For the most part, we as Dodger fans have become somewhat spoiled. The team has played so well over the last decade, that we expect the World Series every year. Is this realistic?
When you consider the fact that a team must win an additional 13 games if they are the wild card, 14 if they are a play-in team, and 11 if they get the bye, it just is not that easy.
At this point in time, it is my opinion that the bye team is put at a disadvantage with the system as it is. They don’t play for at least five days after the season ends.
This system has been in effect the last two years. Both times, three of the teams with a bye were beaten in the LDS. In 22, three of the four teams with a bye were defeated. Yankees, Braves and Dodgers. The fourth, Houston, went on to win the World Series. In 23, three of the four lost again, LA, Atlanta, and the Orioles. Houston would lose in the LCS, so none of the four made the World Series.
A NL team with 84 wins won its way to the series by first beating the 92-win Brewers, then the 100-win Dodgers, and finally the 90-win Phillies. They then lost the series to the Rangers. Texas got there by beating the Orioles and Astros. The Orioles had the best record in the AL with 101 wins.
Houston is the only 100 plus game winner in this system to advance to the series. For Dodger fans it is frustrating since the team won 211 games the last two years and hasn’t advanced past the LDS.
Placing blame is easy. For many, it is mismanagement by Roberts. For some they blame the front office for not getting the right pieces to put the team over the top at the deadline.
But teams have to be WILLING to trade the piece you want to your team. The Dodgers had a deal in place to land LH starter, Eduardo Rodriguez from Detroit. He used his veto right to reject the trade. Forced to scramble at the last minute, they pivoted to KC and landed swingman, Yarbrough.
I have also heard things from fans like no fire on the team. Not enough attitude. I also saw one fan who said that Freeman was too nice a person, and that he needed to show more competitiveness. Same with Mookie, great player, not very emotional.
Since he took over after the 2014 season, Andrew Freidman has traded for these players at the deadline. 2015: Arroyo, Johnson, Avilan, Peraza, Wood, Morse and Latos. Morse was then traded for Jose Tabata.
2016: Jesse Chavez, Josh Fields, Rich Hill, Josh Reddick. 2017: Cingrani, Darvish, Watson. 2018: Machado, Axford, Dozier. Machado was acquired on the 18th. He was more of a need than most trades since Seager was out for the year. 2019: Negron, Kolarek, Gyorko. I consider this to be one of the weaker deadline deals for AF. In 2020 due to the pandemic, there was only one trade at the deadline, Ross Stripling went to the Jays for Kendall Williams and Ryan Noda.
The Dodgers most important deal was the trade for Betts prior to the season. 2021: Max Scherzer, T. Turner. They also traded for Danny Duffy who never pitched an inning for the team. 2022: They actually started dealing on the 30th of July with the deadline August 2, they got Chris Martin from the Cubs, and then trade for Joey Gallo. Another weak deadline. Since for the last several years, late August trades are not allowed, the deadline is your last chance to get help from another organization.
2023: Kike Hernandez, Amed Rosario, Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Ryan Yarbrough. So, it is obvious AF tried to improve the team bringing in those five players. They may not have been the best, but they were the best available.
Rosario did not light up the scoreboard, but he played well enough. I was hoping they would keep him as a free agent, but he ended up signing with the Rays, and he is having a resurgence of sorts, hitting .299 so far. One reason I liked him is because he is only 28, to me, a better option than Kike.
Roberts gets criticized a lot. But you cannot really argue that his teams do not play well. I think my biggest gripe is that the team is not great at baseball fundamentals. They do not bunt, they rarely steal, and the situational hitting is pathetic.
His one strength is communication. He does that very well, and with a team full of superstars, there is definitely harmony in the clubhouse. You can see that these guys really pull for each other.
So, what is the solution to the early exits from the playoffs? Better fundamentals would be a good start. Not swinging for the fences all of the time. Shorten up with two strikes, take the ball where it is pitched instead of trying to pull everything and be the hero.
