Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Category: Dodgers (Page 31 of 70)

July 5 game chat

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 p.m.

Make sure to follow me on Twitter for more frequent Dodger and baseball tidbits. Some samples:

The Hanley Ramirez trade: How does it look so far?

Hanley Ramirez as a Dodger: .354 on-base percentage, .527 slugging in 364 plate appearances. Ramirez, who will turn 30 in December, can become a free agent after the 2014 season, during which he will earn $16 million.

Randy Choate as a Dodger: 4.05 ERA, 24 baserunners against 11 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings, before becoming a free agent. (With St. Louis this year, Choate has a 2.00 ERA with 19 baserunners against 11 strikeouts in 18 innings, in the first year of a three-year, $7.5 million contract).

Nathan Eovaldi as a Marlin: 3.89 ERA, 117 baserunners against 54 strikeouts in 81 innings (5.4 innings per start). Eovaldi has the second-worst winning percentage (6-15, .286) of any major-leaguer since 1980 with a career ERA below 4.00, ahead of former Mets pitcher Anthony Young. Since making his first major-league appearance of 2013 on June 18, following a bout with right shoulder inflammation, he has three starts with a 2.00 ERA with 17 baserunners against 10 strikeouts in 18 innings and a reportedly improved fastball. Eovaldi is under Marlins control through 2017 and becomes arbitration-eligible after the 2014 season.

Scott McCough as a Marlin: The 23-year-old righty reliever has a 2.22 ERA with 47 baserunners against 41 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings with Double-A Jacksonville this season.

In short: Everyone seems to be prospering right now, but thanks to Ramirez’s supreme resurgence, Dodger fans have every reason to be pleased with the trade.

Happy Independence Day!

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:10 p.m.

After first week back, Kemp’s timing problems linger

In his ill-remembered farewell season with the Mets, a 42-year-old Willie Mays had a .303 on-base percentage, .344 slugging percentage and adjusted OPS of 81 in 239 plate appearances with the New York Mets.

Recovering from one injury after another over the past year, 28-year-old Matt Kemp has been worse. This season with the Dodgers, Kemp has a .302 OBP, .327 slugging and 78 OPS+ in 214 plate appearances.

After returning from the disabled list last week, Kemp had a single, a double and no strikeouts in his first five trips to the plate — four of them June 25, plus one on June 27. Since then, he has gone 3 for 18 with two walks and nine strikeouts.

Dylan Hernandez wrote in the Times on June 27 about Kemp working with former hitting coach Jeff Pentland over an eight-day span. That period, according to the article, ended June 29.

“The biggest thing I noticed he was dropping his hands,” Pentland told Hernandez. “He was to a point where he was pushing and scooping the ball. Off of that comes everything else. Sometimes one thing can create five or six problems and I think that’s where he was at.”

Pentland spoke in the past tense, but with or without him, Kemp remains a work in progress.

Kemp ended a 1-for-10, six-strikeout slump with two singles June 30. Then, after Monday’s off day, he struck out in three of his first four at-bats in Coors Field on Tuesday before hitting a 400-foot out in his final appearance.

The strikeouts show how Kemp is still searching for a rhythm. He has started six games since coming off the DL, and he’s been good in two, average in two and awful in two. But the timing and mechanics issues still seem solvable.

“Kemp’s swing does currently does have significant flaws, but I highly doubt it’s anything permanent,” wrote Dodger analyst Chad Moriyama at the end of a lengthy examination in May. “This rings especially true since he made a similar adjustment a couple years ago, and I expect him and the Dodgers to eventually work through this as well.”

After that, we can get back to wondering whether Kemp’s power will return. Let Hanley Ramirez be your inspiration, and your reminder of patience.

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:10 p.m.

How will it end?

Will it be a short stumble or a big tumble?

Will it be the bullpen, the fielding, the injuries, the sluggers’ return to earth – or all of the above?

It takes nothing away from the Dodgers’ hot streak to say that it won’t last. The end could come tonight, or the next day, or next week. But they’ll return to earth.

It’s the nature of the fall that I wonder about, whether it will feel temporary or permanent, shallow or deep.

In 1982, the Dodgers advanced 12 1/2 games in the standings in 13 days, moving from 10 games out to 2 1/2 games up in the National League West, then fell back out of first place, then regained first place, then fell back out again, before Joe Morgan finished their season.

In 2006, Los Angeles went from fifth place to first in 10 days, during an astonishing 17-out-of-18 streak (immediately after losing 13 out of 14), played leapfrog with the Padres day by day and, in the 4+1 game, inning by inning, and finished on top in the division.

