The Broken Record Continues To Play
I know I sound like a broken record. There is NOT ONE late inning high leverage reliever on the 40 man outside of KJ. The closest two are in Tulsa; Marshall Kasowski and Andre Scrubb, neither of whom is ready. I am not sure how Kenta Maeda and Chicken Strip are going to change this. There are no relievers better than what FAZ has already accumulated that will pass through
I know I sound like a broken record. There is NOT ONE late inning high leverage reliever on the 40 man outside of KJ. The closest two are in Tulsa; Marshall Kasowski and Andre Scrubb, neither of whom is ready. I am not sure how Kenta Maeda and Chicken Strip are going to change this. There are no relievers better than what FAZ has already accumulated that will pass through waivers. Adison Reed? No thank you. I would rather go with Joe Broussard. There are no starting pitchers available that will allow Alex Wood to transition to the bullpen. The Dodgers are going to win or lose on the team they have.
To Bobby’s credit, we are reminded that the Dodgers are only 1 game out of the NL West race, but now have to beat two teams. If they had relief, they could have distanced themselves from the Rockies, and been a couple games up on the DBacks. But they do not have sufficient relief and they are in 3rd place, and the Giants are only 4.0 games back of them. With 42 games remaining, they are now 2.5 games back in the Wild Card.
Certainly the team can recover from this nightmare, but it is also possible that this is really who this team is; a very average mediocre team. For March through May the Dodgers were 26-30. From June 1 to the ASB the team went 27-13 and things looked very up. Since the ASB, the team has gone back to 11-13. For a 40 game stretch, the team was 27-13. For the other 80 games played, the Dodgers record is 37-43. So are they the 40 game team or the 80 game team?
The Dodgers face two more LHSP with SFG and then travel to Seattle to face the Mariners and two more LHSP. It should be noted that the Mariners just swept a four game series against the Astros. Then they get St. Louis at home for three, who by the way now have a better record than the Dodgers, and have won 8 out of their last 10. These next 8 games can either reinvigorate the team from their flat line status or bury them. If the Dodgers do not make the playoffs, I see no way that Dave Roberts’ team option is picked up. I think the ownership is too invested in FAZ to change course in the FO, so I do believe they are safe. But there has to be an HONEST evaluation of the players and whether they are actually championship caliber.
I do not know if #22 will opt out or not, but there has to be a lot more indecision after last night’s game. Money is important, but winning is more important to Kershaw, and the Dodgers seem to be going backwards. Much of the playoff misery was brought on by Kersh himself, but it is more due to lack of relief that has to exasperate Kershaw. It certainly was in 2013, the first year on this 5 year run, and this year it is even worse. CK is due $70MM the next two years. It is outlandish to believe that some team will not spend $100MM plus to sign Kershaw even with his nagging injuries. I certainly believe the Astros will be on the phone with his agent, and with that team, Kershaw’s agent will take the call.
It is time for Verdugo to get recalled. CT3 leads the NL in strikeouts, and is #5 in MLB. It is time for him to go back to OKC to work out his problems. I do think they are fixable. Another player I would look at to bring up is Tim Locastro. Locastro is slashing .301/.404/.448/.851 with only 38 K’s to go with 25 BB. He also has 15 SB in 17 attempts. In three consecutive games, Locastro has started at 1B, 2B, and CF. He is not as gifted defensively as is Kike’, but he seems to be a better offensive choice.
I still believe that Machado is in a slump, but the chances of Machado re-signing with LAD are fleeting. Philadelphia’s Citizens Ballpark is arguably the best stadium for a RH power hitter, and Philly will spend what they need to get Machado. Although that amount is decreasing as his slump continues. Or he may want to go back to the AL where he is probably most comfortable.
With the division race still in play, it is foolish to give up on the Dodgers. But it is also foolish not to recognize that the team has flaws. Are they correctable? We are going to need to see what the condition of Dozier is. But FAZ cannot wait too long to at least make some change(s) to stir things up with this roster. Higher contact and less power just might be the appropriate medicine the team needs. And Doc needs to quit “playing the numbers” because that is not working. I do not know if he knows how to, but he needs to manage with his eyes and get a true picture of the players heart and overall makeup. I know older managers listened to the bullpen coach AND the bullpen catchers to get a feel for what the pitcher has while warming up. I have no idea if that goes on any more.
The last 42 games start tonight, and these games will define this team, on field management, and FO management.
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Discussion (52)
Disagree, not disagreeable
It was good to see we still have a little fight left in us. Winning streak starts tonight.
Verdugo not being brought up because he is not a power hitter Faz only likes long ball hitters same with toles another reason the Dodgers do not hit with runners in scoring scoring position these hitters are not contact hitters for that reason I would bring up Verdugo and toles.
I just do not see how you cannot bring Toles and Verdugo up. We need to change the scenery. We did hit the ball hard last night, but right at someone. Maeda will find his groove and be good. Some of those hits against Maeda were on good pitches. Right now Maeda has to be the closer. There is not one outfielder that is hitting. Puig is going to be suspended. That is why Toles and Verdugo need to come up now. Both are left handers, and we are going to see lefties. We need to let them play. I am ok with Bellinger, JT, Machado and Dozier in the infield. Starting pitching is great, but we have to score.
Hill(Keep), Utley manager, and I may have not mentioned it Fire Roberts, how about do it tomorrow in front of the Dodger faithful.
Lol I am steaming mad, long season, the middle gave me false hope. Forgot Pederson(Keep), and Ryu( Ladt 5 starts will tell us, maybe another qualifying candidate.)