I believe one major change that needs to be made is that the playoffs be restructured. Make the wild card round first two games a doubleheader. Then play game three the next day if needed. Then start the series on Thursday instead of Friday. Keeps the wild card teams from re-setting their pitching staff, and the bye teams only have three days off, much like the All-Star break.
The only time the Dodgers have gotten to the LCS in the last three seasons is when they had to play in to get to the LDS. Change is needed. Will it come? That is up to MLB.
MiLB Game Summary Reports
OKC Baseball Club 6 – Sacramento River Cats (Giants) 4
This was not one that Dinelson Lamet wants to put on his resume. The first four batters reached with 2 scoring. OKC got some help with Ismael Munguia was thrown out at home in an attempted steal of home on the back end of a double steal. He was able to keep the River Cats without scoring any other runs in his 4.0 innings.
In the 5th, OKC got one back when Jonathan Araúz drew a walk and scored on an Andre Lipcius double (9).
Jesse Hahn came on in relief in the 6th. 2 doubles, 2 walks, and a sac fly later, and the River Cats had a 4-1 lead.
First three OKC batters reached in the 7th loading the bases with no outs. Drew Avans hit a sacrifice fly to plate 1. But what started as what might have been a big inning, ended up with just one run.
In the 8th, OKC turned the game around. Austin Gauthier hit a one out single and moved to 3rd on a Kody Hoese double. Chris Owings singled home both runners, and the game was tied. Chris Okey followed up with a single pushing Owings to 3rd. Jonathan Araúz delivered the 4th consecutive hits, with Owings scoring the go-ahead run and Okey moving to third. Drew Avans had the 5th consecutive hit with Okey scoring the 6th run.
Sacramento failed to score in the 8th, as well as OKC failing to score in the 9th. LHRP John Rooney entered in the 9th to try and close it down for the win. Rooney allowed a one out single to Donovan Walton, but struck out Jackson Reetz and David Villar to end the game with his 1st save.
After dropping the first four games of the series, OKC came back to win the final two.
- Andre Lipcius – 2-5, 1 RBI, double 9
- Kody Hoese – 2-5, 1 run, double (7)
- Chris Owings – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Jonathan Araúz – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI
Tulsa Drillers 6 – Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) 5
In a come from behind victory, the Drillers scored 1 in the 8th and 2 in the 9th to get the walk off win, with 2 out.
Orlando Ortiz-Mayr and Ryan Sublette gave up 5 runs in 5.2 IP. Juan Morillo relieved Sublette with a runner on 1B. He gave up a single, but got the final out in the 6th. Morillo, Ben Harris, and Jeisson Cabrera navigated the final three innings not allowing a run.
In the first, Alex Freeland drew a BB and Taylor Young doubled him home.
Alex Freeland hit a solo HR in the third, and Chris Alleyne hit a HR in the 5th.
Alex Freeland gave the Drillers the lead twice, the last was a Walk Off. He hit HR #4 overall & his 2nd with Tulsa & had 5 hits over the weekend. Tulsa won all 3 & he was a huge part of it. Not only did he have the walk off & the 5 hits, he also scored 5 runs over the weekend.… pic.twitter.com/hwPIvW8gJO
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) May 19, 2024
Down 5-3 in the 8th, Alex Freeland walked, and Young and Griffin Lockwood-Powell followed with singles, with Freeland scoring.
In the 9th, needing one to tie and two to win, Diego Cartaya led off with a single. After Brandon Lewis struck out, Dalton Rushing was HBP. Alleyne hit a ground ball to 2nd, and Wichita was looking for the DP. They got Rushing at 2nd, but the throw to 1st was thrown away, and Cartaya scored the tying run, and Chris Alleyne moved to 2nd. Alex Freeland, the day’s hitting star, on a 2-out 3-2 pitch hit a game winning walk off single.
