No Way to Sugarcoat This
A couple of days ago, when the Dodgers won 21-5, I reminded you that you should not get too high that it was only one game! The 14-0 debacle last night is also only one game, but if I were you I would be very worried right about now. Losing to Verlander 2-1 is no shame, but losing 14-0 with the offense being MIA is a sign that these
A couple of days ago, when the Dodgers won 21-5, I reminded you that you should not get too high – that it was only one game! The 14-0 debacle last night is also only one game, but if I were you I would be very worried right about now. Losing to Verlander 2-1 is no shame, but losing 14-0 with the offense being MIA is a sign that these guys may have quit… and I mean mentally! This has “trainwreck” written all over it and does not bode well for the future of this season. There are several issues:
Dave Roberts Has Head Where The Sun Don’t Shine
I have never been a big lineup guy. Well, what I mean by that is that I have ideas of where players should hit and how a lineup should be constructed, but so does everyone else. It can work many ways. There is usually no one right answer. Should Manny hit #2 or #3? Does it really matter? I think #2, but others think #3 and I have no argument about that. What I do disagree with is the continual use of sabermetrics to fashion a lineup according to the matchups.
Recently, the Red Sox picked up Steve Pearce to be a RH power hitter against LH pitching. He is a platoon player, for the most part. On August 2nd, he started against a LHP and ended up hitting three (3) Home Runs. The next day a RHP started, but Alex Cora, the Red Sox Manager had Pearce’s name in the lineup. In the interest of full disclosure, Steve destroys LH pitching, but he’s not bad against RH pitchers either. The fact is: he is a platoon player, but started the next day after hitting 3 HR out of his normal platoon, was not lost on Alex Cora. He knew Pearce was hot… and damn the statistics, sometimes being hot trumps the stats!
Do you hear me Dave Roberts? Way too many times this season a player has a great game… only to sit the next one! I have a label for that: IT’S A FELONY STUPID MOVE THAT WILL ULTIMATELY GET YOU FIRED! Geeeeezzzzz! I am not going to belabor this point, but sometimes, when a player is in “THE ZONE”, you need to let them stay hot! Damn the statistics! The power of the human spirit trumps statistical analysis. I am all for sabermetrics, but maybe players just need to be human at times. Maybe they don’t know they can’t hit lefties… so they go ahead and do it. By the way, Pearce hit a HR in that next game too.
Doc needs to learn to ride that hot player. Maybe Dozier would not have hit Verlander either – his track record was poor – but he was on a hot streak as a Dodger – why mess with it? I don’t like that. Not even a little bit! There is no stat to measure momentum, but it is real. If you have very played organized sports, you know of what I speak. You can’t measure it, you can’t quantify it, there’s no stat for it, but when you just go by the stats, you ignore a powerful force.
Many people think Cody is starting to come out of his slump… so Doc sits him? That is really dumb and several levels.
Maybe Doc left Maeda in the game too long to show him he belongs in the pen. If he is, he is a genius… if it’s not, he is certified dumbass. Even Ray Charles could see that Maeda was toast! Maeda needs to pitch out of the pen. Maybe this is Doc’s way of showing him that (I don’t really think he is that smart, but maybe he is). Actually, I think his constant “lineup tinkering” has become a detriment to the Dodgers, but he thinks it’s an advantage. Where do they go from here?
Today, I have to remind myself to always be humble and kind, but Doc is making it hard for me right about now.
I have been one of Doc’s biggest supporters, but it seems to me that he is starting to think he is smarter than the people who play the game and believes his press clippings makes him a genius. NOT! Consider the stats and consider the matchups, but consider what kind of hot streak the player is on.
More Rants (no Raves)
- I don’t want to see that “stupid little grin Maeda has when he gives up a bomb. It ain’t funny – I want to see him snarling mad! I also want to see him in the bullpen.
- Manny tries too hard to look so nonchalant. If you are really cool, you don’t have to try and act like it. Quit trying to be cool and just let your bat and glove speak.
