All or Nothing Teams

For the past few years, many of us have complained (myself included) that the Dodgers are an “All or Nothing,” “Feast or Famine” type of team. We have attributed this to the hitting style promoted by Robert Van Socyoc (RVS). Would it surprise you to learn that every other team is virtually the same? I randomly took game logs and went back to last year and many other years, looking at various teams, and it was apparent that this is not just about the Dodgers. It’s every team.

Baseball is a game of averages. In one game, a player may go 0-4, and in the next game, he is 2-4. He looked bad in the first game but looked great in the second. Still, his batting average is .250. This is by no means a scientific treatise, but at first blush, this is the struggle every team has. One night you run into a buzzsaw of pitchers who shut you down, and the next night, you get a few pitches in your wheelhouse!

Understand this: If a pitcher was able to put every pitch where he intended it to be, very few hitters would hit the ball. Hitting a baseball is the single hardest thing to do in any sport, in my opinion. The Dodgers are in a slump, and it is more pronounced. Players slump – teams slump, and sometimes the whole team slumps… pitchers and hitters. This, too, shall pass.

Miguel Vargas doesn’t need just rest – he needs a trip to the IL. He started the season with a broken pinkie, and about ten days ago, he suffered a painful injury to his thumb, which is preventing him from gripping and swinging the bat. It is heavily taped and immobile. Vargas’s struggles have been caused by injury, not just because he is not ready. For some reason, the Dodgers want to keep him in the lineup and let him play through it. For the most part, his defense has been stellar. His skills are evident, and when he gets past this injury, I expect him to pursue the ROY along with Outman, who still looks qualified.

The Dodgers always seem to deliberately “understate” injuries which is why I am concerned with Will Smith. When you start missing games due to a concussion, the odds are you will get more… and quickly, which could be career-ending. I think the Dodgers need to become proactive and move Will Smith from behind the plate right about NOW! To me, Max Muncy is looking more comfortable at 3B and playing very solid defense of late. I think Vargas found his forever position at 2B – he has been outstanding (especially for someone who has played 2B so little). The logical spot for Will Smith is LF… at least right now. Maybe 3B makes more sense next year when Max can move to DH.

When Mookie gets back from paternity leave, he needs to go directly to SS. Do not pass Go, Do not Collect $200. Just do it. I have no doubt that Mookie can play SS. He may make a mistake or two, but he has a high Baseball IQ and will learn quickly. I am all for James Outman hitting leadoff if he can keep his BA up. Remember, this is a very small sampling, and it means very little to people who understand baseball, but I have seen enough to endorse it. This needs to be the lineup:

1. Outman CF
2. Betts SS
3. Freeman 1B
4. Martinez DH
5. Muncy 3B
6. Smith LF
7. Peralta/Thompson RF
8. Vargas 2B
9. Feduccia/Barnes/Wynns C

I would call up Feduccia and carry 3 catchers for a time. CT3 becomes the super-utility player. Barnes can play the IF in a pinch as well. Heyward is the odd man out. That’s my plan. Execute it, Andrew! 😉

Dodger Notes & News

• OKC
• Tony Gonsolin and Jimmy Nelson are both nearing rehab assignments and Victor Gonzalez is hitting on all cylinders (1.29 ERA).
• Mike Busch was back at 3B last night and was 2-4.
• Hunter Feduccia was the DH and hit cleanup for the OKC Dodgers last night – he was 3-5 with his 4th HR and is hitting .438 with a 1.440 OPS – yeah, I’d say call him up.
• TULSA
• Jahmai Jones went 0-6 and is hitting .213. He is who we thought he was!
• Andy Pages – .406 BA/1.270 OPS
• Nick Frasso – 4 IP/4 H/0 R/2 BB/7 K – 1.38 ERA
• Tanner Dodson – Converted OF’er (last year) who throws 100 MPH – 3 IP/0 H/1BB/2 K – 0.00 ERA
• John Rooney – Converted Starter – 2nd Save/ 2 IP/1 H/0 BB/3 K – 1.42 ERA
• GL
• Ronan Kopp – 3 IP/2 H/0 ER/3 BB/6 K – 0.90 ERA – Cut down on the walks, and you have something!
• RC
• Maddux Bruns – 4 IP/0 H/0 R/1 BB/6 K – He is ahead of schedule – GL is next up!