Cincinnati is a nice elixir for the Dodgers. Again tonight, the starting pitcher, Tyler Anderson, was just not as sharp as he usually has been. Did the 123 pitch previous game have something to do with his sub-standard outing? You know Tyler is not going to use his last game as an excuse. Regardless, the Dodger bats picked him up, and while he did not get the win, he did keep them in the game. He is still a perfect 8-0.
The Dodgers saw two of the pitchers that they will be looking to potentially acquire: Tyler Mahle and Luis Castillo. Neither pitcher pitched their best game. Was it the Dodger bats or the pitcher being off?
After an 8 run, 17 hit attack on Tuesday, the Dodgers scored 8 runs again, but this time with only 9 hits. The key to the night might have been in the 5th. With the Dodgers down 3-1, Gavin Lux legged a double on a ball most will simply accept as single. Lux hit the ball in the gap but not past the fielders. He took off from the hit and slid safely into second with a leadoff double. Trea Turner bounced a ball up the middle and Lux easily moved to 3rd. With one out, Freddie Freeman, did not try to do too much but simply stroked a line drive up the middle for a single to score Lux. With Lux’s legs and Freeman approach and situational hitting, the Dodgers moved to within 1.
Will Smith looks to be getting comfortable in that #3 spot in the lineup. After going 1-10 in his first two games in that spot, he has since gone 7-12. In that critical 5th, Smith hit his second of three singles and moved Freeman to 2nd. Max Muncy then does what he does best…walked to load the bases. Chris Taylor was HBP to force in the tying run. Justin Turner did his job with a sac fly and the lead.
Anderson could not hold the lead as he surrendered a game tying HR to Albert Almora Jr. who hit a HR in his second consecutive game. But now it was down to a bullpen game. The Dodgers have the second best bullpen ERA in the NL while Cincinnati was last. You can guess what happened.
For the second consecutive game. 4 LAD relievers went to the bump, and none allowed a runner to cross the plate. The key…not one base on balls allowed by the relievers. Three hits and 9 Ks. All eight LAD relievers pitched and all 8 had less than 20 pitches. All eight should be available for Thursday’s AM game.
Trayce Thompson did something today that we have not seen Max Muncy, or Cody Bellinger do in some time. With runners on 1st and 2nd, on a 1-2 pitch Thompson bangs a two run double into right-center. He moves to 3rd on a Gavin Lux 2 strike deep drive to CF and scored on a sac fly by Trea Turner. That was the second sac fly on the night for the Dodgers, after going nearly 20 games without one.
Cody Bellinger looked like he was starting to come out of his slump. He hit in three straight, the last two games he had two hits. But in his last three games he is 0-13 with 1 walk.
The other big hit was a Freddie Freeman HR who absolutely crushed his 6th of the year.
It was my contention when the Dodgers reacquired Thompson, that if he was given Muncy’s ABs, he would be more productive. Muncy has now gone 10 games without an RBI, and he is still in the #4 spot?
One negative comment was that the Dodgers were 3-13 WRISP.
The Reds have been good for the Dodgers. Now on to Game 3 of the series for the sweep.
The Reds are awful and their record reflects it. The Dodgers are playing .500 ball for the last few weeks. Yeah, we need the Reds right now.
Hey… Muncy got a hit! He’s up to .157.
Nobody on this team looks better in a uniform than Trayce Thompson.
giants got smoked in the bottom of the 9th. That’s a good thing. Padres playing well. And doing so without their 2 best players.
Can we just stay in Cincinnati til July?
I’m guessing Pepiot, Stone, Grove, Miller, White, etc are not too sad with Castillo’s and Mahle’s performances.
I am not either.
I do wish more games were less of a grind.
but until JT and Muncey get going (and CT to a lesser extent) it looks like grinding.
Does Muncy have pictures of someone in a compromising situation? Batting 4th again? What other team, much less a contender, has a #4 batter hitting .157/.326/.267/.593, a 68 OPS+, with 19 RBIs, on a team that has scored more runs per game than any other team? At least Bellinger is moving down to #8, which is where a defensive CF belongs.
I don’t think, Jeff, but I could be wrong that batting 4th means what it used to.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but batting clean-up had import when singles were more in vogue. So the 4th place hitter came up, ideally and more often, with the bases-loaded and ready to be cleaned.
That obviously isn’t modern ball.
I wouldn’t sweat batting fourth over batting sixth. Just get your best hitters hitting 1-2, as those batting positions clearly get more ABs.
