A person on this site (I won’t say who) once said that Miguel Rojas was “garbage” and should not be on the team. They were absorbed by the statistics and “Fantasy Points” in baseball, and if you are looking for fantasy points, then you would be a moron to draft Miggy as his .237 BA and .619 OPS will not win you many fantasy championships. The thing is, this is real baseball we are talking about, and it is actually played on a diamond, and there is a locker room and other activities that ballplayers engage in during their days. That’s where Miguel Rojas is an All-Star.
Miggy has helped turn the Dodger’s defense into one of the best in baseball due to his wizardry at SS and has contributed immensely to the locker room “vibe,” which many describe as “the best in baseball.” A big part of the Dodger’s success has also been situational hitting. Instead of swinging for the fences, with two strikes, players like Max, Mookie, JDM, Freddie, J-Hey, and yes, Miggy shorten up and just look to put the ball in play. This is no longer an “all or nothing” team and Miggy has been a big part of that.
“As a team, we’ve been playing really good,” Rojas said. “Unselfish approach at the plate. A lot of guys get on base different ways ― base hits, walks ― everybody fighting for the opportunity and for the rally. That’s why I was able to drive in four runs today. I had people on base.”
–Miguel Rojas
Here is Miggy’s story:
Miguel Rojas is a jokester, but he is also not afraid to get in a young player’s face and say, “We don’t do it that way here!” He loves being a Dodger and the fact that the Dodgers saw it necessary to trade back for him gives me pause that they could do that for another player. Andrew Friedman does not get a player for what he IS – he gets him for what he MIGHT be!
Alex Verdugo
My idea of trading for Alex Verdugo was met with all kinds of resistance… as I knew it would be. Watford Dodger was the only one with the vision to see it. It’s easy to pile on and ridicule an idea when only one person has it. I’m fine with that, and I certainly am not always right. However, I get my fair share of things right. When many of you were losing your minds and saying the Dodgers would be lucky to finish above .500, I was still a believer.
I also would also not jump to the conclusion that Verdugo is not an All-Star. He has finished as high as #12 in MVP Voting. I don’t really believe he will come back to the Dodgers, but if he did, I think he would be on his best behavior and coachable. He has a very unusual “hit tool.” At any rate, all truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. On Verdugo, we are only in Stage One.
93 Wins with 12 games to go. 100 wins look very attainable, or maybe the Dodgers just “win out” and take home-field advantage. Stranger things have happened.
Down on the Farm
- OKC won 8-4 as Busch hit his 25th HR and Vargas was 2-4 with 3 runs scored, Marisnick is healthy. Vivas is hitting .239, and Feduccia hit his 11th HR. Kyle Hurt was smoked in 3.2 IP, allowing 3 hits and 2 ER (3 BB) , but he did strike out 7. A lot of fans think he will be on the playoff roster. I would not be so sure, as he is a “mixed bag.”
- Tulsa went home as they had a fork stuck in them.
- GL had their Game 2 of the Championship series suspended, leading 1-0 in the 5th inning. Justin Wrobleski pitched four shutout innings and allowed 3 hits, striking out six. He is a much-needed LHP in a system full of righties.
- RC lost Game 2 of their Championship and are now 0-2. Kendall George was 2-5, and Gelof tripled. Joe Vetrano was 2-5 as well.
Discussion (21)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I do love this team.
https://youtu.be/BR676PNOens?si=Fcm1W9HnWgdyVv7P
The catch byOutman was beyond outstanding
10:10 PM ET
Tigers (70-81)
Dodgers (93-57)
SP Reese Olson R
4-7 4.30 ERA
SP Bobby Miller R
10-3 4.02 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
3B Max Muncy L
DH J. Martinez R
LF D. Peralta L
RF J. Heyward L
CF James Outman L
SS Miguel Rojas R
C A. Barnes R
70° Wind 7 mph Out
Alex Verdugo appears to be a punk. He was a problem when he was a Dodger, and his performance was OK – not great.
He hasn’t changed his stripes with the Sox. Here is part of an article from last month:
“Two weeks ago, Red Sox right fielder Alex Verdugo was benched by manager Alex Cora for allegedly arriving to the park two hours before first pitch in a game against the Blue Jays. Earlier in June, Cora also benched Verdugo for his lack of hustle. Last night against the Astros, Verdugo was ejected from the game in the fourth inning for barking at home plate umpire, Pat Hoberg…
“In 113 games this season, Verdugo is hitting .273/.341/.427/.768. He has nine home runs, 46 RBI, and is second on the Red Sox in doubles with 32 behind only Jarren Duran. Verdugo leads the team in triples with four. He also plays a great right field. Despite having respectable numbers, his maturity and leadership qualities remain in question at a time when the Red Sox need all hands on deck if they have any hopes of playing postseason baseball in 2023.”
