Shake it Up!
I am all for trying new things, but sometimes things don t work out as planned. For instance, Yasiel Puig is arguably the best Right Fielder in baseball and has played CF at times, but has not played it very well. From what I have seen, he does not have good instincts in CF. In my opinion, the centerfielder should be the fastest runner. Puig isn t, although he is faster than
I am all for trying new things, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. For instance, Yasiel Puig is arguably the best Right Fielder in baseball and has played CF at times, but has not played it very well. From what I have seen, he does not have good instincts in CF. In my opinion, the centerfielder should be the fastest runner. Puig isn’t, although he is faster than Pederson. Chris Taylor is the fastest outfielder on the team. He has taken to the outfield like a fish in water.
I don’t know if anyone remembers, but Chris has played 2B seven games this year and I remember thinking that he looked very uncomfortable there… almost like he didn’t belong. I looked up his career record and he has played 33 games there with a .941 FIELDING PERCENTAGE! Could he learn 2B? Probably, but I am very impressed with his ability as an outfielder.
Why move a Gold Glove RF to CF and weaken 2 positions? I am not in love with Logan Forsythe but he has a .980 fielding percentage at 2B. While he has never won a GG, he is close to that caliber and the team has played well with him in the lineup. 2B is a straight platoon this year with Utley and Forsythe. I wish Chase hit RHP better (he’s only .235), but Logan hits .303 against LHP, so at least part of the platoon works.
Where does Adrian Gonzalez play and hit?
A lot of fans are asking that question. From what I can see, it’s likely that A-Gon’s decline has been due to injury as much (or more) than aging. He has been battling back issues for several years. I do not think A-Gon will be back unless he is healthy and assuming he is healthy he could very easily be the .300 clutch hitter he used to be. The Dodgers will not bring him back to be a .250 singles hitter. So, assuming he does make it back, you also have to assume he is the 1B we used to know.
As Much as I like Cody Bellinger and his defense at 1B, the Dodgers could use A-Gon’s bat in the lineup… preferably in the #6 hole. That still leaves the #5 spot open and it has been suggested that Puig be moved there. Again, I am all for trying it, but he has thrived in the #8 spot and his psyche is always an issue. Little things have been to known to create issues with Yasiel. Moving him to 5th could be a good or a bad thing…depending upon his mindset. When you move the knucklehead, you are playing with fire… and it might backfire.
Adrian could hit #5, but I am still begging FAZ to give Henry Ramos a shot. He deserves it. He has been an absolute beast in the minors this year and while it is the “minors,” It does give us somewhat of an idea how he can do in the Show. Yes, they have to clear a spot, but he could be the LF and #5 hitter – no platoon required!
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Discussion (125)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I consider Puig’s major league career to have begun a short time ago when he bonded with Turner Ward. Earlier, he was learning things he should have learned in the minor leagues. Quite a contrast now from the past couple of years when every trade proposal suggested by fans seemed to include Puig. I like to see Puig’s name in the starting lineup because it suggests that I am going to see something amazing during the game–win or lose.
I completely agree Harlan, it is simply those that see the maturity versus those that don’t, us that see Puig growing as a player with Turner Ward versus those that say he can’t bat 5th because of a whopping 30 AB’s back in April, the same that have wanted him gone for years because of his “clubhouse demeanor”, when the kid took a boat here from Cuba, didnt speak a lick of English, knew nothing of American morals but compared the same way…..look at at his English and club demeanor now? What do you say?
You either like him or you don’t, any other player not named Puig with his stats would be higher in this batting order
Talk about double standard, want to bat Joc 5th and his .216BA? No problem! Utley? No problem! Forsythe? No problem! Grandal? No Problem!
Wait, you say try Puig?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Call the National Guard!!!!!!
On a different subject, what is everyone’s thoughts on the Dodgers expanding their retired jersey list? Off hand, I think Hodges, Wheat, and maybe Wills and Fernando are deserving. Even O’Malley (although there would be no number, just a plaque like Vinny’s). Interested in reading your opinions.
