My Beef With the Dodgers
Some people think that I believe everything Andrew Friedman does is wonderful and that I worship at the Church of St. Andrew. Of course, that s not true because he is Jewish and I am not. I do happen to think he is very astute and has a plan which he executes. However, I do have one major issue with him and the Dodgers Organization. That issue is I believe they
Some people think that I believe everything Andrew Friedman does is wonderful and that I worship at the Church of St. Andrew. Of course, that’s not true because he is Jewish and I am not. I do happen to think he is very astute and has a plan which he executes. However, I do have one major issue with him and the Dodgers Organization.
That issue is I believe they stick with pitchers as starters too long… and I am not talking about “game level” but rather “career level.” Case-in-point: Brock Stewart should have been converted to a reliever three years ago. Since then he has lost 3 or 4 MPH on his fastball and has no future as a starter and now also has no future as a reliever.
Yadier Alvarez is another name that comes to mind, although he just may be a headcase, as he has been rarely seen this season. I also thought that Tony Gonsolin would make a great reliever with his gas and curve. He started out as one, and this is a guy who just might be able to be a two-way player as he can hit. I mean he can REALLY hit.
Dennis Santana is another pitcher whose stuff should play well in relief. We live in a world of video games, short attention spans, instant gratification, and ADHD. It may be that the mental skills to be a starting pitcher are more important than the physical skills. Some pitchers are more capable of long attention spans than others. Clayton Kershaw is a classic case of someone who has the mental makeup to start. The same is true with Hyun-jin Ryu. Kenta Maeda sometimes loses focus and focus is something that Walker Striker Buehler needs to find consistently.
To their credit, the Dodgers did convert Jordon Sheffield to a relief role this year, and they have Marshall Kasowski in that role as well at AA. It would seen that both are possibilities next year. The thing is, the Dodgers are looking for relief NOW.
Some pitchers can ride an adrenaline rush 9 innings while others may lose it after 1 inning. Anyone who has played any sport at a high level can testify to the existence of that rush. I’m sure the adrenaline rush played a strong role in the success a hobbled Kirk Gibson had is his only at bat in the 1988 World Series.
I bring this up right now, because the trade deadline, which is just over one day away, the Dodgers have to decide who (if any) Top Prospects they have to give up to get relief help, when the answer could be in their own system.
Everyone wants Felipe Vasquez and Dodger fans are foolishly offering up Kiebert Ruiz (because they have no idea how good he will be), when the Pirates want Lux and May. Personally, I would not give up any of those players and I have seen enough of Will D. Smith, Jeter Downs, DJ Peters and Josiah Gray (” Josiah Gray, RHP (No. 5) — 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (Double-A Tulsa) – That’s back-to-back starts without an earned run for Gray, who threw 54 of his 82 pitches for strikes and has a 1.56 ERA through 17 1/3 innings (three starts for Tulsa). The 21-year-old, whom the Dodgers acquired in the offseason Yasiel Puig trade, began the year with Class A Great Lake, where he went 1-0 over five starts, before moving up to Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga, where he went 7-0 over 12 starts. Gray has a solid fastball-slider combo and has used it to amass 119 strikeouts through 108 innings this season that I would not give them up either.) I could go either way on Tony Gonsolin, and I would be down with trading Estevez, Grove, Amaya, White, both Santanas, Rios, Carrillo, Uceta, Wong and others.
It would seem to me that the Dodgers could have offered more than the Mets for Marcus Stroman, but we have no idea who the Mets targeted or how they valued the Dodgers’ prospects. Getting Stroman would have sent Maeda to the pen and I think he would excel there. I still think the Dodgers pen can be fine in the playoffs and there is no guarantee that any reliver you acquire will live up to his press clippings.
I have no idea what Friedman will do, but I do not believe he will trade any of the Top 8 or 10 Prospects. We shall wait with baited breath.
