This team is off to a very good start. One through four is about the best first four this team has had since they were in Brooklyn. Oh you can bring up the 1977 team which had four thirty home run hitters, first time in history. But the batting order was very balanced with Lopes leading off.
The 1953 Dodgers were a pretty powerful team. Pee Wee led off, then he would be followed by Jackie, Duke, Gil, Campy, Furillo, Cox, Gilliam and then the pitcher. Pretty much the only weak link. That team won 105 games, which was the most until 2019 and 21 teams won 106.
Of the 13 position players on this team, five players, Lux, Taylor, Barnes, Outman and Kike, are hitting below .231. Miguel Rojas, who was down around .230 last year, is hitting .273. Pages has not hit well the last couple of games, but he is still over .300. Freeman is under .300, but Freddie hasn’t gone on one of his hot streaks yet. Mookie has cooled off some, and hasn’t hit a homer since the 12th of April.
On the 53 Dodgers, the regular with the lowest BA was Pee Wee, who hit .271 for the year. Snider and Campanella hit 42 and 41 home runs respectively, and Hodges added 31. All the regulars were in double figures except for Gilliam who hit six. Five of the starting eight hit .300 or better with Furillo winning the batting title with a .344 mark.
The difference of course is the fact that the Dodgers did not platoon players back then. Now, it is a very common occurrence. The most games played by any of the scrubeenies was 96 by outfielder, Don Thompson. All of the starters played 130 or more games except Billy Cox, who played in exactly 100 games.
It was a different era for sure. The thing about this team is that except for guys like Rojas, Barnes, Lux and Kike, most of them have very good power. Taylor, when he was right, has hit double figures in homers every full season he has played, with 20 or more twice. Kike also has hit 20 or more twice.
The 1953 Dodgers had five players who would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame. Hodges, Reese, Robinson, Snider and Campanella. This team has at least three players with enough time to add to their already impressive resumes, Ohtani, Freeman and Betts, and most likely a first ballot Hall of Famer in Kershaw.
We can only sit and watch right now as this 24 season plays out. But this team is on pace for at least 100 wins. Will they make it to the Series and bring a Championship home? Remains to be seen. The 53 team ended up losing to the Yankees in the series. The four winningest teams in Dodger history all failed to win the big one.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Baseball Club 8 – Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston) 6
OKC jumped out to an 8-1 lead going into the bottom of the 7th, and had to hold on for an 8-6 victory.
Starting pitcher Elieser Hernández lasted a season-high 5.2 innings, allowing one run, three hits and one walk while earning his team-leading fourth win of the season. He also notched a season-high eight strikeouts, which is tied for the most by an Oklahoma City pitcher this season…Over his last five outings, Hernández has allowed seven earned runs across 25.2 innings (2.45 ERA) while recording 29 strikeouts against five walks.
The game was tied, 1-1, through four innings before OKC scored five runs on five hits in the fifth inning. Drew Avans, Trey Sweeney and Andre Lipcius all had run-scoring doubles during the rally, putting Oklahoma City in front, 6-1.
Jonathan Araúz singled home two runs with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning to stretch the lead to 8-1.
Luke Berryhill hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Sugar Land still trailed, 8-4, into the ninth inning. Berryhill picked up a RBI double, and later a two-out throwing error by Trey Sweeney scored Berryhill and brought the tying run to the plate before Michael Petersen struck out Jesús Bastidas to end the game.
- Drew Avans – 2-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (10)
- Miguel Vargas – 3-5, 1 run, double (11)
- Andre Lipcius – 2-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, double (4)
- Austin Gauthier – 2-5, 1 run, double (1)
Wednesday marked Avans’ fifth multi-hit outing in his last seven games.
Andre Lipcius has nine multi-hit games in his last 14 games overall and 14 multi-hit game overall this season, which ranks second on the team.
OKC tallied a season-high 26 at-bats with runners in scoring position, going 6-for-26. The team went 5-for-8 in the fifth inning, but just 1-for-18 in all other innings.
Midland RockHounds (A’s) 10 – Tulsa Drillers 4
Five Drillers pitchers allowed 10 runs on 17 hits, and none of them pitched very well. We can leave it at that.
Tulsa jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st. Taylor young led off with a double. With one out, José Ramos drew a BB. Both runners moved up on an errant catcher pickoff attempt. Young scored on a Griffin Lockwood-Powell SF. With 2 outs, Brandon Davis doubled home Ramos.
GLP led off with a single, followed by Alex Freeland’s single for his first AA hit. GLP scored on a single by Diego Cartaya with Freeland moving to 3rd. Freeland scored on an Austin Beck SF.
Tulsa really did not threaten after the 4th inning.
- Griffin Lockwood-Powell – 2-3, 1 SF, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Alex Freeland – 1-3, 1 BB, 1 run
- Austin Beck – 1-2, 1 SF, 1 BB, 1 RBI
- Taylor Young double (6), Brendon Davis double (5), Yeiner Fernandez double (7)
Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 4 – Great Lakes Loons 3
With RHP Peter Heubeck on the hill, Lansing scored a pair in the first inning. A double, BB, WP, BB loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly scored one run, and the runner on 2nd moved to 3rd. The two Lugnuts runners pulled off a double steal, with one stealing home and a 2-0 lead.
