Walker Buehler last pitched June 10, 2022. That was 696 days ago. I do not believe anyone being honest thought that Buehler would pitch as the 2021 Walker Buehler. And he didn’t. Although he showed signs that he looks as if he will get there. It was just great to see him back out on the bump.
16 pitches to the first two batters. He got 2 strikes but just could not get that 3rd one. Honestly, did anyone really believe he would have that command with that adrenaline right out the gate? After the game, even Buehler admitted that getting those last strikes is one of the last components of making it back.
The HR he gave up in the 2nd, but Andy Pages makes that catch in July/August.
It started to come together in the 3rd and 4th. He mentioned after the game that he “super tired”.
Dotting the bottom of the outside corner on Nick Fortes in the 2nd for his first K was a great sign. He then came back in the 3rd with strikeouts with Jake Burger and Josh Bell.
He got Nick Gordon on strikes in the 4th. After 49 pitches in the 1st two innings, it took 28 pitches in the next two innings, and he admitted he was tired. It was a good time to bring out Ryan Yarbrough for the 5th. Yarbrough is at 30.0 IP. He has a 2.70 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP.
Blake Treinen went back to back and got the same results. 3 batters up, 3 batters out. His slider is looking as nasty as his pre-surgery slider.
Alex Vesia has not allowed an earned run since April 10 (10 games). He pitched a perfect 9th inning for his first save.
Offense was provided by 2-run HRs from Shohei Ohtani, James Outman, and solo HRs from Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández.
Tuesday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto tries to add on to his scoreless streak of 15.1 IP.
Doc has said that Walker will be back out on the mound on Sunday in San Diego.
ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE PREVIEW
The Arizona Complex League is going to be different this year. It runs from May 4 through July 25.
The MLB Draft will run from July 14 to July 16 and newly-drafted players are not required to sign until August 1. So unlike years in the past, the current year draft picks will not start in the 2024 ACL. What is the thinking behind this switch?
According to Baseball America’s JJ Cooper, it is because of the reduction of minor leaguers allowed in an organization playing in the United States from 180 to 165. With 15 fewer slots available for minor leaguers, teams feared that they wouldn’t have enough pitching after the draft to play even the half season that the complex leagues play. Pitchers in the complex leagues rarely pitch more than two innings at a time and many newly-drafted pitchers often get shut down after having carried big workloads in college or high school. Since some pitchers will have to be released at the draft to make way for new ones, there will be far fewer arms available to eat up those innings.
The draftees will still report to Glendale, if they are not assigned directly to RC, and it will take the look more akin to extended ST like games. They will have exhibition games between teams in Arizona.
I heartily acknowledge that it is difficult to project prospects from 18-20 year olds playing rookie ball. Last year’s LAD Dominican Summer League players were very good. LAD DSL Bautista had the best overall record in the League, and won the DSL Championship. LAD DSL Mesa had the 5th best record in the League, but lost in the Quarterfinals in the Playoffs.
I mention this because those 2023 LAD DSL stars are now on the Dodgers Rookie team in the Arizona Complex League. They will combine with nine 2023 draft picks to form what should be a very formidable Rookie League team. There will be some 2022 draft holdovers and some UDFA.
ACL Dodgers started Saturday, May 4 vs Milwaukee’s ACL team where the Dodgers prevailed 9-2. Christian Zazueta was the bulk pitcher in this one. He went 4.0 IP allowing 1 run, 3 hits, 0 walks, and 3 K. If you do not recall, Zazueta was the lottery ticket the Dodgers received in the Caleb Ferguson trade to NYY.
Who are some of the key personnel on the LAD ACL roster?
The nine 2023 draftees on the roster:
- Brady Smith – RHP – 3rd round – Full season IL
- Bryan Gonzalez – SS – 6th round
- Jaron Elkins – OF – 8th round
- Ryan Brown – RHP – 9th round – 60 day IL
- Carson Hobbs – RHP – 11th round
- Alex Makarewich – RHP – 13th round
- Luke Fox – LHP – 17th round
- Sterling Patick – LHP – 18th round
- Spencer Green – RHP – Full Season IL
Luke Fox will make his first appearance after recovering from TJ surgery.
Who (in my opinion) will be key personnel to watch over the next 2 ½ months?
