Don’t get me wrong, I like Max. He is one of those signings that come out of nowhere and pay off big. Released by the A’s in March of 2017 after a 96-game tryout where he hit only .195, he signed with the Dodgers in April of 2017 and was sent to AAA OKC. He played 110 games there and hit .309 with 12 homers and 44 RBI’s.
He went to spring training with the team in 2018 but was called up after 9 games. He went on to play 137 games with the Dodgers. He hit 35 homers, drove in 79 and hit .263. He split most of his time between first, second and third base, and even played six games in the outfield. He hit 2 homers against the Braves in the NLDS but had none in the NLCS where he hit .182. His most memorable hit in the World Series was a walk-off homer off of Nathan Eovaldi in the 18th inning of game three. The only game the Dodgers would win.
He played 141 games in 2019. He again slugged 35 homers and drove in 98. His BA dipped to .253, but he was a huge part of the Dodger offense. He had a good playoff series against the Nationals hitting 3 homers and driving in 7 in the loss. Max struggled during the shortened 2020 season. Many players did. He hit only .192, hit 12 homers and drove in 27 runs.
In the playoffs that year, he went ofer against the Brewers in 2 games. He went 3-11 against the Padres in the three-game sweep driving in a couple runs. In the NLCS against the Braves, he hit 2 homers, one of them a grand-slam, and drove in 6. He hit well in the World Series, .318 with a homer and six runs batted in. He also only struck out four times.
With the pandemic over, and things getting back to normal, Max was the Dodgers everyday first baseman. He rebounded hitting wise as his average rose to .249 and he slugged 36 homers. He also drove in 94. But then disaster struck. Max suffered an injury to his elbow on a play at first base on the last day of the season. Max would miss the playoffs. Bad luck for both Max and the Dodgers. They missed his bat against the Giants, who he just murders, and then when they made it to the NLCS, they missed his pop against the Braves. His replacements were Albert Pujols and Matt Beaty. Bellinger did play first in a game or two.
In 22, Max, who obviously was not 100 percent, struggled for most of the season making contact. It was reflected in his .196 average. He did manage to hit 21 homers, but he struck out 141 times. A lot of that result could be traced to his elbow not being fully healed and strong. His OPS for the year was .713. Far below his .824 career mark.
Now it is 2023. Max is at this point in the season, almost two years removed from his injury. And this is where the enigma part comes in. He is hitting with power, but he is not getting base hits. Last night against the Brewers, Max had two singles. He at this point in the season has as many homers as he has singles, 28. His BA has been below the Mendoza line for most of the year and right now it is sitting at .195.
Those who see value in his on base abilities point to his OPS of .803. For the last month, according to Orel and Joe, it is over 1.000. His OPS plus is 114. 14 points above league average. I point out that in 338 at bats, Max has struck out 111 times, nearly 33 percent. Wasted at bats. In my humble opinion, he takes way too many pitches right down the middle of the plate. If Max was hitting even his career average, .226, I would not be so critical. But as it stands right now, he is a black hole in the lineup. One can criticize Barnes all they like, but Austin rarely plays. When you play as much as Muncy, 99 games, you need to be more productive at the plate. Max did spend some time on the IL, but still, he just is not making enough contact.
Max has an option for next year that could pay him 14 million if he reaches all of the incentives. Most likely the Dodgers will exercise the option because in my opinion again, he is going to become the semi-permanent DH. When I heard JD Martinez’s interview with Kirsten tonight, he said he was only here for one season. Sounds to me like he is planning on either signing with another team or pulling the plug.
As a Dodger fan, I only wish the best for Max. I sincerely hope that next spring, he finds a way to make more consistent contact. Watching him at bat can be a painful experience sometimes. Especially when he is chasing balls out of the zone that he couldn’t hit with a crane. It has been close to two full seasons of sub-200 BA. To some, it is not important. But the Dodgers seem to be shifting from the lift principal to making solid contact. I heard last night that Mookie’s surge, he is now hitting over .290, is because he has returned to the making solid contact hitting philosophy.
Discussion (35)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Someone posted the other day that Tony Gonsolin would be a good #4 in the post season……uh no thanks. He looks lost, has no put away pitch, is throwing BP to opposing teams and inspires zero confidence. Don’t think he would be a wise addition the BP right now either.
Hoping Pepiot throws well in his post season audition today and can get inserted into the rotation. Sadly, it appears Tony might be going the way of Ross Stripling and others. Solid start to his career, but a very quick decline in performance/success. Is it an injury? League has caught up to him? Between the ears?
Anyone else notice that Ohtani hit another slam today?
That’s his 43rd HR, tied with Olson, and his OPS is 1.075, which is 84 points higher than Freddie in the runner up position. In the AL Triple Crown watch, Ohtani leads in HRs and is third in both RBI and BA.
