Logic is the language of the conscious mind, emotion is the language of the unconscious mind. We know that emotions are reactions to perceived and imagined stimuli, not based on logic, but on one’s own personal experiences. Emotions often outweigh our logic.
Last Spring Training, I championed Miguel Vargas as a player who could become a star. Not a superstar, mind you… but a star. I also said that James Outman was a 4th or 5th outfielder. Some of you took that personally and aligned together in a fantasy game of Outman vs. Vargas. Somehow, some fans thought I was dissing Outman. I love James Outman’s hustle and power (against RHP) – I had watched him playing many, many games, and I felt he would never hit LHP enough to play in anything other than a platoon.
Some of you jumped at the chance to align yourself with James Outman against Mark Timmons, who was high on Miguel Vargas, and when Vargas bombed out in the summer, you felt vindicated. Outman went on to have a good rookie season while Miguel Vargas struggled with broken bones in his hand, bad habits created by the loss of confidence that resulted. It ended up that James Outman was sent back to AAA, where he seems to be doing quite well, and I hope to see him back in the Show soon, where he will likely share time with Andy Pages.
My youngest son was appointed CEO of US Water Systems over the weekend, but it doesn’t mean that I like or love him more than his older siblings, whom I did not promote to CEO. This was based on logic and the understanding of what he is. This was not playing favorites. It was logical. Where the Outman-lovers got trumped was in relying upon the emotion of loving his style of play and not logically looking at his inability to hit LHP. “But he had a .357 OB% against LHP.” Come on, you know better. His OPS was .655 – nobody is going to continue to play with that kind of OPS. In baseball today, OPS is king.
Miguel Vargas struggled for the first time in his career last season as he developed bad habits and lost confidence. By his own admission and the Dodgers, it got into his head! He has finally bounced back, and in a small sampling (30 ABs), he currently leads the team in hitting with a .333 BA and is second in OPS at .949. Yes, it’s too soon to pronounce him cured, but it’s a start.
I have not agreed with the Dodgers platooning him in LF against LHP, but in this small sampling, I do understand it. It turned out he is killing LHP to the tune of a .533 BA and 1.455 OPS. Against RHP (at this level), he is hitting just .133 with a .443 OPS. According to that, he should not play against RHP, at least not right now. He has 15 RH at-bats and 15 LH at-bats, and the Dodgers are putting him in the best position to succeed (right now).
Miguel had mostly played 3B in the minors, but by no stretch was he an MLB third baseman. The Dodgers moved him to 2B and handed him the job – he had a .982 Fielding percentage but never looked comfortable. As a 3B in the minors, Miguel had a .923 Fielding Percentage vs. a .972 Fielding Percentage as a 2B. Miguel will never play 3B in the majors…. nor should he. Maybe he could adjust to 2B, but his position has to be LF or 2B. I think that this season, it will only be LF.
So, player development is not linear, and I would not push Miguel Vargas too fast. Let him get his ABs against LHP, and he will also get a few against RHP. We are starting to see the Miguel Vargas I watched in the minors, who goes with the pitch, doesn’t try and do too much, and makes excellent contact. The Dodgers need that at the bottom of the lineup.
The Dodgers also need Max Muncy back. He was OPs’ing .798 when he went down and was on track for 35 HR and 100 RBI. As I write this, the Dodgers lead all of MLB in OPS with a .776. Here are the individual players OPS:
- Ohtani – 1.021
- Vargas – .949
- Freeman – .901
- Betts – .893
- Smith .817
- T Hernandez – .813
- Muncy – .798
- Heyward – .779
- Rojas – .764
- Pages – .730
It should not be lost on anyone that Cavin Biggio, Kike Hernandez, James Outman, Gavin Lux, Austin Barnes, and Chris Taylor are all below .600 OPS. Outman will be back, but CT3, Kike, and Lux are all in danger of being moved. That said, the Dodgers are the absolute best in OPS in all of baseball. This will work itself out.
As mentioned yesterday, Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers have proved adept at building a roster. Many wanted to get rid of Vesia, Phillips, Banda, Ramirez, Hudson, et al, but the Dodgers knew best. There are lots of players and arms that can and will come back, including the following:
- Walker Buehler
- Clayton Kershaw
- Yoshi Yamamoto
- Dustin May
- Tony Gonsolin
- JP Feyerisen
- Kyle Hurt
- Ryan Brasier
- Michael Grove
- Joe Kelly
- Max Muncy
Not all will be successful. That’s why AF buys them cheap and stacks them deep. River Ryan may make an appearance in the second half. So could Wrobleski! Stay the course. There is no competition in the NL West, as I predicted. Remember, it’s how they finish that counts!
