Wong Time!
At one time, Kolten Wong was a very good second baseman. While never an All-Star, as a LH hitter, he has a career .742 OPS against RHP. He is exclusively a second baseman and plays Gold Glove defense at the position. He likely has no future in 2024 with the Dodgers, but he could…
At one time, Kolten Wong was a very good second baseman. While never an All-Star, as a LH hitter, he has a career .742 OPS against RHP. He is exclusively a second baseman and plays Gold Glove defense at the position. He likely has no future in 2024 with the Dodgers, but he could have a future in October for them! In 2021, Eddie Rosario, who was a journeyman, was traded to the Braves and proceeded to go off in the playoffs.
The same thing happened with Ronnie Belliard in 2009. The Dodgers traded Luis Garcia and Victor Garate to the Nationals on August 31m 2009, and the Dodgers “First Belli” proceeded to hit .351 with a 1.034 OPS the last month of the season. He also had 5 HR and seven doubles! He also hit .316 in the NLCS, which the Dodgers lost to the Phillies in five games.
Kolten Wong is 5′ 7″ tall and is a LH batter who, in the past, has hit 15 HR and up to 32 doubles in a season. He will be 33 years old on October 10th, and this could be his time! He played eight seasons with the Cardinals and then was signed as a Free Agent with the Brewers in 2021. He had decent years in 2021 and 2022, with the Brewers hitting 14 HR with 32 doubles in 2021 and 15 HR with 24 doubles in 2022. At the beginning of this season, he signed a $10 million dollar deal with Seattle and proceeded to fall off the face of the earth! In 216 Plate Appearances, he made Miguel Vargas look like Babe Ruth, as he hit .169.
Kolten was released by the Mariners on August 3, 2023, and the Dodgers signed him six days later! At OKC, the Dodgers worked with him on his swing and in 13 ABs he had 7 hits and OPSed 1.494. In order to be “Playoff Ready,” the Dodgers had to promote him to the roster yesterday. Yonny Hernandez was the odd-man-out. Kolten arrived at the same last night and proceeded to pinch hit in the 8th inning with the Dodgers down 6-0.
I am not worried that the Dodgers have lost two straight to the Braves. I would like to see a split, but I will not worry, even if the Braves sweep the Series. I want the Dodgers to have that fresh in their memories. I am not worried about Lance Lynn – he is who he is, and he will figure it out. I am worried about Julio Urias! His velocity is noticeably diminished. Earlier in the season, he could hit 95 or 96 MP – now he struggles to hit 92 MPH. After watching him closely last night, I believe he is concealing an arm injury. Tommy John may be knocking on Julio’s door!
Who will step up? The Old Man and the Kid, plus Pepiot? Maybe Sheehan, Grove, and/or Stone and Yarbrough! Julio is pitching himself off the playoff roster. Of course, he has a few weeks to right the ship, but if it is that dreaded UCL, this ain’t good! This could be fun to watch! Or not…
Minor League News
At Rancho Cucamonga, Kendall George is raking like a madman and has 12 SB in 76 ABs. He had two hits last night as did Thayron Liranzo, Wilman Diaz, and Jake Gelof. This is the new wave of Dodger prospects.
R.I.P. Jimmy Buffett
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Discussion (69)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Lights go down on Margaritaville.
That album hit while we were on adventure in Mexico/Belize and thereabouts.
Rum, weed and lobster on beachfront bars with the Locals. Soundtrack courtesy Jimmy B & Coral Reefer.
Great times. RIP Jimmy B
Sometimes you just have to sit back with an open mind and analyze your team and what is needs to win in the playoffs. One most Important thing needed is quality starting pitching, which means one has to have quality starting pitchers. We all know good pitching can stop good hitting. The All Star games mostly prove that.
Do we have that? Let’s analyze together…..
1. Clayton…..check
2. Urias…….hasn’t shown it this year (for the most part)
3. Lynn…..maybe
4. Miller…..maybe
5. Pepiot…..maybe
6. Stone or Grove…..probably not
As I analyze this list, it seems to me we would at least need two dependable quality starters….but I only count one and a lot of ?
Clearly, those Guys could surprise and come through, but it’s also as likely they won’t. So, it looks to me that we are going into this year’s playoffs worse off than last year….in fact, one could even say, “far worse off.” Nevertheless, we still root and hope for the best because ….you never know.
Julio Urias.
Is he hurt? Or is it something else. Maybe mental.
Just when you think he’s turning it around, two awful outings in a row, 11 runs in 11 innings, including six homeruns.
Not exactly someone you want to hand the ball to for a playoff game.
I’m guessing this is end of his Dodger career. Not to mention LA’s relationship with super agent Scott Boros is in the tank after he criticized and blamed the Dodgers for Bellinger’s troubles the
past couple of years.
Andrew Feiedman’s reaction tells the story. Ouch. Boras tried to backtrack. Too late.
Okay, the Braves/Dodgers really is meaningless, other than to point out that Max Fried is a pretty good pitcher. But we already knew that.
Lynn and Urias both flamed out, now we get to see the kids.
I do like the young pitchers.
Before the season I thought this team would go as far as the pitching would that them.
I underestimated the offense which is absolutely championship caliber. But as you said the injuries to our starters and the underperformance of Julio will probably be our downfall iln the playoffs.
Too much quality lost with Buehler, May and Gonsolin. And Julio is just not pitching like an ace.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!
I guess for the first time this season I am really worried. You can’t lose May, Buehler, Goslin, and now Urias and think you have enough for the World Series. Lynn is about average but that is all. I do like what Pepiot is doing and that may help but we now have all our hopes on Clayton staying healthy and that is a huge gamble. Most teams go as far as their pitching takes them (see the Dodgers for the last 50 years) but this year we go as far as our offensive and top two players take us. We could set the record for the most piggyback games in the post season.
Last year, Julio attacked the top of the strike zone with a 95 mph F/ball — a foundational pitch for him.
This season? ..a long-ago memory.
If Urias falters down the stretch, then it looks like Kersh and Miller are the 1/2 SP’s in the playoffs.
Then maybe Prior & his coaches can “tweak” Sheehan/Grove/Stone to squeeze out a little more velo and movement on their hard stuff, while also streamlining their pitch selection. Then throw some combination of those 3 & Pepiot & Lynn together to piggyback off one another to create a “3rd playoff starter.”
I’m just brainstorming here. If my idea is stupid, then it’s stupid.