Dear Doc
Dear Dave Roberts, We think your lineups are stupid and that you rest the wrong players while playing the wrong players. We think there are only two things wrong with you: (1) Everything you say, and (2) everything you do. We know a lot more than you do about this. We have managed for years while sipping our beverages of choice and cursing your every move. That is why the
Dear Dave Roberts,
We think your lineups are stupid and that you rest the wrong players while playing the wrong players. We think there are only two things wrong with you: (1) Everything you say, and (2) everything you do. We know a lot more than you do about this. We have managed for years while sipping our beverages of choice and cursing your every move.
That is why the Dodgers pay us millions of dollars a year. We are never wrong when we second guess you. Now, just do what we say and play the right guys every game, so that come playoff time, they will be exhausted and the subs will not be ready. Yeah, that’s the ticket…
Thank You,
Mo Ron
Of course, that was written very much tongue-in-cheek but it wasn’t far from true. Some fans don’t understand why Doc doesn’t play the guys they think, when they think, where they think. All I can say is “Look at their record.“
Over the winter, fans were losing their minds over Andrew Friedman trading Matt Kemp (hit .200 and was released), Yasiel Puig (.230 with a .274 OB%), Kyle Farmer (.247 BA) and Alex Wood (never has played) for (gasp) two minor leaguers they had never heard of, who are now two of the Dodgers top prospects. In the meantime, the Dodgers have gotten better by subtraction. All I can say is “Look at their record. The first team to 50 wins.”
For the first 11+ weeks of this season, the fans have ragged on the Andrew Friedman not improving the bullpen, but that nonsense is kind of dying as the bullpen is improving. The Dodgers are now tied with ATLANTA for 9th in bullpen ERA… and trending up, especially now that Wild Man Kelly is starting to look like Machine Gun Kelly. I’m starting to see the 8th inning guy the Dodgers wanted.
I think Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts have learned something: Start slowly and use the first few weeks of the season to get into shape (many fans lost their minds about that too), ramp up, play everyone, even the players fans think are horrible like CT3 and Kike, and give the team plenty of rest. Guys like Freese, Pollock, and Turner need it. Make sure they are fresh in October. That’s the only thing that counts. They know that.
If everyone is hitting as they should, even Barnes is a huge asset. Let me remind those who don’t know that catchers do a lot more than hit. Austin Barnes and Russ Martin catch the best pitching staff in baseball. “Look at their record. The first team to 50 wins.”
The Dodgers just took over the team ERA lead for all of MLB. They now have a 3.17 ERA to Tampa Bay’s 3.19. I told you earlier that TB’s ERA was unsustainable. It was sad to see Rich Hill have to ask out of a game and whenever you hear “forearm” you think Tommy John. I hope that’s not it, but if it is the Dodgers do have the depth to handle it. The guy who will take his place might very well be the Dodgers’ Ace in a year or two.
Hopefully, it is just a forearm strain, but if it is more than that, this could be the end of Rich Hill’s career, unless he has one more comeback in him and wants to retire a Dodger. I think he would be a great replacement for Rick Honeycutt in the future, but maybe he doesn’t want that? At any rate, he is 30-16 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.080 WHIP as a Dodger. I will never forget Rich Hill. They will do an MRI today.
Kike Hernandez continues to struggle, even after his Grand Slam, but let’s not forget he hit .294 the second half of 2018. CT3 had a great night to build on, but the fact of the matter is that when everyone is healthy, both are role players… stuntmen! Kike will hit leadoff again tonight against MadBum. Mad Max will also be happy to see the Bum. Hopefully, he wears this t-shirt in BP.
Minor League Report
Mercifully, OKC did not play.
Tulsa Drillers 6 Frisco Rough Riders 2 – Cody Thomas and DJ Peters each launched two-run homers on Wednesday afternoon at ONEOK Field as the Tulsa Drillers stayed hot and completed a three-game sweep of the Frisco RoughRiders. The home runs backed a strong outing from starting pitcher Justin De Fratus as Tulsa defeated Frisco 6-2. The Drillers are a perfect 6-0 against the RoughRiders this season and have now won 12 straight games against the ‘Riders dating back to last year.
The Drillers got the scoring started quickly in the bottom of the first inning. After Gavin Lux singled to lead off the inning, Thomas hit a line drive into the bullpen beyond the right field wall to give Tulsa a 2-0 lead.
The Drillers added to their lead with a big fifth inning. With runners on first and second, Zach McKinstry lined a double into the right-center gap, scoring both runners. Peters capped the inning with a towering home run that landed in the Busch Terrace in left field, extending the Drillers lead to 6-0.
De Fratus was once again very good in his start on the mound. Frisco was able to put two runs on the board in the sixth, but that was all the former major leaguer would allow. De Fratus struck out five in his second consecutive seven-inning start.
Yordy Cabrera was called upon to record the final six outs of the game. He did just that, allowing only one hit and preserving the Drillers third straight victory.