X-Cites
Missing Bats: How culture and tech converged to spread baseball’s strikeout gospel – Part 2
This is a long and worthy read and explains why “hitters don’t have a chance.“
Discussion (26)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Wednesday schedule
8 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Peter Heubeck) at Lake County (Zach Jacobs)
5 p.m.: Tulsa (Jerming Rosario) vs. Amarillo (Yu-Min Lin)
6:05 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Carlos Duran) at Lake Elsinore (Jose Luis Reyes)
6:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Chris Vallimont) at Reno (Cristian Mena)
I loved how Rojas got in Miller’s face on the mound. Miller right now is pitching scared. He has no idea where most of his pitches are going, This is the second time he pitched in Chicago,with a large gallery of friends and family and got his ass handed to him. Watching him closely I think he is a head case,more mental issues than physical ones.Rojas will make a great coach and possibly a manager some day.
Eric,
You should take an English course because you have zero comprehension of what I wrote:
According to that, Vargas should not play against RHP, at least not right now. He has 15 RH at-bats and 15 LH at-bats, and the Dodgers are putting him in the best position to succeed (right now).
Ohtani tied Roy Campanella with RBIs in 9 straight games. Campy did it in 1955.
Good idea Bradley, Brandon Doyle is a very good outfielder. McMahon is a favorite of the owner, Charlie Monfort. The Rockies have made very few trades with the Dodgers over the years. Other than maybe sending minor league players to LA< they have never sent an MLB ready position player to the Dodgers. The last trade they made sent Juan Nicasio to the Dodgers for Noel Cuevas, a minor leaguer. I doubt Monfort allows the GM to trade his favorite player. And since they have never sent a MLB position player to the Dodgers, Doyle won't be traded either.
Good win: great job by the bullpen again.
Man, bad management decisions puts stress on the bullpen again.
Walker and Miller are not ready.
The problem with bringing Miller up is he had horrendous Rehab starts in the minors. Which was also acknowledged by Doc.
His batting avg against was over .300 and his whip was .180 with 2 games at Rancho and 2 at OKC
He should never have been brought up until he Demonstrated he could pitch a game or two with positive results.
Show some pitch- ability.
Show the stuff, location/ spin and command, the mental tuff-ness to get out of a tight situation and show recovery after the start.
He only showed recovery after his starts in the minors. That’s not good enough.
The idea that a player won’t be up for a AAA game that could get them back to the big show is baloney.
Can’t continue to stress the bullpen and the pitching staff because of his inability to perform .
There is no positives that come out of that because he hasn’t demonstrated the capability to do it in the minors (Since)his injury
That also puts more stress on him. Something he doesn’t need right now.
Demonstrate some capability during rehab starts and come up, and if you struggle, you struggle, but you reestablished/ demonstrated positive results
don’t think that him struggling In his rehab starts isnt also weighing on him as he under performers in the MLB games
Get right in the minors first.
At some point you’re going to stress a fragile bullpen. And doing it in June-July is just foolish.
Go Dodgers!!
PS: Cole is also a veteran and an ace. Miller is at best a number 3 and 25yrs old.
Cole was out all year and in his rehab starts this year before he came up he produced a .136 batting avg against and a .49 whip.
Demonstrated success and can now try and work through bumps.
Yay! Dodgers win!
Great bullpen game!
Outhit 8-7 but Ohtani and freeman homer.
Can we please end the Cavin Biggio reign!
I would like to see if the Dodgers could get two Rockies that would help this year’s team. Ryan McMahon plays 3b 2b some 1b good contact hitter some pop and a good fielder. If Muncy looks to be out longer which I hear he might be. And the other Rockies player the Centerfielder Tim Doyle. That guy has speed and patrols that centerfield runs down fly balls great and he puts the ball in play. I am sure the Rockies would like some prospects the dodgers have and like maybe these two players Vargas or Outman. Would improve our defense tremendously and get batters that don’t strike out. Need batters that get on base. That’s what we need. Remember that line from Money Ball just need players to get on base. Be it a walk a base hit or hit by pitch for those big thumper to drive in runs.
Gerritt Cole came back for the Yankees tonight and gave up 7 hits, 6 ER and 4 HR in 4 innings.
Send him back to Single A! Right?
Silly…Right?
Glasnow – 2.88 ERA -100 IP
Yamamoto 2.92 ERA – 74 IP
Stone 3.04 ERA – 80 IP
Paxton 3.39 ERA – 71 IP
Knack – 2.10 ERA – 25 IP
Miller is struggling – give him time.
Buehler?
Kershaw will be back in August
Then there is Wrobleski and Ryan
The Dodgers are #3 in ALL OF MLB in Team ERA. #5 in Starter ERA.
Thats a lot more than Glasnow.
Someone said that the Dodgers don’t need pitching, I agree since LA has Glassnow, and? and? and? Oh that’s right, they have a lot of prospects, many potentially for next season, the good thing is that this season they have Glassnow and….. ???
Miller and Buehler battling for most disappointing crown!
Miller sucks!!!
