Get Ready For the Six-Man Rotation
The Dodgers’ Rotation is going to look something like this starting today, as Shohei Ohtani and Ben Casparius join the rotation with Emmet Sheehan right behind them. Yamamoto Ohtani Sheehan May Kershaw Casparius The immediate effect is that this is going to tax the bullpen even…
The Dodgers’ Rotation is going to look something like this starting today, as Shohei Ohtani and Ben Casparius join the rotation with Emmet Sheehan right behind them.
- Yamamoto
- Ohtani
- Sheehan
- May
- Kershaw
- Casparius
The immediate effect is that this is going to tax the bullpen even more, as Ohtani, Casparius, and Sheehan are in no way “built up.” However, it is a necessary step. Wrobleski, Dreyer, Sauer, Banda, and others will be taxed in the short term. They may even work in Little, Miller, and others. Roki Sasaki is shut down, and it’s unclear whether we will see him later this year. The move to the six-man rotation was necessary for Yamamoto, who is much more effective with extra rest, and Ohtani, but it may help every starter go an extra inning or two. This we shall see.
Shohei Ohtani will allegedly open tonight. It would be great if he could go two or three innings, but anything over one inning is a plus. I would think that following him with Wrobleski would be a good plan, but what do I know? It’s going to be fun to see. Remember, MLB now has the “Ohtani Rule: “If Ohtani starts the game as both pitcher and DH, and then is removed as a pitcher, he can stay in the game as the DH without the team losing the DH spot.“
So, Ohtani will start the game as the DH and Pitcher, and when he comes out of the game as a pitcher, he will still be the DH. Very cool! This is what we have all been waiting for, and the Dodgers just got a whole lot stronger.
The Rafael Devers Debacle
I am not going to beat this dead horse very long, but I feel the same way about Rafael Devers that I did about Manny Ramirez. They are both supremely talented superstar hitters who are selfish, bad human beings. Manny beat up a 60+ year old team employee and was despised by many of his teammates. Rafael Devers is a highly productive, homegrown slugger who was signed through 2033, and the Red Sox traded him because they felt they were better without him. It’s called addition by subtraction.
Now, it is possible that he changes his stripes and becomes an unselfish teammate, but it is highly unlikely. In my experience, people like this do not change. Maybe he will… but my guess is that he will mess up the Giants team chemistry after an initial honeymoon period. Here’s what I said about Manny: “I would rather lose without him than win with him!” I feel the same way about Devers, and I am glad he is a Giant!
X-CITES
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Discussion (129)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Facing Ohtani (et al)
RF Tatis jr
1B Arraez
3B Machado
LF Sheets
SS Bogaerts
2B Cronenworth
DH Brooks
CF Wade
C Maldonado
Not sure what to expect in this game
Hoping, first, Ohtani comes out healthy.
How much he might pitch? Little idea. An inning? Two? Three? I’d guess that’s about the limit
Who’s backing him up? Casparius? Then who goes tomorrow?
Some ex Poster turns up posting under a new moniker, with an agenda, and immediately takes knows how to press various buttons (Politics) because he’s seen this story before. Mark gets involved , just as was the plan all along, and by tomorrow morning the LADT Closed sign will be up once again.
Go Dodgers!!!
Mark–I was hoping you could delete all these ‘off topic’ posts, including yours, and lets move on.
Go Dodgers!!! Looking forward to tonight’s game
I expected Ohtani to throw 116 MPH – Only 98. I am so disappointed! 😉
99
100
You can see that he absolutely loves to pitch!
Maybe Pages hit 116
Dude can throw
Ok
Not the amazing start we all wanted, but another step in the process.
A leadoff homer would be nice
Ok. Control off, but all soft contact. A better throw gets Tatis
This is what I said before the series for the pitching plan
16: Ohtani & Sauer
17: Casparius
18: Sheehan
19: Yamamoto
20: Kershaw
21: May
22: Ohtani & Sauer
23: OFF
Casparius going today changes that
Sheehan tomorrow? Sauer? Wrobleski?
Woohoo – MVPages and Ohtani
Would have liked to have gotten more than 11 outs out of Casparius. Just 15 batters faced and 62 pitches.
Oh well
10 more to go
Solid win against our current rivals and biggest threat.
Ohtani wasn’t great on the mound. But he was on the mound. Hopefully he’ll feel fine and be back out there for a couple of innings soon.
Yates and Scott continue to be solid. Arm barn looks a lot better with Yates and Kopech in it.
Ohtoni got screwed by the ump on the check swing to Machado and should have been the second out in the inning. Very impressed with the velocity and 2 strikes on every hitter he faced. Have to remember he hasn’t been on the mound since 2023 and the rust showed. His ability and intensity will be fine as the season goes along. Nedd him to be ready at full strength and healthy for October baseball. He has ACE written all over him.
Love seeing Pages thrive. I always hoped he was a mature Puig, which, with Teos’s guidance, he has blossomed. Sadly, Puig was victim to MLBs quick trigger just like Bauer’s, and banned from baseball without being convicted. If Vinny is watching, he is still rooting for his wild horse.
Just like they did by changing the AS game from Atlanta to Denver, MLB stuck their nose into politics, but let the Astros off without punishment for the trash can cheating scandal. MLB should stay out of it and so should Kiki and the Dodgers. Players get paid to play baseball, fans pay their salaries to enjoy the game. For those three precious hours we should not have to think of the world’s troubles and politics of the day.
Ohtani did ok for the first inning in two years hitting 100. Impressive start. And I wrote off. Kershaw 2 years ago and thankfully, he is proving me wrong. May he have a few more great years. He will know when it is time to hang em up.
When I see Pages, I think this is how Miguel Vargas was supposed to develop, and it looks like if not this season, then next season it could be Vargas’ season!