Bumsrap mentioned this last night, but in 1955 in the very first game Sandy Koufax started, he walked eight batters in 4.2 innings. He struck out four and allowed just one run. Walks plagued him for years… until they didn’t. We all know the story of how he fixed his wildness. It just involved taking a little bit off of each pitch. Instead of throwing 100, maybe he threw 98! I often wonder if players like the Bazooka were to take a couple of MPH off of their pitches whether their control and movement would improve?
In the instant case, I am talking about Ryan Pepiot. While I have not written about it, the “barbershop talk in Indy” about Ryan revolves around how it seems that he should be better than he is and his frequent bouts with control… or lack thereof. Unlike Sandy Koufax, who was 19 years old when he debuted, Ryan Pepiot is a grown man. He will celebrate his 25th birthday in August! Of course, I know that players develop in different ways and progress is not linear, so there is that!
Last offseason, Ryan consulted a psychologist/therapist to help with his confidence and command. Good for him, but his control issues still remain. If you look back at Ryan Pepiot’s Stats as an amateur and pro, you will see a pitcher who struggles with his command. He has a general idea of where the ball is going… he’s not a “throw it over the backstop guy,” but he misses his spots consistently. It is obvious to me that he could be an outstanding reliever. I think his pitches would play up in one or two-inning spurts, and I also think his focus (which is frequently questioned) would be laser-sharp as a reliever.
I sometimes feel that the Dodgers keep a pitcher on a “starter’s track” past the time it is obvious that they may be better suited for the bullpen. I feel that way about Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove, as well. I do not think Ryan Pepiot is a starter, but I think he would be a lock-down reliever for the Dodgers. The Dodgers could use him in the bullpen with Treinen out indefinitely! Just my two cents!
Dodger Player Notes
- To say that the Dodgers “play down to their competition” would make me very adept at perceiving the obvious immediately.
- Rios has to play against EVERY RHP and some Lefties right about now.
- Max Muncy might benefit from sitting out this series with the Phillies. He needs to clear his head!
- The Bullpen sure laid an egg yesterday. They dropped from #1 to #5 in Bullpen ERA yesterday, but the Dodgers are still #1 in ERA at 2.25!
- Next, the Dodgers play the Phillies who are one of the worst-fielding, lumbering teams ever assembled since Christ was in Cleveland.
Dodger Minor League Notes
- RANCHO CUCAMONGA QUAKES
- Diego Cartaya hit his 7th HR and drove in 2 last night.
- Luis Rodriguez is solid if not spectacular, hitting .288 (.447 OB%) in 80 ABs so far.
- Ronan Kopp was saddled with the loss last night as he gave up4 hits in 1.2 IP and gave up a 2-run homer.
- The Quakes lost 7-6
- GREAT LAKES LOONS
- Eddys Leonard was 2-4.
- Edwin Mateo was 3-4 with his 1st HR.
- Leonal Valera was 2-5.
- Ryan Sublette got the win and Michael Hobbs got his first save.
- Great Lakes won 5-2
- TULSA DRILLERS
- Mike Busch (.295/1.086) hit his 10th HR and was 3-4.
- James Outman (.278/.939) was 3-3
- Mookie’s brother Chris Betts was 2-4
- Brandon Lewis is really struggling with AA pitching (.172).
- Jordon Leasure pitched two perfect innings, striking out 3 to close out the game.
- Tulsa won 7-2
- OKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS
- Kevin Pillar hit his 8th HR (.313/1.044)
- Miguel Vargas was 2-3 with 2 BB (.297/.893)
- Jake Lamb hit a 2-run HR (.269/.861)
- Caleb Ferguson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up 1 hit.
- Yadier Alvarez walked 2 and gave up a hit and a run in 1 IP.
- Carson Fulmer pitched a scoreless inning allowing 1 BB and 1 K.
- The Dodgers beat Round Rock 13-4
Discussion (20)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I think it’s time to realize Hudson is not the “high leverage” 8th or 9th inning hold pitcher that Doc thinks he is. Bases loaded 9th inning and score zero is pathetic.
The SNLA broadcast showed a graphic last night where 5 or 6 Dodgers are hitting well below their career OPS for the year. Is it time to think of another voice in the hitting room? Trea Turner, Mookie, Max, Smith, JT etc. have regressed significantly to this point.
When Roberts had Alberto bunting with two runners on and nobody out, I started screaming at the TV screen. Why did he have a hitter who makes consistent contact bunting in that situation? Was he worried that Alberto would hit into a double play? As far as I was concerned that cost the Dodgers the game. And of course, being unable to score with the bases loaded in the 9th didn’t help. But that was just poor execution.
Can’t see Dodgers being better w/o Jansen.
Charlie Steiner continues to amuse.
After Barnes came in to pinch run for Justin Turner, Steiner repeatedly said that “Smith” failed to get a good secondary lead on Alberto’s bunt. I’ve never hear Rick Monday correct him on the air, and he didn’t tonight either. Eventually Steiner got around to saying it was Barnes who was the pinch-runner–but never acknowledged his own blunder. (If he did this routinely he’d be doing it in just about every game.)
