Sight Versus Vision

Losing one after winning 9 in a row is nothing to get overly disappointed about. However when you take an isolated look at it without the preceeding 9 wins this game was very winnable. Dodgers made too many mistakes, gave up too many sb, struck out too much and could not come up with the big hit. That is why losing this game makes some of us a little itchy. If any one of those aspects the Dodgers do better they win this game against one of the best pitchers in the league and would now lead the division.

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven’t seen too many teams win ten in a row. The game was going to be a tough one with one of the best pitchers in the league on the mound. Pollock smashed two balls over 100 MPH and people are predictably bitching about him. How about not sitting half the team in the same game?

Bueller was a victim of shift hits and not giving the catcher a chance against base stealers. V-Gone was 0-2 with 2 outs when he gave up the deciding run. Belli missed a granny by an eyelash. I’m not shocked to lose one immediately following a bullpen game. I don’t see anyone complaining about Z-Mack’s error which proved to be the difference in the game. Only love for Z-Mack and hate for Pollock yet they virtually have the same Ave, OBP, and SLG.

Damn, these guys lose 1 out of 10 games and they are all bums!

dammit

The inability to avoid the SB by the Dodgers pitchers, this time it was Buehler, led to the loss.

Opposing teams know the Dodgers have that problem and they are exploiting it.

Losing a game after winning 9 in a row is one thing.

Striking out 28 times in two games, however, is totally unacceptable.

We let them spit the hook

Predictable that the Dodgers would leave the bases loaded with an opportunity to score with just one out (CT3 pop out and Pollock with the equally predictable strikeout) to see Victor Gonzalez give up a gopher ball. If the Dodgers can stay healthy once Seager returns I think we will see CT3 get the LF position.

Pollock runs into one once in awhile but CT3 is so much better and lengthens the line-up. Could Pollock be traded, does he have any value?

There are times when Doc makes a perfectly fine move and the player just doesn’t execute, that is the case with Gonzalez.

But there is a difference between a bad move and a fine move with bad execution. I’m pretty certain I had to explain this.

Two outs and two strikes WTF

A 230 hitter with two home runs

Well at least Doc is using Muncy and Bellinger to pinch-hit.

And Betts.

I find it comical that fans wonder why a certain player is playing when they have no access to anything to do with what is happening to a player (health, personal stuff, injury, sick, etc.) and why on earth would Dave Roberts ever play a player who is on an MLB roster?

What an idiot!

In case you don’t have vision, that was sarcasm! Sorry, but I am pretty certain that I have to explain it!

Wife cooks about once every two weeks. Waiting for her to say it’s ready [shrimp and white beans dish from Real Simple].

Here’s my idealized 26 man roster based on what we have now:

1. Smith

2. Muncy

3. Lux

4. Seager

5. Turner

6. Taylor

7. Bellinger

8. Betts

9. Barnes

10. Pujols

11. Beaty

12. Pollock

13. McKinstry

14. Kershaw

15. Buehler

16. Urias

17. Gonsolin

18. Price

19. Jansen

20. Treinen

21. Gonzalez

22. Nelson

23. Kelly

24. Bickford

25. Alexander

26. Vesia

I can see 3-5 spots ripe for upgrades.

Trade deadline will be fun.

Don’t tell me we are going to lose against the sorry Marlins.

At least the Giants are losing.

What is the problem with buehler?

The only reason why opponents haven’t stolen more bases against the Dodgers is because they haven’t attempted them. WTF

Stevie Wonder has inner vision.

The starting pitcher Rogers has reverse splits.

I’m inclined to like Souza but he probably should start doing something with the bat if he wants to stick around.

I can tell he enjoys being in the dugout and that’s great but he has to prove he’s worth keeping.

Cubs are reeling and just signed Robinson Chirinos to a minor league deal. Marlins lost Sanchez to shoulder surgery. He is out for the year. Former Dodger, Chip Hale leaves the Tigers to become head coach at the University of Arizona. Good luck to him. I have no problem with Roberts lineup. It is a 4 game series, Bellinger has been lousy the last week or so, Betts is getting his normal one in 7 day off. And according to some reports, Muncy has been battling some soreness. This is going to continue happening, so you might not like it, but get over it, nothing is going to change his modus operandi.

Great to see team on this winning streak, even without many contributions from 3 of our best players, Mookie, Cody and of course Corey.

Havnt commented on the Bauer situation but tbh, I’m gutted.

Was really enjoying watch him pitch and was glad to have him.

I’m not gonna throw him under the bus without his day in court, and I’m rooting for him to be exonerated so he can spearhead our Post Season drive.