So his numbers are OK but not great. And he’s still a head case. The Dodgers have had other talented players over the years who proved to be more trouble than they are worth. Given that the Dodgers already know what Verdugo is about, why would they subject themselves to that on purpose?
ATL loses again….
So what happens with Michael Bush? Anyone care to speculate? I’d JD wants to come back , do they? Or do they sign Ohtani and cross their fingers that he can pitch in 25? It look as if Max will be back next year. Lot of DH possibilities
I am neutral on Verdugo. He can hit, he is a decent fielder, but for a guy who is 27 years old, he still acts like a street punk. I would not give up more than one player for him. Maybe he straightens out, and maybe he doesn’t. But he is a lefty hitter with not much power. We have some of those already. If they want to bring Heyward back, he is not needed. Do you want him blocking someone like DeLuca from making the roster? I think not.
Mark as usual I believe you are correct on Puig. My bad
Sometimes, I am ashamed to be of the same species:
Their dog took a lady’s sandwich, so she tried to stab the dog and missed… stabbing the baby instead!
I have a brother-in-law that is a huge Red Sox’s fan. After the trade he called me and asked about Verdugo. I told him if he liked James Loney, he’d like Verdugo as a player. He will hit anywhere from .280 to .315, have about 15 home runs and is a good fielder. I told him his attitude is questionable hopefully he matures as a person as he matures as a player.
I remember reading when Verdugo and Greinke were with the Dodgers, Greinke threw Verdugo’s stuff off the bus because he was always late.
Personally, I wouldn’t give up a lot for Verdugo. I heard he’s wore out his welcome in Boston and we may be able to get him cheap.
Mark, as you know I’ve often voiced an unpopular opinion here and just about anywhere else. But I choose to own the many things I’m wrong about. I did include my disliking of Verdugo could be more of me than of him and it has nothing to do with the talent he has. These past few days I’ve been issued a lifetimes worth of glacial indignation matched by pain there’s no getting used to. I don’t have many nice things to say about anything.
As for Max and his 35 homers and 100 RBIs. He bats behind Mookie, Freddie and Will. So Ok maybe we can’t replace 35 homers, but what if someone had 20 homers and batted .280 in that slot, maybe they still have 100 RBIs. And bat Max 6th. Who knows. But like when we stuck with Cody for 2 years when he was the worst hitter in baseball. In the end we win the division and it doesn’t matter. Until it does I guess.
Following up on yesterday’s conversation of manager of the year.
Of the teams that will make it to the playoffs or have a good chance at making it to the playoffs in the National League, here are the 1 run game records and run differential as of today.
Marlins 31-13: 18 above .500: Run differential -37
Brewers 27-17: 10 above .500: Run differential +58
Reds 34-26: 8 above .500: Run differential -45
Braves 21-15: 6 above .500: Run differential +219
Giants 23-18: 5 above .500: Run differential -18
Dbacks 21-19: 2 above .500: Run differential -22
Phillies 24-22: 2 above .500: Run differential +72
Dodgers 15-14: 1 above .500: Run differential +191
Cubs 20-21: 1 below .500: Run differential +99
Of the above teams which ones were expected or somewhat expected to make the playoffs and which not?
Normally the managers of the 2 World Series teams win manager of the year.
Of course the season hasn’t ended yet.
Does any of this matter in the discussion for manager of the year? You make the call.
I have no opinion.
I agree that in the very unlikely event the Dodgers got Verdugo back he’d be on his best behavior. But for how long?
The veterans with the influence to keep him on the straight and narrow will not always be there. Kersh, J-Hey, Peralta, Rojas and others may/may not be there or in some cases he may not have enough regard for them to care about their opinions.
Anyway it likely won’t happen and that MIGHT be too bad because he certainly does have talent when he’s motivated to utilize it to its highest degree.
I just don’t see AF signing Snell he’s a Boras client. The only Boras client AF signed was Martinez and he wanted to reunite with Van Scoyoc. I think Aaron Nola is more likely than Snell. I personally would prefer Nola over Snell. I would hope Heyward and Martinez would be resigned. I just don’t see Martinez coming back he’s probably going to want a 3 or 4 year deal.
As far as Verdugo is concerned, maybe the saying, nothing to see here is appropriate. Yes, he can hit, and play defense, but didn’t the Red Sox bench him twice for issues involving attitude?
What about Blake Snell? Maybe the Dodgers pursue him or maybe not. I’m not getting a read on that. Since the injury, I’m not quite sure the Dodgers will pursue Ohtani, who just had surgery and won’t pitch again until 2025. There was a story the other day that the Dodgers will indeed pursue Ohtani this winter. But so will the Giants, Mets, Angels and Red Sox, maybe even the Mariners.