Pitchers:
- LHP Moises Brito – 21, Bani, DR, Dodgers received Brito from Toronto in the Mitch White trade. Yes the Dodgers also got Nick Frasso in that deal. Briot is someone to watch independent of Frasso.
- RHP Hyun-Seok Jang – 20, Changwon, Republic of Korea
- RHP Accimias Morales – 19 – Maracay, Venezuela
- RHP Ben Serunkuma – 22 – Kiwoku, Uganda – I have no idea how good he will be. The odds are stacked against him big time, but you have to root for a player from Uganda.
- RHP Jesus Tillero – 18, Coro Venezuela
- Christian Zazueta – 19, Navojoa, SO, Mexico
Catchers:
- Victor Rodrigues – 19, Maracay, Venezuela, Played in DSL and ACL last year – 176 PA – .268/.398/.373/.771 – 31 BB, 24 K
- Angel Diaz – 20, Maracay, Venezuela – Last year DSL – 117 PA – .353/.457/.586/1.043 – 23 BB, 21 K
Infielders:
- Alexander Albertus – 19, Oranjestad, Aruba – Last year DSL and ACL – .310/.471/.468/.939 – 38 BB, 19 K
- Oswaldo Osorio – 19, San Felipe, Venezuela – This is his 2nd year at ACL. He also played 3 games this year at Rancho – 3-9, double, HR, 2 BB, 5 K
- Eduardo Guerrero – 19, Maracaibo, Venezuela – He was 2-3 with a triple in his 1st game
- Easton Shelton – 18, UDFA from Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV – He was 3-3, 1 BB, 3 RBI, double in his 1st
- Joendry Vargas – 18, Santo Domingo, DR, Last year at DSL, 208 PA – .328/.423/.529/.952 – Big things are expected. In the revised Baseball America Top 30 LAD prospects, Joendry has moved from #18 to #5. I suspect we will see Vargas in RC at some point this year.
Outfield:
- Eduardo Quintero – 18, Ocumare del Tuy, Venezuela, Last year at DSL, 212 PA – .359/.472/.618/1.090
- Jaron Elkins – 19, 8th round draft pick 2023 draft, Tennessee High School (You just know Marty Lamb knows about this kid).
Game 1 – LAD 9 – Milwaukee 2
- Alexander Albertus – 2-5, 2 doubles, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Eduardo Guerrero – 2-3, SF, 2 RBI
- Victor Rodrigues – 2-3, 2 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Mairoshendrick Martinus – double
- Cameron Decker – double
- Christian Zazueta – 4.0 IP, 1 run, 3 Hits, 0 BB, 3 K
Game 2 – LAD 3 – Cleveland 1 – 7 innings
Hyun-Seok Jang was making his professional debut and pitched very well. He went the first two innings without allowing a baserunner and striking out 3. 4 relievers allowed 1 unearned run and 1 hit over the next 7 innings.
Eduardo Quintero led off the bottom of the first with a single. After 1 out, Alexander Albertus hit a 2-run HR.
In the 5th, Nicolas Perez was HBP and stole 2nd. He went to 3rd on an Albertus single, and scored on a Jose Meza SF.
- Alexander Albertus – 2-2, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (1)
- Angel Diaz – 1-3, double (1)
I am a sucker for alliterative names, so Albertus amd Osorio are my faves.
Buehler looked a lot better after the second inning. It was just great seeing him back on a mound. Anyone worried about his velo can relax. He got up to 97 on several pitches and was averaging 96.6 on his heater. Ohtani is a certified beast. Nice to see Outman tag one.
Great stuff, thanks
Does anyone hit the ball harder than Ohtani? The “it sounded like a shotgun” call was priceless. Even the single to right was hit like a bullet.
Not surprisingly I see it a bit differently.
Walker Buehler isn’t back yet.
3 earned in only 4 innings against the 29th ranked offense in MLB. Plus an error in the field. I predicted less than 5 as his tuneups in MiLB didn’t quite show he was ready. But he is here now and I expect after a couple more starts he will settle in.
Another win, and impressive bombs by Ohtani and Outman. Hopefully Outman will now find some grass with his contract. Team 0 for 4 WRISP is notable.