The Trevor, Walker, Clayton and Julio rotation is gonna be tough to beat.

We’re going to face a tough lefty tonight with Trevor Rogers on the hill for the Marlins. Since mediocre lefties always look like Cy Young against us, it’s going to be an interesting test to take on deserved All-Star lefty Trevor Rogers. Doc will need all the help he can get, so I thought I’d fill out the lineup card for him.

Betts RF

Muncy 2B

Turner 3B

Smith C

Pujols 1B

Bellinger CF

Pollock LF

CT3 SS

Sorry Gavin, but you leave us no choice. We can cool you on the bench, or Rogers call cool you himself.

Cleavinger is the right move for the corresponding Alexander activation. You don’t need 4 lefties in the bullpen, Uceta is fresh and can go multiple innings if needed.

I really like that Bueller v Rogers matchup with two aces engaging in battle. I hope Bueller sends a message in response to his All-Star snub.

Dave Stewart is one of the biggest idiots in baseball and has no room to comment on Trevor Bauer’s situation. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

As a player at the end of his career, when he had a choice to resign with his own team, The A’s and The Blue Jays, he chose the Blue Jays because “He felt “Disrespected” by Sandy Alderson’s offer. He wound up returning to the A’s, eating some crow in the process, and later retired that year because he didn’t want to pitch out of the pen.

He was given another opportunity by Alderson to be his Assistant GM and left that position after just one year for the same position with the Padres under Kevin Towers. Somehow, within a year he developed a “personal conflict” with Padres owner Larry Lucchino and soon after bailed on the Padres for the same Assistant GM position with the Blue Jays under Gord Ash. Just about a year later the Blue Jays had an opening for GM and chose JP Ricciardi over Stewart who was still in the organisation at the time, resigned as a result of not getting the GM job and cried racism on the way out. He went back to coaching with the Brewers and when manager Davey Lopes was fired, Stewart again disagreed with the organization after passing on him for the opening and resigned.

Unbelievably after filling his tank with bad karma and ill will he was finally hired for the position of GM with the D-Backs, his golden goose and the spot he had set his sights on from the day he stepped off the baseball field. We all know how well that worked out.

Now, he’s bashing the Dodgers on how they’re handling the Bauer situation while virtue signaling a statement that begins with “I have 6 sisters…”

Okay, so you say you’re an expert on how to treat women because you grew up with six sisters…

In 1985, Stewart was arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct with a prostitute later revealed to be a transvestite.

Bang! You are the worst kind of low-life, unloyal hypocrite on the planet. The Internet never forgets, you idiot! Keep your mouth shut. You’re as privileged as they come.

Tonight’s winning lineup in Miami:

CF Chris

LF AJ

3B Justin

1B Albert

C Will

RF Steven

SS Gavin

2B Zach

P Walker

No Mookie,Max or Cody!

Alexander activated with clevinger sent down. Makes sense trade one guy who can’t throw strikes for more expensive one that can’t throw strikes. Actually Alexander has only walked 1 this year and was off to a good start. Clevinger is gutty but was our weakest link.

Lux oozes with talent. The question will be can he hit lefties. He is improving in the other areas. Bellinger will get it together but it may get worse before it gets better. He is close to bottom so he is close to turning it around. He is going to hammer some teams. When and if Seager comes back he will probably have an adjustment period. How long will Souza last? He is on a short leash. Hard to believe Buehler not on the all star team. Turner? I hope Muncy doesn’t do hr derby with oblique issue. Betts really? The futures game with Busch and Jackson. My gosh Mark might get an invite.

Dear Mookie,

You might remember me. I was the guy who helped Bellinger with his swing; you know reducing his 18″ head movement down prior to launch, getting off the plate, not stepping in the bucket and cutting that big swing down for contact. You can see how successful I’ve been.

I think I might be able to help you too. I know you’re 4 for 15 the last 3 games but you still don’t look quite right yet. Since i was so successful helping Cody, I thought I’d suggest a few things you could work on for the All-Star Game

* First walk up there with that old swag.

* Ambush strike one some times when it’s center-cut. The MLB average on strike one is .392.

* Back to the basics without overthinking the details might help. Just:

1. Stay back and balanced

2. Let the ball travel. No need to get out front and pull everything or pop up to right.

3. Trust your hands

Well, that’s about it. I have no doubt that with my help, you will return to your old form soon.

No need to thanks me. Your improved performance on the field will be thanks enough.

Sincerely,

phil jones

Tropical storm is heading for Florida and should hit by tomorrow, including the Miami area. This might affect the series with the Marlins. The governor has declared emergency status in 15 counties including Miami-Dade.

