Why I Hate Joc Pederson

Some people evidently think I hate Joc, so I went with that catchy headline. In reality, I am not a hater. I don’t hate Joc Pederson and I don’t even hate the Giants. I don’t like the Giants but I don’t hate them. I love the Dodgers, but the opposite of LOVE is not HATE. It’s ambivalence. When you hate something, it controls you. If you are ambivalent about it, you are back in control.

So, the reality is that I don’t hate Joc Pederson. I don’t even dislike him. I may love certain players. I loved it when Andrew Friedman traded for Yasmani Grandal. I envisioned a 30 HR guy with a .370 OB% who would provide a stellar defense. He got close to the 30 HR plateau, but his hot or cold streaks just became untenable and his passed balls, while not as bad as some fans made them out to be, became a distraction. If he would have taken the arbitration offer, the Dodgers would have been happy to have him back, but I am not sure they would be the better for it.

I was a big fan of Yasmani – I still don’t understand his post-season meltdown last year, but fan or not, it was time for him to move on. I wish him success except when he plays the Dodgers and the last I checked, his worst month of the season was May when he hit .271. He has cut down on his strikeouts by about 10% and is hitting .282 with a .385 OB% while OPS’ing .930 and hitting 15 HR. Right about now, he should be the starting catcher for the NL at the All-Star Game. Lots of fans hated Yasmani – I loved the guy, but his moving on was the right move.

Now, back to the title of this blog. I do not hate Joc, it is just that he has the same wild swings as Yasmani did – red hot or ice cold and my eyes, let alone the stats tell me that he has a hole in his swing the size of the Grand Canyon against Left-Handed Pitchers. It is my opinion that he will never hit lefties.

Andre Ethier was a career .303 hitter… against RHP. Against LHP, he hit .233. For his career, Joc is a .240 hitter against RHP, but he is 53 points below Andre against LHP – .180. Anyone who believes he can hit lefties is possibly delusional and probably believes these two guys are real too:

Now, I suppose I could be wrong. I was wrong when Joc was still in the minors when I said the best he would ever be was a 4th or 5th outfielder. A miracle could happen and he could suddenly start hitting lefties. Shoot, I might suddenly start looking like Brad Pitt. The latter is probably more likely than the former. Earlier, I said Joc’s career BA against lefties is .180. This year it has dropped to .167.

Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger have learned to hit lefties and both play every day because of it. When Joc is hot, he’s hot and when he’s not he’s really, really not. His clutch stats (baseball-reference.com has a whole category on that) are not good, which is why Doc bats him at leadoff a lot. If telling the truth is hating on Joc, then You Can’t Stand the Truth. Joc hits a lot of Home Runs… most of the solo variety. He is one of the TOP Home Run Hitters in baseball and of all the TOP HR Hitters, he has by far the fewest RBI. He still has more Home Runs and singles.

Now that Yasmani is gone, the Dodgers have one fewer “all or nothing” player and Joc is a better fit since Kike or CT3 generally hit lefties and are a good platoon partner for him. I would love to have a right-handed power hitter in LF who plays every day and I would trade Joc for that guy or as part of a deal. It’s no secret that I like Nick Castellanos (who has dramatically improved his defense). Then you are going to look at his stats and say “he’s not as good as Joc.” Nick is now an average outfielder (Mike Petriello said that) and he is on a team that is really bad and he has “checked out.” He knows he will be traded, The Dodgers need another RH Bat in the lineup.

Don’t look at Casty’s current stats. Andrew Friedman looks at what they can become, not necessarily what they are. On a good team with a tight-knit clubhouse and under Robert Von Socyoc’s discipline, I think Nicholas Castellanos could be a very good hitter. I loved Yasmani Grandal and I envisioned what he could become. He never realized that potential in LA and I also see huge potential in Casty. Max Muncy looks to be a LH batter who hits lefties, the same is true with Cody, Corey and Alex. Joc doesn’t and I don’t think he ever will. If the Dodgers had an excellent RH platoon partner for Joc, I might feel differently.

I like Joc, but I think he is the “odd-man-out” if the team could get a RH power bat. OK, maybe Castellanos is not the guy and so let’s say the Dodgers do keep Joc. Hunter Pence has re-tooled his swing and is having a nice year. He should be cheap as Texas is rebuilding and he is absolutely killing lefties. I’ll take him and keep Joc. Does that make you happy?

