You look back over the years and there are very few Dodger players at the top of the offensive numbers in the NL. Or the majors for that matter. Pitching? That is a horse of a different color. The last Dodger to win a batting title was Tommy Davis in 1963 when he hit .326. He also won in 1962 with a .342 mark.
Kemp led the league in runs scored with 111 in 2011. No one since then. The last Dodger to lead the league in hits was Steve Garvey in 1980 with 200. As a matter of fact, no Dodger has achieved the 200 hit level since Adrian Beltre had 204 in 2004.
Over the years, counting Brooklyn, the Dodgers have had 13 MVPs, 8 of them in pennant-winning years. 12 Cy Youngs, Koufax, and Kersh accounted for 6 of those. 9 World Series MVPs. There were tri winners in 1981. The Dodgers have had 18 Rookies of the Year… by far the most of any team. 5 All-Star game MVPs. None since Piazza in 1996. And 9 Comeback Player of the Year awards, the last being Nomar in 2006.
But individual awards in the offense category have just not been there. The last Dodger to lead the league in HR was Matt Kemp in 2011. Green did not lead the league when he hit 49. Beltre tied for the lead in 2004 with 48. No Dodger except Tom Jordan when he hit 12 in 1906 and 1908, has ever won more than one. A-Gone was the last Dodger to lead the league in RBI’s in 2014. Dee Gordon led the league in steals in 2014. Pedro Guerrero last Dodger to lead the league in slugging percentage.
As it stands right now, Trea Turner is #1 in the league in BA and steals, but he did most of his work in DC. Only Muncy is in the race for the HR crown. He is not even close in the RBI chase. The Dodgers as a team, are 4th in the NL in HR’s when last year they were #1. They trail SF, Atlanta, and the Reds. They are plus 204 in run differential. That is by far the largest margin in the league. But they are still 2.5 games back of the Giants as of today. Their lopsided one-run losses compared to wins, and extra-inning defeats have contributed to the deficit.
But, have you ever wondered why it is that a team with so much talent over the years, has never had a 50 HR season by any player, even when balls were flying out of the park all over baseball? Why do they rarely have a player in the top 10 in batting or RBI’s?
The theory has usually been the heavy air at night in springtime in LA. The ball just does not carry well until it warms up a little. They have had some success crushing the ball on opening day. 8 one time against the Giants. But individually, it takes a while for them to get going. Bellinger, in 19, had 30 HRs by July 4th. But fell short of the 50 mark with 47. He hit 27 of those in LA that year. Guererro is second in a season with 23 at Dodger Stadium. Muncy had 20. Adrian Gonzalez started off one year with 5 HRs in the first 3 games. But never came close to leading the league after that.
RBI’s in bunches also have seemed to be an issue. But they are spread all up and down the lineup, not depending on one player to get the job done. Right now the Dodgers have 5 players with 50 or more RBI’s. Muncy is leading with 76. Then Turner, Taylor, Smith, and Pollock. Only Taylor has struck out more than 100 times. And he leads the team by a bunch, with 133. The next closest is Muncy with 85. Betts has 44 RBI’s, but had he been healthy, he would have a lot more. Bellinger has driven in 31 on 41 hits.
But individual success has always taken a back seat to winning. Team success, and sustaining that has been the main focus of the team for years. In this day and age, and the way Roberts and the FO feel about keeping the players fresh and not out there every day makes a difference in the number of chances a player has to string together good games. Sometimes a player just gets hot and stays hot. Taylor and Pollock had streaks like that this season. Taylor has cooled off some, and Pollock had a 4 game stretch where he did not look the same. The last time Mookie came off of the IL< he got very hot and looked a lot like he did last season.
Let us hope he comes off the IL as hot this time. As much as I would like to see Belli win a HR crown, if for no other reason than to beat out Tatis, I would rather see them win another World Series. Individual awards are great. I hope Buehler wins the Cy Young. And I would love to see Turner keep it up and win the batting and stolen base crown. But what I want more than anything is to see them both celebrating on the mound after winning the last game of the World Series!
I sometimes believe fans are more into the individual honors more than the players. I know I was always pulling for a Dodger to win the HR crown. I thought for sure Bellinger was going to do that in 2019. But Pete Alonzo, in his incredible rookie season finished with 53. Cody led in WAR with an 8.7 mark. And he finished 2nd in many of the hitting categories. But his fade in the second half cost him the HR and RBI titles most likely and his drop in BA to just above .300 when he had been well over .340 in June.
