It has now come to the stretch run in the 162 game marathon. They can either crumble at the finish line or they gain momentum as they approach and cross the line.
The Dodgers now have 25 games remaining, 10 at home and 15 away:
- Pittsburgh – 3 Away
- Baltimore – 3 Away
- Colorado – 3 Home
- San Francisco – 3 Away
- Philadelphia – 3 Home
- San Francisco – 4 Home
- Arizona – 3 Away
- Seattle – 3 Away
There is a lot to review for the next 25 games.
- Can they hold onto the NLDS lead, thus potentially getting the bye for the WC?
- If they hold onto the lead, can they catch Philadelphia for #2 seed and get the bye?
- If everyone stays healthy, who makes the playoff roster?
- Will Conforto make the roster? Kim?
- With Kiké Hernández, Miggy Ro, and Alex Call on the bench, do the Dodgers go with the R-L situational hitting by adding Conforto and not Call?
- Or do they actually look at the numbers and splits, offensively, defensively, and baserunning, to determine who the best option might be? The contracts are over on September 28, so there is no reason to not keep the best player available. Not knowing if $$$ was a contributing factor, but if it was, it no longer will be.
- Same is true for pitching. If 2024 is any indication, they will go with 13 pitchers in the NLDS. With their bench options, this makes the most sense. But with 4 starters, they will not need a bullpen game this year.
- Who will be the best 4 starters for the rotation in the playoffs? My guess is Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, Kershaw. Ohtani is DH only, and Sheehan goes to the pen or not on the playoff roster. IMO Sheehan belongs, but I also think that with Casparius and Wrobleski also being multiple inning options that Sheehan will be left off.
- Will the Dodgers go with 3 LHRP or 4? Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer figure to be locks. Will they add Justin Wrobleski over Emmet Sheehan?
- Will Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates find their way? I understand Scott gave up the 3-run HR on Sunday, and that is not acceptable. But I also wonder why he did not throw the pitch he wanted to. He said he wanted to throw the slider there, but instead threw the fastball which was, in his words, a terrible pitch. Regardless, he is the pitcher, and he should have gone with what he wanted.
- Will Michael Kopech recover to pitch like he did in the stretch and playoffs for 2024?
- Has Edgardo Henriquez shown enough to make the playoff roster? He is certainly on the bubble, and that is what the next 25 games will dictate.
- Will Blake Treinen assume the “closer” role, or will they continue to go with “closer by committee”? I like what Aroldis Chapman does for Boston, and I really wish the Dodgers would go for that automatic shutdown 9th I do not get paid to make those decisions, so I am guessing they will continue to go with “closer by committee”.
- Alex Vesia still needs to be added back onto the roster. Who will he replace? It probably comes down to Wrobleski, Sheehan, or Henriquez. I am going with Wrobleski gets optioned. They have 3 LHRP, and with Sheehan and Casparius, the multi-inning role is managed. IMO, Wrobo will travel with the team in the playoffs and continue to work on the sidelines as if he was on the roster, just in case he is needed.
For me, the LAD roster is hard to beat, but lately, not the team. Adding Kim and Kopech, will not move the needle much. Max, Edman, and Vesia should be more impactful. Vesia can be activated September 7, but will probably wait for the Rockies series at home starting September 8. With Max’s chest cold, his return has now been pushed to the home stand as well. I believe Edman will also get a rehab assignment this week, and he could return during the next homestand as well.
As I said, for me, it is not the roster, but the team. There is something missing. I do not pretend to know what that “it factor” might be, but it does seem to be missing, and has been missing for some time. Not playing with any sense of urgency? Why? Has Doc waited too long to put the onus on the players with consequences if they do not perform?
This team needs Shohei to be that hitter. Will being a DH only get him there?
I understand that the team likes Michael Conforto as a person, but what has he contributed for the first 137 games, and why do does management believe he will now turn the corner? Maybe he will, and we fans are just wrong. But if anyone deserved to be benched for their play, it was Conforto.
Unless Conforto goes on a tear for the next 25 games, I cannot see him being added over, say, Hyeseong Kim or Alex Call.
I like this roster, and I am a hopeless Dodgers fan, so I believe the team will find what is missing and make it work. But let’s see what happens over the next 25 games.
