10 Things We Learned

To lose a game without learning something is a sad state of affairs. Yes, the Dodgers lost last night game, but they learned a few things in the process:

1. If you can’t jump out of a boat and hit water, you probably won’t win (OK, OK, we already knew that);
2. Hyun-jin Ryu has gone from being left off the playoff roster (in some of your minds) back to Cy Young Candidate (in case you have never watched, baseball is a game of streaks);
3. Ryu is not comfortable pitching to Will Smith. Last night he pitched to Russ Martin and in the previous two games before his three-game “meltdown” he also pitched to Martin. In his three bad games, Will Smith was the catcher. You won’t see him pitch to Smith again… this year. If Ryu is back next year, he will have all of Spring Training to get on the same page with Will. This is not meant as an indictment of Smith… it’s just familiarity;
4. Julio Urias has proven (for the 3rd or 4th time) that he is not a guy to bring in mid-inning. Roberts brought him in again last night with a runner on just to see how he performed. He is a starter and while he can be a weapon out of the pen for 2 or 3 innings, he needs to start with a clean slate – no mid-inning pitching. The same is true with Dustin May. By the way, if you are evaluating the Dodger’s bullpen on what happened last night, you are missing the entire point;
5. If there is a silver lining to Cody Bellinger’s recent slump, it’s that he is not striking out like last year. I do think he is too anxious and just needs to relax and let the game come to him. As the rest of the team heats up (and they will), he will relax and snap out of it. He’s too good at making adjustments. This winter, he will work on going the other way more and I expect another level of play from him, even though he’s dang good now.
6. Max Muncy will need a few games to get his stroke back. Hopefully, the wrist doesn’t bother him. I would play Muncy 100% at 1B with Lux and Kike or CT3 platooning at 2B and Joc and Kike or CT3 in RF. Kike is superior to CT3 defensively at both positions but obviously can only play one. Those are my two platoons;
7. Gavin Lux looked like a rookie with 3 K’s in 3 AB’s last night. Hopefully, he adjusts quickly;
8. Rich Hill has probably been told by the training staff, coaches and Doc that he risks hurting his arm with wearing a knee brace and changing his delivery, but I’m sure he said “This is probably my last shot at a World Series and helping this team. If I destroy my arm, it will be worth it. I’m probably done anyway!” That’s why we love Dick Mountain. Never count him out – it’s unlikely, but if anyone can do it, it’s Rich;
9. Matt Beaty can play 3B! We just didn’t learn that last night, but his body of work indicates that he could take over for JT in 2021; and
10. AJ Pollock is still learning LF. He has two weeks to master it. I am betting he does.

Parting Shot

A rising star in the Dodger’s organization is Raul Ibanez. I think the Dodgers will either promote him to GM or lose him to some other team, like the Giants. There will be several jobs like that available and he has to be high on the list.

DC’s 10th Inning

Saturday’s Scores:  

Both the Drillers and Raptors came up short yesterday forcing a winner take all game today in both leagues.

Ogden Raptors 2 – Idaho Falls Chukars (KC) 6

Both the arms and the bats were missing in this game. Pitchers Alfredo Tavarez, Jeronimo Castro, and Antonio Hernandez all gave up 2 runs in alternating innings from the 4th inning on.

Catcher Marco Hernandez hit a second-inning home run for a good start but the thundering bats fell pretty much silent after that. Andrew Shaps drove in a run in the 4th inning with a double and Jeremy Orocho finished the hitting with 2 singles.

The Raptors starting pitcher for today’s game has not been announced. Elio Serrano has not been used for several days so it could be his turn.  He was the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week for the last week of the regular schedule.

Tulsa Drillers 0 –  Amarillo Sod Poodles (SD) 3

The pitching wasn’t all that bad as starter Parker Curry gave up 2 runs over 4 innings and Jordan Sheffield one unearned run in the 6th as the defense fell apart with 2 ground ball errors.

The Drillers did have 7 hits, one more than the Sod Poodles, but couldn’t push any runs across. They had several opportunities, putting the leadoff man on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but could not score. In the fourth, they loaded the bases with just one out, but pinch-hitter Jared Walker struck out and Jeter Downs flied out.  

Connor Wong and Donovan Casey both extended their postseason hitting streaks with one hit each. The two have now both hit safely in all nine of Tulsa’s playoff games, the only players to do so.

Right-hander Edwin Uceta gets the call for this afternoon’s game.