#Dodgers SS prospect Alex Freeland delivered a walkoff hit for Double-A Tulsa to continue his breakout season at the plate pic.twitter.com/2kDJga3qcH
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) May 19, 2024
- Alex Freeland – 2-3, 2 BB, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR (2)
- Taylor Young – 2-4, 1 RBI, double (9)
- Chris Alleyne – 1-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, HR (3)
Diego Cartaya is showing signs of rounding into form offensively, today he showed off his arm. Unofficially I got a 1.9 on the pop time, which is very good. #dodgers pic.twitter.com/L6h8K59Z5w
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) May 19, 2024
Great Lakes Loons 3 – Dayton Dragons (Reds) 1
Peter Heubeck got the start for Great Lakes. In 4.0 IP, he gave up the run on 3 hits and 2 walks, with 5 Ks. The run was scored on a single and a one out double in the 3rd.
High A Midwest League Top Pitching Performance of the Day for May 19th
Peter Heubeck, RHP, Great Lakes
5 K, 4 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 H https://t.co/r9bNuM9RE4— James Weisser (@JWeisser88) May 20, 2024
Four relievers kept the Dragons off the board with 2 hits and 2 BB, and only 1 K.
The Loons tied the score in the 6th on a Thayron Liranzo solo HR (4).
Loons Thayron Liranzo crushes his second home run of the game to put Great Lakes up 2-1. @DodgersBeat pic.twitter.com/XH8xnYsvL8
— 🇺🇸 DooM_Sal (@msalas24) May 19, 2024
In the 8th, Liranzo hit his second solo HR of the day (5) for the lead.
#Dodgers C prospect Thayron Liranzo homered twice today, one from each side of the plate
Liranzo lead the Cal League in homers last year and is up to five home runs so far this season pic.twitter.com/UFqmclVjHm
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) May 19, 2024
Kyle Nevin followed with a single and Chris Newell was HBP. Dylan Campbell lined out to CF, and Nevin moved to 3rd. Nevin scored an insurance run on a Jake Gelof sac fly.
- Noah Miller – 2-4, 1 BB
- Thayron Liranzo – 2-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2 HR (5)
- Dylan Campbell – 2-4
- Jake Gelof, 2-3, SF, 1 RBI
Inland Empire 66ers (LAA) 18 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8
Quakes pitchers were battered around for the third straight game. They have allowed 42 runs over the past three games. In this game, two top RC pitchers, starter Patrick Copen and reliever Reynaldo Yean were hit hard in this one. After 11 scoreless games where Yean did not allow a run in 10.2 IP, and had given up only 2 hits. But in the 9th inning of this game, Yean allowed 4 runs (all earned) on 2 hits and three walks, with 1 K.
- Jesus Galiz – 3-4, 1 BB, 2 runs
- Sean McLain – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (2)
- Samuel Munoz – 2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (2), triple (1)
- Juan Alonso – 3-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (6)
- Wilman Diaz – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Double – Joe Vetrano (2)
- HR – Jordan Thompson (6)
Dodgers ACL:
There was not an ACL game today, but I found the following on Eduardo Quintero.
Here’s #Dodgers prospect Eduardo Quintero’s 3 run shot from last night. After homering again today his OPS is up to .941 in the Arizona Complex League. Quintero doesn’t turn 19 until September, he’s a high school senior basically 👀 pic.twitter.com/SjgHkucLiY
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) May 18, 2024
Ohtani with his first walk off hit as a Dodger. We can hope he has many more. Nice shot by Pages today. He is going to be here a while. Knack was ok through 4, then ran into some trouble in the 5th. Banda looked pretty good, and they got some length out of Vesia. Looks like today’s game with the D-Backs will be a bullpen game for them. Mantiply is starting.
? Yesterday was Yamamotos regular day to pitch but they inserted Knack, giving YY and everyone else and extra day off. I expect YY to be pitching followed by Stone on Tuesday.
It will be Stone on Tuesday and then Glasnow on Wednesday. Then they head to Cincy to play the Reds again.
Every year? No. 3 out of 17 trips, with 1 win? Yeah, I would hope for better results than that.
Each year I would like to see at least 1 prospect make the starting lineup. We will see more than that up and down of course, but like Outman did last year, to have a Dodger in the voting for ROY should be a goal for the organization. It has been that way in the past. Pages this year? Who will it be next year and the year following?
How many championships with a different manager? The unanswerable question
Alston 4 Lasorda 2 Roberts 1. That’s it.
