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The Sky is Falling – The End is Near!

Dear Poor Dodger Fans, Your season is over! You are so screwed! The end is here! The Dodgers will finish last in the NL West. Forget about the season. It’s all over now. This is too horrible to contemplate! Signed, A World Class Moron! Yes, that is what some people think, but…

By Mark Timmons4 min readJump to 88 comments

Dear Poor Dodger Fans,

Your season is over! You are so screwed! The end is here! The Dodgers will finish last in the NL West. Forget about the season. It’s all over now. This is too horrible to contemplate!

Signed,

A World Class Moron!

Yes, that is what some people think, but they are sooo wrong if you think Miguel Rojas cannot be the SS of a Championship team. I also told you that it was Lux’s knee… not his ankle. For now, I pencil in Miguel Rojas as SS. He is underrated because he has played for the Marlins for most of his career. According to Baseball-Reference, his average year is .260 BA/.314 OB% and just 66 strikeouts. He puts the ball in play. He also has a knack for the big hit. Put him at #9 and leave him alone. The Dodger HAVE to get PRODUCTION out of CF and LF. If they do, they will be just fine. I am also counting on Miguel Vargas to be the ROY. When is he ever going to swing the bat? 😉

At this moment, we don’t know how bad Gavin Lux’s knee is, but I am sure the Dodgers do, and they will tell us in due time. My only question is, “was it the ACL or both the ACL and MCL?” Gavin knew it was bad, and while there is no crying in baseball, he is allowed to sob in a case like that. It’s a horrible thing to happen, and it might be the end of his career at SS, but I wish him a full recovery (and I hope I am wrong). I am not a Doctor, but I play one on the internet.

So, as it stands right about now, here is the lineup:

  1. Betts RF
  2. Vargas 2B (why not?)
  3. Freeman 1B
  4. JDM DH
  5. Muncy 3B
  6. Smith C
  7. Peralta/Taylor LF
  8. Outman/Thompson/Hayward CF
  9. Rojas SS

Bench: Barnes

I am not convinced that Thompson and /or Heyward will make the team. That’s just from an early read, and it is a small sampling. Some fans try to make a case for Outman based on a small sampling from last year. I am not going to argue with them – let’s let the scoreboard decide… after a couple of hundred at-bats. I hope Outman makes it and becomes the everyday Centerfielder. He looks great on defense (maybe better than TT and certainly Heyward). I like his story and backstory.

The jury is out on LF too. Typically, David Peralta will kill RHP, and Taylor hit .297 with a .837 OPS against LHP in 2017. So, LF could produce 35 HR… or more… or not! It remains to be seen. I doubt that there will be any trades or signings right about now. The only SS on the market right now is José Iglesias, and while it would seem that he is an upgrade over Miguel Rojas, there is something about Jose… something people don’t discuss. He is not well-liked – I can tell you that. Why? I have no clue, but if AF signs a player, it’s because he is a good teammate as well. I don’t know anymore, so I will leave it at that. Here’s what will likely happen:

Andrew Friedman will wait and see how things shake out around the All-Star Break. He will see how Rojas is doing at SS and evaluate which teams are in or out of the race. They will keep an eye on Milwaukee and Pittsburgh as well. If the Pirates can’t sign Reynolds and the Dodgers need a CF’er, I have no doubt the Dodgers can close the deal. Adames from the Brewers will be of great interest to the Dodgers if the Brewers are out of the race (and they will be).

In the meantime, you play the hand you are dealt. No excuses. I feel bad for Gavin Lux – this may have been his only chance to play SS, and while I was convinced he could not play too well, I like him as a player and a Dodger and wish him nothing but the best! It’s a damn shame, and he was 2-3 yesterday. By the way, I told you Lux would not be the SS! It’s an ugly way to win.

Yesterday’s Game

  • It was another crazy game.
  • Betts, Heyward, Outman, and Martinez were 0 for 9. However, former “Fat Boy” Brandon Lewis (who used to weigh close to 300 lbs.), hit a double, and Luke Williams hit a HR, and with a lot of luck (the Dodgers need it), the rookies came back and beat the Friars. I love Bradon Lewis’ story. I don’t think he has the talent to make the Show, but no one ever expected him to get this far.
  • Will Smith and Gavin Lux (God rest his soul) both had two hits.
  • Andre Jackson looked great with two strikeouts in his one-inning pitched. He is in the mix to start the season with the Dodgers.
  • Marshall Kasowski still needs another pitch.
  • Tanner Dodson has an electric arm and is as wild as a monkey!
  • Today it’s the Reds!