Drew Avans got his first AA start, but was hitless.
Rancho Cucamonga was off for their All-Star Break.
The GL Loons also were off for the same reason.
Orem Owiz 9 Ogden Raptors 4 – Sauryn Lao went 2-3 with a double and Jon Littell as also 2-4. Justin Yurchak also had a hit as did catcher Ramon Rodriguez. Kevin Malisheski gave up 3 runs in the third inning after giving up 1 in the first inning and that was the game.
AZL Mariners 6 AZL Dodgers Mota 3 – Kody Hoese went 2-4 with his 4th double and is hitting a crisp .778. I can’t imagine he will be here long. Andres Noriega and Jeremiah Vison also had 2 hits in the loss.
I’ll get to the DSL Later.
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Discussion (56)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Blowpen tried to give it away plus shaky defense plus this time their manager gives us an out. I didn’t see replay but they shouldn’t have been bunting anyway. The giants have a terrible offense one 200 hitter after another so that might tell you how bad our bullpen is. I know hill went down blah blah blah. A win is a win so put another in the books and against the pumpkins. 3 out of four is good in any league. The Dodgers are a fantastic team with a bullpen to improve!
Thank you blind replay umps in NYC for giving us that game
Still don’t think we need Smith or Hand? Whatever they want!!!!!!
Are we really gonna blow this thing in the 9th.??
I gotta go to bed… That will be the difference!?
Good Night Now…
My wife & I also always look for Dennis & Mary. In previous years Larry King was in the front row to the right of the batter as you look in toward the plate.
Joc is awesome.
Barnes trying to make me look bad!
Garlick does not stink.
Good on Garlick!
I think the odds favor the FO acquiring a player(s) before the trade deadline. They usually do it and I see no reason why they won’t do it this year. But, I doubt it will be Hand or Smith. Why would either team give up a major asset? The Giants are not doing well, but Smith is not one of their problems and he should be part of that team that gets rebuilt. I do like the Whitfield suggestion, though. It makes sense from a rental or long term point of view.
Although I do hold the view that the Dodgers are okay as is, injury, its possibility of happening, and other factors that could happen between now and October, will probably demand that AF go out and bring someone(s) in. But with Kelly making a turn for the better, that bridge will be his and no reason to get someone else for that role. This team is not like last years or 2017. It is much stronger, explosive, and better equipped to go all the way to the WS and win it. Something like Hill being lost to injury could change the chemistry as he is a major part of this rotation. Hill has the dirtiest stuff on the team! And uses it all of the time. His command is awesome, but his body breaks too easily these days. One more injury to the rotation could bring unwanted results. This is what worries me more than anything. I said it earlier in the season. So far, CK looks great, but you know how things go. He and Hill are essential parts of our wheel. If that wheel hold up, we are good to go. Look what happened to the Warriors.
I heard bad news about Rich Hill on radio… They say Rich won’t touch a ball fr a month and will be lucky to show up until late in the season…Fake News???
Great chance for Julio tonite… Go Get em kid…
The Vulture was one of my favs…82 and still teaching… Outstanding!!!
Damn that makes me old…
Did you see that Phil “The Vulture” Regan was named the Mets Pitching Coach at age 82?
Let him try
Does Bumgarner drill Muncy tonight?
Mike Minor
Interesting the Dodgers are going with a short bench and extra reliever.
Noticed last night Kelly didn’t wear glasses while batting yet uses them when pitching. Any idea why?
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June 20, 2019 (323) 224-1301
DODGERS RECALL CHARGOIS & SBORZ
LHP HILL PLACED ON IL, INF BEATY OPTIONED TO TRIPLE-A
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled right-handed pitchers JT Chargois and Josh Sborz from Triple-A Oklahoma City. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Dodgers placed left-handed pitcher Rich Hill on the 10-day injured list with left forearm strain and optioned infielder Matt Beaty to Oklahoma City.
Chargois, 28, returns for his third stint with the club. In his first stop, he tossed 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits in two games. The former Rice Owl has posted a 1-2 mark with a 2.17 ERA (7 ER/29.1 IP) and 34 strikeouts in 24 games with Oklahoma City. The righty is in his third Major League season and a has a combined 3-5 record with a 4.11 ERA (26 ER/57.0 IP) in 66 Major League contests.
Sborz, 25, rejoins the club after being optioned on April 20. The righty did not appear in a game and his next appearance will be his Major League debut. This season, Sborz has made 25 appearances for Oklahoma City, going 2-3 with a 4.91 ERA (16 ER/29.1 IP) and 37 strikeouts.
Hill, 39, was removed from last night’s game in the second inning and will be placed on the IL for the second time this season. He missed the first month of the season with a left knee sprain. Since returning on April 28, he is 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA (15 ER/58.0 IP) and 61 strikeouts. The southpaw is in his 15th Major League season and is a combined 65-42 with a 3.84 ERA (397 ER/931.2 IP) and 993 strikeouts.