Jeff I like that solution,having wildcards play a dh. It’s either that or just start the playoffs with only one wildcard team and they play the top seed.
Playoffs are about money. The more games, the more money.
How to get the best teams into the World Series? Well that’s up to them isn’t it. Lay eggs in the first series of the playoffs, like Betts and Freeman did, you don’t deserve to play on.
4 Divisions, 2 Wild Cards (maybe even 4) seeded by record. I don’t think having a few days off before playing is a problem that late in the season but I know others do.
I agree Badger, that it is the money that dictates the playoff structure. I’ve felt that the wild card teams don’t incur much of a penalty for not winning their division. And, in some cases it’s to their benefit because of not having so many days off after the season concludes. Once they win the wild card round then they get a couple of days before they start the next round and are able to reset their pitching. So, where’s the penalty to the wild card? How is playing an extra 2-3 games a penalty after a 162 game season?
I like Jeff’s idea of a DH. It should start the Monday after the season ends. No travel day It would have to be a day/night concept to keep the $$$ coming in. If a team wins the DH they have one day to travel to the net round. That’s their reward for sweeping. If they split the DH the winner of game three starts the next round the next day. No rest or travel day. That’s the penalty for being a wild card and not sweeping the DH. So, if they start the playoffs on Monday, then the next round starts on Wednesday. That gives the division winners only two days off instead of 4-5 days. Also, the WC teams don’t have a chance to reset their pitching. Also, starting on Wednesday there’s no competition with the NFL. The first three games are at the division winner’s park. Then two at WC team’s park and then, if necessary, two back at division winner’s park. So, if the WC can overcome these scheduling hurdles then they deserve to have normal days off for the remaining postseason.
“Lay eggs in the first series of the playoffs, like Betts and Freeman did, you don’t deserve to play on.”
Badger, I have to disagree with you here. I understand, but I don’t agree. So, because Betts and Freeman have a stretch of 3-4 games where they can’t hit they don’t deserve to continue in the postseason? They played a 162 game season, win 100+games and the division by 20+ games. That’s not deserving? But, Manfred doesn’t give a crap about baseball or the Dodgers, so the playoff structure will probably continue.
The current playoff structure isn’t maximizing the potential interest for a World Series. I mean, who was clamoring for a Arizona – Texas WS? Other than the local fans, almost no one. And, especially, the largest TV markets. With a strong TV market from the NFL, MLB should do what’s necessary to have the WS completed by mid October. Being the regular season isn’t that important on who plays in the WS anymore, then the schedule should be reduced. Will that happen? Not a chance. Who would want a team like Miami deprive 120,000 or so of missing out of watching their team for 19-24 games while they are 40+ games out of first place?
Badger, sorry for hijacking your post.
Carry on.
No problem Ted. Appreciate your take.
Teams need their Super Stars to perform. Especially in a short elimination series.
Agree about playoff structure and that’s why fans are looking for ways to make it work for the better teams. But until that is figured out, the better teams have to figure out how to be better in October. If the Stars don’t get it done, who will?
With the current postseason setup you are correct. Surely, puts a lot of pressure on the Super Stars not to have 3-4 bad games. But, with what they are paid bad games are not acceptable. Whether fair or not.
Totally agree with the above comments. By the time the World Series rolls around, many sports fans have shifted their attention to the NFL, college football, the NBA and NHL. The excitement of the World Series has been diluted — especially with added playoff games. Shorten the season back to 154 games. Have every team play five scheduled doubleheaders. Anything to get the Series played and over by mid-October. Will it happen? Not as long as the likes of Manfred are running the show.
Manfred has little to do with the schedule. As far as cutting back to 154 games, that won’t happen because the owners would scream about the loss of income. Mostly the small market teams who rarely draw even one million fans.
My post, not Jeff’s.
Great stuff Bear. I too favor ways to shorten the Bye team’s days off.I especially like starting the wildcard round with one day rest for travel to the home site, a double header the first day and game 3 the next day if necessary. Start the next round the next day. Teams travel to sites and play the next day, all the time. That would be 3 days off for the Division winner.
