The Ups and Downs of Being a Dodger Fan.

Aaahhhhnother off day!

I feel the same way as TM regarding Trea Turner. Like a kid at Christmas anxiously awaiting for that Red Rider BB Gun to show up under the tree. It’s fun to machinate the lineup to see where this table setter fits into it.

I listened to David Vassegh’s show after the game on the radio yesterday during a Sunday afternoon drive down Pacific Coast Highway to visit my favorite Gelato Shop in Seal Beach. It’s called Gelato Italyano for those in the area and it’s worth fighting traffic for. Main Street and PCH right next to The Coffee Bean a tea leaf.

Vassegh said that Doc is also anxiously awaiting the younger Turner, calling him one of the most dynamic players in the league. He said that he and AF will meet with Trea to discuss his role with the team and get buy in from him regarding the way the Dodgers do things. Translation: Trea will be asked to play multiple positions and will be moved around the lineup.

He said that baseball is a “What have you done for me lately?” game. He noted that Belli better start producing because they aren’t going to keep a player who’s performing better on the bench because of past success or reputation.

Take it for what you will. David Vasseh, is pretty opinionated and doesn’t have the best track record with predictions. But, it sure looks like Trea will be asked to move off shortstop and play second base and even some outfield and wants to make sure he’s comfortable with it. Not that anyone would expect Trea to have any say so on the matter. After all, they just traded two top prospects and he’s under control for next year and he has another opportunity to get a ring.

Either way, this has to light a fire under Belli’s ass. A little extra motivation is good for our stoner eyed outfielder. We all know how he responded to being platooned following up with an MVP season.

I think Belli will have some time to turn this around. At least a couple of weeks before seeing his playing time significantly reduced. The best configuration is to have Trea at second and Belli in CF with CT3 able to give Turner, Pollock, Belli and Betts days off down the stretch to nurse their injuries with rest. CT3 can use a day off after rolling him out there more than ever. He also has the most experience coming off the bench with clutch pinch hits and to be a defensive replacement late in the game.

With CT3, Beaty and Pujols, they have a bench that should be feared by opposing pitchers late in the game. All of them have come up huge in those situations. McKinny balances out the bench with a lot of contact and great defense in the outfield and give them RLRL options at the plate. With health, no more AAAA players will see the light of day on this team. As a result, Lux is going to get an extended look at AAA pitching, possibly until rosters expand. As one of the fastest players on the team, I won’t rule out Lux on the Post Season roster as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in the middle infield with all the position shuffling they do. Hopefully they will get him a large glove and have him roam the outfield a little bit during his lengthy rehab assignment. Might as well start prepping him to be the next Super Utility guy in case CT3 walks and Seager comes back next year.

The Giants have an easier schedule in the near term, but as Bear pointed out, we’re a team that’s capable of going on a huge run no matter who we play. If you go by schedule, we should have been in first place by the end of July. Sometime things work out for a reason. Maybe, by not overtaking the Giants for the division lead in July, it gave Andrew a little extra motivation to make that Blockbuster deal… And Danny Duffy.

If you go by talent on the roster, things will take care of themselves. When everyone comes back healthy, the only weak link is Jansen, unless his “Mental Health” is somehow cured over the course of the next two months.

It’s all up to the Baseball Gods and fortunate health now. AF has made all facets of the roster as Doc proof as he possibly can. From the starting lineup and bench players. And from the rotation, all the way through the bullpen, there just isn’t any weak links other than the occasional Jansen melt down. As with Belli, there’s only so much failure that can be tolerated until a more deserving player shows up and takes that job.

Thanks Bear for voicing what most of us think. You probably omitted talking about Cody’s failures as a huge angst because we have discussed this so much already, why be redundant? I agree….let’s just watch and hope for a turnaround, knowing that we now have options-CT3 or Turner can play CF.

I think most Dodgers fans would agree with you not wanting to see Jansen as the exclusive closer. We lost Jake McGee (23 saves) because some people in power just didn’t have the balls to tell Jansen that “we are thinking of making you the 8th inning guy to start with.”

Honestly, Jansen frustrates me as much as if not more than Cody because when he comes in, it is serious. And just about every time he pitches, he allows base runners, while often they don’t score, it still is nerve racking as a fan. I saw Jake McGee yesterday pitch the 9th and in no time, one little, two little, three little Astros went to bed….game over, let’s go home. Jansen just doesn’t do that too often.

At first I thought Gonso would be better than Price…but you are probably right. All those walks though concern me, whether he is a starter or a bullpen guy. I’d rather have Bauer starting and not worry about who are 5th would be. And when Bauer pitches, we don’t need many bullpen guys to finish his games.

Lastly, this 10 day wait to get Turner in the lineup is testing my patience, which already is maxed out. I still can’t believe the Nats threw him in the trade.

Great call, Bear!

Highlights From the Minors:

Tutut was 2-3 and his BA has climbed to .233 and OPS to .831. You can’t stop him – you can only hope to contain him.

Clayton Beeter went 3, allowing 1 hit and 0 runs, 0 walks and 5 K’s.

Well we know part of the reason Gonsolin struggled so badly the other night. He is on the IL with shoulder problems. McKinstry, who has not been close to the same player since he came off of the IL has been sent down. I think with the additions made at the deadline, he will not be back this season. They need to resign Taylor first chance they get. Mookie back in action, and contributed to the cause. I had never heard of Ramirez and he throws 2 shutout innings. Day off today, and then the Stro’s for two and another day off. Butane and Scherzer going against the Astro’s. Anxious to see the reception Max gets from the home town crowd. I think Scherzer can be for the Dodgers the same kind of addition Verlander was for the Astro’s a few years ago. I also believe we have seen the last of guys like Raley and Reks for the year. The next intrigue comes on Sept 1st when they can call up two extra players for the September run. Who will those guys be? Lost in all of this is the fact that Lux is getting close to being able to come off of the IL. Most likely if he is back on the roster he will be a bench player at best. But him, Mookie, Taylor, Turner, and Belli, have serious wheels and give the Dodgers speed they have not seen in many a year. Josiah Gray will make his debut in DC soon.