Mookie looks good fielding but many of his throws still challenge Freeman. Pages could have, maybe should have, caught that home run. Replay showed about a 12” vertical, leaving him about 3”” short. Bullpen looked good, but again, that Miami offense is very weak.
Interesting write up on lower case prospects Jeff. It would appear several are worthy of promotions. Diaz, Jang and Vargas are players I expect to move up quickly. I’m sure there will be one or two surprises in there.
*Thanks Jeff for the information in the ACL. Nice to keep up with the changes.
*I was so pleased to see Beuhler back. Like Yamamoto in Korea, I’m sure there was some nervousness after almost 700 days on the shelf, and all the questions about his ability to come back from a 2nd TJ. There was a lot to like about his performance starting with his fastball velocity. He got better and his 3rd and 4th innings. The question will be how he feels today. I hope all is good. The next steps will be knocking off the rust and finding his out-pitch.
He’s obviously filled out a bit. I’m not sure he can fit into those same bun-hugger pants he used to.
*Muncy has worked his ass off to be a better defender. And he’s made some eye-popping backhand picks lately. He’s never going to be Nolan Arenado but he’s playing the best defense of his career.
*Lux needs to do the same hard work. Is he spending the time that Mookie does with Miggie Ro learning subtle things about second base? While he seems to have solved his throwing issues with a different transfer that looks very confident, he just doesn’t show great feet around second base. It shows up with his one pivot at 2nd on double plays and on his tagging of runners. Again he doesn’t move his feet well.
If Lux straddles the base on Chisholm’s steal, in the1st, Will’s throw had a chance. But Lux takes every throw to second with both feet in front of the bag; every time, to varying degrees.
The trick is to position yourself initially so if the throw is good, you step back with the left foot to straddle the base, while letting the ball travel that extra 18 inches, and pop tag.
Lux always gets both feet in front of the bag and has to catch and reach for the runners. Sometime he’s a couple of feet in front of the bag, having to reach for the ball and making a long sweep tag, turning a good throw into a poor one. The ball obviously travels faster than a sweep tag.
At best Lux is an adequate defender at 2nd and needs to hit to earn his keep.
I’m a hard grader on infield mechanics (move your feet) but he can improve on little things that matter.
As was mentioned yesterday, Ben Casparius and Austin Gauthier were promoted to OKC from Tulsa. Gauthier should have started the season with OKC. Casparius’ strikeouts and general strong pitching support his promotion. Hyun-il Choi was sent back to Tulsa, even after his last outing of 6.0 IP of no hit ball.
I may seem slow to the announcements, but I like to make sure they are reported by the teams. I know Casey Porter and Eric Stephen have great sources and they can get reports out early. I do not have that luxury. So I wait.
And no, I do not have any problems with anyone reporting on these transactions.
Rough outings for some of our pitching prospects:
Payton Martin today: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
At least it appears he’s healthy?!?
Ronan Kopp. 0 innings, 5 walks, 3SBs
Wrobleski 3ER, 7 hits in 5.2 IP. His ERA (FWIW) is nearing 5.0
OTOH:
J Karros today: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K. Wonder if he will also be promoted soon ala Casaprius.
Toribo reported on the Dodger site today that Heyward could be back as early as this weekend with the Padres, or when they play the Giants next week. Most likely candidate to go down???? Outman.
Tanner Scott would be nice to have for October
In alumni news, I hope everyone noticed that Michael Busch hit a walk-off for the Cubs. He may be Pages’s top rival for ROY.
Check that: Both Yamamoto and Imanaga are technically rookies. I think Buehler was right: There should be a separate Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award.
It would be interesting to see the Dodgers’ internal analytics. We can look up a lot of stats these days, but the Dodgers must have richer detail.
My question: Just how unlucky has Outman been?
BABIP suggests that there has been some bad luck. Outman’s batting average on balls in play is .211, about 90 points below the major league average. This seems especially low for a runner as fast as Outman. (His foot speed is at 89th percentile per Statcast; his hard-hit and barrel rates are average. Oddly, his “sweet spot” is at 83, but his exit velocity of 88.3 mph is only 40,)
Something else to consider: BABIP doesn’t factor in the luck of bad calls by the ump, or the line drive that goes foul by an inch. Does the Dodgers analytics staff calculate that stuff?