Sadly, Luke Raley spoiled the Angels’ chances with a line drive in the 10th that was wide of rookie 1B Nolan Schaneul. Not sure about that spelling, but he was drafted THIS YEAR. Angels are that desperate to find some magic to get into the Wild Card. The guy was a great college hitter and walked more than he struck out. I approve of the desperation.
AF, please put Tony Gonsolin on the IL and leave him there for the rest of the season. The way he is pitching right now, he will be of no benefit to us in the playoffs. He’s throwing batting practice right now to the opposing teams. Rather see Stone,Sheehan,Knack or Pepiot in his spot in the rotation and see which one could make the playoff roster. Catman is done in 2023.
This is magic:
https://x.com/richeisen/status/1692760541243027828
Anyone know Miguel Rojas ERA
Gonsolin better find a dog.
Can someone comment why manager Roberts put up with Gonsolin so much, to the point of allowing himself to be massacred?
I refuse to care about the Dodgers for the rest of this year, if they let Kitty Cat pitch again this season.
Looks like Ryan Pepiot will be pitching tomorrow according to Fabian Ardaya
Baseball gods to the Dodgers:
“We’re still here”
Does anyone have an address for Gonsolin so we can send him a get well card while he’s on the IL? Pepiot’s turn
5 homeruns!!
Bring RPepiot and shutdown this guy. He is obviously hurt. You’re not kidding anyone with that piss poor 92 no movement fast ball, just saying.
Well, lets see what happens, we spotted them a 9 run lead
Agree no expletives from him.
Either claim injury or asked to be demoted, his stuff is terrible.
The kittenman stinketh!
Gonsolin needs to go out with Lance Lynn and have a beer.
He’s got too much darn kitty and not enough junkyard mean dog in him.
He is painful to watch, afraid to throw the ball in the strike zone
Who trusts him in a playoff game
10:10 PM ET
Marlins (63-59)
Dodgers (74-46)
SP Sandy Alcantara R
5-10 4.09 ER
SP Tony Gonsolin R
8-4 4.24 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
DH J. Martinez R
LF D. Peralta L
RF J. Heyward L
CF James Outman L
SS Miguel Rojas R
77° Wind 1 mph L-R
Just got this news alert on my phone
• The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Sunday home game vs. the Miami Marlins has been rescheduled for a split doubleheader with starts of 12:00 p.m. (PT) and 6:10 p.m. (PT) on Saturday.
For ticket holders, all of Sunday’s rescheduled games will now become the early afternoon games of Saturday’s split doubleheaders. Saturday’s originally scheduled games remain intact.
I guess Hillary has screwed us again
Mookie could be a “gold glover” at second base. He likes playing there. I like the idea of him being permanent there. Thoughts? I realize he is a Gold Glove in the outfield. I haven’t checked, however, are his hitting stats better when he is playing second/short?
Now that Dontrelle Willis has been mentioned
https://thinkbluela.com/2023/08/another-dodgers-must-sign-free-agent/
I really like his style, I like how he and Joe Davis interact, they’re funny, they make the storytelling of the game interesting
Dodgers have signed Kolten Wong to a minor league contract. Insurance in case of an injury. Reds cut Luke Weaver loose.
Phillips wasn’t overly sharp last night but I’ve noticed that most of his so-so performances lately have been after he hadn’t pitched in a while. He’s best when he’s pitching every 2 or 3 days.
The last two times he’s given up runs were when he had pitched either 4 or 5 days previously, and last night it had been 5 days since he was last used. Seems like a fairly easy fix to me. If it’s been 3 days since he was last in a game, make sure he throws an inning that night.
D-Train a free agent. Bring him back?
Looks like Wander Franco’s MLB career is over. What a waste of talent!
What a great baseball game last night. I love pitcher’s duels. Lance Lynn is making AF look like Nostradamus. What an addition. I’ve talked lately about players being motivated to succeed in different ways. I tried, as a coach, to find out what worked best for each player. Some played for pride and didn’t want to be scolded, particularly in from of teammates, others needed a kick in the ass occasionally, others you left alone. Mookie plays best when laughing and loose. Freddy has a remarkably short memory after failure. And then there’s Lance Lynn who just plays pissed off. He’s angry. It’s like you’re taking food out of his kid’s mouths. He doesn’t get many mound visit pep talks. He’s like Bob Gibson. If you visit he might tear your face off. I love his competitiveness. He had about C- stuff last night but he’s going to battle all the way.
I couldn’t be happier for the much maligned Austin Barnes. Have a day! Great defensive game. Well managed with Lynn. And a game winning homer. He saved so many dirt balls. I love the fact that he catches with both feet on the ground with the shin guards doing their job. That may be “old school” now with every catcher dropping on one knee to receive the ball, m but I think it’s the right school. The theory being that it gives the HPU a better look at low pitches and the pitcher a lower target. I call bullshit on that. The HPU should should be watching the ball and if they want a lower target, move the glove down. It absolutely limits a catcher’s ability to block balls wide, in the dirt. Barnes does do that and he blocked everything last night.