Dodgers hitters WRISP swinging for the fences.
Giants hitters WRISP finding the gaps & putting the ball in play.
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Is our basic premise flawed?
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As I stated earlier, and in agreement with Brooklyn, WTF is Verdugo?
Forgot Grandel only keep if he will accept qualifying offer, horrible defender and inconsistent bar only worth a one year commitment.
They have one hitter right now, one 21 year old stable reliever, and good starting pitchers. We are done, atrocious offense and no jansen will likely put a fork in us by the end of the month. The schedule remains brutal, the next 7 could easily see us go 2 to 5 or 1 and 6. We no longer can hit lefties, they own us, Hollland will tomorrow mark my words.
Who goes in the off-season, please jettison Kemp, Muncy, Baez, Fields, Chargois, Hudson, Axford, Rosscup and definitely Roberts.
On the fence Barnes( only kept because of team control), Puig, and Machado( not worth the money)
Keepers, Kershaw, Seager, Turner, Jansen, Bellinger, Taylor( not cause he earned but team control years), Hernandez( Only team control factor), Wood, Maeda and Buhler, Alexander, Floro, Ferguson. And bring up some kids and spend some damn money,
One year pass for FAZ, however they need to be helped accountable especially this offseason when they got to hoard money and we sucked.
5 bad losses in a row. 8 – 13 in the last 21. 24 blown saves on the season. Mark complains frequently about Jansen being overrated or overpaid or something but it’s easy to see how important it is to have him available. And AC is 100% right – the Dodgers’ biggest problem all year has been their ‘pen and the Braintrust has done virtually nothing to fix it. It’s an unforced error.
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So the fix? Just mover starters to the ‘pen. Great.
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And the offense stinks.
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You can’t possibly be confident in the bunch. If they win the Division, it would be at least a small miracle.
I turned on this game in the 9th, so I can’t comment on anything I saw in the game. But looking a the state of the offense, I’m baffled as to why Verdugo hasn’t been brought up. What are they waiting for? He’s been tearing it up at OKC, and hit while he was with the Dodgers. Keeping his bat bottled up in OKC is to say the least, ridiculous. He may not turn out to be the answer, but for now I don’t see any other answers. And he’s even hit for some more power this year.
Dodgers still don’t hit against mediocre pitchers.
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Installing a starter to be a closer hasn’t exactly worked so far.
I post and it does not show up until at least one hour later.
LA hitters have a way of making a mediocre pitcher look like a Cy Young pitcher.
Someone has to be held accountable for this offensive crap show. Turner Ward cannot survive this if we don’t turn it around.
Manny would be great as our Designated Fielder.
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Maybe the NL can institute that along with the Designated Hitter rule next year.
Dodgers are lost
The facts are: the bullpen is bad but the way Roberts uses it has made it terrible 2. Roberts shows no urgency refuses to play the hot hand 3 faz is in love with blue light specials and has whiffed on the bp 4 we have absolutely zero clutch players 5. Faz deadline deals never seem to work out6. We have absolutely no fire in the dugout 7 as of today Colorado and Arizona have the better team while we can’t beat the giants. 8 we have 7 games with stl who has a manager who is managing the game the way it should be. 9 roberts has had a guy to go to in the ninth but he always picks the wrong one. Btw if a guy is struggling you are allowed to take him out before the game is lost.10 he should have put one of those guys(strip,wood,Maeda) in the pen before now. We just continue to beat ourselves so I am not optimistic about a playoff berth. Btw where is Santana?
Lets hope the Dodgers don’t make Suarez look like Cy Young. Kemp have to start hitting….right? Thanks goodness Barnes and CT3 aren’t in todays lineup. Looking for Manny to have a “breakout” game.
Add me to those wearing rose colored glasses although I prefer different lineups than what Doc is using.
It’s been a bad day – first the Dodgers lose and then our video department sends me this crap. I’m gonna’ fire someone for this!
Horrible!
One bad thing about having too many prospects is not finding space in the big team.. Verdugo and Toles have shown that they are ready but not. There is room for them
Kike again in 4th. better than kike hitting the ball well today or I’ll think he has an affair with Roberts. Jaja I will hope in Dodgers until the end
I haven’ t heard if Dozier is going on the DL or not, but if so I would replace him with Verdugo or Toles. We have 3 back up infielders on the bench who can fill in at 2nd (Taylor, Hernandez and Muncy). I think either Verdugo or Toles could give the team a better spark than more back up infielders would give. Yes, Taylor and Hernandez are outfielders as well, but they are really infielders who can also play the outfield at a major league level.
DODGERS REINSTATE ALEX WOOD
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today reinstated left-handed pitcher Alex Wood from the 10-day disabled list and placed right-handed pitcher John Axford on the 10-day disabled list with a fractured right fibula.
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Wood, who missed the last nine games due to left adductor tendonitis, is slated to make his 23rd start of the season tonight against the Giants. The 27-year-old has posted a 7-6 record and 3.58 ERA (49 ER/123.1 IP) in 22 starts for Los Angeles this season. Since the All-Star Break, Wood is 2-1 with a 1.53 ERA (3 ER/17.2 IP) and has limited the opposition to a .161 average in three starts.
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Axford, 35, has appeared in three games with Los Angeles since being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 31, allowing six runs over 3.1 innings (16.20 ERA) and striking out four against two walks.
I like it except for the guy at #3, who has been mostly a #7 since he
arrived.