But I have also enjoyed this incredible run of success. It is great to see the team at the top of the standings all those seasons instead of in the middle of the pack trying to pass two or three teams. And despite what some might think, it is good that the Giants are giving them such a challenge. It makes the last 30 plus games important. Unlike a few years ago when they went into August with a 20 game lead, and then proceeded to lose a bunch. They still won by 11 games, but they were not really challenged except by that losing streak.
Now they head to San Diego to face a reeling Padres team who are barely hanging on to their playoff spot with the Reds charging hard to overtake them. The Padres are 10.5 games back of the Dodgers. There is no way they are catching the Giants, and most likely no way they can catch LA. But they can put a dent in the Dodgers chase to overtake the Giants and win the division again. 9 games left with the Dodgers. 10 with the Giants, so they can also help LA.
But like they say, wounded animals are dangerous. The Dodgers are going to have to play some of their best baseball against those guys. Especially if they want to gain any ground on the Giants. And they need to hope the Giants’ opponents these next few weeks can do some damage and slow down their run. It is going to be interesting to watch. Last night was a good start.
Discussion (45)
Disagree, not disagreeable
“Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!” It one of the most memorable calls in sports broadcasting history. Howard Cosell uttered those words after George Foreman sent Joe Frazier to the mat in a 1973 fight for the World Heavyweight Championship. For the second night” Down goes Adam Frazier” making the last out both games,
I watched all six hours plus. Great win. Max will have go deep into tonight’s game .We will face Darvish for the first time without the sticky stuff.
Wow, woke up to see this result! Amazing game….amazing win….WONDERFUL WILLIAM on a high hard fastball does it again. When are the pitchers going to learn to not pitch him there? He is not Cody…lol
Great bullpen…all of you.
Don’t want to see Snell ever again….he scares me.
I hate the free runner. I’m too old to be watching games like this. For some people the free runner adds excitement. For me it just adds more stress.
And yes, how about that Greene guy.
Glad that’s over. I tuned in in the 7th inning, and still saw 3.5 hours of the game.
Dodger Pitchers only allowed 3 hits in the first 14 innings pitched.
Would’ve been a tough one to lose.
Headline: DODGERS WIN GAME FROM HELL- Pollock Homer boosts Dodgers over Pads in grueling extra inning duel
Pollock with a 2 run shot in the 16th..wow. what a weird game. Dodgers have struck out 18 times tonight. 13 intentional walks,
On to the 16th.
I think Knebel will come out for the bottom of the inning should we take the lead. Made some good pitches and even the HR by Tatis was not on a cookie.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!
And there is only one relief pitcher left in the pen. Greene. Pollock, Seager and Taylor coming up in the 16th. They are a combined 0-16 with 7 K’s and 2 walks. Turner will be on second.
Man, CT3 had a good chance to rob Tatis on this one. Unbelievable.
tied at 3.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
One thing for sure: I do NOT want to see the Dodgers go up in a do or die game vs Pads with Snell on the mound. Guy seems to have our numbers.
Knebel in to try to lock it down.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!
I don’t think they go 16
McKinney singles in a run, Turner singles in a run. 3-1 top of the 15th inning and Knebel will pitch the bottom of the inning. Grisham, Tatis and Machado are due up. Muncy now 0-7 with 2 K’s. Grisham is 1-6. Tatis 0-6 with 4 K’s and Machado 0-4 with 1 K and 2 intentional walks.
At this point Bear I think I’d like to see Roberts get an ab! He certainly couldn’t do any worse! How about just one productive out!
Offense tonight has been totally pitiful. They are 1-18 with runners in scoring position. Turner, Taylor, Seager, Pollock, Muncy all ofer. Game is almost 5 hours long and they are in the bottom of the 14th. This is awful baseball. Some bad baserunning in this game too. I hate the extra inning rule. 11 intentional walks in this game. 1-1 in the top of the 15th inning. Graterol has gone 2 scoreless. Taylor will be on second with, Smith Bellinger, a pinch hitter and Trea Turner, 0-5 tonight due up fourth. Padres have no position players left. Lux and McKinney still available for Roberts.
Can’t complain about Roberts in game management here!
When is Roberts gonna learn! Just can’t pitch the old man back to back! I think he was pointing at Eric when he left the mound!