They will likely give the wildcard winner a day off, so 4 days rest. I have made a wild suggestion that the Division winners do something different during their rest period. Maybe consider scheduling a real live game with fans in for free and cheap concessions and play the winner of a quality Independent League, perhaps with MLB vets or an All-Star team consisting of Independent League players. Their seasons are typically done just before that time. Give the Indy players a look in a big arena. It’s better than sitting around playing scrimmages.
I don’t know if MLB would approve that? Probably not.
Hey Badger, regarding our conversation regarding MLB players failing to execute plays we all learn in Little League. How about Lux’s failure to cover first on a sac bunt? Maybe he was surprised that he actually was seeing a bunt in MLB but at every level of baseball when a batter shows bunt, all other responsibilities are off and he covers first.
There’s one exception which I won’t go into but that’s not the case yesterday.
Doesn’t matter where he was lined up on the pitch, as soon as he sees the batter square he should be off to first and beat the batter by at least a few steps. Are we to believe pros don’t practice that? And Yarbrough throwing to an empty bag is inexcusable. Sure you expect someone there but that isn’t a no look pass. As soon as you look up you should see nobody is there. I chalk it up to the not so good defense I talked about early. Yeah, I know, DRS. My eyes often tell me a different story.
The other factor is the catcher. 2 nd base might not be there(his bad), pitcher throws to no one ( his bad) cstcher shoukd be yelling something ” hold it!, no throw, keep it,”, that would have avoided the bad throw.
I have enjoyed Lux’s defense at 2B so far. That’s excluding the failure to cover first last night. And, Yarbrough’s lack of awareness that Lux wasn’t within 20 feet of 1B. Two players’ failure with fundamentals and execution. Yikes.
I have a question for Jeff, Phil, or Badger (and everyone else). What is your analysis of Lux’s swing? To me he seems to be throwing the bat at where he thinks the location will be. He doesn’t look like he has a smooth swing at the pitch. I know it’s been described on a hard hit ball the hitter dropped the head of the bat on the ball. But, with Lux it seems to be exaggerated. What am I seeing? And, is it a proper way to hit a baseball consistently? Thanks.
Where was Lux positioned on that bunt play. Was he near second base? Or at a more traditional place on the field? All I saw was him running over but I couldn’t tell where he started from. If it was from near second base, then he had no chance to make the play.
It doesn’t matter, Sam, where Lux started. It is an absolute, in every level of baseball, that when the hitter shows bunt, the second baseman has to cover first base. No excuses. He’s not holding a runner and if he’s playing up the middle and can’t get to first on the bunt, then he was playing too far up the middle. He has to travel far less ground to cover first than a batter bunting and running 90 feet.
I also don’t blame Yarborough for doing what he’s supposed to; throw the ball to the base. He has to trust in his second baseman to do his job.
I hear a lot of excused for poor plays; the runner crossed in front of the fielder, the outfielder didn’t have his arm up long enough, the second baseman couldn’t get first, the pitcher forgot to cover first on a grounder to the right side, the catcher got a bad hop on a ball he should have blocked, the throw from an outfielder got to the screen or the dugout because the pitcher was too lazy to back up. There seems to be an excuse for everything. It’s what we do now as a society; blame something or someone. else.
These are highly paid professionals, in a highly competitive league. This isn’t rec league.
Certainly everyone makes mistake. Errors are part of the game. But it’s the mental errors I can’t except. And I will guarantee you that the players don’t accept it either. They know they screwed up and aren’t satisfied with excuses or their brain farts. Or at least they should be.
Lux’s swing appears long to me. But he isn’t necessarily late to the strike zone. In fact he’s often early with all those rollover grounders he hits. Timing is everything and his is off. I would say try going oppo, or at least a line drive up the middle but I don’t know he can do that. I did see one drive down the left field line. One. And it looked like he meant to do it. Why not more of that. Iontknow. Ask him.
Thanks Badger. To me he doesn’t look comfortable at the plate. The long layoff?
