Bluto brought up a good point the other day. The role of bench players has changed, a lot. When I first started watching Dodger games, there was always that guy on the bench who would be the managers first choice to pinch hit, usually for the pitcher, in a clutch situation. In today’s game, with the DH and the pitcher no longer a hitter, the role of the bench player has changed drastically. Today, when there is a pinch hitter sent up, it is usually because of the matchup between the hitter and the pitcher.
For instance, at some point in the game a relief pitcher will replace the starter. That is way more common now than back in the day. If they bring in a leftie reliever, usually it is to face the left-handed hitters in the lineup. The Dodgers bench at this point in time features three right-handed hitters and one lefty. Barnes, Rojas and Taylor with Feduccia being the lefty. None of those players is what you would call a professional hitter.
Manny Mota was a professional hitter. If you wanted someone who could get on base, Mota was your guy. There were bench guys used mostly as pinch hitters who had some pop in their bats too. The major league record for PH homers in a career belongs to Matt Stairs with 23. Dodger fans remember him well. He hit a homer off of Jonathan Broxton in game 4 of the LCS against the Phillies in 2008. The next season, Broxton walked him and then allowed a walk-off double to Jimmy Rollins. Stairs played for eight teams in his career.
Smokey Burgess, a backup catcher with the Pirates, Cubs, Phillies, Reds and White Sox, retired with 145 career pinch hits, which was the record at the time. He drove in 146 runs as a pinch hitter. Manny Mota then set the record for pinch hits at 150. The record is now held by Lenny Harris, who over his 18-year career amassed 212 pinch hits. The AL record for pinch hits is 107 held by Gates Brown.
As you can see, pinch hitters were a large part of a team’s roster up until the DH was adopted by the AL. Now that both leagues use the DH and the rosters are set at 26 with there being a rule that you have to carry 13 pitchers and 13 position players, roster spots are way too valuable to carry a one-way player. Hence the Dodgers love of versatility. This year the Dodgers bench seems particularly weak offensively to me.
Kike is a post season monster. Playing regularly not so much. Rojas had his best offensive season in years in 24. He is off to a slow start this year. Taylor has never let his defense suffer when his offense has been as bad as it has the last three years. Barnes also had a decent 24, but he hasn’t yet played enough to evaluate how he will hit this year. In 23-24 the Dodgers had some left-handed pop off of the bench with Jason Heyward. They also had Peralta in 23. With Outman at AAA, they really have no LH pinch hitter at all.
Freidman took over the team in November of 2014. He changed the face of the franchise with just two trades. The trade that sent Kemp to the Padres, and the Gordon trade to the Marlins. The two catchers received in those trades would be the 1-2 tandem until 2019 when Grandal had left as a free agent. Barnes had taken over as the #1 during the 2017 playoffs and World Series. Grandal took the job back in 18.
In his first season as the President of Baseball Operations, the Dodgers employed 24 different position players during the season. Of the bench guys, Alex Guererro played 106 games and Scott Van Slyke 96. Van Slyke was platooning with Carl Crawford. Ethier played in 142 games, and sometimes platooned with Puig, who spent some time in the minors. JT took over at third for Uribe. Rollins was the new SS. Pederson was in his rookie year and played center. Kendrick was the starting second baseman. That year, AJ Ellis backed up Grandal.
With pitchers still hitting in 15, the team had a 5-man bench most of the year. Chase Utley was brought in via trade in August. Future SS, Corey Seager was called up in September and impressed everyone with his offense. But guys like Darwin Barney, Ronald Torreyes, and Jose Peraza, all had short stints with the team. Alex Guererro led the team with 54 appearances as a pinch hitter. In case you were wondering, that was Kike’s first year with the team. He hit .307 with 7 homers and 22 driven in. It is the only time in his major league career he has reached that mark.
In 2016, Seager took over as the everyday SS. Utley was the regular second baseman. JT was now the regular third baseman. The bench’s main guys were Trayce Thompson, Kiké , AJ Ellis until he was traded in September, and Scott Van Slyke. Andrew Toles saw some time as did Carl Crawford until he was released. Regular RF, Andre Ethier was out most of the season with injuries. Charlie Culberson, Chris Taylor and Rob Segedin were all reserve infielders at some point. In case you might be wondering, Kiké hit just .190 in 16.