My hopeless Dodger fan self is thinking maybe that walk off shot by Smith could light some fire. The way he walloped that pitch was something to behold. I’m sure not giving up hope and see a turn around coming
Kickstart, I understand your feelings on the possibility of Smith’s HR lighting some kind of fire for this team. Or, some might say “kickstart” their championship drive. We have seen these moments many times this season and they seem to get extinguished after a few games. The cause is usually with another injury or just plain, flat out, lack of basic fundamental baseball.
With a small window of 25 regular season games left and 11 postseason games (if they can avoid the wild card round) the Dodgers could get their shit together to win a championship. I mean this is crunch time. No more injuries to star players. Somehow, play smart, fundamental baseball. It boils down to just doing what’s expected of you.
Well, they didn’t do what was expected of them tonight. What a frustrating team to watch.
Underachieving regular season almost over. Time to flip the switch. I believe we will.
Pads’ Jason Adam ruptured his left quad yesterday, so he’s gone for the year. That will hurt their bullpen.
On another note, SD does get Colorado for 3 this weekend and 4 next weekend, so they will have a shot at some easy wins (they have the easiest remaining schedule in baseball).
I was actually rooting for Milwaukee over Philly yesterday, as I’ve given up on catching the Brewers, but we can catch Philly for 2nd place in the NL. Hopefully Mil steps up today.
SD is also without Bogaerts. Iglesias is playing SS for them.
What happened to Milwaukees bullpen? They lost their closer but they threw an excellent group at us. Mb they have lost someone else but they were smoked yesterday.
Milwaukee has lost Trevor Megill to a flexor strain injury, Grant Anderson to tendonitis in the ankle, DL Hall with a strained oblique, and now Shelby Miller who heard a pop in his elbow on Sunday’s game (technically not on IL yet). Megill initially said that the IL was precautionary, but now they are not as certain.
Perhaps the Brewers bullpen is showing signs of fatigue leading to injury. Since August 1, the Milwaukee bullpen has thrown 124.0 innings for #1 in MLB. OTOH, the Dodgers have thrown 89.0 pitches for #30 in MLB.
Since July 1 – Milwaukee 211.0 IP for #7, LAD 188.0 IP for #22.
For August – Milwaukee’s ERA for relievers is 3.52 (#4 MLB), while LAD is 3.37 and #2 in MLB. For LAD that includes back to back 3 run HRs off Yates and Scott.
Since July 1 – Milwaukee 3.35 (#2 in MLB), LAD 3.85 (#7 in MLB).
The Brewers have 4 relievers on the IL, while LAD has 1 (Vesia).
Neither team is dominating in RP, but both are near the top in MLB. Since August, the Dodgers have been more consistent than Milwaukee. SP all back with Ohtani getting to 5.0 IP? The Dodgers’ injuries early on and Milwaukee’s injuries later in the season?
I agree with Bear that Scott is having command issues, and he can work them out as did Treinen. That was just a horrible pitch he threw to Carroll on Sunday. 97.4 MPH 4-seamer, flat and center cut. It was sitting on a tee for Carroll. He was unlucky 2 batters earlier with Perdomo who pushed a well-pitched ball 65.2 MPH for a fly ball single into RF. It was uncatchable. Then Marte and Carroll center cut 4-seamers. Fastball command is a must for a reliever, and the last thing to come around after an injury. Can’t fix it without pitching. Maybe he does, and maybe he doesn’t. He has too good of a recent history to give up on.
Yates? It will be tough to see him on the playoff roster unless he has a monster September, which he will get a chance to do.
Thank you that makes sense. How many more injuries or illnesses can Muncy come up with? He is so fragile.
Muncy is 35, injuries come with age. He is not fragile at all.
Not just battling Philly for that two seed. Cubs out pacing us to at the moment. Yes it’s time to get on the ball
Cubs record don’t matter unless they win the division or we lose our division. Division winner takes precedence over a wildcard.
Yeah my bad. I realized such soon after posting that. Was getting back on here to right my wrong but you beat me to it. Oops
I believe a key going forward is a name not mentioned here. Betts. Yes, his defense has improved. He has corralled his errant throws and though his RF remains below league average it too appears to be getting better. This is still the worst offensive year of his career but he did show signs of some recovery in August after awful months of June and July. I mentioned yesterday the top of the lineup differences in OPS+ in wins and losses and his is 60 points. That is huge. When he hits the team wins.
There are other issues of course. With Ohtani leading off the bottom of the order becomes crucial after the first inning. Who do you want there? This team is not built to be great defensively but they can back up bases, they can do better at throwing accurately to the right base and they can also stop with the stupid base running errors. And pitching? The starting pitching does look better but can we trust it for the two months? And who here trusts that bullpen? I don’t.