- John Axford looked like he did not want to be here when he took the mound. His body language wasn’t good – don’t let the door hit you on the way out…
- Maybe the Dodger’s Depth is a detriment – no one can get enough AB’s to get a rhythm.
- Finally, adjust and if you can’t hit it out, go the other way! Some are doing just that. Most aren’t!
- Kemp hurt his leg last night and he’s slumping – 10-day DL. Call up Verdugo!
- If the Dodgers don’t win today, this series will go down as the time the Astros Broke the Dodgers Spirit!
I believe that this team has more than enough talent to win – however, the talent has to be managed properly…
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Discussion (72)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I agree Hawkeye. And the lower oxygen content at altitude should also be considered. And if I have to choose between Verdugo and Toles, I take Verdugo everyday of the week, and twice on Sunday. I come from the generation that remembers Sunday doubleheader’s.
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I’m not sure Toles has more power than Verdugo. Between OKC and LA the 22 year old Verdugo has a total of 9 HR this year in 327 AB, and the more mature 26 year old Toles has 4 HR in 211 AB. Those numbers indicate that Verdugo has slightly more power, and given his age he still has considerably more to grow in that area.
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Also, Toles no doubt has more speed than Verdugo, but Verdugo is by no means slow. And whereas Toles has a good arm, it’s by no means the cannon that Verdugo has. And like Puig, it appears that Verdugo’s arm Is extremely accurate.
Disable Puig, and don’t deactivate him until his oblique is fully healed. Not a player that the Dodgers should be taking any chances with. And to replace him bring up Verdugo, and play him everyday against RHP and LHP.
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If Kemp’s ankle is only bruised, then it may not make sense to DL him. But it does make sense to give him some time off. However, if 10 days will help to re-energize him, then maybe he too should be DL’d, and Toles brought up to replace him.
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And with a 4-game series looming in Coors starting on Thursday, it may be wise to consider adding an arm. That ballpark is murder on a pitching staff.
Ultimately Doc fills out the lineup and in the past the lineup covered for some of his decisions. I agree though when someone says there has been a lack or urgency this year. We could see it in April. We could see it when they threw away a game vs Cubs when Buehler rehabbed out of the pen. We could see it when Kike was brought in to pitch in a tie game. This lack of urgency is why the Dodgers will be lucky to make the post season this year.
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While I agree with nearly everything Mark says about FAZ’s strength., anyone who thinks they don’t have a large say in suggesting lineups and wasting moves on an Axford are fooling themselves.
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Kemp is running out of gas. The lineup should be set now. Muncy has been hit with a dose of reality. Bellinger, Dozier, Machado, JT, Joc, Verdugo, and Puig should be playing every night vs righties.
And AZ lost to our bff’s, the Giants. We’re back tied for first
Good win today. Good pitching. Great relief pitching. Floro looks very good since we traded for him. Alexander has great stuff.
Everyone deserves a day off tomorrow!
Wow, I did not know Gerrit Cole could get it up to 99mph! Glad Buehler is on his game today
I’m no medical expert, but from what I saw of Springer!s thumb that looked like a dislocation (at he very least) to me. Also, his slide was a lesson in why it’s not too wise to slide hands first.
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Is Manny getting comfortable? Two hits so far today are a good sign.
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Love it when Cody goes the other way.
You don’t send down my Cody!
If Kemp and Puig are nicked up, DL them! Kemp has done so much for us this year that he deserves a nice 10 day vacation anyway. He’s struggled a lot lately, so time off will do him good and refresh him for the last 6 weeks. Clearly Verdugo and or Toles deserve to be up here and playing. Plus, they might be auditioning for new teams next season, so they will be going all out.
After last nights dumpster fire, I am curious to see what kind of lineup Doc throws out there. Also, a real good piece in the LA Times this morning on Colleti and prospects. Can’t believe he only got burned once as far as trading a prospect away. For all of his faults, he did hang on to Kershaw, Seager, Bellinger, Stripling, Joc, etc. He kept the cupboard full for FAZ.
Nice start
1- I’ve said many times on this site, I think Roberts is a very good communicator, but a poor game manager and he does nothing to make me believe any differently.