He has no idea where the ball is going. He mb still hurt but he didn’t pitch well in the rehab and he has been bad since.
Just looking at the offensive side of the ball it’s a strong NO to Robert Jr. and Dejong.
Trade for Pham ( bench and starter vs lefties ) and Bichette (S.S),
include Lux and or Vargas and a few prospects.
Not sure what the cost would be for Bichette but I in believe he will be a FA after 2025 season. That along with a tough offensive yr so far and time on the IR could bring down the cost a little.
Update : Bichette comes off IR today.
I think Bo in LA would be a good fit and he could potentially be our SS for the next 6-7 yrs with continued improvement in the forecast.
Remember he just turned 26 in March.
Of course Toronto needs to continue to drop further out of the playoff picture.
Go Dodgers !!
Would not trade for Crochet. Looked good last night and has the advantage of throwing left handed but he is not a great fit for Dodgers this year due to innings limit and starting pitching is not a need for this team next year with Ohtani returning, a potential Sasaki signing, and Wroblieski, Ryan, and perhaps Sheehan ready to start at some point next year (if not sooner for Ryan and Wroblieski).
Dodgers seem to be more aggressive in promoting players this year – Wroblieski, Karros, DePaula, Gelof, Martin, Cartaya, etc. Change in philosophy or just a coincidence?
The injuries to Muncy and Betts have had the silver lining of forcing at-bats for Vargas, Pages, Taylor, Hernandez, and Biggio. Should help Dodgers further identify their true needs at trade deadline.
Is Cartaya considered to be a major league ready defensive catcher or does he need more development in that respect as well?
Hernandez returned to the DR because of the death of his 94 year-old grandmother. She was a huge baseball fan. Report is that he has returned and is in the Dodger clubhouse. Could possibly enter the game later as a pinch hitter.
8:10 PM ET
Dodgers (49-31)
White Sox (21-59)
SP Bobby Miller R
1-1 6.00 ERA
SP Chris Flexen R
2-6 5.03 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
C Will Smith R
1B F. Freeman L
CF Andy Pages R
RF J. Heyward L
SS Miguel Rojas R
2B Gavin Lux L
LF M. Vargas R
3B Cavan Biggio L
34% Rain
87° Wind 7 mph Out
NO Teo, Vargas starting against a right handed pitcher
Emotion- Lux “frequently” makes bad throws to first that Freddie has to save.
Logic- Since the beginning of the Yankee series Lux has made 25 throws to first that Freddie hasn’t even had to move his glove from his chest.
once again the dodgers are well equipped for the regular season. With Knack pitching so well they are just fine. it’s playoff time Im worried about! Mark, would Cartaya, Knack, and possibly outman be enough to get The big sox lefty? Would you do that? We can talk position players later!
Seeing the way Lux plays 2nd his through to first are soft,meaning there’s no zip in arm strength.
Vargas is the future Dodgers LF, and Lux will be the next 2b on another team!
Next year’s outfield could be Vargas-Outman-Pages. Vargas needs a lot of work in left field, but he can hit.
Nice win last night. Crochet was as advertised, a tough lefty. Robert Jr. got on base three times, two walks and a double down the line. But did nothing to convince me he is worth what the Sox will ask for. I just am not down with trading for an injury prone player, the same argument I had against trading for Buxton. Bottom of the lineup did all the damage with Miggy getting the party started. Hernandez should be back for tonight’s game.
In the minor leagues Vargas has a ,298 career batting average against right handed pitching and a .998 OPS. The kid needs an opportunity and fans quite doggy him on his inability to hit right handed pitching. Give him an opportunity now that he’s healthy and see what he has to give the Dodgers. It was mentioned that Outman was a better outfielder than Vargas, I don’t think you need to be Burt Wells (Dodger scout who signed my Dad) to figure that out.
“But he had a .357 OB% against LHP.” Come on, you know better. His OPS was .655 – nobody is going to continue to play with that kind of OPS. In baseball today, OPS is king.
Well, true if we look around baseball. OPS indeed looks to be king. But maybe the Dodgers would be well advised to look a little more at OBP when adressing the bottom of their lineup. With all those thumpers at the top and middle of the lineup two high OBP bats would work make this lineup even better. Just let the bottom get on base for the mashers we have. If Outman has an OBP of .357 vs LHP then that is pretty fine with me if he bats Nr. 8 or Nr. 9 even vs LHP.
And Vargas does not have to be a GG 2b or 3b to get him some additional at bats.
Listening to Locked on Dodgers today they said that the Dodgers probabl are showcasing Vargas for a trade and that they do not want him to lose trade value putting him in bad situations (eg. vs RHP or 3b). Sounds reasonable to me.
Cartaya has improved noticeably the last couple weeks and I like his promotion to AAA. He should get more AB there then at AA with Rushing on the roste.r
DePaula appears to be on GL now getting promoted too. Good move. Put him on the fast track.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!