Bottom line? This team is built to score, and they score more when Betts lights it up. I think he can be the spark we are looking for.
This team was built to slug, which hopefully will translate to runs. But they have not been slugging for the last several months, and the runs regression shows. This is a different team than the one that started the season.
· Runs scored since June 1 – 360 or 4.56/game
· Runs scored since July 1 – 223 or 4.29/game
· Runs scored since August 1 – 132 or 4.71/game
· Since June 1 – 108 HRs (#9 in MLB), SLG .412 (#16 in MLB)
· Since July 1 – 69 HRs (#14 in MLB), SLG .399 (#21 in MLB)
· Since August 1 – 39 HRs (#13 in MLB), SLG .420 (#13 in MLB)
The Dodgers have not been that SLG and run producing team since May. June was a good month, but it did show a regression that has continued.
· March/April – Runs 167 (#3), HR 50 (#2), SLG .462 (#2)
· May – Runs 173 (#1), HR 44 (#1), SLG .482 (#1)
· June – Runs 137 (#3), HR 39 (#6), SLG .436 (#6)
· July – Runs 91 (#28), HR 30 (#16), SLG .375 (#25)
· August – Runs 132 (#15), HR 39 (#13), SLG .420 (#13)
You mention Betts, and I agree his YTD metrics have been awful. But since August 1, he is batting .288/.358/.404/.762. Not Mookie like, but much better.
Mookie’s hitting wRISP is .282/.331/.417/.748, 44 RBI, 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 HR. Also not Mookie like.
OTOH Shohei wRISP is .241/.446/.519/.965, 34 RBI, 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 6 HR. So Mookie has more XBH wRISP and a better average. Shohei needs to stop chasing.
Shohei has 45 HR, but 31 are solo shots, 12 with 1 runner on, and 2 with 2 runners on.
As a team the Dodgers have 2 grand slams, both by Max.
So maybe when Max gets back, and if Shohei starts to hit better with RISP the team will score more runs, and the pitchers will not have to try and be perfect. Freddie and Will just need to maintain what they are doing wRISP. Teo and Pages also both hit better wRISP than without.
I do not expect the bottom of the order to all of a sudden produce, so that means Shohei needs to be more clutch and Mookie needs to keep improving.
For a long period last season, Ohtani was pitiful with men on base. He improved the last month and into the postseason. His approach at the plate never seems to change. He should be a different hitter with men on base. Swinging out of his shoes all the time is not a good approach.
A. Dodgers are 2 games behind the Phillies for the second bye. B. Milwaukee lost Megill and Anderson to injuries this week, yesterday Shelby Miller of the Brewers felt a pop in his elbow, not a good sign. C. Tatis Jr. missed yesterday’s Padres loss with lower body tightness. Is day to day. D. The bad news is LA is just a .500 team on the road 33-33. E. Their next 12 games are against teams at .500 or below (Giants at .500) then they play the Phillies. They need to win at least 8 of ten games. A team that was expected to win over 100 is struggling to win 90.
Every time the season hits a moment where Conforto could be expelled, he gets enough hits to stay. I’m sure he will do it again so he can hit .190 in the playoffs.
The pitchers that make a particular playoff series might be based on match upside.
Kim wasn’t hitting well just before going on the IL. Was it injury related or something else?
Dodger players getting healthy, and other teams going in opposite direction.
Didn’t he have a bad shoulder that hurt when he swung?
Yes.
He should have gone on the IL sooner. A guy goes to the doctor and says it hurts when I do this. Doctor says, don’t do that then.
Kopech and Kim added to the roster, Kyle Hurt to OKC for a rehab assignment.
I will be watching Hurt when he pitches this week. He is certainly an option if he proves he is healthy. Better than what the team currently has? We will have to see how he pitches. If I were to go out on a limb, I would say this is more seeing what he is capable of and getting ready for his offseason work and ST.
excellent news
Excellent recap Jeff!
The Dodgers are still the heavy betting favorite to win the World Series at +280. The next best odds are the brewers at +750.
The team has had a lackluster season and are on pace for only 92 wins which would tie 2018 as the lowest win total in the last 12 years. A pretty underachieving performance for the highest paid team in history. The Brewers have had an amazing season so far but the recent bullpen injuries will hurt their playoff chances.