Beaty, 26, appeared in 23 games for the Dodgers, batting .286 (16-for-56) with one homer and nine RBI. The infielder clubbed his first career homer on Friday night in a 5-3 victory against the Cubs. In his five minor league seasons, he is a career .308 (438-for-1421) hitter with 34 homers and 215 RBI.
The Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, with six World Series championships and 23 National League pennants since its beginnings in Brooklyn in 1890, is committed to a tradition of pride and excellence. The Dodgers are dedicated to supporting a culture of winning baseball, providing a first-class, fan-friendly experience at Dodger Stadium, and building a strong partnership with the community. With the highest cumulative fan attendance in Major League Baseball history, and a record of breaking barriers, the Dodgers are one of the most cherished sports franchises in the world.
At Pacers Draft Party
Rich Hill will be ‘out a while’ with flexor tendon strain in left arm
Thanks Mark, in advance. Would really appreciate it and hope he is only on vacation for a while. I know it probably sounds silly, but one of the first things I check when a game starts is to see if Mr. Suit is there. Over the years, I have come to recognize several of the people alongside him when the Dodgers are at home.
I agree with Singin The Blue. Mark, I know you got juice somewhere to find out where Mr. Suit is.Make it happen, man! My wife and I were just laughing about how many people notice him being gone behind home plate. Dudes been a fixture for years, I always check out who he brings every game, sometimes his wife, sometimes the fellas from work. Mary Hart is usually 5 or seats to the right of him too. Just seems like a bunch of faces back there right now. C’mon Mark, I know you got connections!
I would like to point out that I was the guy who announced that CT3 would start hitting once he played every day at shortstop and wasn’t concerned about having to produce or be benched.
I am officially taking my victory lap and refuse to acknowledge any bad results he had before the last two games (or any in games yet to be played) 🙂
The trade looked like Freidman gave it away, but as it plays out, Puig is once again inconsistent, Wood is hurt again, and those two guys in the minors we got could either challenge for a spot on the ML roster or be great trade pieces come July 31st. By the way, my wife and I are also wondering where Dennis Gilbert is, did he get aced out of those seats this year? Not the same crowd behind home plate, that’s for sure.
I absolutely loved that trade over the winter with the Reds. I absolutely agree the Dodgers got better by subtraction.
The reason why I want the Dodgers to still play for the kill instead of what you said about resting for October is because I’d like to see the Dodgers with the best record in all of baseball by say 3 games. As good as this Dodger team is, a 3 game lead for best record in all of baseball I believe would be enough to sustain the rest of the season barring any bigtime injuries. We’re getting close with a 1 game lead in all of baseball.
I’ve said a couple times that I would not trade ANY peice of our offense for anything and this in cludes Taylor, Hernandez, Barnes. All I said was that when all 3 were in a slump don’t bat them back to back to back and then the pitcher, because while in the slump that is just about 4 outs in a row.
Any talk of the bullpen getting better is jumping the gun considering the Dodgers have played the Giants who have the 2nd worst team OPS in the league. And we have played them 6 games in our last 12 games and still have 1 more to go.
Hope for the best for Rich Hill.
We don’t need to trade for more offense.
Good pitching beats good hitting.
I love this offense.
Does anyone here know why Dennis Gilbert is not in his usual seat behind home plate? Have not seen him for ages and hope he is ok. Miss seeing Mr. Suit (I call him that) there most every game.
Bleacher Report lists each teams biggest offseason mistakes:
Cincinnati Reds
Between Sonny Gray, Tanner Roark and Derek Dietrich, the Cincinnati Reds made some of the better additions of any team during the offseason. Their deal for Yasiel Puig, however, is a different story.
To be fair, the Reds also got Alex Wood, Matt Kemp and Kyle Farmer from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a December blockbuster. Yet Puig was the main draw and therefore primarily responsible for ensuring the Reds wouldn’t miss the two prospects they sent away.
Alas, Puig has gone “thud” with a .682 OPS and zero wins above replacement. Farmer has also been a dud. Wood has yet to pitch this season because of a bad back. Kemp was released in early May.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that the two prospects who left Cincinnati—right-hander Josiah Gray and infielder Jeter Downs—are having strong seasons in the Dodgers system.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
The Dodgers are having an impressive season. What makes it look even more impressive is the fact that their biggest offseason move has also been their least fruitful one.
In the wake of the trade that sent Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp to the Reds, the Dodgers’ solution to their sudden outfielder shortage was to sign A.J. Pollock to a four-year, $55 million deal.
Pollock’s injury history and post-prime production meant the Dodgers were taking on some risk with his deal. Sure enough, Pollock was a dud out of the gate before going under the knife to correct an issue relating to an elbow injury that initially sidelined him in 2016.
Pollock hasn’t played since April 28. Meanwhile, the Dodgers outfield’s MLB-best WAR is raising questions about how big a role he should play upon his return.