com/tbvAz9ypAA
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 7, 2024
OKC is now 6-3 on the season, after beating the Isotopes 5 out of 6 at home. OKC travels to Round Rock for their 6 game series against the Rangers AAA affiliate on Tuesday.
Tulsa Drillers 12 – NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 9
Tulsa jumped out to a 9-1 lead after 3.5 innings, and had to hold on. The lead narrowed to 10-9 after 7.0 innings, but Tulsa scored a pair of insurance runs in the 9th. Tulsa slugged 17 hits in this one, including 3 doubles and 3 HRs.
Orlando Ortiz-Mayr gave up a 2 out solo HR in the 1st. He pitched a scoreless 2nd and 3rd, and got the first two batters in the 4th, and then the floor caved in. Double, single, back to back HRs, and NWA put up 4 runs.
In the 5th, Ortiz-Mayr allowed a leadoff single and then a 2-run HR, and his day was done. Overall, in 3.0 innings, Ortiz-Mayr allowed 7 runs on 8 hits, including 4 HRs.
Ryan Sublette settled down the Naturals’ offense for 2.0 perfect innings.
Jack Little relieved Sublette. He allowed a walk, single, WP, and two runs scored on a fielders choice and single. The score is now 10-9.
Michael Flynn closed out the final 2.0 innings to get the save.
The Drillers tacked on a couple of extra runs in the 9th. Brendon Davis singled. After one out, Austin Beck doubled, and Lolo Sanchez got his 4th hit of the day, a 2-run single.
- Dalton Rushing – 2-6, 2 doubles (2), 1 run, 1 RBI
- José Ramos – 2-5, 1 BB, HR (1), 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Brendon Davis – 3-4, HBP, double (1), HR (1), 3 runs, 1 RBI
- Brandon Lewis – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Austin Beck – 2-5, double (1), HR (1), 2 runs, 3 RBI
- Lolo Sanchez – 4-5, 1 run, 3 RBI
Tulsa is now 3-0 on the season. They will host the Arkansas Travelers (Seattle) in a 6 game series at home beginning Tuesday.
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) 2 – Great Lakes Loons 0
At the beginning of the season, I thought the pitching would be good, but the offense would be questionable.
Well the pitching has been outstanding except for one inning, and the offense has not been barely good enough in the two wins earlier this weekend. On Sunday, Peter Heubeck was okay in his 3.2 IP. He allowed one run on two hits and three walks to go with his 5 Ks. Livan Reinoso also allowed a single run on 2 hits, 0 walks to go with his 2 Ks.
Three relievers pitched 1 hit scoreless ball over the final three innings.
The Loons got to face one of the top prospect pitchers in all of MiLB, 20 year old Dylan Lesko. The Padres like to push their prospects, so I expect Lesko to be pushed this year. Lesko and 3 other pitchers no hit the Loons for 8 innings. Ryan Och, the 5th TinCaps pitcher got Thayron Liranzo on a strikeout to start the 9th. On a 2-2 pitch, Kyle Nevin singled on a ground ball into CF, and the no-no was broken after 8.1 IP. Och struck out Chris Newell and Dylan Campbell to end the game on a one-hit shutout.
Another one of the young phenoms in the Padres system is 17 year old catcher Ethan Salas (will be 18 in June). He is the overall #1 catcher prospect in MiLB. In the opening series, Salas was 4-14, 2 BB, 3 K. He also threw out 1 of 3 would be base stealers, while being 2 for 2 in stolen base attempts.
One of the LAD three prized catcher prospects, Thayron Liranzo, did not fare as well. He was 0-5, 3 BB, 3 K, and all 7 base stealing attempts against were successful.
The pitchers allowed only 6 earned runs in 29 innings. That is good pitching all weekend, but with questionable offense.
Great Lakes is now 2-1 and will travel to Lansing to take on the Lugnuts (A’s) beginning Tuesday.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 14 – Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 7
Kendall George was not in the opening lineup. He was removed from Saturday night’s game with an apparent slight injury to his leg. He was walking with a noticeable limp after chasing after one of the HRs given up by Roque Gutierrez. Manager John Shoemaker and the trainer went out to look at him, but he remained in the game. However, he was removed from the lineup in the 6th. If Kendall is not in the lineup on Tuesday, there could be an issue. But until then, we will just stick with precautionary.