In 2008, the Dodgers were five games under .500 on August 29, won eight straight and 12 out of 13, and didn’t look back until the National League Championship Series.

The 2013 season has already put Dodger fans through the ringer. But in a way, it has only just begun.

The reconstruction of the bullpen looks helpful, but there’s an inherent chaos that makes it impossible to trust. The fielding isn’t really any more reliable. You know the injuries will find themselves again. You know Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez will have their slumps. So, for that matter, will Stephen Fife.

The good and the bad of the Dodgers are in an ongoing battle for supremacy. The difference right now, compared to two weeks ago, is that it finally looks like the good can put up a fight.

Dodgers livin’ the dream, 8-0

There was no life I’d known to compare with pure imagination.

And then Yasiel Puig came along, joining Clayton Kershaw on what had been a lonesome, uphill journey.

And the rest of the Dodgers followed.

They were so bad, and now they’re so good. With their 8-0 shutout in Colorado tonight, the Dodgers have won nine games out of 10, moving into fourth place, .00058 behind the San Diego Padres, and 2 1/2 games out of first.

It’s remarkable to think that without the injuries and the losing and frankly, the depression, Puig would have come from the seas of the Atlantic only as far as the woods of Tennessee. But the road west opened for Puig, and tonight, he did to Coors Field exactly what you’d expect Puig to do to Coors Field – given that fact that Puig himself is pure imagination.

Matt Kemp is the living reality check on the Puig phenomenon, the former All-Everything going 0 for 5 with three strikeouts and, almost tenderly, the most encouraging out of the night, a 400-plus blast to the fence in deepest Coors.

But otherwise, reality, or what used to serve as reality, seemed far away. Hanley Ramirez had another two hits, including a double. Adrian Gonzalez had two hits, including a homer.  Juan Uribe had two RBI singles. A.J. Ellis anted up and drew two pair, walks and doubles.

And Ace was Rocky Mountain High.

Five years and change into his major-league career, Clayton Kershaw remains as sweet as a river of chocolate. He threw his second shutout of the season, dominating the Rockies with eight strikeouts, no walks and but one runner getting as far as second base. He ended the 27-game hitting streak of Michael Cuddyer in the process.

The pitcher whose ERA in the second half of the season has been lower than the first half every year of his career dropped his 2013 mark to 1.93, with two starts to go before this year’s All-Star Game, a game he will certainly be a part of.

Lately, there’s been much debate about whether Puig will join him, to which I say, whatever happens, happens. If we’re meant to keep Puig for ourselves for a little while longer, I am content, come what may.

In other words, if you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it.

One a day

This week, the Dodgers could be in a different place in the National League West standings for five consecutive days.

They went to bed last night in fifth place and could conceivably pass San Francisco tonight, San Diego on Wednesday, Colorado on Thursday and Arizona on Friday.

We’ll see. In the meantime, Mike Petriello runs down the Carlos Marmol acquisition at Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness.

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40 p.m.
Kershaw CLXVII: Kershawnder the Dome

Yasiel Puig at sea

The beauty of this Jeff Passan story at Yahoo! Sports on Yasiel Puig’s intersection with the U.S. Coast Guard in April 2012 takes many forms — the drama, the intrigue, the introspection, and perhaps most of all, the open acknowledgement of conflicting moral values.

Humanity is a complicated, fascinating thing.

 

Fife, Dominguez glow amid Puig spotlight

That there is any other Dodger to write about besides the one who got his 44th hit in his 100th at-bat would be remarkable in any year, much less one that still features a last-place team in Los Angeles.

But here we are on the final day of June with not only the remarkable Yasiel Puig to talk about, or even the sizzling Hanley Ramirez, but two others who are turning heads.

You’ve met Stephen Fife – but have you met Stephen Fife? The 26-year-old, whose 2011 acquisition was derided in most quarters (including this one), not only threw seven shutout innings today, he lowered his June ERA to 2.21 – the best of anyone this month in the Dodger starting rotation.

Yes, the rotation. I mean, do you realize that Fife is in the rotation now? He’s not some stopgap spot starter. He’s in. He’s taken a regular turn for six straight starts now, striking out 30 in 36 2/3 innings. It’s hardly too late for his chariot to turn into a pumpkin, that he’s John Ely in disguise, but 12 starts into his major-league career, he has a 2.78 ERA.

In his own small way, far from the Puig spotlight, he has helped the Dodgers win eight games in their past nine and pull within four games of first place in the National League West, which has generated its own level of skepticism but for now remains the third-best division in baseball.

