The Dodgers almost came back last night when their backs were against the wall… but it was not to be. Instead, they lost their 4th in a row and are 4-6 in their last 10 games. I predicted that the Dodgers would go through some times this year where they looked like they were…
The Dodgers almost came back last night when their backs were against the wall… but it was not to be. Instead, they lost their 4th in a row and are 4-6 in their last 10 games. I predicted that the Dodgers would go through some times this year where they looked like they were sleepwalking – disinterested, playing without urgency, and looking like they were not worthy of winning another World Series. It’s simply human nature to let up when you know how much better you are than most of your opponents. We go through this same thing every year: Weeping, wailing, and the gnashing of teeth. When I started writing about the malaise the Dodgers are in, I thought, “Wait a minute, why reinvent the wheel?” We have already seen this movie. Let’s look back at April 25, 2025, when I wrote a piece called “What?” Me Worry?” Here it is again:
“So over the past few days, I have heard that Max Muncy is toast, the Dodgers should trade for Nolan Arenado, Luis Robert, Jr., Cedric Mullins, Walker Buehler, Julio Rodriguez, and that Dave Roberts is making lots of managing blunders. In other words – this Dodger team is so screwed! Yawn. We hear this every year. We heard it last year, and look how it ended. Dave Roberts is bringing the same “country club” atmosphere to the Dodgers’ locker room. There is no pushing, there is no urgency. This team is on cruise control right about now… as it should be. This is the best team in baseball… hands down! Doc is not making this a time of urgency because it is a long season. As we progress through the season, Dave Roberts will encourage the players to act with urgency; however, if you push them for the entire season, you risk burning them out. Shohei Ohtani is not pitching (yet). Clayton Kershaw is biding his time in the minors. The Bazooka will be back later in the season, as will Emmett Sheehan. Andy Pages will get better or he won’t – time will determine that. By the All-Star Break, things will become clearer. The Dodgers are on cruise control right about now. There is no urgency. I am not saying that they are not trying – they most certainly are, but they are not playing “balls to the wall” right now. In a horse race, all the horses start out at an even gait. If one jumps out to a big lead, it usually isn’t long until the whole pack passes him. But, usually coming down the back stretch or on the final turn, the jockeys “go to the whip” and the horses who are already running fast, kick it into another gear. This is the time to just posture and position. It is not yet time for Dave Roberts to “go to the whip.” This Dodger team is a thoroughbred who knows how to win. The management knows it, and the players know it. You don’t go to the whip until you are headed down the home stretch. The Dodgers will be just fine. Roberts is not making blunders – he is seeing how certain players react in certain situations. He is seeking growth and learning opportunities. It’s a very long season, and you don’t burn out players now. Patience, young grasshoppers!“
— April 25, 2025 – Mark Timmons
I think the same thing is going on this year. I also posted this YouTube Video that showed the heart of a champion at the end of a race (the Dodgers have that HEART):
I also think it might be interesting to revisit this post from the past:
“To begin with, I totally understand how much the Dodgers wanted to draft Mike Sirota. He was projected to be a first-round draft pick ahead of the 2024 Draft… some services even had him in the Top 10. However, he took a huge backward step in 2024 for various reasons. Frankly, he scared many organizations off… including the Dodgers, as he looked totally out of sync. I have watched Mike Sirota close to a dozen times this year, and he employs a crouched and wide stance at the plate without many moving parts and fires quick hands through the hit zone. Frankly, I am convinced that the Dodgers stole him from the Reds, as the Reds most likely sold him based on his poor showing in 2024.
He is a different player this year, and he was just promoted from Rancho Cucamonga to Great Lakes. Understand this: He has great defense, speed, and a great arm to go with his bat. Sirota led off and played LF in his first game with the Loons. He was only 3-3 with a walk to cap it off. He chewed up Low-A, and he was smoking hot in his first game at High-A. In a couple of months (if he keeps this up), he will be in Tulsa. Quick: Who was the last player who started at Low A, moved through every minor league stop (A, AA, and AAA), and finished the season in LA? I’ll tell you later!
The last two guys I was this excited about were Seager and Bellinger! Yeah, I liked Miguel Vargas, but not like Sirota! I will say this: Mike Sirota will be the Dodgers Centerfielder for ten years starting in 2026 or 2027!”