Melancon straddles the rubber like he’s getting ready to take it up the Wazoo
I can’t stand that sucka. Too bad when he comes in we are the ones usually taking it up the Wazoo
I can hear the Kenley doubters groaning already in the top of the 9th!
Trying to prove a point they played the Snell card to long
Got to give him credit though, he was going against Buehler, tough matchup
Nice AB, Belli.
Sumbitch Turner pressing to make up for that unearned run
And another unearned run.
Ok, the Mets suck
DODGERS ACTIVATE JOE KELLY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers activated right-handed pitcher Joe Kelly from the injured list and optioned left-handed pitcher Victor González to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Kelly, 33, was placed on the injured list August 10, missing 14 games. He was 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA (11 ER/29.2 IP) and 35 strikeouts in 31 games this season. He made two rehab appearances for Low-A Rancho Cucamonga, striking out two and walking two in 1.1 innings. In two seasons with the Dodgers, he is a combined 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA (39 ER/91.0 IP) and 106 strikeouts. He is in his 10th season in the Major Leagues and is a combined 50-29 with a 3.87 ERA (308 ER/716.1 IP) and 604 strikeouts. The Corona, CA native was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of UC Riverside.
González, 25, is 3-1 with a 3.57 ERA (14 ER/35.1 IP) and 33 strikeouts in 44 games this season. In his career, he is a combined 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA (17 ER/55.2 IP) and 56 strikeouts. He was originally signed as an international free agent on July 2, 2012 out of Tuxpan, Nayarit, Mexico.
Estoy de acuerdo en mantener a Belli en la alineación sobre todo para que siga haciendo los ajustes necesarios para alcanzar la bolas altas y rápidas y/o su hombro se fortalezca para y quizá se resuelva como el caso de Matt Kemp y el mencionado hombro se extienda como antes de la lesión y la posterior cirugía, creo que mantenerlo en el juego es la única solución ya que la Gerencia no se desprenderá de el.
August 25, 2021
Darvish (back) will be activated from the 10-day injured list to start Thursday’s series finale against the Dodgers, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Los Angeles Dodgers
August 25, 2021
Kelly (undisclosed) was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Victor G . optioned to the minors
Taylor leads the team in strikeouts and is the only player with over 100 K’s and has 134 punch-out’s in 429 at bats. That is pretty bad. For a contact type hitter his all or nothing approach is not all that productive more than 25% of the time. Bellinger is striking out less lately. He has had some really bad at bats, but he also has scorched some balls that were caught. But the team values his defense which is far superior to Taylor. And with Betts back, Taylor can return to his super sub role, which he was expected to do all season, and give guys like Turner, Pollock and anyone else Dave might like a blow. He was never supposed to be an everyday player anyway. And his power numbers have dropped considerably since the all star game. In the last 14 days he is hitting .233 with 1 HR and 4 RBI’s. Bellinger, although he is hitting only .149 in the same period has 2 HR’s and 7 RBI’s. They both have struck out 16 times. Bellinger also has 3 doubles over that stretch. Taylor has one.
Lineup is out. Pujols sits as I pointed out earlier today.
TT 2B
Other Mad Max 1B
JT 3B
Rodney Dangerfield LF
Seags SS
CT3 RF
Fresh Prince C
The Target CF
For all you CT3 over Belli guys out there. You guys should look at the statcast data on the MLB.com site. You will be surprised to see that CT3’s and Belli’s statcast numbers are a lot closer than you think. Mark is onto something by pointing out the discrepancy in BABIP. Then you have to consider the fact that Cody is getting better compared to where he was at at the beginning of the month, so it stands to reason that he may be able to keep improving over the remainder of the year.
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/statcast?type=batter&year=2021&position=&team=119&min=1&sort=17&sortDir=asc
The lineup is pretty stacked when Mookie comes back. I would stick with Trea leading off to take a little pressure off of Mookie…
Seags is the best pure hitter, so I keep him in the 3 hole. Smith is clutch and Muncy is slumping, so I’ll put Muncy in between two righties.
Mookie – RF
T Turner – 2B
Seager – SS
Smith – C
Max – 1B
JT – 3B
AJ – LF
Belli – CF
Love to beat the Padres.
* Pollock had a very nice game. Nice to see him quiet the past haters who wanted him gone or platooned. Shows what he can do when healthy for awhile.