Great Lakes took the lead in the 4th. With one out, Kyle Nevin doubled and Thayron Liranzo walked. Noah Miller singled driving home Nevin. Liranzo and Miller moved up on a throwing error. Chris Newell reached on a fielder’s choice with Liranzo scoring and Miller moving to 3B. Jake Gelof drove home Miller with a sacrifice fly.
Heubeck went the first 4.0 innings. He allowed the 2 runs, on hit, 2 BB, and 6 K. Livan Reinoso followed Heubeck and pitched a clean 1.0 inning with 3 Ks.
Christian Romero followed Reinoso. His first two innings were very good. No hits or runs with 2 BB. But he came back out in the 8th for his 3rd inning. A walk and 2 singles loaded the bases. The first run scored on a force out at 2nd. The second run scored on a fielding error by Jake Gelof.
Kelvin Ramirez pitched a clean 9th inning, but Great Lakes could not get the tying run across even though they loaded the bases with 1 out.
Lansing got 4 runs, but only 3 hits, 5 BB, and 1 error.
- Noah Miller – 3-4, 1 run
- Kyle Nevin double (7)
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5 – Visalia Rawhide (Arizona) 0
Patrick Copen (starter 5.0 IP), Joseilyn Gonzalez (2.0 IP), Noah Ruen (2.0 IP) combined for a 5 hit shutout. Copen allowed 2 hits, 2 BB, and 6 Ks. Gonzalez allowed 3 hits, 1 BB, and 1 K. Ruen did not allow a hit, issued 1 walk, and registered 4 Ks.
The Quakes scored their first run in the 4th. Josue De Paula opened with a single, and Jerel Perez followed with a BB. After a double play left De Paula at 3rd, he scored on a Joe Vetrano single.
In the 6th, it started just as the 4th with a De Paula single and Perez BB. An errant pickoff attempt moved both runners up. Vetrano singled home De Paula again.
In the 7th, Carlos Rojas opened with a BB, that was followed by a Wilman Diaz single. Both runners moved up on a groundout, and both scored on a Perez single.
In the 8th, Sean McLain drew a one out BB. Carlos Rojas reached on an error. Wilman Diaz and Kendall George each walked to force in the 5th and final run.
- Josue De Paula – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs
- Jerel Perez – 2-3, 2 BB, 2 RBI
- Joe Vetrano – 3-5, 2 RBI, double (1)
We have plenty of season ahead to judge just how this edition of the Dodgers compares to its predecessors.
Best ever? Seems possible.
Right now, the record is 26-13, for a .667 winning percentage. At this pace, these Dodgers would win 108 games.
With 39 games played, we are 1.5 games shy of the 1/4 mark of the regular season. So it’s easy for some fun and (slightly) conservative projections.
Shohei: a .355 BA with 216 hits, 128 runs scored, 44 HRs, 56 doubles, 108 RBI, 36 steals. Not bad for the MVP runnerup to….
Mookie: the new SS would finish with a .343 BA with 212 hits, 128 runs scored, 24 HRs, 32 steals–and, remarkably, 116 walks against 68 Ks.
Mookie’s OBP of .451 leads the majors. With both Shohei and Freddie batting behind him, is Mookie now emphasizing his on-base skills over his power? Shohei and Freddie are getting on base too. The “big three” are now first, third and fourth in OBP, with Juan Soto second.
This helps explain why Will Smith, batting 4th, is one of five Dodgers on pace for more than 100 RBIs–even though he would sit out 27 games.
Meanwhile, Teoscar is trending toward 40 HRs and a team-leading 116 RBIs. And Max is on pace for yet another 36 HR season.
As for the pitching, Glasnow is on pace for a 24-4 season, with 252 Ks in 200 innings. (Please stay healthy!)
I think it’s reasonable to assume that some stars will cool off a bit, and some will miss time with injuries.
But do any of these projections seem truly crazy and outlandish? Not to me.
Anyone know the rotation order for RC?
Thinking about M. Vargas. AAA insurance/depth right now in case of injury to OF. Potential bench/postseason bat from right side. Guaranteed starting LF job opening day in LA 2025.
At some pt they will have these pitchers to choose from;
Glasnow,Yamamoto,Kershaw,Paxton, Miller,Stone, Buehler. That 1st 3 could be epic and Paxton and Buehler are former aces as well.
That’s a pretty good stable for a playoff run!
The ‘53 team had a win % of .682. Didn’t win the World Series. The ‘22 team even a better win percentage, .685, also didn’t win a championship. Does the ‘20 team count? .712 win % and did win a championship. Honestly 5 Hall of Fame players would be tough to beat but this team has a chance to do it.
Definitely going to try and enjoy the season and not get ahead, but….
I am Still worried about the randomness of the post season.
Namely, what is the best way to prepare / position yourself for success.
If anything/anyway.
In July or August of 2017, Sports Illustrated asked “Best Team Ever”?? I think after that, we lost like 17-18 games, but then went and won 17-18 games and proceeded to get screwed over by the Trash from Houston.
