Let s Throw Out The Baby With The Bathwater
When the Giants won the World Series three out of five years, does anyone remember what happened in between? What is of interest to me is that after winning the World Series in 2012, in 2013 the Giants were ten games under .500 the next year 10 GAMES! Then, the very next year, they won the World Series again. Just because some moron says the Dodgers don t have depth,
When the Giants won the World Series three out of five years, does anyone remember what happened in between? What is of interest to me is that after winning the World Series in 2012, in 2013 the Giants were ten games under .500 the next year – 10 GAMES! Then, the very next year, they won the World Series again.
Just because some moron says the Dodgers don’t have depth, doesn’t mean it’s true. Someone posted an article by Howard Cole mocking the Dodger’s depth. Of course he did. That’s what he does… based upon 38 games this year, he thinks that proves the Dodgers have no depth? I won’t even try and reason with someone who is so obviously devoid of commons sense – I guess it’s not common in his case. The Dodgers do have amazing depth, up and down the system, but how do you plan for crazy stuff like this?
The Dodgers signed Logan Forsythe as depth, especially if Justin Turner went down. So, for a minute, it looked to be a great move, until Forsythe went down too. The Dodgers’ front office is evidently composed of jackasses for not having another All-Star Caliber shortstop to back up Corey Seager. Why did they not do that? They should have had Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carerra stashed on their 40 man roster. Cole is absolutely right – they had no depth after Seager. [I case you don’t know – that is sarcasm.]
The Dodgers should have predicted that Bellinger and Taylor would “regress.” Really? What makes you think they have “regressed” after seeing all of 38 games? “Well the bathwater is dirty, let’s throw out the baby too!” Yeah, that’s the ticket! I don’t think either player has regressed. I think they will be fine – maybe they are trying to do too much, but my opinion (for those who care) is that they will be just fine. I do agree with moving them down in the lineup. They both will figure it out. Taylor has to stop looking at so many called 3rd strikes – that is fixable.
On the other hand, I think they should have played Kike more – let’s see what he can do as a regular. I don’t like that they didn’t. I don’t know what the front office’s fascination with Joc Pederson is. The Anti-FAZ faction will say that FAZ keeps THEIR players (which is dumb and wrong), but Joc is not their player and neither is Puig. Both of them are killing the team… in different ways. Farmer looks lost and right now the team is composed of a bunch of Punch & Judy Hitters.
Depth? Look at the depth at catcher – the pipeline is full of potentially great ones. Andrew Toles was depth in the outfield, as is Henry Ramos. Toles’ injury has really hurt this mash unit. So, when your “depth” goes down too, you have no “depth?” Maybe your depth needs “depth?” Yeah, that’s what he means. Cole says the Dodgers have no depth, but lots of baseball people who can actually think and have common sense have stated otherwise… a lot! At this moment in time, Cole may be right… for a minute, but he’s wrong… as usual!
I have said it many times: this front office is not perfect. I was OK with the moves they made last offseason, but many weren’t and so far, it looks like you were right… but it’s a very long season. I still think the Dodgers will win the division because of their DEPTH! It’s fashionable to pile one when someone is down, but I have not lost faith in the front office… not even close. If you think they are going away anytime soon, you also are delusional. They have built a world-class organization – one of the best in baseball. They have lots of depth, regardless of what some may say.
The main thing that bothers me is that they are so “streaky.” They can go 52-8 and then lost 17 in a row! I’d like to “fix” that. They are in that “17 in a row rut right now.”
“There is no depth!”
“The sky is falling!”
“Taylor and Bellinger have regressed!”
“The Dodgers are an absolute mess.”
Shock journalism sells. But, it’s nonsensical – like throwing the baby out with the bathwater! Just Dumb! … and some people have a depth of dumb!
This too shall pass – I just wish it would hurry up and do it!
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Discussion (48)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Management biggest move this past year was getting under the salary cap, most know this, but wish for something better including this fan..
For all those hoping for Machado, or a SP or BP help via a trade – it ain’t happening.
What is on the field today is what will be there in September because after getting under the salary cap there will be no resurfacing this year to come back under the penalties.
For those hoping for a signing of Machado or Harper next year – that would be a first for FAZ.