Dodger News and Notes

• To those of you who say Alex Verdugo has no power, did you see the laser that left his bat at 109 mph and went out at 459 feet in right-center field? His power will come. Mark my words.
• The Rays team ERA has been steadily crawling up. It’s now 3.02 while the Dodgers is trending down. It’s 3.25. I can see LA in the ERA lead by the break. The Dodgers starters are now 2.76 in ERA while TB is 2.72.
• The Dodgers bats have cooled off with Seager on the IL and others slumping. The Dodgers are now 10th in MLB in Runs, 7th in HR, 7th in BA, #3 in OPS, but #1 in OB%. It will swing back as other players heat up. It’s the nature of the beast.
• It looks like Julio Urias will get a start soon. Of course, if someone goes on the IL, it will come sooner…
• Alex Verdugo continues to WOW me in CF. I can’t figure out how he got faster?
• Ross Stripling pitched a very masterful inning in relief.

Minor League Report by DC

Great Lakes Loons 6 – Dayton Dragons 3 (Cincinnati)

The Loons before a Father’s Day crowd of over 4,500 kept on winning in the usual fashion. That is, by putting the ball in play, hitting with two strikes and capitalizing on their opponent’s mistakes. With a 43-24 record in the first half through  67 games, .642 is the best winning percentage in franchise history for a first half.

On Sunday afternoon they spotted the Dragons two runs in the third innings and came back with six over the next four innings. In the fourth inning three runs scored on singles by James Outman and Dan Robinson helped out with a Dayton error. Two more came across in the fifth inning on two singles, an error and a Hunter Feduccia sacrifice fly. The last one in the sixth inning scored on a Gersel Pitre single following two walks.

On the mound the plan worked. That is, to use no starting pitcher. Jasiel Alvino pitched the first three innings giving up three runs, two earned and struck out five. Mark Washington pitched the next three on just one hit and Joel Inoa finished up by allowing one run in his three innings.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5 – Lake Elsinore Storm 11 ( San Diego)

The Quakes kind of took Father’s Day off. The pitchers basically couldn’t get anybody out. Starter Geraldo Carrillo gave up two runs without getting out of the first inning while Wes Helsabeck coughed up five runs in less than two innings. Bryan Warzek did break the trend with 1.1 scoreless innings while Austin Drury didn’t fare as badly as others with one run in 2.1 innings. Sven Schuller was unable to complete his two innings after surrendering three more runs. Outfielder Nick Yarnell came on to get the last out in the top of the eighth inning and pitch a scoreless ninth inning.

At the plate not very much was happening with three hits, two of them doubles by Donvan Casey and Jordan Procyshen accounting for the  Quake run in the fifth inning. Things stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth as they scored four runs on a Starling Heredia single, a fielder’s choice, a Jeter Downs double and a passed ball.

Tulsa Drillers 1 – Amarillo Sod Poodles 2 (San Diego)

The Drillers got locked in a tight itching contest with the  Amarillo. How is it possible to do that with Sod Poodles?  Left-hander Victor Gonzalez pitched six innings for Tulsa giving up one run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.  Right-hander Jesse Scholtens matched Gonzalez also with six innings and one run. Yordy Cabrera picked up Gonzalez in the seventh inning and pitched two scoreless innings with Shea Spitzbarth coming on in the bottom of the ninth inning.  Unfortunately he gave up a run to take the loss.

Offensively the Drillers scored their lone run in the top of the first inning on a Gavin Lux single, a stolen base by Lux and a Cody Thomas double. They did match the Sod Poodles with eight hits, three by Lux and two by Keibert Ruiz.

OKC Dodgers  7  – El Paso Chihuahuas 10 (San Diego)

Left-hander Rob Zastryzny started for the Dodgers and quickly spotted El Paso three runs in the bottom of the first inning and another three by the end of the fourth inning. Stetson Allie allowed another run in his inning pitched while Justin Grimm chipped in with three more earned runs. The Dodgers tried to keep pace with a Will Smith solo home run in the top of the first inning and a two-run home run by Zach Reks in the third inning. They crept one run closer in the fifth when pitcher Rob Zastryzny was allowed to hit and singled eventually scoring on two wild pitches and a Connor Joe single. Edwin Rios homered in the top of the sixth inning to keep the Dodgers within two. They actually tied the score at seven in the top of the seventh  inning on singles by Blake Gailen, Errol Robinson and Angelo Mora with a wild pitch tossed in. However, seven wasn’t enough to win the day.  How is it possible to give 10 runs to Chihuahuas?