I went to yesterday’s game; I don’t recall ever going to a game that barely lasted 2 hours. Gavin Stone was great, and I’m really happy he was given a chance to come out for the 7th, AND finish the 7th. Huge for his confidence and our future.
*Gavin Stone looked great and hats off to Doc for allowing him to pitch the 7th, as his pitch count was very economical.
*They played this one like everybody had a dinner date and a cab waiting. I love fast games (1:55). Once upon a time, many moons ago, I had arranged a date with the best looking girl in a minor league town and she waved goodbye at me as she exited the ballpark at the top of the 13th. Next day was getaway day so we never hooked up. That might be why I have no problems with the “Ghost Runner” or as I like to call it “Manfred’s Man”
*Mookie had a tough day defensively with 2 hard plays. A liberal scoring kept him from an error or two on plays that could go either way. I love the shots of Miggy Ro coaching Mookie up in the dugout. Good on Miggy and good on Mookie for being a sponge.
*Speaking of advice, I suspect the pitchers like Mark Prior. When I see him talking with pitchers, it’s typically 40% Prior talking and 60% Prior listening to his pitcher. That’s about a perfect ratio.
*Ohtani had a bad day, swinging at stuff off the plate and taking hittable pitches.
*Pages is a pure hitter. I’ve seen enough to appreciate his maturity and knowledge of his swing at such a young age. He may slump but I don’t think for long, if he’s healthy, he’s going to hit.
*I hope the Dodgers don’t try to make him more patient hitter nd taking close pitches, that we do too much in my opinion. Pages is a great bad ball hitter and just leave that alone and put up with the occasional flail.
*Plenty of great hitters were bad ball hitters because they had a knack for bat to ball, even out of the zone. Tony Gwynn , Ichiro, Pablo Sandoval, Albert Pujols, Yogi Berra and the King, Vlad Guerrero, all had a nice careers expanding the strike zone. Don’t get this kid over-thinking stuff at the plate.
*Have a nice day off and get ready for the Padres and Giants, some great division foes.
The Big Red Machine is another team I like to compare lineups with. They didn’t have the starting pitching the current Dodger team has or the depth of pitching the Dodgers have. What separates this Dodger team from their past teams or the Big Red Machine is pitching. I give an edge to Alston over Roberts though.
Roberts just said there is no talk of Outman being sent down. Now if he would just keep him in the lineup full time.
Ohtani bails against lefties but his long arms seem to still allow him to cover the strike zone. I don’t trust his swing to produce contact wrisp in a very close game. Same with Teo and Max. Outman needs to more often go the other way with outside pitches.
I am not sure how you can talk about the Greatest Dodgers teams ever without including 1963 Dodgers. They were 99-63 and swept the Yankees in the World Series. Koufax was CY winner, MVP, and won the pitcher’s triple crown. A Big Three of Koufax, Drysdale, and Podres, and Perranoski in the Pen. Tommy Davis, Maury Wills, Frank Howard, Junior Gilliam. Not a lot of power, but with their pitching, they did not have to have the big HR bat. They beat St. Louis by 6.0 games, and San Francisco by 11 games. They stayed in 1st place from July 2 through end of season.
1963 will always be my favorite LA Dodgers team. Maybe this year’s team will make me change my mind. But I do not think so. Here’s why:
John Roseboro, Ron Fairly, Junior Gilliam, Maury Wills, Ken McMullen, Tommy Davis, Willie Davis, Frank Howard, Dick Tracewski, Nate Oliver, Doug Camili, Al Ferrara, Dick Nen, Derrell Griffith, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Johnny Podres, Larry Sherry, Ed Roebuck, Dick Calmus, Ken Rowe, Nick Wilhite, Pete Richert…were all home grown originally signed by Brooklyn or LA Dodgers.
Even Perranoski was traded to the Dodgers before he made MLB. He was traded to LAD in 1960 for Don Zimmer, and did not pitch in MLB until 1961. And Don Zimmer who was originally signed by Brooklyn came back to the Dodgers in 1963.
25 year old RHP Ben Casparius makes his AAA debut tonight against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston). Casparius will face off against a 24 year old RHP who has 37 AAA games (28 starts) for Sugar Land over three seasons.
Bobby -honest answer – did you prefer the 2 hour game?
I’m not so sure about it. I kinda liked the pedestrian nature of Baseball. Not sure I’m enjoying this microwave game as much.
Did you feel you got value for money?
Greatest team of all time. 1949 to 1953 Yankees. 5 straight WS titles.
KT3 would be better served going to OKC and playing everyday. If he is a true team player and can swallow his pride, he would come to the same conclusion. He is not going to get better playing a couple of games a week as he is now. If he doesn’t realize this, as Timmons would say, he is a moron.
So far we have got 1.5 WAR for KT3 since he signed the ill advised deal in 2022. His OPS+ this year is -15. How is that possible.
I will write about it later, but Ben Casparius pitched arguably the best game of his career in his AAA debut. He had a lot of run support. It was 7-0 after two, on thier way to 20-0 after 7 1/2.
For the Oakland fireballer give them Vargas, Knack & Cartaya.