The current Dodger team looks like a ship without a rudder, but management set the 2018 ship in the direction of getting under the salary cap, hoping they could have similar results with the same players. Roberts is struggling to steer it with the plethora of AAAA players available ( after injuries and down years) but it looks pretty ugly – definitely not worth the price of admission.
For those thinking there is still time for the 104 team to reappear, good luck wth that.
Sensing alot of doom and gloom guys, let’s look at the pollyana side. Once again, as terrible as it seems right now, we are STILL only 8 games out in middle of May. Kershaw, JT, Toles, Urias, Forsythe will be back sooner or later and the lineup will get a little more steady. Look at our iineup and you see alot of young guys. JT and Chase are really the only older sages in the lineup, so alot of these dudes are facing some real adversity for the first time. Let them scrap along and figure it out, we will be better suited in the long run. No front office can game plan for losing Seager for the year, and JT right before the season starts, and then losing your first call up from AAA(Toles) for an extended period of time. This is an incredibly patient front office, and they will pull the trigger like they always do when we least expect it and get some help, and once again we will be singing about how in the heck did they pull that off. Watch and wait, the sky aint falling yet.
OK – so you can’t protect against the likes of Seager and Turner going down. Fair enough. But did the Braintrust do anything else this offseason other than the big salary dump to set the Dodgers up for this year?
Not at all, I agree with that Rick.
Taylor was never supposed to be anything so maybe we got one amazing year from him but I still believe in Christ, I hope he turns it around. Bellinger is supposed to be an upcoming star, his play is def concerning. Having no Turner or Seager just creates really bad mojo, who knows if it would be different with them back, certainly the bullpen and Kershaw injury would be the same.
“I think I will just run this post everyday until something changes… if something changes. These guys make Mendoza look like a superstar and it’s the same every day. They can’t advance runners, can’t move runners, can’t bunt, can’t hit, can’t homer, can’t pitch.” – Mark Timmons
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The Dodgers have won 2 series this year – 2! They have lost series to 2 of the worst teams in the NL (San Diego and Miami) and have lost 2 in a row to the 3rd (Cincinnati). The difference? These 3 teams are TRYING to lose – they are tanking and the Dodgers still can’t beat them!
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Taylor has had 1 good season. He is leading baseball in striking out looking. He’s not the answer to any question other than “can you strike out without swinging?” (Yes) Bellinger is not adjusting to the diet of breaking balls he is seeing. The “depth” is made up largely of AAAA guys – Farmer, Locastro, Muncy, et al. As Howard Cole wrote, the rotation depth is made up of Buehler and a bunch of guys who are really relievers. Was it predictable that the Dodgers’ rotation would end up on the DL?
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OK – so you can’t protect against the likes of Seager and Turner going down. Fair enough. But did the Braintrust do anything else this offseason other than the big salary dump to set the Dodgers up for this year?
Someone said we a few posts back none of realize the impact not having Turner in the lineup would have, well I did and many of us did.
Turner and Seager out? No depth can make up for that. They made the lineup what it was last year. They set the tone for Taylor Bellinger and Puig. You simply can’t make up for those guys and as long as they are out, I see this continuing. Tough luck for us this year.
Now with that said, Pederson should have been cut after the all star game in 2015, still my opinion the worst player to ever make it by hitting home runs, sex sells. I think he hit 6 the second half?
Forsythe was a terrible pickup, cut bait.
It will be a long year with Seager and Turner on the bench
What is the most concerning is that, even though we are ‘only’ 38 games into the season, this feels like a continuation of the huge Sept slide from last year. Yes, the boys in blue had a good postseason (until they didn’t) but that had a lot to do with playoff grit, motivation, and adrenalin. The team we are seeing is the team that absolutely sucked for nearly a month last year. My point is this is not a sudden thing. It started last year. Perhaps, without the magic of ’17 when everything fell into place, these Dodgers are just not very good. Still, 124 games to go things can still get turned around. Man, I hope so because this season has been painful to watch!
