Jerk Those Knees
That’s what Dodger fans always do. Anytime the boys in blue lose a game, we see so many knee-jerk reactions that one would think knee-jerking is an Olympic Sport; right up there with jumping to conclusions! I guess that one of the silliest things I have heard is to criticize the…
That’s what Dodger fans always do. Anytime the boys in blue lose a game, we see so many knee-jerk reactions that one would think knee-jerking is an Olympic Sport; right up there with jumping to conclusions! I guess that one of the silliest things I have heard is to criticize the bullpen, which happens to be #3 in all of MLB. Cleveland is #1 with a 2.38 ERA. The Yankees are #2 with a 2.97 ERA, and the Dodgers are #3 at 3.03.
James Paxton was horrible and got no help from the defense. Paul Skenes was as advertised – filthy. Enjoy him while you can. He is a TJ waiting to happen. Arms can’t withstand that kind of power displays. I look for Paxton to get traded at the deadline… or be on the IL. With Miller and Kershaw coming back, he will be the odd man out, but he needs to have a few more good outings. Last night was not one…
Friday is a big day. Three more pitchers are taking steps forward.
The Dodgers are just going through the motions right about now. There’s no urgency or intensity… and there is absolutely no reason to manufacture any. They are seven games ahead of the Padres and (right about now), only the Yankees and Phillies are doing better. Now is not the time to go to the whip. You cannot play 162 games with playoff intensity. I want to see them turn it on in the second half. This is just the audition for the playoffs. I am not talking about tanking or anything like that. Let’s try something different this year.
Many Dodger fans wrote off Andy Pages after he struggled:
James Outman is knocking on the Door:
Don’t lose your mind. This, too, shall pass. Andrew Friedman is working on what to do at the trade deadline. They have invested $312 Million in the team this year and they haven’t come this far, just to come this far! Patience Grasshoppers. Just play Miguel Vargas!
Down on the Farm
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
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,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
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…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
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…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
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 (74)
Disagree, not disagreeable
T Hernandez is very pedestrian against RH pitching. OPS .739, a hundred points less than against lefties. He just can’t lay off the low and away slider.
Thursday schedule
2:35 p.m. PT (doubleheader): Oklahoma City (Ben Casparius & TBA) vs. Round Rock (Jack Leiter & Johnny Cueto)
4:05 p.m.: Great Lakes (Jerming Rosario) vs. Cedar Rapids (Darren Bowen)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Orlando Ortiz-Mayr) at Amarillo (Yilber Diaz)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Patrick Copen) vs. Visalia (Jacob Steinmetz)
Just saw a stat that Teo Hernandez of our beloved Dodgers leads all of MLB with Men Left in Scoring Position with 40 which includes 2 last night.
Was it a lack of intensity for the last two October failures or just the crapshoot of having your stars not performing in a small sample size. The pressure to deliver this October will certainly be ramped up.
The Athletic has their Preliminary All-Star Teams:
Open on www.nytimes.comhttps://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5540868/2024/06/05/mlb-all-star-team-predictions-2024/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail&userId=147501In the NL:
Starting SS:
Mookie Betts, Dodgers (starter)
(3.5 WAR, 8 HR, 42 R, 9 SB, 164 OPS+)
Betts has made the transition to shortstop look easy, although he’s said how hard it really is. He leads the NL in bWAR and can beat you in every way possible — with his glove, arm, speed, base running, hitting for average or power. In fact, I’m not sure there is anything he can’t beat everyone in, from bowling to golf to pool to video games.
Starting DH:
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (starter)
(3.1 WAR, 14 HR, 38 RBI, 14 SB, 179 OPS+)
Ohtani has a chance to be the first designated hitter to ever win an MVP Award as he’s batting .321/.390/.590 with 41 runs scored, 14 homers and 38 RBIs while swiping 14 bases in 15 attempts. He leads the NL with 138 total bases.
Betts and Ohtani were the only starters, but here are the three others on the team:
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
(2.1 WAR, 7 HR, 35 RBI, 150 OPS+)
Freeman leads all NL first basemen with a .401 on-base percentage. He is a plus defender, for my money the most consistent first baseman in the game, and plays every day. (He leads all first basemen in games played this season.)
Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers
(1.3 WAR, 12 HR, 38 RBI, 124 OPS+)
Hernández was one of the most underrated free-agent signings of the offseason, as the Dodgers scooped him up with a one-year, $23.5 million deal. He leads all NL right fielders in doubles, home runs and RBIs.
Will Smith, Dodgers
(1.8 WAR, 9 HR, 37 RBI, 145 OPS+)
Smith is slashing .296/.363/.515 and leads all NL catchers with 16 doubles and nine home runs. He leads the majors in caught stealing rate (44 percent) and ranks in the 77th percentile in pop time.
Good stuff Mark. Agree with just about everything.
We haven’t hit on all cylinders just yet and I’m ok with that. They are playing the long game here.
On CT3, I feel for the guy, baseball is a fricking hard game. He is a great teammate, works his AZZ off and can play anywhere on the diamond.
My son went 2-31 to open his Sophomore season. He grinded and turned it around and eventually winded up around .300. I can sympathize what CT3 is going thru. I’m not ready to hang this guy just yet.
It is weird on Vargas, my guess is he starts today. Lets get this one and then onto the Bronx, that is going to look like Dodger Stadium East.
Outman now batting .380 with an OPS of over 1200 at AAA. Almost have to recall him . Or trade him. Numbers will not get any better at OKC. With Liranzo coming on strong at A ball and Cartaya showing some signs of life at AA Rushing plus Outman plus Knack should be a good offer to haul in Robert jun. from the WS. If necessary throw in another lower level pitcher. We are so deep in pitching we can afford it.
Bruns went on the IL at GL. Anybody know what is wrong with him ? Looked terrific his last couple starts.
Very disappointing game last night from various standpoints. But good to see Pages get it going after his intial slump.
And Lux continues to ever so slowly improve his average too.
CT3? It has gotten to a point where he almost has to remove himself off the roster. If he is such a good teammate he should see he is hurting the team s success . Amazing that Vargas again did not get into the game.
Paxton finally ran out of luck. His underlying stats hinted that he was overdue for an outing like that. Lets see how he looks next time out. Prime candidate to get removed from the rotation when Miller comes back.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From yesterday’s comments. BS Old Bear 48. Knack probably won’t even be around. We got Glasnow, Yamamoto, Stone, Miller, Ohtani confirmed in next year’s rotation with Gonsolin, May and possibly Kershaw coming back. And don’t forget Sheehan, recovering from TJ surgery. Then up and comers River Ryan and Nick Frasso to consider. Let alone the Kasaki signing rumors. Landon Knack has pitched beautifully this year. Bring him up use him like Yarbrough. I’m betting Knack would love the experience. But, first and foremost give Lipcuis a chance. Right about now, I like JayHey, Pages and Teo in the OF. But spell all three with some Miguel. As many pitches as Teo was fouling off and missing last night, I say he could use a night off. We have guys in the minors that deserve chances to prove themselves.