I really didn’t like Roberts’ strategy on that bunt.
I actually like Steiner. He captures the emotion of the moment well and often provides good info. But he really has troubles with following who does what sometimes.
Listening to the 9th inning now and hoping this won’t be another 1-run loss….
Would a 2-run loss be worse?
And now it’s up to Chris Taylor….
Ugh.
(And Steiner confused Herrera and Cabrera on the catch–but quickly corrected this one.)
If Roberts had run Barnes for JT when he was at 2B, he most likely would have scored on Taylor’s hit and the Dodgers would have entered the ninth with the score in favor 8-7, he didn’t, he waited until Turner was in 3B to make the change.
Some of Roberts’ decisions are truly mind-boggling.
Indeed it seem like a call to the pen. Anderson is not fooling anyone.
Bryce Harper will not be throwing for at least 4 weeks. He has a torn UCL. He will be limited to DH duties. Also he is scheduled to have a platelet rich injection on Sunday that will keep him out of the lineup for probably a few days.
Pepiot optioned.
Yency Almonte to take his place. He’s been used out of the bullpen at OKC.
So, for those of you who were looking forward to Pepiot’s next start, your wait may be longer than anticipated.
Almonte’s numbers at OKC have been pretty spectacular, both k’s/9 and k’s/bb. Also his WHIP has been very good.
But of course those numbers are at AAA so we’ll see how they translate.
In other baseball news, cool story in NYT a few days back about Tom House, so-so pitcher who became a legendary pitching coach. Seems he and Nolan Ryan went out of their way to help Randy Johnson harness all that talent. Hoping his pitching app can make my 12-year-old, a crafty southpaw, even craftier.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/09/sports/baseball/tom-house-mustard.html
Phillies (14-17)
Dodgers (20-9)
SPTyler Anderson L
3-0 2.78 ERA 22K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Trea Turner R
3B Max Muncy L
C Will Smith R
DH Edwin Rios L
CF C. Bellinger L
LF Chris Taylor R
2B Gavin Lux L
Clear-day
0% Rain
76° Wind 8 mph L-R
Found myself wondering whether the humidors, on balance, are helping the Dodgers.
Even though the Dodgers lead the majors in run differential and runs-per-game, don’t most of us think the pitchers are outperforming the hitters?
Anyway, stumbled on this early-season MLB stat for runs-per-game:
No. 1–Dodgers at 5.21. (Slightly better than the 5.05 average in 2022.
No. 2–Angels (!) at 5.06, which is a big increase from their 4.46 in 2021.
And this got me wondering about ERA stats….
No.1 –Dodgers at 2.25, a big improvement from the majors-leading 3.02 last season.
No. 2–Yanks at 2.60, a bigger improvement from last year’s 3.78.
As for the Angels, Detmers’ no-hitter has moved their ERA to 3,37, for 7th in the majors. That’s s a stupendous improvement from 4.69 in 2021.
It’s still early, of course… but not super early. This is just a snapshot, but I wonder how much the odds for a Dodgers-Angels World Series have improved.
The 2021 Dodgers and 2022 Dodgers are not dramatically different. I think the 2022 Dodgers should be better largely because Freddie/Trea is an upgrade over Max/Seager. (And we still have Max. He’s struggling now, but the guy has hit 35 HRs in 3 seasons…. Maybe some rest is all he needs. But yes: More Rios, please. )
As for playing down to the competition (um…thanks), one question now is whether these 2022 Dodgers also will similarly ABSOLUTELY SUCK in one-run and overtime games.
Couldn’t find the final season stats easily, but here’s a reminder from a LAT article last Aug. 12:
“The Dodgers’ struggles in extra innings — they are 1-12 in overtime this season — have been well-chronicled, but they have quietly gone 13-21 in one-run games, another surprising statistic for a team with the second-best record in the National League. Only the Marlins and Diamondbacks have lost more one-run games.”
Those absurd numbers were often explained away as just a statistical fluke. But maybe it’s more about overconfidence, or a lack of competitive hunger, for maybe Roberts’ strategic failings.
Or whatever. Beats me.
Right now, the Dodgers have both the lowest ERA by nearly a half-run per game and highest total run differential at +80, ahead of the Yanks at +50 and the Angels (!) at +47.
So far, the Dodgers have only had two one-run games–and lost both. Now, I expect the 2022 Dodgers will be better at one-run and OT games, because how can they not be? Still I think it bears watching.
Last year we saw the problems of playing down the competition and thus not clinching early last season.
If they’d won 110 games, the pitchers get more rest. Maybe Max and JT don’t get hurt because guys from OKC are fulfilling a lifetime dream.
Oh, as for Pepiot to the pen…. well, I would hope he improves his control.
RPs who walk batters belong on other teams. Looks like Caleb Ferguson is about ready to return.