In 2017, Adrian Gonzalez went down early to injury, and he was replaced by Bellinger. Utley and Forsythe shared second base. Seager at SS and Turner at 3rd. Kiké , Utley and Taylor were the main bench guys along with Barnes as the backup catcher to Grandal. Barnes would get into 102 games and have his best season ever at the plate. He hit .289 with 8 homers and 38 RBIs. He hasn’t come close to those stats since. He took over as the starting catcher for most of the playoff and World Series run.
Taylor, Barnes and Kiké have been reserves probably longer than any other players in the team’s history. Barnes has been a Dodger for 11 years, Taylor 10 and Kiké 9. George Shuba was a Dodger for his entire 7-year career. Sandy Amoros also played for 7 years with the team. Looking back, the longest tenured back up in Brooklyn history I can find is Rube Walker. Ribe was with the Dodgers for 8 years. His last season was in LA.
In the 60’s, when I first really started following baseball closely, the Dodgers would add veteran players almost every year as reserves. I remember them having guys like Elmer Valo, Rip Repulski, Jim Baxes, Andy Carey, Daryl Spencer, Lee Walls. Some former big stars came to LA and played supporting roles, Rocky Colavito, Dick Stuart, and Boog Powell. Mota was by far their most productive pinch hitter, but some home-grown guys held that role too. One of them, Dave Hansen, still has the Dodger record for pinch hit homers in a season with 7.
The bench’s now feature guys who are versatile. Multi position players who can be used immediately to replace injured stars. You rarely see big name players in reserve roles as their careers wind down, as was the case into the 70’s and when the DH came along, aging stars would step into those roles, which are also filled by players who carry a weak glove but can hit really well.
It will be interesting to see how the Dodgers bench performs over the course of this season. With such high expectations, the team needs these guys to do their jobs and do them well. At this point in the season, such has not been the case. Every one of the Dodgers bench players are struggling. Change may come, but it won’t be some quick reaction. You can bet, Mr. Freidman will be weighing all of his options.
MiLB GAME SUMMARIES
OKC Comets 7 – Round Rock (Texas) 5
Tony Gonsolin, in a rehab assignment, pitched 3.1 innings before he reached his 45-pitch limit. He allowed one unearned run on 1 hit and 1 BB. He struck out 7.
Jose E. Hernandez relieved Gonsolin in the 4th with a runner on 2nd. After the second out and a BB, Hernandez induced a ground ball to Alex Freeland for a who booted it for the unearned run against Gonsolin.
Evan Phillips relieved Hernandez and was not particularly effective in 0.2 IP. He allowed 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits. He threw 25 pitches (21 for strikes).
OKC had three relievers follow with 3.1 scoreless IP. Combined they allowed 1 hit and 1 BB, with 4 K.
Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland were the stimulus again. Kim was 2-4 with 2 doubles. He now has 7 doubles on the season. He also reached on catcher’s interference. He scored two runs. Freeland was 2-3 with 2 BB, including hitting his 4th double. He scored 1 run and had one RBI.
The big hit for the Comets came from in the 8th with 2 on and 2 outs. Esteury Ruiz hit his first OKC HR to put the Comets up 7-5.
Michael Chavis also homered for the Comets his 4th.
Arkansas Travelers (Seattle) 9 – Tulsa Drillers 2
After a shutout performance on Tuesday, Tulsa pitching was back to their weekend results. Last weekend, the Drillers gave up 35 runs in 3 games. On Wednesday, five Drillers pitchers “only” surrendered 9 runs…an improvement over the average runs scored against over the weekend.
Tulsa’s offense muscled up 7 singles to go with 4 walks to register the 2 runs. Yeiner Fernandez and Ezequiel Pagan each had a pair of singles. Fernandez also drew a walk to reach base three times.
Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 8 – Great Lakes Loons 2
This game lasted 5 ½ innings, shortened due to rain.
Great Lakes Loons pitchers walked six Lansing Lugnuts batters in five innings and the defense committed three errors while battling a rain mist that turned heavier and led to the game being called.
For the fourth instance in the first five games, the Loons scored in the first inning. Kendall George reached on an infield single, then stole second and third base. The steal of third led to an errant throw into left field letting George come home.
With rain expected in the forecast, the Loons turned to an opener Joseilyn Gonzalez. The right-hander worked a 1-2-3 first. The second began with an E6, allowing Nate Nankill to reach. Cole Conn followed with a double to tie it up.
Luke Fox followed Gonzalez and was greeted by three straight Lugnuts hits from the top of the order. The third was a RBI single from TJ Schofield-Sam followed by an RBI groundout. Fox retired the next two, after two walks to escape bases loaded.
In the bottom of the fourth, Lansing added two more. With a runner on and two outs, another E6 was committed. After Schofield-Sam reached again off that error he swiped second. Nankill would add two RBI single.
Lansing distanced themselves with three more runs in the fifth. The duo of Schofield-Sam and Nankill brought home the runs. Schofield-Sam on an infield RBI single with a throwing error at shortstop moving a runner to third. Nankill notched a two-run double.
Zyhir Hope walked in the fifth inning. He is the lone Loon to reach in all five games this season.
Stockton Ports (A’s) 12 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5
Samuel Sanchez was the starting pitcher and completed 4.0 IP. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits, 3 walks, and 2 strikeouts before reaching his 75-pitch limit. LHP Sterling Patick relieved Sanchez and gave up 7 runs (6 earned) on 6 hits and 3 BB. One of the hits was a grand slam, while another was a run scoring double.
Patick could not get an out in the 6th before 4 singles, a fielding error and grand slam and another BB ended his night. Michael Vilchez followed Patick and got out of the 6th without further damage.
Vilchez gave up a 2-run HR in the 7th before giving way to LHP Myles Caba.
The Quakes took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd with the big hit coming from Elijah Hainline, a 2-run double. Hainline also had a RBI single in the 4th for his 3rd RBI of the night.
The three RC middle infielders were the offensive stars in the game. Kellon Lindsey was 3-5 with a RBI, Joendry Vargas was 2-4 with a run scored, and Elijah Hainline was 2-4 with 3 RBI and a double.
Jaron Elkins and Eduardo Quintero had the other singles.
Born June 14th, 1948, in Los Angeles California. AKA The Bear
I watched the first few innings of the OKC game. Chavis’s ball went about 450 feet.
Nice work Bear continues to show how the game is evolving Thnx
You are welcome Sandy.
Esteury!
I am not getting excited after 3 games with the team.
I don’t know. He is fast and it looks like his bat has a little juice. Some guys just click in the right situation. At worst I think he’ll get a look this year and at best he could make a postseason roster as a pinch runner.
That he might get a look, yes, as a pinch runner in post season, nope. Roster spots too precious to use on a guy just to pinch run.
Have to save space for that all-important 9th reliever /sarcasm
Kim batting .326 Freeland .356
w Pages,Taylor,Kike not hitting their weight. Who thinks it would be extreme to bring one or both of them up! Kim has been playing both 2nd and cf Freeland Ss and 3b
You don’t spend over a billion dollars and then not play to win.
They must have some understanding w Mookie but they have no reason to have a commitment to Pages.
Thanks Bear. Without the pitcher hitting, there’s a lot less need for that bench bat. Defense is now as important as offense on the bench. Sporting News reporting that Brandon Lowe from Tampa Bay could be in play for Dodgers. $10 mil this year and $11 mil next year. I could live with that. Now we’ll see what AF really thinks about Kim. OKC numbers are irrelevant to MLB productivity.
You are welcome my friend. I am not sure why LA would bring in another 30-year-old player. He is starting off well this season, and he does have some pop. But if they bring in a SS, then I would bet Mookie moves to second.