Phillips made it interesting but our defense carried the day.
Doc can make all the moves he wants and put out any line up and right now anybody and everybody comes through.
Betts and Freeman closing in on Acuna, according to ESPN.
Ohtani running away with it on the other side. Seager is the statistical runner-up.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/38202385/2023-mlb-awards-watch-mvp-cy-young-ohtani-acuna-cole
What could be funny (ironic?) is that Ohtani could well be a Dodger next year. Betts and Freeman obviously are. Seager obviously was.
Thursday scores
Salt Lake 9, Oklahoma City 5
Frisco 3, Tulsa 2
Great Lakes 5, Lansing 3
Visalia 3, Rancho Cucamonga 2
Friday schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Justin Wrobleski) at Lansing (Joelvis Del Rosario)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan) at Frisco (Seth Nordlin)
5:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Landon Knack/Kyle Hurt) at Salt Lake (Carson Fulmer)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Chris Campos) at Visalia (Wyatt Wendell)
Lynn sold me on his acquisition last night. He didn’t have his best stuff, but armed with veteran guile, mound presence, competitiveness, and bulldog determination, he managed to shut out the Brewers thru 7 innings. Nice, real nice! He’s exactly the kind of guy this rotation needed. Great pick up by AF.
As usual, the Dodgers are not forthcoming with what really ails Martinez ..or maybe JDM hasn’t been open to the Dodgers about the real extent of his pain/injury. Either way, if “more time” were the answer to fix his health woes, Martinez would have already been put on the shelf weeks ago. But it hasn’t happened, and that portends an unhappy ending for JD this season — just as I postulated over a month ago. So how would the Dodgers cope in the long run if/when this big blow happens.
Everybody likes Max Muncy. For whatever reason, he just can’t hit for a higher average.
.200 and below is just not cutting it. Guessing the Dodgers make changes in 2024.
Definitely think the Dodgers need to give Michael Busch a legitimate shot.
I think Shohei Ohtani makes too much sense for the Dodgers to pass up.
If the Angels are generating $20 million plus in revenue streams because of Ohtani’s presence, then the Dodgers can drive those streams to $30 million or more.
This is a new world. Not the old days.
This is an amazing run for the Dodgers. Lance Lynn is pitching better than Verlander.
Even JD Martinez knows. He’s not an imbecile/moron. He knows the Dodgers would be plum crazy if they didn’t sign Ohtani and plug him into the DH spot. Even Ray Charles – and JD Martinez – can see that the Dodgers are going to sign Ohtani.
Not sure what I’d do with Max. His option is 10 mil, which still pretty cheap. As much as I’d like to incorporate Busch’s bat into the lineup, I’m not sure Busch can play adequate defense anywhere … not that Max is Brooks Robinson or anything at third.
There’s moron, there’s imbecile … I’m a simple man. I just prefer idiot. Each word has its uses and appropriateness for certain contexts.
However, our friend Scott Andes defies any of these categorizations. He is a category all to himself, right Scott? LOL! Oh come on, Scott! You know you love the attention.
Here’s a philosophical question I’ve been contemplating. It’s one of those – “if a tree falls in the woods …” type of conundrums.
If I tell myself I’m a good and virtuous person by contrasting my good and virtuous self with other not-so-good and virtuous people who use the word “moron” because it’s an insult – and good and virtuous people don’t insult people – am I still a good and virtuous person if I passive aggressively insult that person because of his use of the word “moron” as an insult? I think I just confused myself with that sentence.
Bluto, I saw your comment on Jeff’s site (and Badger’s response). I’ll take it to heart and
TRY to avoid needlessly needling people personally. However, I will say in my defense that I was critical of Jeff, yes, but I made pains to be polite about it. I even followed up the criticism with a compliment on his article which, aside from his backhanded stabs at other content creators, was a characteristically good analysis. I just find it all disingenuous – insulting others while maintaining the fiction that you’re above insulting others. It’s like having your cake and eating it.
My sparring with Scott was just me playing around. That folks over there were clutching pearls over that tells me a few of them have cubic zirconia factories in their sphincters. Not my style. I don’t want to feel like I’m in church when I’m involved in baseball blogs. I like banter.
Barnes is the man! Our new DH! Mookie and Freddie can take a blow. Barnes snd Rojas will take this to the finish line now.
Good for Barnes last night! Lots of us are down on him, and he’s probably earned it, but he’s still a Dodger so it’s a bonus when he comes through like he did last night. With JD s comment about 1 year and gone, maybe he had a strong feeling the Dodgers will have a new designated hitter next season! It’s hard to watch Max at the plate! Don’t see him in a Dodger uniform next season. Maybe Michael Bush finally gets his shot. Probably less power, but higher batting average.
Agree. Bring up Busch snd give him another shot.
PLEASE. PUT JDM on IL!!! Stop this day-today crap. We don’t need him until October