2- I think Roberts is all about playing it safe, and will not deviate from the game plan of the day.
3- Giving subs almost as much playing time as the so-called regulars are not putting the best team on the field.
4- The bullpen is still a big issue and getting John Axford is not going to help.
5- I said before this series started that these games with the Astro’s would tell a lot about the Dodgers starting pitching, bullpen, and the offense.
What, me worry?
Per Dodgers’ Insider: “Matt Kemp will get a couple days off to rest a left ankle contusion suffered on a foul ball Saturday, while Yasiel Puig is dealing with oblique soreness and is also expected to be out at least a couple days.”
Wow!
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The biggest reason Doc has so many lineups is to let every player feel relevant and keep them sharp enough that that can have more success than they would if they rarely played. The Dodgers faced a string of righties and there were players like Kike that were not playing much. The pitcher was tougher against lefties than he was against righties. It was an opportunity to rest Bellinger and Muncy and Grandal. The hitters were not the ones that gave up 14 runs.
And a word about Manny Machado. I’m not ready to criticize a player that I’ve only seen play only 16 games with the Dodgers. I’ve watched baseball for too long to not understand that he could suddenly take off on a hot streak that would change everyone’s perception of him in an instant.
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Mark, not sure why, but when I post on my iPhone (which is most of the time), I am seeing that my name and email address are no longer being remembered, and I’m forced to enter them. Is that a problem on your end, or is it IOS related?
Lineup:
1. Pederson LF
2. Manny 3B
3. Grandal C
4. Bellinger CF
5. Dozier 2B
6. Muncy 1B
7. Taylor SS
8. Kike RF
9. Striker P
I kid around about the depth. But I recognize it’s there.
I also recognize it took a billion to assemble it, and it doesn’t seem
to add up to a championship. And the Ds had a genuine playoff roster
before these guys showed up (assembled by the not-great-but-pretty-
damned-good-under-the-circumstances Ned Colletti and Co).
So I remain a front office disbeliever. And wait patiently for one of their
everyday players from one of their drafts to show up on the field in LA and
become a reliable, poised, well-schooled contributor. And for a billion,
what-the-hell, maybe more than one!:-)
Totally agree with you mark. I think Roberts has changed. He started out managing with urgency but now there are too many experimental throw away games. Last year at the end of the year he nearly created a crisis with no urgency to win. Even though we didn’t win the World Series I think home field was crucial for us getting there. He nearly pissed it away by seemingly giving games away. Joc and Dozier should have been in the lineup the past two days period. Axford should never have been acquired I would have rather had copping. Why did it take so long for him to report? He may get better but he isn’t championship caliber or he would have been in demand. I do think roberts is full of himself. He was interviewed in game the other night on tv and a guy hit a 3 run homer he wanted to keep laughing and carrying on. I just wish he would be the blue collar guy he started out to be. Finally, somebody needs to have the balls to plunk Reddick to shut his mouth.
I don’t agree with everything Roberts does, but I’ve also never agreed with everything done by any manager. And besides, Doc doesn’t manage in a vacuum. I’m sure that much of what he does is run by his coaching staff. And I’m pretty sure that he’s not so hard-headed that he doesn’t take seriously any input he gets from them. So though I may not agree with him all the time, I am fully supportive of the positive atmosphere he’s created around this team, which I think is way more important than any individual decisions which I may disagree with, and upon which he has a very competent coaching staff to provide their input.
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As for Mike Scioscia, I used to be a big supporter. But quite frankly, I suspect his time has passed.
Doc has never been good at filling out a line-up card. He way over-thinks it (possibly influenced by FAZ being in his ear).
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I have it on good authority that Mark is still venting.
I think there will be some moves today… like in the next 30 minutes!
I do not think FAZ wants Roberts to manage in a certain “way.” I think they give Doc a lot of info, but it’s up to him as to who he plays. Winning trumps all.
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Old school vs. new school may not be as far apart as you think.
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I AM NOT VENTING! I AM NOT VENTING! I AM NOT VENTING! 😉
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I am mad as hell… and I won’t take it anymore!