SponsorUS Water Systems
LA Dodger Talk

The Beat Goes on

The Dodgers are going to lose someday. I promise – they are! I know it does not seem that way, but it is inevitable. Isn’t it? I mean, they are going to lose again… aren’t they? OK… maybe they won’t. Just kidding. Be ready for that one-game losing streak, and try not to lose…

By Mark Timmons2 min readJump to 97 comments

The Dodgers are going to lose someday. I promise – they are! I know it does not seem that way, but it is inevitable. Isn’t it? I mean, they are going to lose again… aren’t they? OK… maybe they won’t. Just kidding. Be ready for that one-game losing streak, and try not to lose your minds. Ryan Yarbrough sure is a weapon! Singlehandedly, he can take the pressure off the entire bullpen! This is a game-changer! The Dodgers have been lacking that long man! Now they have one.

  • For the rest of this month and into September, they will be auditioning for the playoff roster… especially the bullpen.
  • The Giants are nine games back, while Arizona is 13 games back, and the Clowns From Down the Freeway have sunk faster than the Titanic! What a joke! I will keep telling you to never underestimate the power of AJ Preller to screw something up. The same thing happened to the Mets – now we are hearing of their fractured clubhouses.
  • Every team in the NL West is 3-7 in their last ten games, while the Dodgers are 9-1.
  • Never question Andrew Friedman again! I have been on that wagon since he came to LA.
  • For all those fans who wanted Willie Adames: How about that .202 BA? If he was a defensive wizard, it would be one thing…
  • Remember when Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger were running neck-and-neck for the MVP and maybe 50 HRs? Their careers since then have paralleled each other, and now they are doing good… but not MVP great. Who knew? Baseball is a funny game.
  • Matt came up with the new Moniker: “Bobby Ice” instead of Miller Time. I like it!
  • Miguel Vargas hit a double and had four hits to break his 0-19 skid.
  • Michael Busch is now hitting .321 with a 1.0452 OPS.
  • Diego Cartaya was 2-4 with his 16th big fly. Still hitting .183.
  • The Dodgers enter tonight’s game (Kershaw and Miley) with a fresh bullpen!

Discussion (97)

Disagree, not disagreeable

Be civil — moderation is real. Links may need a moment of review.

  1. Mark TimmonsAugust 16, 2023

    The Dodgers’ Farm Systems is now rated #6 by MLB:

    Open on www.mlb.comhttps://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-pipeline-2023-midseason-system-rankings?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage&partnerId=zh-20230816-1003656-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20230816-1003656-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=ZHpMeqCSdB9C3AgolJxFqRXS2zNEuLykgp6qQaEda7p%2BJjMKc9b7Zv1SG2AZnWZJ&bt_ts=1692194897794

    6. Los Angeles Dodgers

    2023 preseason rank: 2

    2022 midseason rank: 2

    2022 preseason rank: 5

    2021 midseason rank: 16

    Top 100 prospects: Dalton Rushing, C/1B (No. 46); Michael Busch, 3B/2B (No. 47); Diego Cartaya, C (No. 60); Nick Frasso, RHP (No. 69); Gavin Stone, RHP (No. 84)

    The Dodgers are nearing their 10th National League West title in the past 11 years, and they won 106 games the one season they came up short. A nonstop supply of prospects has fueled that success, and this year alone they’ve graduated Top 100 prospects Bobby Miller, Miguel Vargas and Emmet Sheehan, plus James Outman, to Los Angeles. There’s another wave percolating in Triple-A (Busch, Stone, outfielder Andy Pages, right-handers Landon Knack, Ryan Pepiot and Kyle Hurt) and more talent coming behind them.

  2. OldBear48August 16, 2023

    Miller did a great job after the first two hitters. Very Drysdale like performance. The Dodgers figured out the Brewers pitcher in the 6th and they got the win. Nice work all around. Don’t look now but Freeman has not had a hit in three consecutive games. He is 0-11 over that stretch. He has walked a couple of times, and he got on last night on an error. Since Thursday he is 2-18. You could actually see by the expression on his face after he struck out his last at bat that he was pretty frustrated. Nice to have JD back in the lineup. Even nicer to see Muncy actually get as many hits as strikeouts. Facing a lefty in Wade Miley tonight against Kersh. Taylor will be back in the starting lineup, and I am guessing Barnes is going to catch.

  3. CassidyAugust 16, 2023

    Never question? You mean that I have to applaud the Trevor Bauer signing? I love AF but…..

    And Bellinger is putting up “in the MVP conversation” type numbers.

  4. dodgerpatchAugust 16, 2023

    The Dodgers are currently on pace, based on their current winning percentage, to win nearly 99 games. They can easily reach the 100 win milestone again this year. The Dodgers have been on a run since 2019 where they’ve been winning at a 66% clip. That translates to an average of nearly 107 wins per season. They didn’t reach the 100 win milestone in 2020, but the won 43 out of 60 games during that Covid shortened season. That’s a 71.7% winning percentage, which, extrapolated to a 162 game season, is 116 wins.

    The Ruth/Gehrig Yankees didn’t even do that (although, for a fair comparison, I should really break down the Yankees winning % during their peak years and apply that to a hypothetical 162 game season). I can’t think of another comparable era of sustained greatness by any other team, and I’m not even mentioning the run of division titles. The last time the Dodgers even had a losing season was 2010.

    Could you imagine if Bellinger hadn’t hit that go-ahead run against the Braves in 2020? The best run in MLB history and not a single WS victory. Thank goodness the Dodgers have 2020.

    It’s a good time to be a Dodger fan.

  5. dodgerramAugust 16, 2023

    After those first two guys who reached Bobby Miller was lights out. 18 up, 18 down.

    If that was a playoff game do you think Doc would have left him in ? I would hope so.

    Cartaya went 0-4 last night, not 2-4, average now .182

    What a funk this kid is in. way too talented to hit that low of an average.

    Right about now that kid Liranzo at RC looks to be our best catching prospect with both Rushing and Cartaya struggling mightily. Liranzo 3-4 with his league leading 20th big fly last night.

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

  6. ZekeAugust 16, 2023

    It may be a good time to give Will Smith some much deserved time off with a 9 game lead.

    @PhilJones: How did the HPU grade out last night? Watching it live it looked like he missed quite a few calls.

    Lets win the series today with Kershaw going.

  7. Jorge ValenzuelaAugust 16, 2023

    Dodgers are going to lose 20 more games, they’ll finish the season 96-66, but I don’t think they’ll catch Atlanta, which doesn’t matter at all, since the only way they’ll meet is until the National Championship, right?

    I think if the season ends today, LA would face the winner of Marlins vs. Phillies (I guess)

  8. BobbyAugust 16, 2023

    Did anyone see that called strike 3 on Justin Turner last night??

    Beyond a horrible call.

  9. Johnny GentleAugust 16, 2023

    Watch out for that tree!

More from Dodger Talk

Dodgers Food Trailer

I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…

By Mark Timmons · July 17, 202673

Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12

3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…

By Jeff Dominique · July 16, 202674

Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)

It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…

By Mark Timmons · July 15, 202652

Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor

I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…

By Michael "Bear" Norris · July 14, 202676