It’s not so simple. First of all, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Secondly, comparing production at different levels is an imperfect art. Thirdly, if a player is playing on the field with a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform on, some degree of confidence/trust has been placed on that player by the management, including Friedman.
Keekay is safe. He’s overexposed as an everyday player, which is exactly why he’s not an everyday player. He’s only playing every day because of Freeman’s injury and that ends tomorrow. Taylor’s situation has been rehashed ad nauseum. And Pages vs. Pages is an interesting direct comparison of two wildly divergent skill sets.
I’m as overreactive as the next guy, but Pages has recently fallen into some good at-bat outcomes. Ditching his right after he finds his stroke seems a little strange right now.
Knock knock. Who’s there? Freeland and Kim. Don’t open the door Max, Taylor, Pages, Kike’. Family sometimes move in and stay.
Kim yes. Freeland for Taylor? I don’t know. Kiké ain’t leaving.
Good stuff Bear.
Well again I had to resort to the box score for my information as I can’t get the Dodgers on TV right now. But I read Doc was unhappy with the 15 strike out game but maybe he’s happier with yesterday’s 10 strike out performance. The bottom 5 in the order went 1 for 19 with 9 of those strikeouts. The hit was Pages dinger.
At least 6 relief pitchers posted zeroes after Knack’s poor start.
I guess the best I can see from the box score is the “W”.
Hard to believe this team is playing this poorly.
Maybe Freddie can add a spark come Friday?
Well, I’m getting ready to head north for the summer. It’s hitting 100 degrees now in Phoenix so it’s time to go.
I will be off the grid for a while as I get settled and get my MLB Extra Innings package fired up and watch me some Dodger baseball.
The team isn’t playing poorly. They had a bad roadtrip and came out of it with a 10-4 record. Now they get a day off to regroup, get their best hitter back, and begin a homestand against the Cubs and the Rockies.
First pitcher up for the Cubbies is Mathew Boyd, who looks nothing like the pitcher he was with Detroit. He is coming back from an injury shortened 24. He is 1-0 and has allowed no runs in 11 innings so far. Lefties are hitting him better than right handers. They are 4-10. Right handers hitting just .172 off of him. He has not allowed a homer yet. Steele on the IL so LA misses him.
He’s a changeup guy so we need to lay off the slow stuff. We need to get back to the grind-out-at-bats approach that works so well for us. Freeman returning might add the spark we need. I’m expected a good showing this homestand.
They just lost back to back series JG. And they looked like crap doing it. Not all of them of course but enough. Being home should help, but the bottom of that lineup needs to wake the ef up.
They were everything you say before we won yesterday! If people can overreact to losses, I can overreact to wins 🙂
JG, as a past player and long time coach, recognizing and pointing out problems when a teams is struggling, isn’t an overreaction. It’s reality. And needs to be addressed and worked through. You don’t see me in a panic mode, wanting to blow up the roster.
But the reality is our defense in the infield isn’t what it should be. Our offense isn’t what it should be at the bottom of the order. And the starting pitching lately has left a lot to be desired.
I call that playing poorly even if you don’t.
A skipper’s job is to address these things with the players and work to improve. It is not the job however to roll out the balls, kick up the feet and wait for something better to happen.
Play Better – That is NOT an overreaction.
By the way, I don’t get too enamored with wins and losses as much as I care about quality of play. If everybody does their job, with the players we have, winning will take care of itself. Winning is a by-product of playing well and picking up a teammate when he struggles.
Agree with that part. We definitely can play better.
Thanks Phil. I think every team goes through stretches like this. As fans, we expect better from this group of players. We all know Kike is not an everyday player, but he was forced into this by Freddies injury. Me, I would have shifted Muncy to first and put either Kike or Taylor at third. Both are superior defenders.
Max isn’t moving to first. Taylor isn’t moving to third.
I know, but that is what I would have done.
Same here. I was surprised they didn’t play it that way until Freddy came back.
Roberts can be stubborn.
Well, Muncy certainly needs the practice.,
😀
I know. I was channeling you with my reply.