Mike Sirota is ranking again this year and deserves to be moved to Tulsa. Like… yesterday! I believe in Mike Sirota… and a bunch of other prospects.
Finally, I am back from Miami, and I have to say that Jeff Dominiques’ Coverage of the Dodgers ‘ minor league farm system is beyond Fantastic. It is “otherworldly!” WOW, WOW, WOW! I was a dumbass for trying AI when there was Jeff Dominique!
Down on the Farm by Jeff Dominique (patent pending)
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Comets 7 – Round Rock Express (Texas) 5
This was a bullpen game, which seems odd given that pitchers like Patrick Copen and Luke Fox are pitching well at Tulsa.
OKC started the scoring in the 2nd. RF Jack Suwinski led off with a single, and LF Zach Ehrhard followed with a BB. 2B Austin Gauthier hit into a force out, and after the 2nd out, CF Mike Siani doubled home a pair. C Chuckie Robinson singled home Siani and a 3-0 lead.
After RHRP Chayce McDermott and RHRP Carlos Duran pitched a scoreless 2 innings, LHRP Ronan Kopp came in to pitch the 3rd. His control was better, but the command was not. 3 runs on 4 hits, with 1 K. His ERA is now up to 17.10.
RHRP Brusdar Graterol started his rehab assignment and pitched a scoreless 4th inning with 2 groundball outs and 1 K. He threw 8 pitches (5 strikes), 5 sinkers and 3 sliders. His sinker was 94 MPH to 96.2 MPH. It will be important to see how he feels on Sunday.
LHRP Garrett McDaniels followed Graterol, but was not effective. In his 0.1 IP, he walked the first two batters. When the catcher tried to back pick the runner at 2B he threw it into CF and the runner scored. He walked a 3rd
batter, and was pulled for RHRP Paul Gervase. Gervase struck out 2 and walked 1, but no runs.
In the 6th, Suwinski doubled (9), and scored on 2B Austin Gauthier’s double (4). After 2 BB to load the bases, Robinson singled home a pair.
In the bottom of the 6th, Gervase got the first two outs, but walked the third batter. LHRP Antoine Kelly relieved Gervase. He got the ground ball, but the run scored on an E5 throwing error.
RHRP Nick Frasso walked three in the 7th before being relieved by RHRP Wyatt Mills, who got the 3rd out. Mills pitched a scoreless 8th, with 1 BB and 2 K.
RHRP Keynan Middleton entered to pitch the 9th. He allowed 3 singles to score 1, but got the final out, leaving the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.
Jack Suwinski and Chuckie Robinson had the big offensive night.
Jack Suwinski – 4-5, 2 runs, double (9)
Chuckie Robinson – 3-4, 3 RBI
Mike Siani and Austin Gauthier doubled, and Noah Miller homered.
Suwinski is now batting .300 with an OPS of 1.015.
Tulsa Drillers 5 – San Antonio Missions (Padres) 4
The Drillers scored 5 unearned runs in the first 4 innings, and held on for the win.
In the 2nd, 1B Joe Vetrano singled, and with one out, DH Kole Myers reached via HBP. C Frank Rodriguez reached on E9 with Vetrano scoring. After CF Kendall George reached on a fielder’s choice with Myers being erased at home, RF Josue De Paula hit a 3-run HR (3).
Tulsa LHSP, Wyatt Crowell, issued a BB and run scoring double in the 4th.
In the bottom of the 4th, Myers reached on catcher’s interference and moved to 2nd on a WP. George singles to score Myers.
The double in the 4th was the only hit Crowell allowed. In 5.0 IP, 1 run, 1 hit, 4 BB, and 8 K. Crowell is a strikeout pitcher, but his 15 BB in 15.2 IP is not productive.
LHRP Myles Caba gave up his first AA run in the 6th. A double, fly out, and single scored the run.
RHRP Carson Hobbs gave up a solo HR in the 7th. Hobbs came back out for the 8th. A BB and single put runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs. RHRP Cam Day came in to relieve Hobbs, who gave up a sac fly. A caught stealing and strike out ended the inning with Tulsa hanging on 5-4.
Day retired the side in order in the 9th for the save (3).
No Tulsa hitter had 2 hits. De Paula’s HR was the lone XBH.