RC down 1-0 put up 7 in the 3rd, thanks to a pair of 3-run HRs; one by Zyhir Hope, and another by Oswaldo Osorio. Hope hit his 2nd HR of the day and 3rd of the season in the 4th.
Anyway, speaking of the prospects the Dodgers got back for Busch, 19 year old outfielder Zyhir Hope just hit a 3 run shot over the 36 foot tall fence in right, it's his second homer in three games pic.twitter.com/Us0Uo21JhL
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) April 7, 2024
Zyhir Hope just hit his second homer of the game for Rancho, this one was absolutely murdered 🥵 pic.twitter.com/kWvR4ePclT
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) April 7, 2024
After 4.0 innings the Quakes were up 8-2. In the 5th, RC put up another 4. 4 BB, WP, E6, and 2 singles plated 4 runs. Jake Gelof singled home a pair with the bases loaded for the big hit.
RC scored a pair of single runs in the 6th and 7th to conclude their scoring. They scored a run in the 6th on a bases loaded walk, and a run in the 7th on a Jesus Galiz long ball.
Carlos Duran started for RC and completed 2.0 innings in his 1st game back after TJ surgery. He allowed an unearned run on 3 BB. He also had 3 K.
Jose Rodriguez followed as the bulk reliever with 3.1 IP. He allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, 2 BB and 6 K.
Three other Quake pitchers completed the final 3.2 innings. Combined, 1 run, 2 hits, 4 BB, 6 K.
The big star for the day and weekend was Zyhir Hope. He went 5-12 with 3 HRs, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 3 BB, 3 K, and one OF assist. His slash line for the 3 game series is .417/.533/1.250/1.783.
- Zyhir Hope – 2-5, 1 BB, 2 HR (3), 3 runs, 4 RBI
- Jesus Galiz – 2-4, 2 BB, HR (1), double (1), 2 runs, 3 RBI
- Oswaldo Osorio – 2-3, 2 BB, HR (1), 2 runs, 3 RBI
CT3 has 1 hit in 21 ABs, .048 BA, .231 OBP, .048 SLG, -18 OPS+, -0.2 WAR, 9 Ks = $15 million AAV. With his performance last year and to date in the 2024 campaign, it might be the worst signing during AF’s tenure.
Have to get better offensive production from the OF sans Teoscar.
Its early but quite a difference between on paper and game reality. Taylor is trash
5 unearned runs.
Unfortunately that didn’t lose the game. On a cold windy wet day in Chicago the offense didn’t show up.
Baseball is a summer game. This team will hit when the weather is better. And who knows, maybe the team will field better when it warms up.
But both teams played in the same weather and the Cubs outhit us. Whatever the reason I can’t blame the weather. I’d rather just say ” You win some and you lose some”.
Cubs were at home. They live in that shitstorm weather. They are also a superior defensive club. I’m just suggesting the Dodgers may be a fair weather team.
Good by Chicago and good riddance. Next up.
Minnesota. Looks better there. Real feel of 47.
The early indication is not exactly a surprise: Defense is the biggest weakness of this Dodgers team.
Some teams have impressive young shortstops–sometimes even 2 or 3, like the Orioles and Reds–while the mighty Dodgers have so much trouble fielding the position that they’ve turned to Mookie to play a position he hasn’t manned regularly since high school. (The Padres 20-year-old phenom in CF is actually a SS by trade.)
The Dodgers have a lot of good catching prospects, but they were so thin at SS they acquired three over the winter–Sweeney, Lipscius and Noah Miller. (And this was after a recent draft that included several shortstops.) Jeondry Vargas is the most exciting SS prospect, but he is several years from the majors.
I don’t believe Diaz was the HPU yesterday. It was another equally bad ump.
Diaz was at second base. HP was some guy named Erich Bacchus. And yes, he was just as worse.
two days ago, Cartaya at C, Rushing at DH. Yesterday, day off for Cartaya, Rushing catching.