I agree that both Kiké and CT3 are superior defensive players to Max. But if Max was at 1B instead of Kiké, the Dodgers lose yesterday. The play Kiké made on CJ Abrams ball in the 9th inning saved the Dodgers. Max doesn’t get anywhere near that ball. Kiké has saved Mookie at least twice. Maybe Max makes those picks. Maybe not. But I know he does not make that play on Abrams ball.
There is not one play that Max has made at 3B that would be considered superlative. He does have a great arm, but his throws to 2B are an adventure. My hope is that Max gets back to being the defensive Max of last year. More on the adequate level, but with his bat that is enough. This year his bat has to break out still.
I still believe in Conforto as an everyday player. Despite his recent struggles, his at-bats have been of good quality, and as long as he’s healthy the offensive production will be there. Edman has vaulted into the top tier of our batters, alongside Ohtani, Betts, Freeman and the consistently dangerous Teo. Smith has gotten off to a hot start at the plate; he’s perfectly cast in the #6 spot as he can get on base, hit for power, and have good situational at-bats within a rally.
That leaves Muncy and Pages. Muncy is going nowhere. He’s a veteran with a long track record of success and his leash is about as long as it gets. If he continues to struggle, he could see more occasional breaks, but he should be getting those anyway given his age. Freeland exists as potential long-term solution at 3B but Muncy is in no danger of losing his starting job to him. Pages has a few things going for him that make him unlikely to be replaced without a demonstrably better alternative: one, he is young and cheap, the type of player good teams take the time to develop so that there is natural turnover to the roster; two, he is holding down a key defensive position, so he gets a little more leash on his offense as we know he is working hard to improve his defense; and thirdly, he has a fairly high ceiling as a power-hitting RH OF in an organization whose best OF prospects can be found at the lower levels.
Just like in life, things get stressful when you try to think of all the problems at the same time. Right now the Dodgers don’t really have one major problem but a series of smaller annoying ones like a weak bottom of the lineup, some defensive lapses & too many walks from the starting pitchers (as well as too few innings). Ultimately, these things can be cleaned up. That’s part of what Roberts and Freidman’s job is: to get the team to play the best it is capable of playing. Some things to look for moving forward are the health of our returning key pieces [Phillips, Snell, Kopech, etc.] and the continued progress of our AAA stars [Rushing, Kim, Freeland, etc.]. Further down the line come Kershaw & Ohtani, Graterol & Sheehan, Frasso & Miller. Maybe the biggest wild card of all is Gonsolin, who could lock up a spot in the rotation and later slide into a multi-inning bullpen role.
Solid post JG.
I don’t see any starters at AAA that are going to step up and force their way into the rotation. That only happens if there is serious loss, which certainly could happen. And other than Kim I don’t see room for anybody else.
I still believe in Muncy. He will find it in plenty of time to have a decent season. Kiké, Taylor and Rojas? Bench players only.
The Cat Man is almost ready.
No game tonight so I guess I will watch the Comets take on Round Rock. Jarvis is pitching for OKC.
Books are good too.
I have one about Chris Hillman, a musician who was the original bassist for the Byrds. and then formed the Desert Rose Band that I would like to read. Also, a book by Bill O’Reily, Killing Crazy Horse.
There ya go.
Killing Crazy Horse was a good book. I enjoyed it and learned some new things about the Indian wars.
Bring Hope to Tulsa, if he succeeds like he has at every other level, in three weeks bring him to OKC. If is still putting up numbers he needs to be given a shot in LA. Other players has done it. I believe Hope is special, don’t hold him back because of his age. Let’s find out how good he is right now.
Red Sox signed Yasmani Grandal to a minor league deal. Likely because of the injury to Connor Joe.
Wong
So let me get this straight. The guy who is injured isn’t Connor Joe or Joe Connor, it’s Connor Wong. It’s all very confusing.
The one thing I do know is that Bear is very happy that Grandal signed because Yasmani is one of his all-time favorite Dodgers. It’s a close contest between Grandal and Tyler White.
How well you know me STB!
This is a bwilliant comment.
I realized that later. I had the Wong Connor.