Maybe. I hope that’s it. He was a first round pick for a reason,
Here, read all about it:
https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_bat.php?reportid=555#:~:text=Excellent%20athlete%20with%20plus%20quick,to%20get%20power%20where%20needed.&text=Plus%20barrel%20acceleration%2C%20excellent%20feel,upper%20body%20stay%20in%20sync.
What’s different from that report was that horrible injury. I’m sure the team will have patience with him.
Ted, I don’t think he sees pitches well. His step in the bucket, often, doesn’t help. I watch his head and I don’t think he tracks the pitch as well as others. He does not possess a controlled, inside out swing, with his head on the baseball, that allows him to drive pitches to left field, consistently. Just not a skilled, controlled, bat to ball guy, in my opinion.
Thanks Phil. Surely valid points. He seems to have lots of trouble making solid contact. He’s got to have some of the lowest exit velocity in MLB.
Oh, one other gripe with Lux. Get a damn helmet that fits! I’m sure that’s why his defense has improved with all the time he spends trying to keep his helmet on his head. It has helped his hand eye coordination. Lol.
Lux is stepping in the box pulling off everything. He is cheating to get to the fastball and just rolling over. I know u didn’t ask me but just an observation.
I appreciate everyone’s input. Good observation Therealten!
“I think my biggest gripe is that the team is not great at baseball fundamentals. They do not bunt, they rarely steal, and the situational hitting is pathetic.”
“So, what is the solution to the early exits from the playoffs? Better fundamentals would be a good start. Not swinging for the fences all of the time. Shorten up with two strikes, take the ball where it is pitched instead of trying to pull everything and be the hero.”
You nailed it Bear.
By the way, the Dodgers lead MLB in runners LOB with 367.
And yet they are 1st in RBI, hits, walks, and run differential, and 2nd in runs scored. Maybe they leave more on base because they put more on base.
BTW, not at the LAD level, but both NYY and Philadelphia are high on the list.
MLB LOB Leaders:
https://www.statspros.com/mlb-team-left-on-base-leaders/
League average is 6.7 LOB/Game. Dodgers are at 7.5 LOB/Game. Seems to me there is room for improvement and better fundamentals could help. I am not complaining, just exploring possible ways to get better.
The best teams should be at the top of the LOB rankings.
why is this a problem?
I never said it was a problem. I am simply pointing out that it is an area that can be improved upon. And that might make a big difference in the playoffs.
The Dodgers do lead the league in RBIs.
If they lead all teams in RBIs and for LOB, they will be fine. No?
I’m being silly. Apologies.
I just feel like the best teams are going to have the most people on base. It’s baseball that a lot of players are left on base.
I see your point. Gotta get a lot of guys on to leave that many and still be second in runs scored.
Freddie just hit a grand slam!
You ask what is the solution for early exits? Hunger to prove themselves worthy. Players need motivation. If they don’t self-motivate, nothing will help. Paying them the exorbitant salaries doesn’t help motivation. The Dodgers were noted for their congenial clubhouse where players felt good about being there, yet they’ve slumped almost every year in recent memory. Plus, I’ll say it again, Doc Roberts doesn’t help the situation.
The Dodgers traded for RHRP Yohan Ramirez from the Mets for cash considerations. Why? His career ERA 4.29, his career FIP (more indicative) is 4.89, and his career WHIP is 1.352. In 138.1 career IP, he has 145 K with 75 BB. His one value pitch is a sweeper (+2 run value). His 2nd most pitched is a sinker with a -3 run value. 4-seamer and curve have 0 run value.
He has no options, so he has to be placed on the 26 man. Who goes down? I am guessing Knack. He has to be placed on the 40 man, who gets moved? Does Brasier go onto the 60 day IL?
But the Dodgers have to make room for Ramirez so that Varland, Vanasco, and Knack can stick in OKC? Yeah, AF loves his veterans.
The Dodgers are Ramírez’s seventh team in the last three seasons, having pitched in the majors for the Mariners, Guardians, Pirates, White Sox, Mets, and Orioles since the start of 2022. He was actually with the Mets twice this season, starting the season with New York before getting traded to the Orioles on April 11. The Mets claimed Yohan back off waivers on May 6.
