El Gasolino: An Explosive Subject

I think it was DodgerRick who coined the moniker “El Gasolino” in reference to Pedro Baez.  He has also been called “The Human Rain Delay” because an infielder can make a sandwich and drink a beer between pitches.  I also call him “Dumb” because you can’t get major league hitters out with a fastball as your only pitch unless you can throw it 120 MPH!

The offensive explosion caused by El Gasolino last night is something that is going to occur with great frequency unless and until he learns another pitch (slider, cutter, curve, changeup) and can pick up the pace between pitches.  He has a 97-99 MPH fastball and he doesn’t have a clue where it is going when he throws it.  He simply cannot put it where he wants and inevitably, in almost every at bat, he lays one right out in a hitter’s wheelhouse.

Pedro Baez CANNOT make this team (write this down, Doc).  He needs to go back to Tulsa or OKC and learn another pitch.  He should also be forced to wear a “shocking dog collar” and at 20 seconds he starts getting a slight shock until at 30 seconds, it becomes a full blast!  A slider or a cutter would help him so much, but if he keeps just throwing the fastball, you are going to see explosion-after-implosion.  He HAS to learn a new pitch and pick up his pace.  He can’t make the team the way he is.  End of story.

Ryu pitches today and after Walker Buehler’s impressive debut last night (2 IP, 1 H, 5 K, 0 BB), it is still within the realm of possibility that Buehler could win the 5th starter’s spot.  A lot of it depends upon Ryu, but I don’t think Buehler needs to pitch to any more AAA hitters.  After all, that is mostly what he faced last night, and you see how he toyed with them.  He needs to pitch against the big boys. These last two and half weeks will tell the tale. His stuff  was nothing but electric and has lots of late movement.  Really, Ryu should stay in extended spring training or go to the pen.

Walker Buehler is ready! Forget sending him down – the Show is where he needs to be.  This isn’t a 19 year-old Clayton Kershaw.  Walker is 24 and ready.  He was dialing it up around triple digits last night.  He could be the third straight Dodger Rookie of the year, with Alex Verdugo winning it in 2019!  I’m just not sure the Dodgers can hold Kay Bear off until 2020… Maybe Verdugo and Ruiz are Co-ROY’s in 2019?

Training Camp Notes

• If the Dodgers keep an 8-man bullpen, these are the locks:  Kenley Jansen, JT Chargois, Scott Alexander, Tony Cingrani, Adam Liberatore, Ross Stripling.  There are just two spots left and I think Josh Fields (who has not pitched so as not to wear him out so quickly) will get one spot.  They will try and keep Times New Roman, I mean Font!  He is a larger Font… but I digress!
• In the 7th inning last night, Joc Pederson had a nice hit by going with the pitch and hitting it the other way to start the Dodgers rally.
• Take note:  Rich Hill usually pitches horrible in Spring Training.  He has changed up what he is doing and looks to be in mid-season form after pitching 4 strong innings.  I look for him to pitch deeper into games this season with his blister issues evidently in the rear-view mirror.
• I can’t say enough what a special player Kike Hernandez is.  He has a flare for the dramatic and just plays wherever you put him. He’s the Dodgers Swiss-Army Knife.  I do not understand the disdain some Dodger fans have for him.
• The cuts should start today.

UPDATE:

AC Posted It But Here’s the Non-Spell Checked Version of the First Camp Cuts From Dodger Insider

The first trimming of the roster occurred Saturday night after the game, with the Dodgers optioning INF/OF Tim Locastro, LHP Henry Owens, RHP Dennis Santana and RHP Brock Stewart to Minor League camp.

The club also reassigned the following 16 non-roster invitees to Minor League camp:

• C Keibert Ruiz
• C Shawn Zarraga
• INF Matt Beaty
• INF Drew Jackson
• INF Edwin Rios
• OF Yusniel Diaz
• OF DJ Peters
• OF Henry Ramos
• OF Travis Taijeron
• RHP Zach Neal
• RHP Yaisel Sierra
• RHP Joe Broussard
• RHP Daniel Corcino
• RHP CC Lee
• LHP Brian Moran
• RHP Brian Schlitter