Heading into the last month, the Dodgers are healthier than any other contender in the league, have an easy schedule, and have the best roster. The other contenders have key injuries and flawed pitching staffs. The Padres rotation of Darvish, Cortez, Pivetta, Sears, and Cease is horrendous. Plus Bogaerts, Tatis and Merill are injured. The Phillies lost the best starter in baseball in Wheeler. The brewers and cubs are scrappy but not nearly as talented as the Dodgers.
The Dodgers will definitely be in the playoffs and almost surely win the division. The success of the season will be determined by a few playoff games that can be random. Last year Yamamoto and the bullpen came up huge to beat the Padres in game 5 with only two runs of support to prevent a disappointing first round loss. This year the playoff path for the Dodgers looks pretty winnable but anything can happen in the postseason. The best part of the season still lies ahead.
I know this has been mentioned before, but for me it is very telling. Over their last 31 games, the Dodgers are 11-4 against teams with winning records and 6-10 against teams below .500. Their next nine games are against last place teams, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Colorado. The Dodgers need to win all three series and sweep at least one. The Dodgers will face Paul Skenes on Thursday. As good as he is, he does not dominate LAD as he does the rest of MLB. His career ERA against the Dodgers is 3.63. His ERA against Milwaukee is the only one that is higher.
That being said, Skenes did shut out the Dodgers for 6.1 innings in his one start against them this year. So the Dodgers will have to manufacture if they do not slug.
Bear, Jeff,
Just to continue on yesterday’s history post. Did you get to check out the interesting Trivia about Eddie Murray in 1990. Not showing up when you look at lists, but he had highest BA in Majors, but didn’t win the batting title. Bear-that explains the italics without being in bold. Italics meant lead the majors, But not bold because didn’t win the BA title. So maybe we should put an asterisk in future articles when listing Tommy Davis as LAST title holder and give the guy his due
I am okay if you want to say that Murray had the best BA in MLB that year. He did. But the conversation was always who led the NL in BA, and Tommy Davis WAS the last Dodger to do so, not counting Trea Turner. In 1990, Willie McGee qualified for the NL batting crown and won it with .005 points more than Murray. Putting an asterisk next to who was last Dodger to lead NL in BA is like putting the asterisk next to Roger Maris’ HR title in 1961 with his 61 beating Babe Ruth’s 60.
I know I never intended to besmirch Murray for what he did in 1990 and for LAD. He was a HOF player who played 4 years with LAD and played very well, though not nearly as good as he was with Baltimore. But he did not lead the NL in batting which is what was said. No asterisk needed from me. But I will give Murray credit whenever we acknowledge who led MLB in hitting in 1990.
Murray at least had one great season as a Dodger. Machado on the other hand was not nearly as good in LA as he was for most of the year in Baltimore. He is one free agent I am glad LA declined to resign.
👌
I explained why McGee won the title in that post. According to MLB rules, when a player switch leagues his stats from one league do NOT carry over to the other. So, McGee, who had more than enough at bats to be eligible for the batting title in the NL won it. He was not traded to the AL until August; he did not start the year in the AL as you stated. He was a August pickup for a team that was in the race, the A’s. St Louis was not in the race. In Trea Turner’s case, he did not switch leagues, so he built on his league leading stat by hitting .338 with LA. But he played a majority of the season in DC. Davis was the LAST LA Dodger to win a batting title.
I agree to all that. But the article you wrote was NOT about ‘Dodgers who led the league’. But was about Dodger History. And your article didn’t mention anything about league leaders.. But was about Dodger History and stats. and I think it would be great to keep in mind that Murray had the top BA in the Majors that year. I know you have this thing about always having to be right. But as the unofficial ‘Dodger Historian’ I thought you response might have been, ‘Thanks Dave for that interesting bit of trivia.” I’ll keep that in mind in the future”. Instead of defending the ‘rules’. And checking on the minutia. And proving your point Just sayin’
Hey, my bad, but I did not deem it important since LA sucked at the time. 1990? Was a so so season. It was a nice catch, but I was talking about the team history not Eddie Murrays.
The Dodgers need to trade Muncy and Conforto this off-season. Muncy every year goes down with an injury theres got to be a thirdbaseman that can hit.the third baseman for the twins Royce Lewis would be a good grab and I am sure they have outfielders that would be better then Conforto and Call.
What’s wrong with Call? He is a dependable bat, with very good defensive skills. He gets on base and he can run. You have no clue what the hell you are talking about. Never have, never will.