The Dodgers are toast. Robinson Cano to the Padres. Print the tickets.
Can someone remind me, cause I don’t recall. Did Roberts ever sit Bellinger for more than a game late last year when he was really really really scraping?
We just had a 4-2 road trip. Lets pump the brakes with all the doom and gloom.
Win the day today.
Was at the last 2 games. Good seeing the boys in Blue!
I was not impressed with Ryan Pepiot’s first start. How can this guy be the Dodgers #1, major league ready, pitching prospect? His FB has good movement, but controlling it is and has been an issue for Pepiot. The slider has minimal movement and needs a lot of improvement. And, as mentioned in yesterday’s comments, his changeup will be ignored by major league hitters until he improves his control of the FB. As far as a potential BP piece I don’t think that will work unless he can improve his control. So, if he improves his control then why not keep him as a starter. In today’s game a starter only has to go 4-5 innings to be useful to a team.
When Muncy watched that third strike changeup right down the middle with the bases loaded that tells me he has next to no confidence in hitting a baseball right now. Max needs to be benched for a few games. With Rios on fire it might be the perfect time for that to happen. The Dodgers can’t afford to have a middle of the lineup hitter looking to walk, especially with runners on base. Like I mentioned several weeks ago he started out last season doing the same thing. Granted he ended up having a productive season, but how many early season games did he cost us by not being aggressive at the plate. Apparently, he learned nothing form his 2021 early season approach. Let’s see what Rios can do with some everyday playing time. He would, also, make a perfect platoon partner with JT.
This pattern of the Dodgers scoring all or most of their runs in one inning can make watching the games boring. I find myself watching something else and use my phone or tablet to let me know when there is some actual offensive action happening. Between the dozens pitches Pepiot was throwing and the Dodger offensive being stymied by the Pirates “opener” for four plus innings the game was almost unwatchable. But, I continued to watch to see if Pepiot could get his control together. He did not. I did check in just in time to see Kahnle implode. Man, that happened fast. One of those days for Kahnle. I’m sure as the season moves along he will get dialed in and be an important part of the BP.
I’m continuing to be impressed with Gavin Lux’s season. Nothing spectacular, but just doing his job both offensively and in the field. He is really starting to look like a major league OF. He can cover a lot of ground out there. He is a nice 9th place hitter with his contact rate and excellent speed on the bases. Lux might never be a All Star, but I think he’ll be a solid, long time Dodger.
It’s good to see JT and Mookie starting to come alive offensively. With the Dodger lineup they don’t have to be super stars , but more consistent. What’s going on with Chris Taylor? I thought last year’s K rate of 33% was an aberration and in 2022 he might be able to cut down on his K’s. Well, he’s at a 45% K rate so far this season. He can’t hit a baseball right now. He’s another candidate for a visit to the pine. Between he and Muncy they are killing the team offensively. They have Lux for Taylor’s OF games and Alberto for Muncy’s or Taylor’s IF duties. So, solid replacements are available. Let’s use them.
And yet with a few offensive issues the team is 20-9. It, again, underlines the importance of pitching in being successful in a long season. The starting pitching has been very good with a few hiccups along the way. But, the BP has been outstanding (except yesterday) so far. The depth is the key and that should even improve as the season moves forward and injured players become available.
Oh yeah, Freddie Freeman is awesome!!
Carry on.
Go Dodgers. 8 games at home, 4 with the Phils and 4 with the D-Backs. Should be interesting.
When Kevin Pillar has twice as many homers as anyone on the big club, you know something is wrong with the baseballs. How about MLB fixing this ASAP? Both the Dodgers and the Padres are among the bottom feeders in HR’s this year. They both play in damp, cool ballparks. Maybe the humidor is unnecessary in these parks?
It was fun watching Pepiot yesterday. But, he is wild as that cat living under the front porch. I’m not sure if he needs to be converted into a reliever right now, maybe he just needs more games in the minors to sharpen his craft. That changeup is as advertised. Cole Hamels did more with less.
Rios needs to be in that lineup on a regular basis. What’s this guy got to do to get a steady job?
There’s been a lot of ink spilled on Cody Bellinger. He’s definitely better than last year’s version and his glove is elite in CF, but he’s still struggling a bit at the plate. He swings through too many strikes and chases often. Like Mark’s analysis of Pepiot, he needs to take a couple MHP off that swing.
The Pirates are a better team than they have been in recent years, a lot like the D-Backs. I’m not saying they’re on the rise to be a competitor for a postseason run, but they aren’t the pushover they’ve been in recent years.
No rest for the weary as the Dodgers will be home tonight after travelling cross country to take on the Phillies, who had a short trip travelling from Seattle.
Mark –
I agree on a couple of your Dodger Player Notes: (1) Muncy needs to sit out the Phillies series to clear his head and Rios is the right guy to move into his spot. (2) Playing down to the competition is a dangerous tendency the Dodgers developed after the 2020 championship year. I think the Manager needs to shake things up; Lasorda and would Alston would have….