The Silver Lining
It was a loss and losses always stink, and while Ryu didn t have his A-Game, there was certainly a silver lining to it. Number one, Ryu hit 94 MPH on the gun that s a huge thing; and Number Two, he went 7 innings. To me, that is also as huge. He also did not walk a batter. That s pretty big too. Oh, by the way, this was against the
It was a loss and losses always stink, and while Ryu didn’t have his A-Game, there was certainly a silver lining to it. Number one, Ryu hit 94 MPH on the gun – that’s a huge thing; and Number Two, he went 7 innings. To me, that is also as huge. He also did not walk a batter. That’s pretty big too. Oh, by the way, this was against the Washington Nationals, one of the best offensive teams in the game!
Ryu’s future is suddenly looking better. Just to put things into perspective, Ryu’s 4.08 ERA is better than Kyle Hendricks, Shelby Miller, CC Sabathia, Drew Pomeranz, Rick Porcello, Gerrit Cole, Jeff Samardzija, Hisashi Iwakuma, Matt Cain, Jake Arrieta, Sonny Gray, John Lackey, Michael Wacha, Jherel Cotton, Matt Moore, Julio Terhan, Matt Harvey, Chris Tillman and about 50 other starters. Do you get my drift? Things are a lot worse for some other starters.
Sam Dyson
They (just who is “they“) say you can never have too much money or too many arms in the bullpen, and I have my sights set on one that could be had for a song. Sam Dyson is available from the Texas Rangers. Yes, I am talking about the Sam Dyson who is 1-6 and has a 10.80 ERA. Yeah THAT GUY! The guy has some kind of problem… maybe mental (I don’t mean that in a bad way). Sam was/is/used to be, the Rangers closer. He had 38 saves last year with a 2.43 ERA, but I don’t believe he has the makeup to be a closer. Just my opinion.
He was a set-up guy before last year. Look at his ERA’s:
- 2014 – 2.14
- 2015 – 2.63
- 2016 – 2.43
He is a ground ball pitcher who could become a solid set-up guy. He throws 95+ and is a risk I would take. I would trade Chris Hatcher and a mid-level prospect (Yasiel Sierra?) for him. Hell, throw in Romo – he might do well in the AL. That’s a joke – no one wants Romo… not even Juliet!
Chris Taylor
He’s the guy FAZ got before he became that guy. I’m not saying he is a superstar, but he is a very solid and GOOD player. He is very Justin Turner-esque. I’m here to tell you that there is not much defensive difference between Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor. Taylor is faster and is getting better by the minute. Chris Taylor has been the CF most of the time during this latest Dodger winning streak. The Dodgers can win with Chris Taylor in CF. Joc Pederson is a mess. The best thing for him is to play a couple of weeks at OKC. He is pressing, confused, convoluted and in a state of flux.
Justin Turner will be back soon and Logan Forsythe will move back to 2B which leaves only CF for Taylor. He has to play. Bellinger has to play – you can see in game adjustments made by Cody and Chris. So far, Joc does not do that! I admit it: I am very skeptical that Joc Pederson will be a starter for the Dodgers again.
Marcell Ozuna
After last night and another lefty baffling the team, I am even more convinced that the team needs a RH power bat and Ozuna fits the bill. He is having a career year and would be expensive. Like Alvarez and Pederson expensive. He would also make a huge difference.
Minor Highlights
- Julio Urias – 5.2 IP/3 H/3 ER/3 BB/5 K – still needs work!
- Rhame, Broussard and Ravin each pitched a scoreless inning.
- Diaz, Isabel, Estevez and Peters each had 2 hits for RC. Isabel hit his 14th HR.
- Yasiel Alvarez went 5, allowed 1 run, 1 BB and 1 Hit, he struck out 5 to get his first win.He didn’t look suspended to me…
- That’s all folks!
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Discussion (82)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Mark
I felt exactly like you did, about Ryu’s performance, last night.
All Ryu needs to do, is bare down in those RBIs situations, better.
If he would have done that last night, he would have only gave up, a couple of runs.
He was out two years, so it is going to take him a little while, to get where he wants to be.
Ryu is a pitching better, with each start he gets.
And he was pitching against a team that has a lot of players, hitting the cover off the ball, so Ryu’s outing, wasn’t that bad, and the increase in his velocity, is a really good sign, just like Mark said.
I really think Ryu is pitching better, then both Hill and Maeda.
Because those two guys, are only pitching five innings or less, most of the time, and they are giving up three runs on an average, or more, in the five innings, that they pitch.
I still don’t like having our utility players, playing against the Nats everyday line up, especially with the great offensive start, the Nat’s players have had, from the beginning of the season.
It is just to hard to win like that!
I also think our utility players, except for Taylor, are all over exposed, right now.
They have been playing to much, because of Turner, Logan, and Joc being out.
Kike and company, are getting to many at bats, and they are showing their deficits, right now.
Kike has stopped hitting, for the same reason, he didn’t hit well last year.
The pitchers have stopped throwing Kike fastballs, and that is why he is not hitting, like he was.
I didn’t see Kike adjust once last night, to the off speed pitches, that the pitchers were throwing him, and the only fastballs I saw Kike get, was from the Nat’s wild fill in closer, at the end of the game.
Kike should have tried to go the other way, but he continued to just try to pull the ball all night.
Kike of course is not the only utility player that is over exposed, , I am just using him, as an example.
Gutierrez has not looked very good lately either, and it looks like his injury issues, and time off, has started to get to him.
I know we need another good right hand bat, but I rather we get a one year rental, because that will cost us less.
And remember how Reddick played, we just don’t know what a player from a team that isn’t in the spot light, will perform in LA, with the pressure of a pennant race, and playing under the lights, for a big market team.
Great article on Logan White and the 2002-2003 drafts.
Open on www.mlbtraderumors.comhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/06/inside-the-draft-room-the-2002-2003-dodgers.htmlI was the first one here to get behind Osuna and Taylor which helps me trust my gut more about Joc than I do other’s gut.
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I find it comical when I read that Bellinger adjusts and Joc does not. Let’s look again at the end of June.
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I admit that Joc needs to do well in rehab games but Forsythe has to keep Taylor from taking his spot at second base as well and Taylor has to prove he isn’t the second coming of Billy Grabarkewitz.
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As it goes that 73% of all statistics are made up on the spot it holds that the gap between Joc’s defense and an elite CFer’s defense is smaller that the gap that exists between Joc’s defense and Taylor’s defense.
Yadier Alveraz – He was reinstated from the temporarily inactive list for yesterday’s game. I have no idea as to what that means. But he’s pitching again. That is what is important!!
Great post Mark, ESPN did talk for awhile about the Dodgers inability to hit LHP will ultimately be there undoing in the playoffs, Marcell Ozuna sounds great.
You have to like what you saw from Ryu last night, it is def encouraging.
Christ Taylor is here to stay, wait, did I say Christ?
“Pederson is batting .200 with two home runs. Although the Dodgers largely have shielded him from left-handed pitching, his .623 on-base plus slugging percentage is the third-lowest of any National League outfielder with at least 100 plate appearances, better only than Hunter Pence and Gorkys Hernandez of the San Francisco Giants.”
Joc is a career .222 hitter, does not play against lefties and is very bad against righties. Just end the Joc experiment already, I’ve pulled enough hair out watching him play over the past two years, CHRIST TAYLOR.