Banda made more sense because he was LH. But this makes zero sense to me, unless Mark Prior or Connor McGuinness have said they can “fix” him ala Evan Phillips. BTW, when is Phillips coming back? He is eligible now. Joe Kelly? He will be eligible on Tuesday. We never get a straight answer on injuries, so who knows.
It would be nice if AF would give us an explanation when he makes a move like this Ramirez one.
I’m setting the overs/unders for when Ramirez is DFA’d at 2.5 days.
One other possible explanation is that there is an unofficial competition between the Ramirezes and the Hernandezes to see which group can get to 10 on the 40-man roster first. As of right now the Hernandezes lead 3-2. Unless, of course, the other Ramirez is the guy who is kicked off the 40-man to make room for Yohan.
Every year it seems AF makes a deal that to us fans make zero sense. This is one of those.
Dodger fans had the same reactions when we got Brasier, Chris Martin, CT3, Max Muncy, Evan Phillips, Vesia, etc: who is this guy???
I’ll bet we all love Ramirez by August.
I’ll bet he won’t be around that long.
I am with you. When Brasier, Graterol, Phillips are ready, someone is gone. Then you have Kersh and Miller coming back too.
With his history I doubt it he is around by the end of this month. With the six, etc. you mentioned above there were dozens and dozens that didn’t last a week to a few weeks. But, it gives many players an opportunity to play for the Dodgers and you never know what who might stick. No harm though.
And, it would be awesome to get AF or someone from the front office to give us an explanation for the moves. But, we know that will never happen.
Like many here, I’m scratching my head on this trade too. What exactly does anyone see in Ramirez to give us hope? He has been getting blasted in two leagues already this year. Maybe someone who was the one responsible or partly responsible for the trade could give us their thinking. That would be nice.
As for us going out quietly in the playoffs the past few years, I too believe a long layoff hurts a team more than helps it. The pitchers may get a small benefit, but I don’t believe the batters do. Besides, there are plenty of off days throughout the playoffs.
Lastly, well, first it was Cody Bellinger….then it was Gavin Lux…recently, it is James Outman. So what do I think of Mr Pages? See the outcome of the 3 amigos I just mentioned. In other words, I’m not getting my hopes up that he could be different. I now have done an about face on this, but now I couldn’t care less about prospects except to use them as trade bait. I’d much rather have a proven major leaguer rather than some “hot prospect” who hasn’t done squat in the Bigs yet. Chances are…he probably won’t do much. Following these guys in the minors has now become another thing for me to do away with….EXCEPT the pitchers. I do believe they are different from the batters.
So there you have it. Sorry to rain down on any body’s parade. I’m just unloading all my thoughts today. I feel better already.
TM
I love seeing our kids make it. It was nice seeing Bellinger and Seager get the ROY. Seager is still going strong, but he is also still somewhat injury prone. As for Bellinger, he has not been the same player since he dislocated his shoulder in 2020. He has shown flashes, but not consistency. As for Lux, cut him a little slack. The guy hasn’t played in over a year, and he has only played in 36 games. I think he will start hitting better soon. He is working hard and works with the hitting coaches every day.
Bear I’m going to disagree that Bellinger’s spiral began when he injured his shoulder in 2020.
A little History here:
In the first 82 games of 2019, Belli was unconscious. He hit .346 / 1137, with 27 dingers and striking out only 17% of AB’s. The remainder of the 2019 season, he hit .259 / .921 and his strike out rate increased to 22%. He still had MVP stats for the season and finished up at .305 / 1035 with 47 dingers. But the 2nd half of 2019 was the beginning of his downward spiral, in my opinion. in the 2019, 5 game post season, Bellinger hit .211 / .549 with 0 homers.
Bellinger had a slow start in 2020, going 5-for-36 in his first eight games. Unlike in previous years, Bellinger was making weak contact with pitches, leading to a large number of groundouts. His numbers for the whole season saw a drop-off from the previous year: in 56 games of the shortened season. Bellinger hit only .239 /.789 with 12 homers. In the post season of 18 games, Belli hit .212 / .770 with 0 homers and a 33% K rate.