Discussion (88)

Disagree, not disagreeable

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

  1. Andrew Vincent ForteFebruary 28, 2023

    3:05 PM ET

    SP Noah Syndergaard R

    Confirmed Lineup

    LF Chris Taylor R

    1B F. Freeman L

    DH J. Martinez R

    3B Max Muncy L

    C A. Barnes R

    RF D. Peralta L

    CF T. Thompson R

    SS Miguel Rojas R

    2B M. Busch L

    Clear-day

    0% Rain

    58° Wind 8 mph Out

  2. MichaelFebruary 28, 2023

    If Rojas Taylor Thompson and Heyward all get regular playing time my beloved Dodgers are in trouble and that’s my optimistic take on it

  3. BradleyFebruary 28, 2023

    I think that Luke Williams might be the utility infielder guy. A bench player to ce in late in games or start to give aguy a rest. Taylor will start at short LF and CF even 2b and Rojas will be SS when Taylor is not. Vargas batter hit at second base or ouch. Then what. In the outfield it could be Peralta Heyward and Betts opening day with Outman Thompson Williams and Barnes and Taylor your bench Muncy 3b Rojas SS Vargas 2b Freeman 1b and Smith C and Martinis DH there’s your 2023 La Dodgers.

  4. Andrew Vincent ForteFebruary 28, 2023

    Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove sustained a broken big toe in his left foot during a weight room accident yesterday, the team announced to reporters this morning (Twitter link via Dennis Lin of The Athletic). The Padres have not yet revealed a timeline for Musgrove’s return.

  5. kpizzleFebruary 28, 2023

    Rojas will play SS against LHP with Taylor in CF but I think Taylor gets the bulk of innings at SS against RHP. I’m sorry but Rojas has had exactly one above average year with the bat and that was in 2020. In the past we could carry a bat like that but not this year with what is already looking like a bleak bottom of the order. It also doesn’t instill must confidence given the fact he hasn’t even been cleared to swing a bat yet.

  6. RoyFebruary 28, 2023

    The Padres and the Mets have left the Dodgers in the dust yet Fraudman is allowed to destroy the roster!

  7. Roy SlrzFebruary 28, 2023

    Freidman and Gomez Adams have destroyed the most dangeroous roster in the big leagues in 2 years while allowing the Padres and others to surpass them by light years!! Our current roster is more than Ohtani away from a World Series Title!! This roster has to be one of the oldest in baseball!

  8. CassidyFebruary 28, 2023

    When the knee buckles inward like it did for Lux it’s usually the ACL. Hopefully other ligaments were not also injured. The pop he heard was most likely the ligament pulling off the bone. Brutal!

  9. BadgerFebruary 28, 2023

    Miguel Rojas was brought here, and paid very little, to be a utility player. If he’s not injured again he might play enough to put up 2.5 WAR and rank toward the middle bottom in ML shortstops.

    “I also told you that it was Lux’s knee… not his ankle.” in bold emphasis.

    Yes you are the resident genius, of which we are often reminded, and the rest of us, and CBS Sports, who saw the ankle roll are morons. I bow to your superior intellect. Please forgive my insolence but if memory serves it’s the PCL that prevents the tibia from sliding behind the femur. All of us, morons and geniuses, have to wait for the MRI results to know for certain. I choose to remain hopeful.

    Maybe cramps are common in Spring Training but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a player leave a Spring Training game because of one. I hope it’s not a harbinger.

    A lot of question marks this morning and we will all continue to guess. I still prefer Thompson/Outman over Heyward. I guess for now anyway Taylor plays short and Peralta is every day in left. Luke Williams is next on the depth chart at MLB. Jason Heyward at ESPN, Heyward and Outman at fangraphs. I would think moves will be made

    Nope, no reason to panic, but I see plenty of reason for concern.

  10. OldBear48February 28, 2023

    Andrelton Simmons is still a free agent, but he is not an upgrade over Rojas. Former Angel CF, Albie Pearson passed yesterday. RIP. Also, a favorite actor of mine, Tom Sizemore, had a stroke on the 18th of the month. His family was told they need to make an end-of-life decision as there is no possibility of recovery. Sizemore was one of the stars of Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbor,

  11. Johnny GentleFebruary 28, 2023

    Mark–I think you are truly on an island with your Trayce Thompson take. Most people consider him a lock.

  12. CassidyFebruary 28, 2023

    Still enough talent to get to the crapshoot. Sure looked like an ACL injury so Lux is probably gone for the year. Dang shame for the young man. He worked so hard this off season and I heard he was really fired up to prove Mark wrong!

  13. MattFebruary 28, 2023

    We’ll rally around Miguel Rojas and we’ll play good baseball!!!!

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