Everyone s Got One

“Opinions are like…” Well, you know the rest, but here’s the difference. Opinions are welcome here, A-Holes are not. At the company I run (US Water Systems), we have 10 “Core Values” ranging from “We Don’t Panic” to “We are fair… but not suckers” to our 10th Core Value which is “We do not tolerate Assholes.” Pardon our French, but there is no better way to say it. Snarky, divisive people have no future with us. I am going to suggest that we live by that here.

People in general, and sports fans (short for “fanatic”) all have opinions based upon their own backgrounds, upbringing, life experiences, and outlook. Some people see the “glass half full” while others see it as “half empty”… and both are right. I am often accused of being a “homer” and seeing the Dodgers “thru rose-colored glasses.” I find that hilarious as I have been doing this blog for about 20 years and have been extremely critical of the Dodgers over the years. Let me mention but a few:

• I was critical of the ownership by the O’Malleys at the end and the Fox.
• I was openly critical about the signings or trades for Jason Schmidt, Andrew Jones, and Adrian Gonzalez. Some fans wanted to fight me for daring to question these deals.
• I was violently opposed to Paul DePodesta as GM and said he was “felony stupid” for not signing Adrian Beltre.
• I hated the hiring of Joe Torre and Don Mattingly and posted a picture of Mattingly “walking the plank” on a pirate ship.
• I was critical of Guggenheim and Company in the beginning and am still not crazy about corporate ownership. I supported Frank McCourt in the beginning because I saw an opportunity for a “little guy” to do some great things. It turns out he was a greedy bastard and a scumbag.

I could go on and on but since the hiring of Andrew Friedman, I have felt that the Dodgers were on the right track. I “got” what he wanted to do from day one and he is sticking to the plan.

“But he hasn’t signed any big-name free agents.” – Fans say that as if it’s a bad thing. The truth is: It’s a great thing! Over 70% of big-name, big bucks free agent contracts come back to bite the team. Remember when Arte Moreno was the “King of LA Baseball” because he signed Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton? Total Dope-Fiend Moves! However, many Dodger fans were moaning and groaning over that: “The Angels are now LA’s #1 Baseball Team,” one fan said.

“But, he hasn’t fixed the bullpen.” – My opinion is that “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” I was against the signing of Kenley Jansen, but we got one amazing year from him, one good year and this year is a mediocre year with a final year on the deal. Most of the relievers fans want to trade for are relievers that other teams have already developed. Everyone wants Felipe Vasquez, who is about the same age as Kenley Jansen was when he got his extension. You never know what you are going to get.

Andrew Friedman is drafting and developing a plethora of arms and some of the ones you least expect may become that “Lockdown Closer.” Let me throw out three names: Dennis Santana, Jordon Sheffield, and Marshall Kasowski. All are destined for the bullpen. All have warts. For example, Kas has an awesome fastball… and little else. What if all of a sudden, he develops a sinker or a cutter? He becomes “Game Over Kasowski.” That has a ring to it. Come playoff time, the bullpen will be fine. I have said it all year long and I stick to it. The Dodgers bullpen is in the TOP 25% in baseball… and will be even better with re-shuffling for the playoffs.

You can see what you believe and sometimes you will see it when it’s not there. Many of you judge a player by his last few at-bats or starts. Kershaw and Ryu have been stellar all year, but in their last two or three starts they have struggled, so you throw out their entire body of work and conclude that how they are pitching today is how they will pitch going forward. If you have been around baseball for any time whatsoever, you would know that is a complete fallacy. In June, July and September, Joe Kelly had a 8.00+ ERA last year but was Light’s Out in the playoffs… and he had to be because of Craig Kimbrel, who stumbled in the post-season.

How about all the Dodger fans who wanted to sign him? He’s has a 5.48 ERA and is back on the IL with elbow inflammation. It’s been whispered for a year that a TJ is in his near future. Theo Epstein built the Cubs the right way, but then succumbed to signing long-term deals and getting aging vets. Crash and burn! Be thankful that Andrew Friedman is building a sustainable model that will put the Dodgers in a position the win every year.