RHSP Christian Zazueta had a great bounce-back game. He completed 6.2 innings. He allowed 2 runs (1 earned), 3 hits, 1 BB and 7 K.
The Loons jumped out to a 2-0 lead after three batters. CF Charles Davalan singled, moved to 3rd on RF Mike Sirota’s double (9), and the two scored on DH Eduardo Quintero’s single.
Zazueta gave up a solo HR in the 3rd to cut the lead in half.
GL put up 3 in the bottom of the 3rd. Sirota was HBP, and Quintero drew a BB. Quintero was thrown out a 2B on a failed double steal attempt with Sirota moving to 3B. Sirota scored on 3B Logan Wagner’s single. 2B Nico Perez doubled home Wagner and moved to 3rd on an error. He scored on C Victor Rodrigues’ single, and a 5-1 lead.
Singles by Rodrigues, LF Samuel Munoz, and Davalan scored another run.
Zazueta ran out of gas in the 7th. He gave up a one-out BB and a single. After the second out, he hit a batter and was relieved by RHRP Accimias Morales with the bases loaded. Morales walked in a run before getting the final out.
In the bottom of the 7th, Davalan was HBP, stole 2B, and scored on Sirota’s inside the park HR. This was his 2nd this year.
Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 4 – Ontario Tower Buzzers 2
RHSP Brady Smith faced the minimum over the 1st two innings. He walked one batter, but he was erased trying to steal 2B.
In the 3rd, he walked the leadoff hitter. After two outs, he gave up a run-scoring triple. He stranded the runner at 3rd.
RHRP Luis Carias relieved Smith. He did not allow a hit, but did walk 5. In the 6th he walked two. The lead runner moved to 3rd on a flyout and scored on a sac fly. He did have 6 K.
Ontario tied the game in the bottom of the 6th. CF Jaron Elkins and SS Emil Morales drew BB. 3B Chase Harlan singled, scoring Elkins with Morales and Harlan moving to 3rd and 2nd on the throw. RF Ching-Hsien Ko hit a groundout scoring Morales with the tying run.
Chase Harlan is heating up!
After a two-hit game last night, he drove in Jaron Elkins on a single up the middle to cut the deficit in half pic.twitter.com/HozfWH2oPb
RHRP Will Gagnon relieved Carias in the 8th. A leadoff BB, single, E5, and double scored 2. He finished the 8th and 9th with no further damage, but enough to get the loss.
Ontario had 3 hits for the game, with 2 coming from Jaron Elkins
Never heard of it, but if you made it work, well done.
My grandfather, a successful pitcher in the old Texas Leagues, taught me what amounted to a palm ball. I had no problem throwing it for strikes. It’s very similar to the circular, without actually completing the circle. He also told me never throw that pitch to bad hitter. I saved it for fastball hunters like Woody Veerkamp and Mark Rathbun.
I find it very difficult to believe pro pitchers have difficulty learning a new pitch like the ones we are talking about. If I could learn it at age 12, they should be able to learn it. They are pros for Pete’s sake. Same with the two seamer, moving the thumb under the ball for movement in either direction. They are calling it a sinker, because that’s what it does. Aim it down the middle. It won’t stay there. . Same with that forkball of Sasaki’s. Don’t try to put it on an edge, put it dead center of the strike zone and will find its own edge.
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 3, 2026
Fuck stuff. I want results.
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 3, 2026
I heard some were just off the corner.
DN
Duke Not SniderMay 3, 2026
So “The Stopper” turns out to be Wrobleski.
Which is nice. He’s probably been the Dodgers’ most pleasant surprise, even though we perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.
But wasn’t he supposed to be the 7th man in a six-man rotation?
Tucker does look like a “good” player.
But at $60 mill per season, I’d like to see better than good.
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 3, 2026
Cal Raleigh & Suarez [BOS] out too.
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 3, 2026
Wroblox is a boss.
Anyone who points to stats or whatever either never played ball or has a micropenis.
Or both.
B
BlutoMay 3, 2026
Those years around COVID are a mess for my memory, but the Bruns draft was and is one of my favorites. if it is as I remember.
The Dodgers taking not only all pitchers, but lots of high ceiling low floor arm talented pitchers.
B
BlutoMay 3, 2026
I think Brian may have a few issues in life.
