There Is No Fixing These Dodgers

You can’t make an alcoholic stop drinking, you can’t make a heroin addict quit shooting, you can’t make these guys clutch hitters, you can’t make the bullpen guys quit walking guys and giving up hits. You can’t fix people.  You can’t fix teams. You can’t fix these Dodgers. They have to fix themselves.  Well, they may need a little coaching, but I have a couple of words of advice to FAZ and Doc:

1. Doc, quit changing up the lineup all the time.  Let guys work their way in or work their way out.
2. FAZ, I get you are grooming most of your best pitchers as starters, but Santana and/or Ferguson might just be what the bullpen ordered.

That’s all I will say about that.  Just take heed! I know they read this blog.  They really do.

There is a saying attributed to Ernest Holmes:

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life!

Others have said “you get what you believe” and “you become what you think about.”

But, this is a baseball blog and I am not a doctor… however, I do play one on the internet.

LA Trip

I will make my annual LA Trip and be at the first two games of the Dodgers – Rockies Series May 21st and 22nd.  Hope to see you there! I am there for four (4) days, but my schedule only allows me to see two games.  However, I may go to the RC game on Wednesday, May 23rd.

Good Q & A From Ken Gurnick

Bullpen Talk

There has been a lot of talk about how the Dodgers failed to improve their bullpen last Winter, and right about now, even Ray Charles can see that. Right about now, the number one bullpen in the NL belongs to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The major difference in the team’s pen has been Brad Boxberger who has converted 11 out of 11 saves.  He has a 1.80 ERA but a 1.33 WHIP which suggests he won’t keep up that save conversion rate, but until now, he has been very good.  Most of the bullpen improvement has came from internal improvement and maturation of existing pieces.

Boxberger was acquired by trade and Andrew Friedman was familiar with him.  He was/is an injury risk, and I get not paying Morrow $20 million, but I believe the Dodgers could have traded Jordan Sheffield for Boxberger. Sheffield is ranked higher than the prospect the D-BAGS traded for him (Curtis Taylor).

In reality, the maturation and improvement of the youngsters has created the improvement as much, or more than Boxberger, but Box has been a huge help.  The D-Bags pen is 1.50 Runs better than last year, while the Dodgers pen is 1.2 runs worse this year.  I am going to suggest that neither metric will hold. The Dodgers led the NL in bullpen ERA last year with a 3.38 ERA.  The D-Bags bullpen ERA is currently 2.19.  Totally unsustainable!  Totally!  Watch and see!

Nearer the bottom in Reliever ERA are the Colorado Rockies who spent big time on their pen… proving that you can’t buy a pen. The Indians led all of MLB in bullpen ERA last year with a 2.89.  Right now, they are 28th with a 5.51 ERA. The Cubs are better after signing Morrow, but their existing bullpen parts have stepped up big time:  Duensing and Edwards, Jr. have a combined 0.26 ERA and Strop has a 1.93 ERA.  Wanna bet they keep it up?  They won’t.

The point is: bullpens are fickle and the Dodgers pen has been awful while others have been great. They have been too good to believe, so don’t believe it either way. Other teams will get worse and the Dodgers will get better.  Bank on it, but FAZ, think about some arms ar AA or AAA who are currently starters.

By the way, ask yourselves these questions:

1. How many team could have their closer implode in April and survive?
2. How many teams could lose their best hitter for nearly two months and survive?
3. How many teams could lose their Ace and survive?
4. How many teams could lose their best starter with the best ERA and win-loss record and survive?
5. How many teams could lose their Gold Glove RF who hit 28 HR last season and survive?
6. How many teams could lose the best Shortstop in baseball and survive?
7. How many teams could lose the pitcher who was anointed the TOP YOUNG LEFTY in baseball in 2017?
8. How many teams could have ALL THAT happen and survive?

… and yet, they are not dead. They are breathing and not out of it… yet!  Some of it is just bad luck.. it happens, but it usually evens out. Give it time, my brothers and sisters.  Some players will come back, others will step up and others will pick it up.  Some may fall by the wayside. They have to heal themselves…and I believe they will. Pack up the babies and grab the old ladies…

This is a public service announcement brought to you by Brother Love:

By the way, My Buddy, Quinn was supposed to help me write this, but he got busy watching MLB.TV.  He likes it a lot!