* Smith is a very gifted high fastball hitter. With the higher strike zone and a propensity for pitchers to pitch there, many players struggle catching up to high cheese. Smith is good up there getting on top of that pitch. He can also get his hands in and get his barrel to the inside pitch. Most guys foul that off their knuckles or pull it foul. He has the ability to not snap hook that stuff and keep it fair. I’m not the kind to say I told you so on Smith’s bat. But I told you so. Too good of a swing to be the .220 guy some predicted. Nice to see.
* Orel’s back. And does it again. With 2 outs in the 9th in the most critical, suspenseful spot, he rambled on for about how he went about calling his own pitches to the catcher with various body language and signs when the hitter isn’t looking. News flash to Orel – nobody gives a rat’s ass what you used to do to signal pitches 23 years ago, at least at that time in the game. He’s such a buzz killer.
NL Wild Card Game: October 6. NLDS: October 8
Let’s hope we’re just hangin out on Oct 6!!
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/32083665/game-7-world-series-scheduled-nov-3-latest-2009
For the Month of August, the Dodgers are 16-4, good for a whopping 800 winning percentage despite Mookie Betts playing in only 5 games. It’s hard to image that any team can do much better than an 800 winning percentage for an entire month.
During that time, Cody Has been a mainstay in the lineup making 17 starts and coming into the game late in two others. In those 17 starts, he’s managed 7 runs scored, 10 RBI, 5 doubles and 4 homers. Yet people are calling him to be relegated to the bench, presumably in favor of Chris Taylor. In the same time frame, CT3 started 19 games and it may surprise most on this site that he scored 8 runs with 7 RBI 5 doubles and 1 HR. He also struck out 26 times vs 20 for Belli. Clearly, Belli has been the better run producer in August and considering he did it mostly batting 8th is even more impressive.
I bring this up because there is no clear replacement for Belli.
Seager, Belli and Mookie have all spent a significant amount of time on the IL this year and CT3 has covered admirably for each of them. He leads the team in games played, having appeared in 120 games this year. The next closest regular is JT with 115. Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that JT and CT3 would lead the team in games played? It just goes to show how weird of a year it has been.
I’ve maintained all along that Mookie, JT and Pollock will all need rest down the stretch and CT3 is invaluable in the role of giving other players rest because of his defense at many positions. CT3 has also played much more than he ever had and could use a breather from time to time himself.
There is absolutely no reason to relegate Bellinger to the bench. He’s been a more productive run producer over the last month than the guy who would most likely replace him and would prohibit CT3 from giving others much needed rest. He’s showing signs of coming out of his slump and he’s certainly the best defensive Center Fielder on the team. I’m all for getting Belli more rest. But, there is absolutely no reason to bench him as most of you suggest.
Someone was asking why the Dodgers might DFA Neftali Feliz instead of Shane Greene. I obviously have no inside information, but what might have transpired (and oftentimes does), when the player signs a MiLB contract, the team will have so much time to place the player on the roster or release him pursuant to pre-arranged deal. With Feliz it could very well have been that if he was not going to be on the playoff roster that he be placed on the MLB roster, pitch, and then get released for some other team to pick him up for the last month. Again, I have no idea whatsoever if that was the deal in place, but I do know that it happens.
With Shane Greene, the Dodgers might see something they like. His fastball is not in the upper 90’s so he would be a different look. It could be a mechanical issue for his command, which needs to be dead-on for him to compete. He is only 32. Greene does not figure to make the playoffs roster, but maybe the Dodgers want him to be an option for 2022, if they can corral his command. (BIG IF).
I do not think that Conner Greene was on irrevocable waivers from Baltimore, so it could be that if the Dodgers were not going to keep him for the playoffs that they put him back on waivers for Baltimore to reclaim him. Again, I have no idea if that is what happened, but it does happen more often than many think.
Glad to see some are starting to see the possibility of benching Cody once Mookie returns. Obviously we lose a little defense, but Taylor is pretty good in CF as we all saw in the All Star game.
So what do we do with Cody? I will continue to beat this drum….send him down and don’t send him back up until he shows signs of hitting again. If Mookie is healthy, we don’t need Cody on our team because he would be useless as a pinch hitter (weak pop up or K).
Oh, one more point for tonight ….I believe Tre Turner can play the OF as well, so we can always play Turner in the OF when Pujols plays 1B and then move Marvelous Max to 2B.
