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 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 3^rd 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.