Getting to the playoffs every year is the model. Trading the farm and loading up a “fantasy baseball team” is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. When you get to the playoffs anything can happen. Maybe Kenley won’t close. Maybe it’s May or Maeda or Baez or Garcia. Who knows. All I know is that the Dodgers have the most wins in baseball, the best pitching staff and are one of the best hitting teams in baseball and play good defense. They also have the most depth, top-to-bottom, of any organization.

So, you can say the “sky is falling” and you can moan and groan (it sucks to be you) but you have a right to think that… and voice that opinion… and others have the right to disagree. However, all I ask is that you disagree without being disagreeable. Play nice, my friends!

DC’s 10th Inning

Ogden Raptors 3 – Orem Owlz (LAA) 2

Alfredo Tavarez started for the Raptors and pitched a nice 5 innings on 2 hits, one run and struck out 7. Relievers Mitchell Tyranski, Corey Merrill, Reza Aleaziz and Nick Robertson combined for 4 innings on one run by Merrill. Tyranski struck out all 4 batters he faced.

The Raptors scored a run in the 3rd inning on a Zac Ching single and pushed another across in the 7th inning  on an Andrew Shaps double followed by a sacrifice bunt that led to an error and and giving the Raptors a 2-1 lead. Eddys Leonard broke the 2-2 tie with a home run in the bottom of the 8th. 

Great Lakes Loons 0 – Lake County Captains  (Cleveland) 4

A pair of 19-year-old pitchers squared off in game 2 of the series. Loons left-hander Robinson Ortiz faced Captains right-hander Ethan Hankins who was a first-round selection by Cleveland in 2018 and reputed to have the best fastball in that drafting class. Things didn’t go as expected. Both pitchers left in the 4th inning with the bases loaded and both were bailed out by a reliever leaving the game scoreless. Twenty-year-old Edward Cuello stranded the 3 inherited runners and went on to pitch 3.1 innings on 2 hits with 6 strikeouts. Left-hander Jeff Belge came on in the 8th and after a clean inning loaded the bases on 3 walks in the 9th inning with one out. Yeison Cespedes was called upon to put out the fire but fanned the flames allowing a 2-run single and a ground out that scored the 3rd run. The 4th Captains run came home on a Luke Heyer throwing error.

The Loons offense had 5 hits but struck out 16 times.

The winner-take-all game goers today with right-hander Jose Chacin on the mound for the Loons at Dow Diamond.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes  6 –  Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 7

The Quake went down 2-0 in the best of five series blowing a 6-1 lead. John Rooney gave them 5 strong innings on 7 hits, one run and struck out 5. Relievers Darien Nunez, Guillermo Zuniga, and Max Gamboa gave up 6 runs to put the Quakes on the brink of elimination.

The Quakes had scored 2 in the 4th on a Dillon Paulson double and 4 in the 6th including a 3-run home run by catcher Tre Todd.

Andre Jackson takes the hill for the Quakes today trying to extend the series at LoanMart Field.

Tulsa Drillers 3 –  Arkansas Travelers (Seattle) 1

Leo Crawford started for the Drillers and went 6.1 strong innings on 4 hits, one run with 7 strikeouts. Luis Vasquez finished up with 2.2 scoreless innings and 5 strikeouts.

One run came home in the 2nd inning as Connor Wong scored on a steal of home that went wrong for the Travelers. They added a second run in the 5th inning on a Jeter Downs single following a Jared Walker single and stolen base.. A 3rd run came home in the same inning on a Connor Wong single.

Downs enjoyed a big night at the plate for Tulsa, finishing with three hits, one run scored and one RBI. Wong and Omar Estevez had two hits each.

The Travelers used defensive shifts throughout the game, and the Drillers used it their advantage. Eight of Tulsa’s 11 hits were to the opposite field.

Markus Solberg goes for the Drillers today at ONEOK Field in Tulsa.

Connor Wong was named the August MiLB Uncle Ray’s Player of the Month for the Texas League. He led the league in eight offensive categories: batting average (.412), hits (40), total bases (72), home runs (nine), RBI (26), on-base percentage (.463), slugging percentage (.742), and OPS (1.205). He put together an 11-game hit streak from Aug. 16–27, during which he recorded seven multi-hit games. In total, Wong put up 13 multi-hit games during the month of August.