Their policy of Hall of Fame only (only Jim Gilliam is the exception) and retiring as a Dodger makes some sense, keeps it exclusive. Don Sutton returned for his final year as a Dodger. Piazza decided to go in as a Met and Beltre will probably go in as a Ranger. I think Fernando has proved his Dodger roots and loyalty. It bothers me to see Joc wearing Piazza’s 31 but that’s life, and he has shunned the Dodgers after his trade. I look forward to seeing Kershaw’s 22 retired some day.
I just fixed the 5 hole
Taylor-CF
Seager-SS
Turner-3B
Belly-1B
Stanton-LF
Grandal-C
Puig-RF
Forsythe-2B
Winning Pitcher
The Marlins sound open to taking a bad contract to lower the value. Send them Gonzo(before his 10/5 rights kick in), McCarthy, Joc, Kazmir and a pitching prospect not named Buehler. You have just bought down Stanton’s deal by about $41 million.
Gonzo-$21.5 million
McCarthy-$11 million
Kazmir-$8 million
Joc-$1 million
Marlins add Joc, McCarthy, and a pitchig prospect. Probably release Gonzo or trade him. Don’t need him. Joc would be under team control for 3 years. McCarthy cheap for two years plus a pitching prospect for a SP starved franchise. Dodgers still have Toles and Verdugo for OF depth and if they want to move Taylor to 2B. The Dodgers also reset their luxury tax by ridding themselves of more money than they’re taking on for 2018. They have also bought down to the total package of Stanton’s deal to an affordable amount by not only ridding themselves of salaries, but also luxury tax penalties on those salaries.
MINOR LEAGUE REPORT – 08-14-2017
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OKC beat Round Rock Express (Rangers) 9-4. Eddie Gamboa started and went 6.0 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts. Josh Ravin & Edward Paredes each pitched one inning allowing 1 walk and 2 strikeouts each.. Offensively, O’Koyea Dickson went 3-4 (double), Edwin Rios and Tim Locastro each went 2-5 (double), while Alex Verdugo went 2-3 with a double and his 6th HR. Rob Segedin got another hit and is seems to be settling into a solid routine, and is just about ready. He will probably have to wait and get that September call up, and then fight for a Post Season roster spot (although unlikely).
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Tulsa did not play Monday. Josh Sborz is scheduled to start today against Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros).
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Rancho Cucamonga lost 7-6 to the Stockton Ports (A’s). Devin Smeltzer started and went 6.0 innings. He allowed 4 runs on 7 hits, 1 walk, and 7 strikekouts. He was in a position for the win until his bullpen gave up single runs in the 8th, 9th, and 10th innings. Offensively Keibert Ruiz had a three hit night. He now has 98 AB (just about at that magic 100 AB mark), and is batting .327/.358/.551/.910. Not bad for a 19 year old catcher at A+ level. Including his time at Great Lakes, Ruiz is now batting a combined .320/.368/.462/.830 for the season. Andre Ethier went 2-3 including a 2 out RBI single. AGon went 0-5, including leaving runners in scoring position with 2 outs twice last night. Arie Sandoval &Brandon Montgomery also got 2 hits each. DJ Peters smacked his 23rd HR. DJ has had a fantastic year at A+ after skipping an entire level (full season low A at Great Lakes).
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Great Lakes lost 5-0 to the Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays). Melvin Jimenez was touched up in his 4.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits, 0 walks, and 3 strikeouts. Gavin Lux had another multi-hit game. Gavin has hit .333 over his last 10 games and seems to be getting better acclimated to this level. Hopefully this bodes well going into the off-season and 2018 (probably at RC as a 20 year old).
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Ogden beat Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox) 5-2. Christian Stolo started and went 5.1 innings allowing a single run on 5 hits, 3 walks, and 7 strikeouts. Patrick Duester pitched the next 3.1 innings also allowing a single run on 1 hit, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts. Austin Hamilton got the final out for his 2nd save. Rylan Bannon went 2-3 with his 5th HR, Romer Cuadrado 2-4 and his 6th HR, and Brock Carpenter 2-4 and his 4th HR.