Muncy first got injured playing first base. He does not go down every season, but he is 35 years old, and with age, injuries happen. But he is not the one who crashed into his knee. That was a freak happening. But obliques are tough to heal. But it is not a chronic condition either.
The next time you tell me that I should jump off a short bridge you will be gone forever. A little sensitive? Perhaps, but it is my blog, my $$$ invested, and I get to make the rules. If you do not like it, go back to LADT.
I know that you do not like to be corrected, but Michael Conforto does not have to be traded next year as he will be a free agent. And Muncy does not have to be traded as he has a team option at $10MM. Although, I am guessing that the Dodgers will pick up the option.
You were telling us all pre-season that Nolan Arenado was going to be a Dodger. But he didn’t. Good thing. Arenado with 361 AB – .235/.294/.366/.660, 85 OPS+, 10 HR, 43 RBI, 1.0 bWAR.
You say that Max is always hurt and that is why he should be traded. Then you mention they should get Royce Lewis who has never been healthy in his MLB career. This will be the first season Lewis will reach 300 AB. In his 283 AB, Lewis is batting .230/.288/.389/.677, 85 OPS+, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 0.7 bWAR.
Max – 279 AB, .258/.389/.491/.880, 145 OPS+, 17 HR, 64 RBI, 3.3 bWAR.
Looks like Max is the best option.
I am going to let you continue to ramble, but without the personal insults. If Bear wants to dialogue with you, he will.
Wow so you two argue about my posts when Jeff I always on here people complain and ramble on here. Oh you think they shouldn’t trade for a younger thirdbaseman and new outfielder next season. So if I think that then I am wrong. All because you two think you have all the answers. Look at this year if they got production out of leftfield and thirdbase thwy wouldn’t be coming down to the wire to make the playoffs. If Arenaldo was in this lineup his numbers would be way better then they are in St Louis put him between Freeman and Smith and he would get pitched to okay. Would have been better then having Muncy all year on the DL.
A. You are assuming Arenado’s numbers would be better. B. Muncy has not been on the IL all year, and his numbers are BETTER than Arenado’s by a lot. C. Jeff’s son played major league baseball, and you need to have a little more respect for people who know a hell of a lot more than you do about the game. Muncy has a 10-million-dollar team option, if they wish to get rid of Max, they won’t exercise it. None of us have any clue why they have kept Conforto on the roster, but they have and we have to live with it. He is a free agent after the season ends, and I think we can guarantee he will not be back. And by the way Bradley, Younger does not always translate to better. I would much rather have Kim and Muncy manning 2nd and third than Kike and Freeland at this point.
I’d appreciate it if you’d let Bradley continue to comment, Jeff. He makes the rest of us look extremely informed.
I think the Lewis comment was just Bradley trying to ingratiate himself with Bumsrap.
I’m a Lewis fan also, but I’m having a hard time explaining to myself that the year he plays the most is the year he has his worst stats.
He can write all the inane commentary he wants as long as he does not get personal. I have advocated for Royce Lewis. He is a Southern California guy which I favor. Plus his tools are elit. If he can ever be healthy enough to put it all together, he could be special. But Minnesota knows that too. He is 26 years old with three more years of team control. I cannot see Minnesota trading Lewis at the low ebb of his trade value.
What I find troublesome is that some fans will say, “the Dodgers need to get player X”, and if they do not acquire that player, it is AF/BG’s fault.
You mean trade rumors that make that I hear about but you and Bear dislike and I bring up bad .posts or rumors I hear. They ahould have movesd Betts back to rightfield then thwy coukd have Conforto ns miggy ans Freeland look likw thwy could have played shortstop this second half. And I wish I could find the post when I said we should get Ramon Lauereano from Baltimore and Bear said he is hitting like 225 why would we want him that won’t improve us. And how has San Diego liked trading for him sure looks like he would have helped us out. But what do I know you two are the brains here not us bloggers
That is it Bradley. I have heard enough of your bullshit. Rumors are that and nothing else, until it is announced a rumor is nothing but Bull crap being tossed against a wall. This is Jeff’s blog. He is the one who pays the money to keep it going, so he can pretty much say whatever the hell he wants, and he also can ban people. But Jeff has never done that. Accept the fact that he knows a hell of a lot more about the game than you do. If the Dodgers wanted Laureano they damn sure would have traded for him, but most of the reports said that in order to get Laureano, they would have to take O’Hearn too. Why in the hell would they move Betts back to RF when he is the Top-rated defensive SS in the league? Did you see what the Padres gave up getting Laureano and O’Hearn? It is not that I dislike the rumors, it is that I understand they have no basis in fact. I cannot tell you how many rumors I saw in the days leading up to the deadline that were absolutely positive the Dodgers were trading for Kwan and a back end of the pen stud. None of that happened. Because Jeff and I and most of the bloggers here have been watching and studying the game for as long as we have, we did not fall for the BS. Find the post about Laureano, I really don’t care. He is a RH hitting outfielder, LA has plenty of those, they needed a lefty but got a contact hitting in Call instead. You blame me and Jeff, the problem is you should be blaming the Dodger front office. If you don’t like it here, leave. We won’t miss your BS.