OF; Taylor, Pollock, Turner
IF: Pujols, Marvelous Max, JT, Seager
C: Wonderful William
Muncy is in a minor funk. I noticed this morning in wins he is OPS’n 1.083, in losses it’s .699. That is a telling stat.
Is Mookie going to second base when he returns? If so, adios Cody. I have said all along he needs to play. I’m not saying it anymore. September is on us.
We need journalists more than ever. Lying right to our face has become a way of life. We need writers to uncover the truth. Support the 4th Estate.
Based on what I’m now reading, Cody Bellinger needs to take a seat. I agree. Offensively, he’s hurting the team. Yes, he had a two run single Sunday and had a hard hit line drive to an outfielder. So there will be moments. But they’re far too seldom to continue going down this path. Strikeouts, pop-ups and lazy fly balls are not helping. He continues to ignore bunt opportunities, has the long swing and is often under the pitch (foul ball, pop-up, swing and miss). Obviously, the timing isn’t there. He’s missing 90 mph fastballs down the middle. Former players seem to think he needs to shorten up and make more contact. Seems logical. He can help the Dodgers win games without hitting a homerun. But will he adapt?
As to winning batting titles, etc. It’s still a team game, takes 26 or 40 to win a title. Lots of contributions. For decades, the Dodgers have been built around pitching first, then hitting. The Dodgers decades ago made a big time statement when they traded the one lone legitimate power hitter they had, Frank Howard, for a pitcher.
Nothing has really changed, other than money and free agents, allowing the team to acquire or keep hitters to go with quality pitching. The fact they gave Trevor Bauer a massive, short term deal, certainly confirmed their belief that they needed more star power in the rotation.
Artie Moreno and the Angels seem to take a different approach, pursuing bats over arms.
If you look at the Dodgers moving forward, I can see the Dodgers offense built around Mookie Betts and Trea Turner. They will be able to put pressure on opposing pitchers. A double, a stolen base, a fly ball, run scored.
Will the Dodgers be able to catch the Giants? Maybe, maybe not. Luck seems to favor the Giants. Just 36 games to go.
Good write-up Bear.
Nothing new to report on Trevor Bauer, but journalists (or so they say) keep cranking out some of the stupidest, biased crap I have ever read.
Shakespeare had it wrong. The first thing we should do is kill all the journalists.
P.S. That will probably get me on an FBI Watch List or something.
I was on the edge of my seat all night last night. What a game! It was a great start to this series with Julio coming off the IL to throw a bunch of zeros. They probably could have left him in there for another inning, but using Bickford against the top of the order proved to be a good call.
Knebel, Treinen and Kenley all looked a little off last night, but got the job done overall sans a Jurickson Profar homer.
Does it make sense to start Albert against Snell tonight? I have a hard time justifying a step down on defense while sitting one of Turner, Turner or Seager in this series. I can’t see Albert catching up to Snell’s heater, so why screw up the defense with such a move?
There’s no way I sit Belli to get Beaty or McKinney into the game against Snell. Go ahead and activate Mookie a day early and then we’ll talk. We’re going to need to make sure we can catch the ball as runs should be hard to come by.
It was really odd that Feliz and Greene were used in the same game. One sucked and the other had a clean inning, so cut the guy with the clean inning? I really hate this move and I’m going to be really pissed if he winds up with SF, SD or Mil.
Another day, another win, and people have to complain about Belli even though there isn’t any bench options that are better at the moment.
Alex Vesia is unbelievable. Just 5 hits and 1 run in the last two months. I hope he can keep it going.
Activate Joe Kelly so he can plant one of Machado or Tatis.
On Bellinger:
1. Conventional wisdom is generally wrong; and
2. It is darkest just before dawn!
and yada, yada, yada!
Bellinger is playing himself to the bench. He’s getting his opportunities and he’s doing nothing with them. He should just bunt until his shoulder is strong enough to catch up to fastballs.
Sure hope Mookie can play.
I was wrong about Pollock. Dude is a player.
Someone on the site mentioned ,where are Jackson and White? Both are pitching for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
in preparation for possible callups shortly. Jackson pitched last Saturday 5.2 IP 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 5K 1HR 77pitches 48 strikes, White pitched last night 5.2IP 5H 2 R 2ER 0BB 8K 1HR 71 pitches 52 strikes. They’re both been stretched out for help in the rotation for the division run.
With Snell on the mound tonight, I would think Bellinger will be in the dugout.