DJ
Daytona JackMay 4, 2026
Actually Kim won a GG at SS before he won two at 2B. He is hitting 300 in a limited role because Doc won’t let him hit against lefties. Still if Max fits a double in the ninth, Kim would be my choice to pinch-run in a close game
I think he has a lot more value here than on the farm. He has proven his worth.
C
CassidyMay 4, 2026
So far, he’s a long ways from good!
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
Fuck you, dude.
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
He signed his deal based on market factors
MT
Mark TimmonsMay 4, 2026
Frankly, I was surprised that the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker. He blocks a lot of young outfielders and while I think he is a good player… he is not great, but is paid like one. Sirota, DePaula and Hope are not far off – Tibbs3 as well. Someday I am going to write a blog about how the Tucker signing was “ram-rodded” by Kasten and Walter. This is not a Andrew Friedman-esque move.
Maybe it was done to win three World Championships in row and then sell the team. If so, then I can see it.
$10 Billion is what they want!
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
Anytime, chico. I can call you chico, right?
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
Wrong Tucker, my brother.
MT
Mark TimmonsMay 4, 2026
That better?
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
Yes indeedy
I wrote graffiti
On the bus
B
BumsrapMay 4, 2026
That’s what Bob Uecker said as well.
B
BlutoMay 4, 2026
If you want to use fake names, I prefer the one I chose, but I dig the Spanish!
BP
Brian PerkinsMay 4, 2026
Any time, any place
B
BobbyMay 4, 2026
Like with almost all of our signings and moves, the Tucker deal will be judged in October.
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (72)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Never heard of it, but if you made it work, well done. My grandfather, a successful pitcher in the old Texas Leagues, taught me what amounted to a palm ball. I had no problem throwing it for strikes. It’s very similar to the circular, without actually completing the circle. He also told me never throw that pitch to bad hitter. I saved it for fastball hunters like Woody Veerkamp and Mark Rathbun. I find it very difficult to believe pro pitchers have difficulty learning a new pitch like the ones we are talking about. If I could learn it at age 12, they should be able to learn it. They are pros for Pete’s sake. Same with the two seamer, moving the thumb under the ball for movement in either direction. They are calling it a sinker, because that’s what it does. Aim it down the middle. It won’t stay there. . Same with that forkball of Sasaki’s. Don’t try to put it on an edge, put it dead center of the strike zone and will find its own edge.
Fuck stuff. I want results.
I heard some were just off the corner.
So “The Stopper” turns out to be Wrobleski. Which is nice. He’s probably been the Dodgers’ most pleasant surprise, even though we perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. But wasn’t he supposed to be the 7th man in a six-man rotation? Tucker does look like a “good” player. But at $60 mill per season, I’d like to see better than good.
Cal Raleigh & Suarez [BOS] out too.
Wroblox is a boss. Anyone who points to stats or whatever either never played ball or has a micropenis. Or both.
Those years around COVID are a mess for my memory, but the Bruns draft was and is one of my favorites. if it is as I remember. The Dodgers taking not only all pitchers, but lots of high ceiling low floor arm talented pitchers.
I think Brian may have a few issues in life.
Actually Kim won a GG at SS before he won two at 2B. He is hitting 300 in a limited role because Doc won’t let him hit against lefties. Still if Max fits a double in the ninth, Kim would be my choice to pinch-run in a close game I think he has a lot more value here than on the farm. He has proven his worth.
So far, he’s a long ways from good!
Fuck you, dude.
He signed his deal based on market factors
Frankly, I was surprised that the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker. He blocks a lot of young outfielders and while I think he is a good player… he is not great, but is paid like one. Sirota, DePaula and Hope are not far off – Tibbs3 as well. Someday I am going to write a blog about how the Tucker signing was “ram-rodded” by Kasten and Walter. This is not a Andrew Friedman-esque move. Maybe it was done to win three World Championships in row and then sell the team. If so, then I can see it.
$10 Billion is what they want!
Anytime, chico. I can call you chico, right?
Wrong Tucker, my brother.
That better?
Yes indeedy I wrote graffiti On the bus
That’s what Bob Uecker said as well.
If you want to use fake names, I prefer the one I chose, but I dig the Spanish!
Any time, any place
Like with almost all of our signings and moves, the Tucker deal will be judged in October.
Dodger win streak hits 1!!!