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…
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:
- Betts RF
- Vargas 2B (why not?)
- Freeman 1B
- JDM DH
- Muncy 3B
- Smith C
- Peralta/Taylor LF
- Outman/Thompson/Hayward CF
- 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!
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Discussion (88)
Disagree, not disagreeable
We’ll rally around Miguel Rojas and we’ll play good baseball!!!!
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!
Mark–I think you are truly on an island with your Trayce Thompson take. Most people consider him a lock.
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,
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.
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!
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!
The Padres and the Mets have left the Dodgers in the dust yet Fraudman is allowed to destroy the roster!
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.
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.
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.
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
3:05 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
Two names:
Oneil Cruz
Liover Peguero
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
Dave Roberts said Gavin Lux has a torn ACL and will be out for the season. #Dodgers
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
Dave Roberts said Chris Taylor will start a throwing program to play more SS. Mookie Betts playing more second base this season is also being discussed. #Dodgers
“IN ANDREW FRIEDMAN WE TRUST”
We will still have a decent lineup. Not the best but better than most. And maybe nobody else gets hurt. And maybe Syndergaard, Kershaw, May, Gonsolin all get 30 starts and 175 innings.
And, there is the deadline.
No trade proposals from me, because I’d hate to see the Dodgers lose any top pitching prospects and Outman, but the Dodgers are not going to be as good because:
Taylor is being discussed for SS. So besides Betts, that leaves Outman, Peralta, Heyward, Thompson to fill 2 spots in the outfield and all of them besides Outman have proved they can’t hit LHP and Outman might be the same. So once again the Dodgers look like they will struggle against LHP. Not to mention 2 of the 4 guys are past their prime and 1 is a journeyman. And if you don’t like rookies, 1 is a rookie (Don’t forget Vargas is a rookie too). So hitting against RHP is not a given either in 2 outfield spots. Although I think that will be fine.
The alternative is Rojas at SS and that means no bat at SS. A BIG downgrade from T. Turner.
Either way is not good.
Busch is skeptical against LHP.
Pages and Deluca hit LHP really good in the minors. But 1 is looking like repeating AA (I may be wrong) and the other hasn’t finished a full year in AA.
But the good thing is, all you got to do is get to the playoffs and I think that is still intact.
You can trust in him, all I’ve seen recently is a crap bottom of lineup and bench. When the pitching and top of lineup can’t carry us and return to earth for a game or two we’re done. He’s made some great acquisitions in Betts and Freeman. I’ll take those two over any other two in baseball position wise but made some big time flops to. Gallo comes to mind among others. He sure has gotten outplayed so far this offseason like a bunch of has beens in another suck bottom of order gonna take us far in October. Sorrow my optimism gauge with lux not having a all star caliber year like I was betting on went way down
Bill Plunkett
@billplunkettocr
Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform surgery on Gavin Lux in LA March 7
Now that Lux is lost for the season I like this offense even less than before. This is a middle of the road offense at the moment on paper.
A lot would have to go right to make them top 10. At least two out of Vargas , Outman and Busch would have to deliver solid numbers.
The Dodgers will only go as far as their pitching will take them.
If I had to predict their record I would give them 88-90 wins with the current roster.
Close call to make the playoffs.
There is always a chance for a blockbuster trade with all those top prospects though.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All this talk about playoffs being a crap shoot and it comes down to luck is hogwash. There’s a element of that to it but the best all around talented team playing good ball when it counts wins the ring. I’m trying to think of a team that’s not really good lucking into a crapshoot championship and I can’t
I was sure hoping it was his ankle. Very disappointing.
That said, if there is a silver lining it’s that this happened in the third game of spring training and not the third game of September. Lux will be back next year, lets just hope his knee will return to 100%. Dodgers have plenty of time to evaluate their situation by the trade deadline. We will be fine on defense but I was counting on Lux to have a .290/.350/.450 season with 20hrs and 20 stolen bases. That will be hard to replace. But we don’t necessarily have to replace that production at SS. Way too early to speculate how the fist half of the season will play out and way too early to speculate who will be available at the trade deadline. And how much the ask will be on whomever is on the block.
I have faith that AF will be his usual creative self and make the best move available. We still have a lot of prospect capital in the system. Some of which would have been moved even if Lux hadn’t blown out his knee. If we aren’t solidly in first place (or very close) by the deadline, I see AF making a big move. I didn’t think that would be the case 24 hours ago.
Dee Gordon’!!!!
Right now the Orioles have a better lineup then the Dodgers. But the Dodgers have to pitching. Looking at lineups I did and you go okay cubs dodgers about even and also red Sox and dodgers even. Better then Rockies and better then Giants and D-backs. But Orioles Mariners Padres Mets Braves Yankees Astros Cardinals all better. Lineups that is. Thank god they don’t play on video games. Because the lineup I put in there today that the Dodgers will use normally gets blasted by the Yankees in MLB2023. 22 to 5 with Kershaw vs Rodon.