Im still mad at Friedman for not getting us Aaron Judge to take over RF. And he’s a Fresno St alum!
Yes Bobby fresno state alumni too. I suggested Betts should have moved back to rightfield and git rid of Conforto thw outfield would have been better and they would have Freeland miggy edman Kim all guys who can play shortstop. But Jeff and Bear have been so in love with Betts at shortstop they say no way why move him. Because at the time I said it conforto was hitting badly and mookie that’s why I said it. Plus last year it worked with Betts in rightfiled in playoffs and Edmans at shortstop funny how saying that gets these two so mad and they say I dont know anything. I thought this was s fan blog to talk about the didgers not to be told your dumb or stupid who is doing the insults those two are. Any way like I said I could say the sky is blue like dodger blue and these two gentleman will argue with me about that just to argue.
I concur, but Judge was never going to leave New York.
I’ve always thought that getting that second seed for the bye is very important, otherwise you have to burn your top two starters in the wild card series and your number 3 starter has to open the NLDS.
For the Dodgers that’s likely one of Glasnow, Snell or Yamamoto. All are very good, so maybe it’s not that big of a deal, but that also means two of them can’t go until a game 3 at earliest I think. I would rather them get the bye and lineup their rotation, most efficiently.
The pitching has been much better, thanks to Glasnow and Snell. Too bad they can’t stay healthy for an entire season, because they are both elite pitchers. Kershaw has been good too, and Sheehan has been very effective. Shouldn’t Sheehan have earned a permanent spot in the rotation going forward?
Sheehan has earned it an He should be in the rotation, but the Dodgers are choosing to skip him because of the bye on Monday. Maybe he gets another start next weekend in Baltimore. But that will be a lot of off time between pitching. Pittsburgh – Kershaw, Ohtani, Snell (vs Skenes).
I’m not saying that I endorse this, nor am I saying who I’d trade him for, but Sheehan would make a very valuable trade chip this winter if AF decides to go that route.
I suppose they consider him the #6 starter at this point and next year we get Ryan, Stone and Hurt back. If CK finishes the year healthy and at the same level he’s at now, I don’t see how he could get himself to retire.
Maybe we could get a really good outfielder or 3rd baseman for Sheehan plus whatever. Even better, how about someone who could play outfield next year and switch to 3rd once Max leaves in 2027.
Conforto back in the lineup again today. Once again, I believe he has incriminating evidence vs Doc and/or Friedman.
Unless someone has a better theory?
I’m thrilled to see Kim back…………………….and sitting on the bench watching Conforto in LF, Freeland at 3B and Miggy at 2B.
It’s not as though the Pirates are starting a lefty tonight because we must protect Kim against southpaws at all costs. The Bucs are starting a right handed pitcher. Why keep Kim on the bench when the team is desperate for someone who could bring some life to the lineup with his mere presence on the diamond.
This might be why Kim is not in the lineup
OK, I’m giving Doc a pass.
Damn remind me not to use his travel agent
They just like him is about the best I can come up with. Heyward was better at this time last year and he got DFAd.
There is absolutely no reason to continue to start Conforto other than arrogance and delusion by management. I think they said something about liking his underlying stats? What is there to like? He’s been one of the worst hitters in MLB the entire season. It’s September 2. The season is almost over. It’s one thing to just put him on the bench as an occassional pinch-hitter, but to start him every day, everyone should be crushing Friedman for this. I’m not trying to bag on him either, but it’s gone on the entire season, and Conforto is still terrible. Enough is enough.
Scott and Yates are terrible relievers, but I can understand why they keep using them, with all the injuries. At least with those guys there is a legitimate reason. But playing Conforto is just arrogance/stubborness, nothing else can explain it. Using terrible players in important games down the stretch because of arrogance is not acceptable.
Continuing to play Conforto is worse than arrogance/stubborness.
I’m out of words to explain this.