Games over .500
33 AL East
22 NL Central
-8 NL West
-11 AL West
-12 AL Central
-24 NL East

Even at 38-43, the Dodgers are in a much more enviable position at the halfway point of their season than seemed fathomable just last weekend. The future looks brighter than any point since Opening Day. And again, that’s not just thanks to Puig. The Dodgers’ newest freshman, Jose Dominguez, exactly four months older than Puig, delivered the most electric debut this side of their precocious rightfielder.

Hitting 101 on the radar gun, Dominguez relieved Fife in a perfect eighth inning, striking out his first major-league batter and displaying a tantalizing change to go with that fastball. Making it clear that he wasn’t equating Dominguez with Pedro Martinez, Vin Scully nevertheless said you couldn’t help thinking of the future Hall of Famer while watching the baby San Pedro de Macoris native. I can hardly wait to see him again, and I’m sure the Dodgers feel the same way.

We’ll wait to see how Dominguez’ control plays out, but it’s easy to draw renewed bullpen hope in a potential lead trio of Dominguez, Paco Rodriguez and Kenley Jansen, with J.P Howell and Ronald Belisario in secondary roles. And that’s no small reason why there’s renewed hope in the Dodgers as well.

June 29 game chat

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.

Dodgers need only 12 runs in final three innings to preserve win streak

The Dodgers just aren’t the same without Luis Cruz.

Hours after the struggling infielder was, as expected, designated for assignment, the Dodgers were absolutely pounded by the Phillies.

Los Angeles surrendered 12 runs on 15 hits in the first six innings tonight before scoring their first run, trailing 12-1 at press time. Now, you want me to believe that’s a coincidence? You must think me quite naive, sir.

Philadelphia had 29 hits in their first 15 innings in Los Angeles.

June 28 game chat

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.

 

If he keeps playing like this, Yasiel Puig will earn much more than $42 million

Part of the wonder surrounding Yasiel Puig is that what looked like a risky contract – seven years, $42 million for a mostly unscouted amateur – now looks like a bargain.

But if Puig even keeps up a semblance of his current performance, that bargain isn’t going to last for long.

After Puig earns three years of service time (at this rate, following the 2016 season, because the Dodgers called him up in June), he can opt out of his current deal and enter the arbitration process. And if you’ve paid any attention to Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw or even Chad Billingsley or Andre Ethier, you know what that means.

Year Kemp Kershaw Ethier Billingsley Puig
1 $383,000 $404,000 $387,500 $384,500 $2 million
2 $406,000 $440,000 $424,500 $415,000 $2 million
3 $467,000 $500,000 $3.1 million $475,000 $2 million
4 $4 million $7.5 million $5.5 million $3.85 million $4.5 million
5 $6.95 million $11 million $9.25 million $6.275 million $5.5 million*
6 $10 million $18 million? $10.95 million $9 million $6.5 million*
7 $20 million $24 million? $13.5 million $11 million $7.5 million*
Bonuses $2 million $3 million     $12 million
Total $42.206 million $64.844 million? $43.112 million $31.3 million $42 million*

*can opt out and seek arbitration
Note: Puig was guaranteed $2 million in his first year, regardless of whether he played in the majors. Ethier was called up early enough in his rookie campaign to start his arbitration clock sooner.

Although you’ll see Billingsley is currently slated to earn less than Puig over his first seven years, he still has a higher total during the arbitration-eligible seasons than Puig would have without opting out.

Meanwhile, if he can post .850-ish OPSes like Ethier did in his arbitration years, Puig will probably add at least another $15 million to his bank account. Any Kemp-like MVP-caliber seasons from 2016 on will push Puig even higher.

And if Puig continues to be otherworldly like a Kershaw – except one who plays every day – look out.

Of course, whatever the extra dollars are, the Dodgers and their fans will gladly accept the consequences of Puig being a star, as long as he’s a star for them.

Heart of the lineup lines up with heart, and Dodgers win sixth straight

The Phillies hit Zack Greinke and the Dodgers from pillar to post. The Dodgers took the pillar and the post and ignored everything in between, quite happily.

Despite making 15 straight outs at one point, the Dodgers rode a big first inning and a two-out, 0-2 single by Yasiel Puig in the seventh to a 6-4 victory over the Phillies, giving Los Angeles their sixth straight victory.

Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier combined for five hits (of the Dodgers’ seven) – and made each one count.

Los Angeles absoutely hammered Phillies starter (and Placentia-born) Jonathan Pettibone in the first inning. After a leadoff walk to Skip Schumaker, Puig scorched one off Pettibone’s foot, the ball taking a fluke bounce to shortstop Jimmy Rollins for a force out. But Gonzalez knocked a single, and Kemp and Ethier followed with hard doubles to put the Dodgers ahead, 3-0. Pettibone might have been in jeopardy of completing the first inning had Puig’s ball gone through, or if A.J. Ellis’ long fly to right hadn’t been flagged down by Delmon Young’s running catch.