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AZL Dodgers beat AZL Brewers 4-2. James Marinan started and went 2 innings (his longest professional outing). He did not allow a run or hit, issued 2 walks, and one strikeout. Ike Davis and Stetson Allie continued their quest to become pitchers. Aneurys Zabala pitched his 4th consecutive scoreless outing. I like to follow Zabala because he came with Drew Jackson in the Chase DeJong trade. Luis Pasan pitched the final 2 innings allowing 0 runs on 1 hit, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts notching his 4th save. Shakir Albert and Jair Camargo led the offense with 3 hit and 2 RBI nights. Albert hit his 1st triple and 1st HR on the year. Eric Meza and Marcus Chiu had two hits apiece. After a very slow start, Chiu (15th round draft choice) is starting to get very comfortable at the plate. In his last 10 games he is batting .444 with 15 hits, including 1 HR and 3 doubles raising his season average from .203 to .279.
AC makes a good case for Puig not hitting against LH pitching. Call up Ramos. Platoon Puig – he’s horrible against LH pitching.
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One final thing: With all the issues with Pederson, Puig and Forsythe, the Dodgers are the best team is baseball and could set the all time win total. What is there to fix? It’s working.
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I’d do the Stanton deal Hawkeye suggests but I think it would have to include PTBNL (Puig) and Alvarez, Verdugo and Diaz.
I don’t understand all of the fulminations over Puig’s maturity or lack of it. We aren’t in the clubhouse so we don’t know. I haven’t heard the press leak the kind of complaints that his shenanigans lead to in the past. He isn’t making the kind of mistakes that he made before either. Maturity? Who knows, but maybe.
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The batting order doesn’t really matter as much as we fans think that it does.
Open on www.fangraphs.comhttp://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/how-significant-is-batting-order/That being said, I tend to go with the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” theory. Move Puig up? Maybe – but if he’s hitting well where he is, do they move him? I agree that the Dodgers need to look to protect Cody in the 4th spot. I’m not sure whether Puig is the answer.
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Agree that both Joc and Forsythe are not contributing offensively. For those who say that Forsythe has a high OBP, I would note that his SLG is .312! He doesn’t have enough AB to qualify but if he did that would be third to last in all of MLB. And that’s with a platoon that favors his splits. Do the Dodgers need to make a change? We wouldn’t be talking about it at all except that Gonzalez is returning.
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Why would the Marlins take on a bunch of salary for players who won’t contribute in trade for Stanton? That’s never going to happen.
Chris Hatcher is no longer a Dodger. He was traded to the A’s for $500K International bonus $$$.
The Dodgers traded Chris Hatcher to Oakland for international amateur signing bonus pool space. IF/OF Rob Segedin reinstated from 60-day DL
Wahoooooo! Chris Hatcher traded to A’s for International $$$$
Hatcher gone??? Great news!!!!!
Taylor
Seager
Turner
Bellinger
Grandal
Puig
Forsythe
Pederson
Uh oh, Puig batting 6th!!!! Looks like some of our cries were heard after all!
Brock Stewart draws the start for OKC tonight. Kyle Farmer will be playing 1B just to add to his repertoire.
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Josh Sborz does get the start for Tulsa.
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Jordan Sheffield will get his second Rancho start this evening.
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Dustin May was reinstated from the DL to start tonight’s game for Great Lakes.
I’m watching the White Sox feed and when Forsythe singled they called him “an on-base machine.”
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Maybe not a “Machine” but his OB% is close to .370, and .422 against LH pitching.
I think I wrote this a few days ago, but man, Cingrani has some filthy stuff. Next year, he will be a ridic valuable piece in the pen. Honeycutt is going to make this guy our Andrew Miller/Brad Hand. Thank you Farhan!
Dodgers now 50 games over .500. Can’t remember the last time that happened this early in the season. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!