But the Dodgers have proven again that they can rule the west using a variety of approaches. If they win the World Series this fall and there is a good possibility that can happen if they play up and get a little luck.
But if that doesn’t happen, back to the drawing board. Before the Dodgers can be considered “great” they need to win it all, two or three times in the next five or six years. Otherwise, you have Stan Kasten’s Braves.
After all, talk with a Giants fan and they are quick to point out they won three World Series championships and the Dodgers only won one. Although I would rather be good every year than pointing to past championships, Parades are important.
Would signing Snell make a difference, moving forward? If he stayed healthy and pitched in the playoffs like he often does against the Dodgers, well yes, they should definitely pursue him.
As to Ohtani. Brings additional revenue streams wherever he goes, and he’s a great hitter, but offers less certainty as a pitcher. Plus there is the massive contract, minus the additional revenue.
Since the Angels didn’t trade him because they wanted the approximately 22 million dollars over the prospects the trade would bring and now considering the Angels have said they want him back, maybe the money stuff works.
As for Max Muncy, yes he hits homeruns and drives in runs, he still to needs to hit for a higher average, he has admitted that, simply strikes out too much with runners in scoring position. But I think the Dodgers bring him back and hope the average climbs.
Then there is Rojas. The glove plays big, but he’s also had a lot of clutch hits.
* Very nice comeback win last night. Terrific pitching continues. Pepiot looks better and better and it’s nice to see him stretched out to 97 pitches. And Max got the walk-off knock.
* Like TM, I’ve been a fan of Rojas from the beginning, watching his actions at short. Nice shout out by Mark. I can be very happy with a contact hitter in the 9 hole who can hit .240, with his defensive chops. Did you see his play in the hole on Cabrera?
* Have you noticed how he is always part of a Smith or Barnes mound visit? Even with Kershaw on the mound. That’s a pretty bold thing to do as a newcomer. That says a lot about his leadership and comfort with the team. He seems to always leave with something positive with the pitcher. I would keep him at short and find something else for Lux to do. Yes, you can lose your job due to an injury. Just ask Wally Pipp.
* I thought Jessica Mendoza had a nice game in the booth. No irritating long rambles. She really does know hitting. If you are a world class fast pitch softball hitter, you know what you’re doing. It isn’t slow-pitch. It’s contact on 70 mph heaters, frequently rising, from the best in the world. That’s the MLB distant equivalent of 100.
* She and Joe did miss one call on the safety squeeze in the 7th by Detroit. I liked the attempt to add on a run. She blamed the failure on the bunter, Zach Short. That’s partially true. It was a bunt right back to the pitcher. Actually the major fault was the runner at third, Baddoo. That runner’s job is to read the bunt. He’s not automatically breaking to home like a suicide. He reads the bunt and runs or stays. He ran. And it was a bad choice. It’s indefensible with a bunt anywhere but right back to the pitcher and a good read by the runner.
* The Tigers have 2 big league names in Short and Baddoo. I could have a field day with those names.
* Really neat to see the personal side of Brusdar and the emotions between he and his mom. Cool story and touching moment.
Dodger Magic number is 3 for a bye in the NL Wild Card round over the Brewers and will be the NL 2 seed.
Im glad to see love going out to Rojas. As many of you know, I have been his biggest fan here since we got him. I’ve even said multiple times, do not replace him at SS with Lux. I don’t trust the latter….I completely trust Rojas. And now that his bat is no longer a liability, maybe we could extend his contract another year.
Another player I have supported all year-Max Muncy- has also been a whipping boy for many of you because his batting average has hovered around .200 all year. Well, do you have a problem with 35 HRs and 101 RBIs? I certainly don’t. I know many of you want him replaced with either Busch or Vargas. Seriously? Do you really think either of those two could knock in as many runs as Marvelous Max? I don’t…. combined!
Say “Yes” to Rojas and Muncy for 2024. Oh, and while I’m at it…. say “Yes” to resigning JDM and Heyward. These guys have earned another contract.
Snell will be in high demand in offseason. Mark, do you think Friedman Will seriously make him a priority, especially if Clayton retires? Unless he goes back to the American League. I think now they should make him a priority. I know earlier I said no, but he pretty much dominates the Dodgers, so unless he goes to A L, sign him. Michael Bush player of the Year! Now what? Left field, 2nd base, 3rd, What? Either play him like they have done with Outman or package him in a trade for Arenado! The kid has nothing left to prove in the minors. Mookie is not winning the MVP award. In my eyes yes, but the whole baseball world wants Ronald! I’m sure Mookie would rather have a World Series trophy anyway. Was watching some of the Braves game last night, Travis d’Arnaud could have been a keeper for the Dodgers. Oh well, we got Barnsie!
As far a HFA goes….Ill pass. 2021 we had HFA and lost to ATL….
Let ATL battle it out again with Philly..