Alexander activated off the 60 Day IL. Cleavinger optioned to Oklahoma City.One more move coming.

Here’s a little tidbit from the 7/4/21 LA Times.

This Date in Baseball 1905: The Philadelphia Athletics scored two runs in the 20th inning, giving Rube Waddell a 4-2 victory over Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox. Both pitchers went the distance.

Where are all the AF can never put a bullpen together comments. He looks like he’s found some Muncy nuggets in Nelson, Bickford, Vesia and Cleavinger. And we can finally see what AF saw in a healthy Joseph Kelly with that 100 mph fastball. All hail AF! OK Mark please tell me Bellinger will be OK and be that 900+ OPS middle of the order guy come October

Bear, I was busy yesterday and didn’t get the opportunity to thank you for yesterday’s post on Joe D and how the unwritten rules have changed regarding respecting the opponent. I can relate to trying to become way more tolerant of stuff that would have gotten you plunked on a routine basis by Drysdale or Gibson. Before the umpires were put charge instead of the game policing itself. I try not to be stuck in the past but I sometimes get a little rush of adrenaline when I see a guy or team rub the opponent’s nose in it. That’s still my perception.

Now that isn’t showboating, or disrespecting the opponent apparently; It’s having fun. Imagine for a minute, Ted Williams “having fun” by hitting a homer, posing at the plate, doing a slow trot with a little dance step at third, gesturing to the crowd, jumping up for forearm bumps and going in the dugout to sport a construction hat or huge medallion. Better yet, what would he say about that stuff. A man who wouldn’t tip his hat to recognize the crowd’s cheers as it was showing up the pitcher.

Can you imagine Gibson’s face and eyes as he watched young Tatis Jr. hit his homer and hot-dog it around the bases. His next at bat would have been very uncomfortable assuming there was no fight right away.

I’m way more tolerate now days. I have no choice. But just once……….

Biggest factor right now in the bullpen is the rebirth of 2018 Joe Kelly and the improved veiocity/confidence of KJ.

Nelson has been steady and Treinen is an excellent back-up closer.

We still need one more guy to be an everyday arm. ViGo is pretty close but lefties are a different breed of cat.

Gonsolin/Price serve needs but I’d like another SP and another RP. I’m a prospect guy but no reason to hoard when there are flags to fly.

I agree about Vesia. He’s got something very interesting and special going on with that “invisible” fastball. He seems to get an inordinate amount of swing and miss off center cut fastballs. It’s truly an oddity.

I realize that we’re a bit spoiled as Dodgers fans for the nearly the last decade. We’ve had more than our fair share of home grown talent come up through the system and have made big name and unsuspecting acquisitions alike. But, too many people are too eager to give up on many players that didn’t hit the ground running like Seager, Puig and Bellinger. Or, they give up on guys that have proven and long resumes like Seager and Bellinger.

Lux is a prime example of a great talent that hasn’t lived up to the hype, so people want to discard him like an late night Amazon purchase. People will fully ignore that a player had a serious injury and the following surgery and they don’t perform up to MVP expectations the following season.

Some players will make adjustments and continue to refine their game. Others will keep doing the same things, with little success metaphorically punching themselves in the face. I’m talking about the latest whipping boys, Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux.

Just two good games in a row and Lux is being invited to come out of the dog house. The thing is, he should have never been in the dog house to begin with. There’s a reason he’s on the field on a team with championship aspirations. He’s really freaking good! I see a guy with great speed and athleticism who has a sweet swing. He has the tools to be a great player, he just has to learn to not try to do too much, ala Kike who also has all the tools to be successful, but he failed to learn to slow down the game enough to make the most of his gifts. Lux now has an OPS+ of 92, not quite league average, but somehow has accumulated a 2.0 WAR is just less than half a season in what really should be his rookie year. Not bad for a rook.

It’s absurd to think Bellinger is on the verge of a Mendoza line season, or more than one. The guy had a limited off-season recovering from shoulder surgery which seemed to take longer to recover from than initially expected as he didn’t start swinging a bat until the cusp of Spring Training. When he finally came back, he immediately was injured again due to a freak injury of no fault of his own. His swing never looked quite right during last year’s truncated season which seemed to happen to several big ticket players who were also playing through injuries. Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant come to mind. Could it be that his balky shoulder contributed to last year’s struggles? Well, Captain Obvious would say yes, but many people can’t seem to put those two things together. Is he struggling this year because of his late start, subsequent early injury while trying to rediscover a swing that feels comfortable after dealing with the balky and surgically repaired shoulder?