Last Night’s Game
Move on, there’s nothing to see here folks! Is the Joc Pederson experiment nearing it’s end? Maybe, I think they were “showcasing” Joc for a team who wanted to see him at 1B. I doubt they have been convinced. On August 1, Max Muncy should go to 1B and Gavin Lux should go to 2B. What do they have to lose? Tonight may mark the end of Julio Urias in the bullpen
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Discussion (146)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Diaz had 2 BB, 2WP, HBP, and blew the save tonight
Remember, it is Group B that needs to be fixed, it is Gonsolin, Sadler for Yimmi and Floro, it can still be May and Shefield for Strilping and Chargois.
Still need some BP additions but if we don’t acquire anyone (or don’t get multiple pieces) Gonsolin might be a nice addition. He’s got a nice strong FB that will get hitters out in high leverage situations and he seems to have good control.
Lux got tossed by the ump tonight after he K’d for the 3rd time.
My eyeballs like what I’ve see of Gonsolin for the most part, but the 9th inning raises some doubts. However, he threw an impressive change to get the last out. All in all, a very nice outing.
Sadler on the order hand does not inspire confidence. He’d need to do a lot more to win me over.
I was impressed that Gonzo threw so many off speed stuff. Urias can take note. He relied way too much on his fastball!
Screw the trade deadline.
NO TOP 10 PROSPECTS TRADED!
Who was that guy who said Gonsolin might pitch well in Coors?
Maybe the Dodgers just got their two bullpen pieces: Sadler and Gonsolin.
Tell me your eyeballs say otherwise!
Amir Garret, who Dodgers had been reported to be interested in, was just involved in a huge brawl between Cin and PIt. He ran into a crowd and threw a punch, so expect several game suspension!
I am also starting to like Stadler.
I don’t get that trade at all!
RHRP Chris Martin to Braves. This could be a good pickup for them. One little hitch is that Martin had a stiff back a couple days back, and was not able to go yesterday.
Trevor Bauer to Reds. Reds send Puig to Indians and Taylor Trammel (Reds #1 prospect – OF)to Padres, and Indians get Puig, LHP Logan Allen (Padres #7), and Franmil Reyes (Padres OF). I will be glad to see Reyes gone.
I have been watching Sadler and am starting to be impressed…
It looked like a routine DP, but those have not been in abundance lately. Until Kike’ and CT3 get back, or Lux gets called up, it looks like Negron should help tighten up the Dodgers D. Welcome to the Dodgers Tyler White.
Negron + Martin back to back. Who would have thunk it? I even waited until Urias finished his at bat, just in case he made it back to back to back.
I have read some really abusive and ignorant stuff said by some really abusive and ignorant Dodger fans about Negron. TAKE THAT!
I hereby nickname Tyler White “Pilsbury” for obvious reasons.
Taylor White looks like Max Muncy is up there trying to switch hit!
The Pedersen 1B experiment was not fair to him or the infield or the team or the fans. Roberts has a stubborn streak but he should have reaiized after 5 games that Joc is not built to play First. Too short to handle the high throws and not mobile enough for throws in the dirt – two types of throws that Turner often makes. Its gotten into Joc’s head after coming off an All Star Homer high where the Yankees (who are lacking in power hitting lefties and have an abundance of relievers) might have been interested, but after Doc told the world that Pederson was dogging running to first, teams that were interested are surely less interested. Really dumb Doc, Pedersen does not dog it, he’s not himself because you are embarrassing him at 1B. So was announcing the wheels are coming off of Jansen. What purpose does that serve come playoff time?
LA Thinking Men who supposedly broke the Dozier trade and Machado trade last year tweeted out that the Dodgers submitted and offer to the Pirates this morning that was Ruiz and 2 other prospects. They also said that the Dodgers are in the lead to get Greene from Detroit, but Detroit is holding out hoping for a better offer before the deadline.
Seems to be a real shit show in Pittsburgh these days. They’ve been playing like crap(2-15) since the break. Today they suspended their bullpen coach for two games. Kela was recently suspended for two games and Lyles was dealt back to Milwaukee.
Everyone talks about the problem being the bullpen, but is the offense really enough to beat teams like Houston, Boston, New York? Or are we always going to wait for the ninth inning up for 1 run? Then Jensen will come and we all know how this story will end!
I read today from one of the talking heads that the Dodgers would only consider Lux if it were a 1 for 1 trade with Pittsburgh. As much as I want Vasquez, I’m not doing that deal either.