Bellinger’s drops in batting average was explained by his constant experimentation with his swing, which prevented him from locking into pitches the way he had the season prior. Despite injuring his shoulder on Oct. 18, during the NLCS, Bellinger continued to play in the World Series, and he celebrated his Game 1 home run by foot-tapping his teammates rather than high-fiving them. Bellinger underwent surgery for the affected shoulder in November 2020.
Bellinger’s hitting woes started well before the shoulder injury.
Bellinger had four homers and 13 RBIs in the 2020 playoffs. His worst work came in the World Series after he dislocated his shoulder. He hit only .136, but still had a homer. He hit .333 against the Padres, with a homer and 5 driven in. He hit only .200 against the Braves but had 2 homers and drove in 5. Yes, his second half in 2019 was not what the first half had been, teams adjusted, and Cody did not. But I give him a pass in 21 since he was recovering from surgery and broke his leg early in the year and missed significant time. He wasn’t the same player in 22, but still raised his BA 45 points. And in 21, he was one of the few players who had a decent playoff run. He hit .412 against the Braves in the playoffs. He will probably never reach the numbers he did in 19 ever again. But he is still one of the best center fielders in the league, and a more consistent bat than say, James Outman.
I feel your frustrations TM. Corey Seager and Will Smith are the only prospect position players the Dodgers have had stick with the team in the past decade. And, Seager is no longer with the team and was not drafted by AF. So, that leaves one prospect in 14 years of drafting for AF to play 2 full seasons for the Dodgers. With having a top minor league system for years it’s a pedestrian record. The pitching is not much better. Although, this season there are a few pitching prospects doing well. But, the problem is they pitch a couple of games and then go on the IL. So, there’s that.
I agree with your thoughts on using the prospects for trades for established players or a young, All Star caliber SS. Jeff has mentioned several prospects he felt should have been moved up in class at the start of the season. They weren’t, in most cases, because there was no room to move them. There’s a back log of prospects and with minimal chances of ever playing for the Dodgers. AF loves his veterans and is reluctant to trade prospects then what’s the philosophy? The Dodger depth in the minors is always applauded, but what’s the point if AF goes out of the organization to replace a veteran. But, I cannot deny his successes. Therefore, I think it’s time for me to shut up.
A”s far as raining on anyone’s parade today, no worries. The parade was over by the time you got here.
Carry on.
When we didn’t have any catchers in the pipeline AF had an all out assault on drafting c internationally and the annual draft. Connor Wong anyone? This year it’s been ss. After this year if not before I believe he will look for a ss. Not good news for Lux. He would like to have prospects to keep the cost down. But with low draft picks and ownership spending he has gone to long term.
mookie Betts, Ohtani, Smith, Freeman (less) extended Muncy, Taylor(sadly) Yamamoto, Glasnow, with youngsters Stone, Sheehan(Il), frasso, Ryan, and May, Gonsolin, Kershaw on the mend. Hurt and wrobleski coming. If Vargas, outman, pages or 2of 3 the Dodgers don’t really need a draft for a few. There best prospects may be at rancho and Arizona. If Ohtani doesn’t make it back as a pitcher he might play of or 1st in a few.
La is going to need some bullpen replacements. Mb why he is gather as many as he can. Phillips, Graterol, treinen, Hudson, are either gone after this year or next. He has started on replacements.next years pen, grove, Banda, hurt, Vesia, feyersian, brasier, Jean? 104mph. The Dodgers look very good long term with health risks of course.
The longer the bottom of the rotation is left as it is, the more possibility this team folds in the playoffs. They spend so much money on proven players but they can’t fill a roster with proven hitters? pitchers? The choices AF makes is part of the Dodger problems. It’s the corporate mentality that rules this club. It’s machine made, not handmade.
FIP 3.51, K/9 11.9. AF must figure Prior can lock him in.
Looking at that photo of the trophy with all the autographs, MLB players must have the worst signatures in the world. You can’t read any of them. I got a baseball card autographed by Carl Erskine; you can read his name clearly. I also have a Duke Snider signed 8X10. Again, you can read the signature clearly.