Fernandez has only played 2B.
Despite a rough series in Chicago, the Dodgers are still 8-4 with a 3 game lead in the division. The Dodgers lost the cubs series, while the Braves swept the Dbacks-yet the Dodgers World Series odds improved significantly this weekend. The Dodgers are now +310 or about 30% probability to win the WS, while the Braves are now +500 or about 20% probability to win. The increase in the Dodgers odds was related to Strider getting diagnosed with a likely UCL injury and Max Fried struggling with an 18 ERA after two starts. The pitching injuries continue to be spreading throughout the league.
The Cubs look like a solid team this year, with Michael Busch playing well so far, and Imanaga looking great in his two starts. He has pitched even better than Yamamoto so far with a guaranteed contract of only $53 million compared to the $325 million plus $50 million posting fee the Dodgers paid for Yamamoto. It is still very early and Yamamoto looked great this weekend, but huge, long-term contracts for pitchers seem like very risky moves currently.
12 years for a pitcher seems way out of the operating mode of AF. I have no idea what he was thinking. It is almost as if they expect him to get hurt, and will still have control when he comes back.
Maybe it is a long range plan to be in a position to get the best Japanese players in the future? Rōki Sasaki is looking more feasible every day. LAD has over $3MM to spend on Sasaki and that is over $1MM more than anyone else.
Good point Jeff!
If Sasaki signs prior to 25, he will likely be the best value of any signing since the Angels signed Ohtani. Maybe the Dodgers needed to sign Yamamoto and Ohtani in order to get Sasaki.
The concern over pitchers arm injuries is not going to go away, and it shouldn’t. The MLBPA is blaming the pitch clock for much of it, and MLB countered in the only way they know how…you are wrong and we are right.
MLBPA:
MLB Response:
Justin Verlander was asked about the increase in arm injuries.
And then there are the surgeons. One of the very very best is Dr. James Andrews who is in the elite group of elite orthopedic surgeons.
Finally, Tom Verducci wrote the following on the subject that was just published today.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2024/04/08/pitcher-injury-epidemic-tommy-john-surgery-velocity
I have an idea on how to save pitchers arms. Raise the mound to the height it was back when pitchers were throwing 300 innings and call a strike zone that we had to hit against in the 60s – from the bottom of the knee to the arm pits. With a target that big pitchers can back off 99 to 95 and hit spots, extending their careers. I know fans love offense. They’ll still get it. I could hit fastballs at that level, Major League hitters will figure it out.
I don’t think there’s any way to keep kids from throwing hard. Minimizing innings could help. When I was younger throwing curves was discouraged. I learned a change up before I was spinning anything down.
I don’t believe MLB teams will suddenly decide that velocity is no longer the Holy Grail. More likely we could literally see 12 man rotations with no pitcher going more than two innings a game — throwing all-out of course. Starters will soon go the way of the drag bunt.
For those who were so against trading for Willy Adames (and yes I include myself in that group):
Thus far – .300/.400/.533/.933 – 2 HR, and even more eye-opening – 5 BB and 4 K.
Yes of course, small sample size.
I do not expect the Brewers to stay on a 6-2 pace, but what if they do?
Then they’ll have a good year?
That sounded snarky, but I’m not sure why that question is asked.
Obviously they won’t win 120 games. Jeff was joking about that. They’ll win maybe 82 and probably miss the payoffs. I believe the Reds and Cubs will likely battle it out for the Division.
Okay, maybe more realistic terms for you. What if their fast start will replicate what Arizona did last year. If that happens, then Willy Adames will not be available even at the trade deadline.
Then the Dodgers will get bad defense at 3B, average to below average defense at SS, and average defense at 2B. Not quite at the level of Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner up the middle. And what if it comes down to defense in the playoffs as it very well could? The Cubs pitching is not bad (pretty much shut down the LAD offense this past weekend), and their offense is good. And even when the LAD offense did hit, the Cubs defense had a lot to say about their run scoring success.
I know you don’t think defense is a big part of winning and you also believe that winning in the playoffs is luck. Thus, possibly the question was not intended for you?