Interesting that usually the “Dodgers” prefer to hit Lux 9th but moved him to 7th today. It’s okay to move Bellinger to 8th but not move Lux to 2nd? Why Barnes 9th if that is Lux’ spot? So much for getting Lux, Betts, Freeman, Trea in sequence.
I like Trea in leadoff. Sorry Betts. You are a #3 hitter.
Trea
Lux
Betts
Freeman
Smith
Out
Out
Out
Out
Very happy for Trace.
I’m curious. The Dodgers are deep in pitching prospects and shallow in outfield prospects. Is there a trade that would bring Jarred Kelenic to the Dodgers. He has been overhyped and can’t seem to stick with the Mariners.
He potentially could replace Bellinger in CF.
OOOOOOH
Another call for the Trade simulator:
Kelenic has a value of 40 and Belli has a value of 6.
So, to give context, you would need to add some variation/package of (and I’m limiting to SP):
May: 27
Miller: 26.4
Pepiot: 14.8
Bruns 7
Knack 6
He is trending down. Apparently he was physically fully developed at 18. Been a man against boys. I wouldn’t offer Bellinger.
Kelenic hasn’t figured it out yet, and that trade simulator says he’s 6 times more valuable than Bellinger? Why should we pay any attention to it?
Well, I only pay attention to it because it seems to be pretty accurate and much more accurate than I am.
No reason for anyone else to follow my lead! No reason at all.
Ok. I’ll follow your advice and not follow your lead.
Bellinger for Kelenic would be a trade that would get it done. Have them throw in Gleyber too.
Muncy is long overdue so hitting him 4th makes a lot of sense.
Castillo wasn’t as bad as the box makes it looks. His defense sucked behind him. I’d still take him.
Our base runners don’t bother picking up the third base coach. Just another example of flakey fundamentals.
….”Bellinger for Kelenic would be a trade that would get it done. Have them throw in Gleyber too.”
Where did that come from?
I was thinking Pages and one from Knack, Stone, Bruns or ?
That came from my superbly developed sense of humor Bum. You of all people should know to recognize and appreciate that.
By the way, why Kelenic?
I’ve been of the belief the Dodgers will be trading away, not for, Starting Pitchers at the deadline.
Farhad going the old friend route, via Twitter:
I’m hearing the Giants have a deal in place to send Steven Duggar to the Texas Rangers for infielder Willie Calhoun. Today was the action day after Duggar’s rehab assignment ended.
Willie Calhoun? He’ll never make it. His legs are too thick.
He’s being converted to catcher / backstop.
Oh. Then thick legs is a plus.
Bluto, I get on to the Trade Simulator every so often because it’s good (mindless) entertainment, but if it’s telling us that all of those guys together equal one Kelenic, that in itself is testimony to the fact that the system they use is broken.
I mean is it perfect?
Not even close.
Is it better than what you, me or Badger could do in terms of attributing value?
Without a doubt.
Just like many things, the trade simulator is a tool. It is a tool for fans to come up with creative trade scenarios. I like it when Bluto makes the values driven trade ideas. But in this case, I have no idea how the simulator came to its conclusions on Jarred Kelenic.
For the record, I like Kelenic, and if the Dodgers could get him, I would welcome that trade. He is certainly a change in scenery candidate. He is a former #9 overall prospect (MLB Pipeline 2020 Top 100). He is 22 years old. But I would not trade Cody Bellinger straight up for Jarred Kelenic. I imagine Belli’s value is downgraded because of his contract. I also would not trade Dustin May straight up for Kelenic. As to what prospects I would consider, I have no idea. Kelenic is Kaboom or absolute bust candidate. The proverbial high ceiling and low floor player. AF seems to like those types of players.
Cost is definitely a factor in the TS ratings as is years of control. Smith is by far (more than double) the highest rated Dodger player, with Lux next. They have Betts with a huge negative value (maybe because of length and expense of contract vs. injury probability although I don’t know that for a fact).
The only Dodger prospect anywhere near the value they put on Kelenic is Cartaya who is very very slightly valued higher. I don’t think any of us would be willing to make that trade, one for one.
I looked at the site. Very strange evaluations. Saw Buehler was a 27 and Castillo a 40. And Betts with a negative value. Nonsense. Kelenic with nothing but bust on his ML resume but is worth more than Bellinger? I’ll just wait til trades are mentioned and respond.
We are playing a good team over the weekend. Things might look a bit different than they did in Cincinnati.
What he said!
I wanted to add, that I also find the Simulator gives A LOT of weight towards cost. It very much is a Value driven simulator.
That’s why Wander Franco and Jose Ramirez are the top two, and why Strausberg and Rendon have the lowest values.
Lastly, I have no clue how often it’s updated!