Charge!

Dustin May not only showed that he should be on the playoff roster, but he also showed he probably should be the #4 starter in the rotation. Tony Gonsolin has experience in the bullpen while Dustin May does not. Both should be on the playoff rosters. Both should be lethal weapons on the playoff roster. My only concern is that May now has logged 133 innings through AA, AAA, and MLB. I would like to see them IL him or skip a couple of starts so that he “doesn’t hit the wall” late in the season.

With May in the Playoff Rotation, at least three starters are in the bullpen: Maeda, Gonsolin, and Urias. There are also Stripling and Hill, but with each passing day, both become less likely to pitch in the playoffs. Rich Hill, especially is a long-shot as he is not anywhere close. The playoff success of the Dodgers’ bullpen will depend upon how they can adapt to a relief role. Gonsolin has been a reliever in the past, so it should be easy for him and with his repertoire of pitches he could be devastating. Maeda has been lethal out of the pen in one or two-inning bursts and I think he will be all in just to get that Championship.

The only one I worry about is Young Julio (he’s still young) as he has always been a starter. His heart may be broken right now, but he needs to get over it and realize it is an opportunity of a lifetime. He’s a good kid and I am sure he will adapt. With Urias, Maeda, Gonsolin, Kelly, and Jansen, I like the Dodgers odds. Since the All-Star Break, the Dodgers have been sleep-walking, just going through the motions… and understandably so.

After tonight win by Clayton, they will be 40 games above .500 and almost 20 games ahead of Arizona. They have the most wins in baseball and are on the way to setting the All-Time Dodgers Franchise Record for Wins! Friedman and Roberts bashers are relegated to “Chicken Little Status.” This team is a juggernaut and Robert Van Socyoc had no small role in that, but the architect is Andrew Friedman. Dave Roberts is the General leading the troops and Charging to another World Series – this time on the Winning side!

The Dodgers bullpen is now tied with the Yankees (allegedly) legendary bullpen for #6 in MLB in Bullpen ERA at 3.96. I have told you all year that the bullpen would be OK and many of you have expended so much worry over nothing. Enjoy the ride. This team is deep and very special. They have been denied the Championship twice in a row. They know how hard it is to get there again, which is why they are galvanized to do it.

P.S. I don’t know how they can keep “Lock Down” Martin out of the bullpen!

Let’s Ride!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmhf-n7O4xA

DC’s 10th Inning

SCORES:

DSL Dodgers Bautista 7 – SL Royals (1) 4

DSL Dodgers Shoemaker 17 – DSL Indians 7

AZL Dodgers Lasorda 7 –  AZL Royals 8

AZL Dodgers Mota  5 – DSL White Sox1

Odgen Raptors 3 – Missoula Osprey (Arizona) 2

Great Lakes Loons – not scheduled

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 13 – Modesta Nuts (Seattle) 10

Tulsa Drillers 15  – Springfield Cardinals 5

OKC Dodgers 10 – Reno Aces (Arizona) 6

The Dodgers won 7-of- 8 minor league games and lost the 8th by one run. A pretty good day. Some were high scoring.

DSL:

Shoemaker’s Dodgers scored 17 runs. Bladimir De La Rosa and Nelson Quiroz , a pair of 17 year olds, each had 3 hits. Quiroz is another catcher.

Bautista’s Heisell Baro (17) pitched 4.1 innings of one-hit ball. Martin Santana (18) pitched three scoreless innings for his second consecutive strong outing.

AZL:

Lasorda’s Dodgers came up short on pitching and one run short at the plate. Jaime Perez and Eddys Leonard both had 3 hits. Of interest, Royal’s Bobby Witt Jr. (2nd overall) went 0-5 in the game and is hitting .250.

Mota’s Dodgers got a 5-inning, 2-hit performance by Julian Smith with 6 strikeouts. Marshall Kasowski made his second rehab appearance pitching 1.1 innings on one hit and two strikeouts. Ismael Alcantara had 2 of the Dodgers 8 hits.

Ogden Raptors:

Alfredo Tavarez pitched a season high 7 innings with one unearned run on 3 hits with no walks. Yeisel Cespedes, Mitchell Tyranski (12th – 2019) and Mark Mixon (26th – 2019) finished up with one run allowed by Cepedes. Mixon has been especially effective with one run allowed in 11 innings with the Raptors. Jorbit Vivas had 2 hits while Zac Ching chipped in with 3.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes:

Five Quakes had multiple hit games – Morales, Kendall, Vargas, Heredia, Liput –  with Rancho scoring 8 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to erase a 5-run deficit.

With a 10-5 deficit heading into the 7th, Jeren Kendall’s (15th) two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh highlighted yet another three-run frame for the Quakes.

In the bottom of the 8th the Quakes scored five more runs, including Miguel Vargas’ game-winning two-run single that made it 12-10. Rancho gave themselves some cushion when Hunter Feduccia drew an RBI walk, making it 13-10.

Brett de Geus (2-0) closed things out for Rancho in the top of the ninth, earning the win. The right-hander went a tidy 2.1 innings, not allowing a run and striking out four. De Geus is pitching really well.

Tulsa Drillers:

The Drillers followed the Quakes scoring 3 runs in the 7th and 6 in the 8th. There were 4 multiple -hit performances – Thomas, Mora Casey, Pederson. Relievers Ryan Moseley (3), Nolan Long (2)  and Jordan Sheffield (1) combined for six innings allowing only one run by  Sheffield.

OKC Dodgers:

The Dodgers continued the trend with 3 runs in the seventh and one in the 8th. DJ Peters, Connor Joe and Zach Reks each had 3 hits while Gavin Lux and Jedd Gyorko had 2. Jaime Schultz, Josh Sborz and Kevin Quackenbush pitched the final 4 innings allowing only one run by Sborz.