Hard to argue with that. They have gone beyond patience – patience should have run out a month ago. We are now into stubbornness. Play Alex Call, play Kike Hernandez, play a tired Hye-Seong Kim, someone else. I am sure they like his underlying metrics, his work habits, his cage work. But at some point there is accountability for this type of performance over the course of over 400 at bats. Frustrating.
His underlying stats show that he has a lot of hard hit outs. Meaning he just been ‘unlucky’ all year. That plus his poor fielding is why he keeps playing
I guess he was “unlucky” to have struck out 26% of the time too.
How many games is Teo going to cost us in rf? He is no rf. With the speed he has he cannot judge a fly ball. Pathetic
You nailed it Scottl.
Conforto is a cruel joke.
I’d rather start Kim’s interpreter over Conforto
Who was talking about the easy schedule. Biggest game of the year to date n this is how we start.
There is no switch to be flipped. I don’t think good teams in any sport function that way. You develop habits over the course of a season that sustain you in the tough times. You control the things you can control. At bat quality, throwing to the correct base, not running to third with a ball in front of you, sliding at home plate on a close play, being in the correct position on cut-offs, pitchers walking hitters, etc. As talented as this team is in some regards, these flaws are as much a part of this team as their strengths. Like the Yankee’s defense last year was a flaw they eventually could not overcome. To win the World Series, they will likely have to overcome these flaws. They don’t find ways to win as much as they find ways to lose. Not saying they can’t or won’t win the WS. Muncy and Edman will lengthen this line-up. The starting pitching is excellent. But this is who the Dodgers, I’m afraid.
I was not happy with Pages’s AB — ugh!
I was happy with his next AB 🙂
But we liked his second AB.
haha me neither, but i like this one!
Freeland is a strikeout machine right now. He is totally out of whack. They are throwing him soft stuff in the zone and he is getting fooled.
The LAD has to be the worst defensive OF by a wide margin. The pitching was not good at all either. Could not put a Pirates hitter away after 2 strikes. There has to be a total change in the OF next year. Pages to RF and find the best CF and LF. But they have to focus on defense as well as offense.
And to think Teo got a three year deal. He played his free agency perfectly. Signed a one year deal last year, played well and was an integral part of the winning recipe for a WS championship and then parlayed that into a three year $ 66 million deal.
When an off season autopsy is done on the Dodgers it very well might be written that they had the top four worse off season free agency signings in Teo, Scott, Yates and Conforto. $70 million for just 2025.
If I’m Mark Walter I’m having a serious discussion with AF about the cost benefit quotient when it comes to this year’s signings. They will need some new outfield talent but can they afford another bad round of signings (I know they can afford it) or should they leverage some of the MiLB talent in trades.
Team simply cannot put together a string of games where they play well in all facets of the game.
Kike and Sasaki have been busts this year as well
How about Edman? When u need him the most Muncy has the flu n can’t play through it. This team is not mentally tough.
Have you ever tried to do something really physical with a chest cold or a bad case of the flu? Don’t question the man’s mental toughness. I had pneumonia when I was 17, and in basic training, and it still knocked me on my ass.
And really Glasnow and Snell not earning their bucks
Not many are. Picking on those two makes little sense.
Absolutely. The Dodgers have built a strong starting rotation and it will be even deeper next year with Ryan, Stone, and Sasaki potentially in the mix. To put an outfield like this on the field that compromises your strength does not make a lot of sense. Especially when the offense they are getting for the sub-standard defense in the corners is not worth the trade-off.
Nobody over here can tell me this team is better than last year. They are far worse, and on pace to finish 7-10 games worse than last year.
There is no accountability for poor performances. Anyone can bat .180 all year and be penciled into the lineup. Relievers blow game after game and are marched out there again the next night. The management thinks they will win regardless.
With 25 games left they should be putting out their best lineup every game. No excuses. Especially considering how poorly they play on the road. You would think they would want to get home field.
We keep being told, (and I’m told by others over here as well) to just keep waiting. Have patience. The injured players will return, and they will catch fire. When will that happen? It’s September 2, and they still are bad. They’ve played poorly all year. At what point do we stop making excuses or taking the dangling carrot of waiting and being patient and call this what it is. They are a very poor fundamentally at several aspects of the game. Management refuses to put their best players in the lineup every day.
They can’t beat anyone consistently. you can’t just keep going with the same players that are not getting the job done.