It’s too early to blow up the team, and help is on the way soon. It’s not to early to change the way the team is playing. We can put the blame on management for how the team is constructed, Doc for the lineups and in game moves, the players who have vastly under performed or the injuries which have been plentiful. In reality it is a combination of all these factors but the missing ingredient is fire in the belly. I am sure the players care but so far they are accepting not only losing but poor fundamental play. The management and Doc’s patience is not unlimited and they have seen about enough and are starting to move some minor league pieces around to get some more help at the big league level. Their plan to be fresh for the long season is scrapped, witness Buehler being in the rotation already. If the team can stay close they can deal for pieces later in the season. For now we will scrap along and hopefully turn a corner soon. Odds are Cody, Puig and Taylor will turn things around but when? It is frustrating right now to watch this team flail around but I believe they are too good to play this badly. It’s time they played like the Dodgers uniform they wear means something special!
Mark, I do think that you make solid points. However a guy like Forsyth has been hurt every year he cannot be counted on. It looked like he would be the depth needed but the reality is he just isn’t. He is a very good defensive second basemen who played well in the playoffs last year, but he has been a regular season dL guy and was with Tampa bay. With all the injuries and poor performance and Kiké can’t get into the lineup, if he is that bad in Roberts eyes just get rid of him. He is taking up a roster spot that we need. Just play him or get rid of him. Our starting pitching needs a quality dependable starter which we do not have. The offense is very stressed in part because there is not a quality hitter to take the pressure off of guys like bellinger. Turner will do that even if he starts slowly. His quality at bats will help. The depth will not be as thin when he can play everyday. I think the front office needs to look for a starting pitcher, put Maeda in the pen, and trade for machado with the idea that they will sign him. It may be too late for this year as we are running out of games with Cinci Miami, etc.
The Dodgers don’t have ready for showtime players that would necessarily be better than any of the following except for Toles, and he for one reason or another can’t keep himself on the field:
Pederson, Grandal, Barnes, Bellinger, Taylor, Puig, Utley, Hernandez,.
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FAZ has tried to bring up AAA players and they didn’t help. Verdugo, Farmer, Muncy, Verdugo, Locastro.
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The offense misses Turner and Seager and last year’s call ups Bellinger and Taylor have yet to repeat their 2017 performance.
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The Dodgers need Machado. And if they sign him as a free agent, consideration should be given to Seager plugging the second base hole for as long as Turner excels at third and then move Seager to third.
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I don’t think it’s so much that they didn’t build depth but did they build the right depth that has so many of us upset. Barnes and Farmer are nice pieces but they can’t hit. Joc is a nice guy, a farmhand but he can’t hit. Muncy is a nice piece for OKC but he’s not big league depth. Utley is a great guy, a solid veteran-great clubhouse guy, but he’s done.
Hudson is a nice guy, probably the 25th man on a 25 man roster, but he’s not the right depth. Alexander is showing signs he might have figured things out, but it’s OK to question if he was the right depth vs Watson. Love Hernandez, but he’s nothing special in the big scheme of things.
I think Cole is right when he says the talk about depth is overrated. You can tout all you want about the players stashed at OKC and Tulsa and the names on the roster in LA, but when the lights get turned on you have to perform. Yes, the FO has acquired depth, every team acquires depth. The real question is have they acquired the right depth. One could argue Joc, Font, Hudson, Farmer, Barnes, Locastro, Zach Neal, Utley, and others are depth, but the real question is…… Are they the right depth…….the evidence so far says NO!
I agree with you Mark. We are not dead yet. We are 8 behind. What is disturbing is cannot beat the teams right now that we should beat. Some changes need to be made and fairly soon. Joc is not the answer. He has been given to many opportunities. It is time to move on. Taylor has to stop striking out. Bellinger has to start hitting the pitches right down the middle. Getting our third baseman back will help.
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These are the players I would look at trading sometime this year. They are: Joc, Puig, Forsythe, Ryu, Hill and Grandal. The answer to our catching position is in the minors. Verdugo, Toles and Kemp should be the starters in the outfield at some point this year. The infield is set for some time. Bellinger, Taylor, Seager and Turner should be the starters. Now to figure out the pitchers. I do not believe Stewart or Stripling are starters. They belong in the bull pen. Kershaw, Wood, Beuhler and Maeda would be four starters. The fifth starter should come from the minors. I still believe the bull pen pieces are there. They just need to figure it out. Moving Stripling and Stewart to the bull pen helps.
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The negative I see is the kind of baseball we play. We do not play good fundamental baseball and Doc does concern me for that reason.
Nice try, MT, but it’s time to put up the Tom Petty “Freefallin'” video once again.