From the second inning through the sixth, however, Pettibone retired his final 15 batters, allowing time for the Phillies to come back and take the lead. Greinke picked off one batter, saw another caught stealing and induced two double plays in seven innings, but that only partially mitigated the 12 hits he allowed, the last a two-out, tiebreaking home run by Chase Utley in the seventh.

Puig smashed into the wall in a vain attempt to catch that drive, the latest scary moment for the Dodger daredevil. But he was not done shaking up the stadium.

In the bottom of the seventh, relief pitcher Justin De Fratus walked Ellis on a 3-2 pitch. With two sacrifices in the past four seasons, Juan Uribe was asked to bunt. He not only put it down, but he reached first base after Ryan Howard fell down trying to field it. Pinch-hitter Hanley Ramirez was walked intentionally, and then Schumaker struck out.

That set the stage for Puig.

He swung and missed badly at two not-so-pretty pitches, and the next was so far off the plate, it looked like a fan heading for the exits. But Puig reached indelicately and somehow pulled the ball sharply through the hole into left field for a two-run single, rallying the Dodgers to a one-run lead.

J.P. Howell and Ronald Belisario combined for a scoreless eighth, and the Dodgers manufactured an insurance run when, in his second full game back from the disabled list, Kemp and his hamstring singled, stole second and third, and scored on Ellis’ sacrifice fly.

Kenley Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth, and despite tallying half the Phillies’ 14 hits, the Dodgers had another sweet victory.

Note by notewest

Notes on each member of tonight’s Dodger starting lineup.

Skip Schumaker, 2B: Had a .440 OPS on May 7. Went 27 for 69 (.391) at the plate to raise OPS to .694 on June 9. Has gone 8 for 45 with four walks and no extra-base hits since.

Yasiel Puig, RF: With 37 hits in 85 at-bats, only needs to go 3 for 15 to be at least at .400 after 100 at-bats. David Pinto of Baseball Musings notes that the most at-bats for an entire season for a .400 hitter since Ted Williams is 134 by Bob Hazle in 1957.

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B: Three homers in six games vs. San Diego this month, zero homers in 18 games vs. everyone else.

Matt Kemp, CF: Seven for seven in stolen bases this season. In his rookie season, he was perfect in six attempts. Played in 71 career games before his first caught stealing.

Andre Ethier, LF: Making his first appearance in left field since 2008.

A.J. Ellis, C: Has .260 on-base percentage, .284 slugging in 79 plate appearances since May 13.

Juan Uribe, 3B: Per Fangraphs, has fourth-best WAR on Dodgers in 2013, behind Carl Crawford, Puig and A.J. Ellis.

Nick Punto, SS: Riding a three-game hitting streak, but has .516 OPS in 130 plate appearances since May 8. Luis Cruz has a .525 OPS in 51 plate appearances in that time period.

Zack Greinke, P: Opponents at Dodger Stadium have .270 OBP against him this year.

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.

 

Is the end nigh for Luis Cruz?

We’ve had these kind of thoughts before. Heck, we had them with Juan Uribe all the time last year, and not only did it never come about, we’re actually glad Uribear has stuck around.

But Scott Van Slyke is poised to be activated from the disabled list Friday, according to Austin Laymance of MLB.com, and – barring a new injury to the team, of course – there’s finally no one else to vacate a spot among the position players besides Cruz.

The Dodgers could keep Van Slyke in the minors, but they seem committed, and most rightly so, to taking advantage of Van Slyke’s power bat off the bench.

“With Scott, he allows us to go all right-handed (in the outfield) if we want to against a tough lefty,” Don Mattingly told Gurnick.

Who else could go off the roster? Not regulars or veritable regulars A.J. Ellis, Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Ellis, Hanley Ramirez, Juan Uribe, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp. Not fellow reserves Tim Federowicz, Jerry Hairston Jr., Nick Punto or Skip Schumaker. Not anyone from the bullpen, which is at the now-conventional number of seven relievers, unless Brandon League somehow gets stuffed on the disabled list with sprained talent.

No, the arrow is pointing directly at Cruz, who has a .175 on-base percentage and .164 slugging in 128 plate appearances this season, has five hits in the first 26 days of June and hasn’t played since June 19. And keep in mind the likelihood that after designating him for assignment, Cruz could easily clear waivers and end up back in Albuquerque, where everyone wants him.

There’s still a couple days for things to change, but you’ve been warned. Or teased.

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