They’ll make the playoffs obviously, and they have about a 50/50 chance of winning the division. But if they get bounced in the first round, everyone should be equally frustrated by the club’s lack of accountability and lack of interest in winning throughout the season.
Lots to complain about, but there’s no excuse for why Conforto is still …here.
Starting pitching is far superior this year going into October.
Scott- you say some wild ass shit from time-to-time but I’m agreeing lately with what you’re saying.
Some will respond with comments like “ ho hum you can’t win them all, give Kopech a break he just came off the IL, Henriquez is young, we all lose a step as we age and Teo was great last year,” etc.
This poor performance is not on Doc. He plays with the players acquired by AF and was probably expecting much more at the trade deadline. This years up and down season has been largely the result of age regression by some players, injuries to others and some BAD FA acquisitions. There is a guy at another blog who is an unabashed lover of AF who thinks the man can do no wrong. Friedman has been right most of the time, but he has to own this years team and its collection of underperforming talent. It’s all on him
We need to come up with a plan here to kidnap Yates and Conforto!
So I watched the first inning of the game at Pittsburgh. I didn’t make it through it. Kirsch couldn’t find the zone, the HPU missed an important CK deuce, The was a ball inside the top of the zone and Teoscar again failed to catch a short flyball to right. I would wager that 95% of all of the outfielders in the organization would have caught that ball. I have no idea why his feet are in cement, he can’t run a lick and he gets NO jump. And he can’t hit.
He was benched for being shitty for a couple of games and it apparently did no good.
Doc has claimed that he will play the best guys down the stretch. So is he?
Teo got benched yet Conforto plays damn near every day, regardless of splits.
Apparently when AF signs you for $17 million, you can’t fail.
The same will apply for Scott and Yates.
AF’s stubbornness is off the charts. He appears that he will be correct on a sighing no matter how much rope is allowed. Or until we forget.
I like Call and Freeman. Play em. We will see how Muncy returns. But right now, for me, Conforto is done, Teo is close and may see time in left, but he’s toast in right. Edman and Kim get outfield time. Freeman should play daily at 3rd until Muncy returns and Miggy at 2nd. Betts is going nowhere at SS. Pages while holding his own with the shitty corner-guys needs to be at a corner.
I love CK, but I do not trust him in a playoff game. Ohtani has to pitch and with expanded innings. Where did the idea come from that he isn’t a starting pitcher? Maybe piggyback he and Kirsch? That might be an effective disparity. Hard throwing, long RHP followed by a crafty soft LHP with that nice slider and curve.
Yamamoto, Snell, Glasgow and Ohtani are my playoff rotation. Sheehan and Henriquez in the pen. Who’re off the roster. Yates for sure and Scott, maybe, can go where elephants go to die.
I am a loyal Dodger fan. But I can’t watch this. Maybe we won tonight. Maybe not.
But as long as Conforto and Teo are solid in the everyday lineup, I’m done.
I can’t watch this bullshit.
I’m going to watch games where the Varsity plays.
Kershaw should not be on the playoff roster. He has done a great job regular season but the playoffs are another level. Why was Sheehan skipped? His best game of the year n they skip him. They need Muncy but u can’t count on him. Edman mb another wasted contract. The season is not over but Conforto will be gone n they should trade Teo. The outfield the worst of any I’ve seen.
First year of Edman’s deal and the whole contract is wasted? BS.
I said mb. That means mb not.
A tough loss. Kershaw recovered to give the team and BP an opportunity to win this game.
Lots of blame to go around. The ump behind the plate was awful. It seems to me that many of the younger umps have a tendency to squeeze the pitcher. Where the very old veteran umps call anything within a foot of the plate a strike. For the love of the game, install ABS in 2026. No way to have the challenge system.
If Conforto is a regular until the Dodgers are eliminated from the playoffs, AF or ownership need to explain the reasoning for playing him.
Blame? OK, here’s my thoughts.
I absolutely do not blame Andrew for signing Yates and Scott. They were two of the very best relievers in baseball last year and both have had good careers. I blame Yates and Scott for their failures this year, not Friedman.
I don’t even blame him for Conforto’s signing but I absolutely blame him for sticking with him for so long.
He probably should have given Teo no more than two years, but again, I don’t blame him for signing Teoscar, who had a great year last year and very much helped us win a world championship. Let’s blame the player and not the front office.
Agree, on the signings mostly. But, anybody could see that Conforto n Teo were both bad on defense. U cannot win a championship with those 2 in the outfield. AF should have known that when he signed them.