and the Beat Goes on!
Since last Friday, when the Dodgers beat the Padres 11-6, they have played five more games and scored one less run than they did in Friday s game. When you average two runs a game, you are certain to have a sub .500 record and the Dodgers are 2-3 in those games. It s a testament to their pitching that they have won any of those games. They won one game 2-0
Since last Friday, when the Dodgers beat the Padres 11-6, they have played five more games and scored one less run than they did in Friday’s game. When you average two runs a game, you are certain to have a sub .500 record and the Dodgers are 2-3 in those games. It’s a testament to their pitching that they have won any of those games. They won one game 2-0 and the other 1-0. The only games they have won in this streak were shutouts.
Striker Buehler (and it really is “Striker”, because he did not walk anyone) was very good, but he had to be perfect and he wasn’t. To top it off, older than dirt Mark Melancon struck out Raley, Barnes, and Betts to save the game. That was his 7th save and his ERA sits at 0.90, with a 0.31 WHIP. We all saw that coming! Yeah, right!
Right about now, the Dodgers can’t jump out of a boat and hit water. If they don’t wake up their bats in short order, they are in danger of losing their first series and emboldening the young Padres even more. Kershaw and Darvish battle tonight and both have been very good this year. The Padres are #1 in MLB with a 2.54 ERA and the Dodgers are second with a 2.68 ERA – both have identical 1.03 WHIPs.
Slumps happen in baseball all the time, but it’s most rare that nobody is hitting, although Noisy and Pollock both had big flys last night. Hitting is contagious and right about now someone really needs to get “sick” with the bat and infect the rest of the team. We got a “glimpse” of Max Muncy in Sheldon Neuse… but he’s just a role player. The Dodgers missed Bellinger, Taylor, and McKinstry last night – the later two had lower back soreness, but that is no excuse. This is the deepest team (on paper) in baseball and you simply have to execute. When asked about his team’s execution last night after the game, Dave Roberts said, “I’m all for it!” [that’s a joke, son]
Blake Treinen is who we thought he was: Pretty good at times and not so good at others. It’s too early to predict what he will do this season, but in 2.1 IP against LH, he has given up 6 hits with no runs while having a 3.86 WHIP. Against RH, he has given up 6 hits in 5.2 IP, but has a 1.24 WHIP. He needs to get it together. iIs stuff is too good to play down like that.
Baseball is sometimes maddening a when you least expect it… BANG! Something crazy happens. Stay Tuned
The Beat Goes on!
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Discussion (54)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The Sweep is on
This series, I think, reveals one aspect of the game in which Padres seem clearly superior: defense.
This especially true in the infield, where Machado>Turner, Tatis>Seager, Hosmer>Muncy, Cronenworth>Lux/Taylor/McKinstry. On D, I’d say that only Betts is clearly superior in RF–and probably Bellinger, but he’s not playing. (Behind the plate, well, I don’t know. Call it even?)
Cliche but true: Defense wins games. Cronenworth and Machado have made game-saving plays for the Pads, and it was Betts who previously made a game-saving play for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are collectively slumping with the bats now, but the track record suggests this will pass. But there is little reason to think the Dodgers defense will improve. It’s not that it’s bad, just that in the end, a “good enough” defense may not be really be good enough.
I agree with DNS. The defense is crap right now. Rios not catching that pop up. Turner and Seager are showing no range. Muncy has never been good on D. Thing is, I think it will improve as the season progresses.
When it rains, it pours. Why is everyone injured? Did they not get stretched out enough in Spring Training? Really bad news with Corey Knebel. Looks like another trip to the DL is coming. So, we got Belli down, Z-Mac down, Mookie and Taylor injured on the roster, Gonsolin, Kelly, Lux. This is a mess.
New game today. Hopefully the bats will get going.