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 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.