I’m betting both players will be a big part of this team’s future and people will forget all about their recent struggles since most seem to have very short memories as they can’t seem to remember that Lux was a 1st rounder that dominated the minor leagues and that Belli is a former MVP and was so good in the minors that he arrived and dominated a year early than the experts predicted.

The great thing about both of these players is that their defense alone justifies a spot in the lineup and even if they aren’t performing as expected in the box, they still have to be respected by opposing pitchers.

I expect big things from a couple of lefty bullpen pieces in Vesia and Cleavinger. Cleavinger pumps up some 97 MPH fastballs and that will play even without great command. Vesia has a very weird fastball that’s much better than the radar gun would lead you to believe. Neither have had any significant MLB experience before this year. Let them get used to The Show, and they’ll eventually grow into their MLB stature. We’ll all be pleasantly surprised.

Pepiot obviously can’t be ignored. His performances keep him front and center. It would be interesting to hear what the scouts are saying. Is he ready?

Do the Dodgers need him right now? Or will Tony Gonsolin begin to eat more innings? The Gonsolin of 2020 was pretty good. Will Trevor Bauer be back? No idea. Maybe all this comes out in the wash after the All-Star break. David Price wants to start. He said that. What is the Dodgers reluctance? Price seems like a potential remedy.

Justin Turner should be the All-Star third baseman, not Nolan Arenado. Just my opinion. Surprised and not surprised that Mookie made it.

Totally blown away that not one Dodger pitcher made it. Best ERA in baseball. Oh well.

Your thoughts on vision and sight are interesting, Mark. Add in “sense” and you may be on to something.

Not sure where the Dodgers go at the trade deadline, bullpen, which has been very good or another starter. Probably depends on what is available and the cost. Max Scherzer wanted to play for the Dodgers back in the day. Will Washington trade him even if they are out of it. Maybe not. I’d want to extend him. If they trade him, probably doesn’t matter if Boras wants an extension. Scherzer would probably go based on the opportunity to another ring. Guessing the Dodgers would pass, based on the cost of acquiring him.

Does any of this revolve around Bauer and his situation? Perhaps. No, probably. Definitely.

When will Corey Seager return? When will Cody Bellinger catch up to fastballs? Hey, Gavin Lux has been making some really good defensive plays and is coming up with big hits at times.

If the Dodgers do re-sign Seager, will they ask him to play another position, first or third, maybe both. Put Lux at short and Muncy at second? Considering all the injuries, will that his value? Probably.

Whoever scheduled an early morning start after a night game is not very bright. MLB has to do better.

I have totally agreed with your assessment and predictions on the bullpen. They have had so many injuries and the replacements had problems when called upon. I felt that just be patient and let the injured heal. The talent was there but it needed to be healthy. The team survived and the BP is now getting healthy. Those that were called up at least got some MLB experience. For example, you posted above about the recent outings by Vesia. Not very impressive when called up, but look at him now. A nice pickup by AF. I think the real future for the Dodger BP is in the minors right now. There will be lots of great and inexpensive (mostly young) arms to choose from by AF. It might help to eliminate the temptation to spend big $$ on a bullpen pitcher that was outstanding this year and WTF the next year. Like you say BP pitchers only consistency is their unpredictability (or something along those lines).

I think patience with Lux was also warranted. He’s basically a rookie and has had his issues. Playing SS has and will help him in the long run even when he moves back to 2B. I can see the appeal of using Taylor at 2B when Seager returns. I think it’s best for the Dodgers and Lux is to leave him at 2B unless he goes completely off the rails. If he hits .250 with 12-15 HRs and 60-70 RBIs with some solid defense that will be a nice “rookie” year for Lux. I don’t think trading him is a good idea. We’ll see what happens.

I find it ironic that when Bauer was pitching well and losing games during the 5-15 streak he was complaining that he came here to win a championship. This while at the same time apparently doing some bizarre internet trolling and meet and greets. If true, how does he square his actions with his teammates?

Come on Cody quit screwing with us. One exceptional game every two weeks doesn’t cut it. These are the good to mediocre pitchers you usually thrive on. Yesterday you are 3-0 against a guy who can’t find home plate and you go fishing for balls outside the strike zone. With men in scoring position. You have to make some type of contact to put the ball in play. Striking out eliminates one of your outstanding tools…speed. Do you ever pay attention to Albert’s AB’s? Do you ever talk to Albert on how he approaches hitting and the importance of doing whatever it takes to have a professional AB with men on base? If not, what a waste of a resource by you. Shame on you Cody.

Excited about Vesia. A strikeout specialist from the left side is a nice weapon to have.