And if you do not think defense can make a difference in the playoffs:
Thanks for allowing me to relive those plays. Time hasn’t softened the pain.
I think it’ll be awesome if the Brewers are better than expected.
Nyah, I think that defense is a valid skill and does have value.
I do wish for people like myself, who know nothing, there were better metrics.
Below average at SS?
Not if Rojas takes over full-time and Mookie shifts back to 2B. (And I assume Mookie would be a defensive upgrade there over Lux.)
Lux really needs to start hitting to preserve even a platoon role.
BTW, Adames was robbed of another HR….
My off-season hope was for a blockbuster to land Burnes and Adames, with Burnes as the priority. Who knows if there were ever serious talks? The Brewers wound up basically got the equivalent of 3 first-round talents to deal Burnes to the Orioles–a SS, an SP and an actual competitive-balance draft pick, which is apparently the only kind of draft pick that can be traded under MLB rules.
Anyway, I’d still rather have Burnes than Glasnow, and a not-outrageous overpay would have been fine by me.
Now what?
Maybe a good SS will become available at midseason, but maybe not. Matt McClain is on the IL now, but he might be a good target.
I was also against trading Lux and others for Adames. At this point I certainly appear to have been wrong. But like Jeff said, it is early. I would be surprised to see the Brewers make a playoff run, so maybe the Dodgers will get another chance at Adames at the trade deadline.
I’m starting to think the Brewers realized all along that Lux really couldn’t play SS. They got a glove-first SS from the Orioles who was blocked in that organization, but can certainly take over from Adames.
I had read somewhere that the Brewers could shift Tirang from 2b to SS to accommodate Lux at 2B…. oh well…
Former NYM (Miracle Mets) and LAD backstop Jerry Grote, passed away at 81.
RIP Jerry.
Looks like the Dodgers are making a roster move almost every day. One bum journeyman reliever DFAd’ another one acquired to pitch 2 innings, and then be Desginated immediately after the game.
Yeah. The amount of load management they’re going to go through this year is going to be out of control.
and yet it won’t prevent injuries. Looks like wasted activity to me.
Thanks for sharing.
Something needs to be done about the terrible home plate umpiring. This is ridiculous.
Good lord, Lux looks absolutely horrible right now.
And some people think defense is overrated and doesn’t play a big role.
Lux and Outman are lost right now.
Lux making plays at second
Just not doing anything at the dish.
My guy Pepiot showed how to pitch in Colorado.
How? By pitching to the Rockies? I could do that – with my Badger Eephus pitch. It’s unhittable.
Well, a win is a win. We’ll take it. Paxton with a great outing. 12 SO in 35 AB. 2 for 10 RISP, 8 LOB. Not a recipe for continued success. It may get us through the regular season playing a lot of mediocre to bad teams. But, in the playoffs, it won’t cut it. And, then there is the defense.
The bottom of our order needs to start producing or changes need to be made
Good win. No negatives.
Denial. Get a clue.
It’s reality, not denial.
The team went half a season last year with Vargas who wasn’t hitting, was a poor fielder and had no track record.
yet you think they are going to rush into changes a month or less this season?
come back in from the rain.
I didn’t say they should rush into changes. Just that if this continues, changes will need to be made. GFYS.
Nice to see Outman break through with a homer. Perhaps he’ll start to heat up.
That Ohtani guy looks like a keeper. Now leads the majors with 7 doubles, on a pace to threaten Freddie’s record.
Paxton was solid, but in an alternative universe this start would have gone to Tyler Anderson, if AF had offered him more than qualifying offer.
Anderson had a rough ’23, but so far this season he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He is not the only reason for hope in Anaheim. Trout now has 5 HRs, with a 1.318 OPS. Even Rendon, everybody’s least favorite Angel, got three hits today.
It’s as if he’s starting to remember how to play the game.
Go Rockies, Cubs, and Nats.
Well, with this being the day that Hank Aaron passed the Babe as the true home run king and looking back on his career, I have to say, he is the all time best player in MLB history. Willie Mays a close second.
Barroid Bonds is a stain on baseball history. He and Roger Clemens.
Mickey Mantel was a good or better as either Aaron or Mays except he did it with only one good leg!!