Dodger Thoughts

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

Month: September 2014 (Page 3 of 6)

Dodgers aim to end roadtrip the Wright way

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs

For more photos from Saturday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20 a.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Jamey Wright, P

By Jon Weisman

Since becoming a full-time relief pitcher, Jamey Wright has made one start, with the Rays on September 1, 2013. As Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. noted, the start came in part because of concern over Wright’s current Dodger teammate, Roberto Hernandez.

Today, Wright will start the Dodgers’ 2014 regular-season road finale at Wrigley Field, the capper of a week of extraordinary reliance on the bullpen.

Wright, who started 246 games from 1996-2007, has had three short outings this week of 16 pitches Monday, 10 pitches Tuesday and 12 pitches Friday. He has had two three-inning outings with the Dodgers this year, both in May and peaking when he won the second game of the Minnesota doubleheader that went extra innings on May 1. That game, which featured Red Patterson’s only big-league appearance, was about as close to a bullpen game as the Dodgers have come until this week’s non-stop reliever parade.

Dodger relievers, not unexpectedly, threw four more innings in Saturday’s bummer of an 8-7 loss to Chicago, giving them 29 2/3 in six days. Kenley Jansen and Yimi Garcia are the freshest heading into today’s game, though the only pitcher who might be unavailable after pitching two days in a row is J.P. Howell.

The home run that Howell allowed Saturday was his first in more than a year, since September 6, 2013, and third as a Dodger. Even after that blast, Howell has allowed only a .249 slugging percentage in his two years with Los Angeles.

Brian Wilson, who gave up the game-winning home run in the eighth inning, had pitched shutout ball without allowing an inherited runner to score in nine consecutive appearances dating back a month. Since the All-Star Break, Wilson hadn’t allowed a run or an inherited runner to score in 17 of 19 appearances, striking out 19 while allowing 16 baserunners in 15 1/3 innings.  I won’t pretend that Wilson has looked like a shutdown reliever in that stretch, but he hasn’t been a gascan either.

The difference Saturday, as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com noted, was that Dodger manager Don Mattingly hasn’t let Wilson face many lefties with power potential. Chris Coghlan had already homered once Saturday when he came up against Wilson.

(Mattingly) said he knows Wilson didn’t hit 90 mph with a pitch in this game, but Wilson indicated that he’s been a cutter pitcher all season after being unsuccessful early in the year when he occasionally amped up to the mid-90s. He said he didn’t locate the home run pitch, he’s not hurting and that velocity is not a correct barometer for his season.

“It’s what he’s been doing all year,” Mattingly said. “Nothing different than all year. Not trying to change anything, this is what we’ve been doing to get us here. Today it didn’t work out.”

Except that by the time Wilson had come in, Mattingly had used lefties Howell, Paco Rodriguez and Daniel Coulombe. Scott Elbert and his delicate arm were used Friday, so Wilson faced the left-handed-hitting Coghlan. Lefties are hitting 52 points higher than righties against Wilson, which is why Mattingly has been setting up with both when possible to avoid these kinds of vulnerable matchups.

Bullpen weekend: Who’s ready?

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Wrigley rain

Saturday’s Chicago weather forecast

By Jon Weisman

If Roberto Hernandez goes out and throws a nifty five or six innings Saturday in Chicago, the Dodgers appear ready to turn Sunday’s game over to their bullpen and save Dan Haren for Monday against the Giants.

If Hernandez has an early exit, the relief corps — which has thrown a whopping 25 2/3 innings in the past five days — might once again be thrust into early action Saturday.

And if Mother Nature follows through on her threat of rain, who knows what the result will be?

No matter how you slice it, it looks like a big weekend for the guys in the pen. However, like farewell ceremonies for Derek Jeter, there are lots and lots of them.

This chart shows how many pitches each reliever has thrown in the past five games:

Bullpen game

Noteworthy:

  • The Dodgers’ top two go-to relievers this season, Kenley Jansen and J.P. Howell, have worked the least over the past five games.
  • No one has pitched two days in a row since Wednesday, meaning that everyone is available to pitch in on Saturday, except whoever might be Sunday’s starting pitcher if it’s not Haren.
  • Not that it’s likely to break this cleanly, but if Hernandez pitched five innings Saturday, there are exactly 13 pitchers to cover the 13 regulation innings remaining in Chicago.

 

Tommy Lasorda, Bruce Froemming latest to join November’s Dodger Adult Baseball Camp

Lasorda Playbill cover

Tommy Lasorda on the cover of the final Dodger Playbill of 2014, which will be handed out at Dodger Stadium beginning Monday, Lasorda’s birthday.

By Jon Weisman

Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda and former National League umpire Bruce Froemming have been added to the overflowing group of Dodger legends and guests who will serve as instructors for the 53rd Los Angeles Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida from November 9-15.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Historic Dodgertown,” said Lasorda, who has a street there named after him. “It is such a special place in my heart, and I have so many great memories from my time there. We’ll have fun with the campers, sharing stories from our enjoyable days there.”

Previously, the Dodgers announced that Ron Cey, Tommy Davis, Steve Garvey, Mickey Hatcher, Rick Monday, Steve Sax, Don Sutton, Maury Wills and Steve Yeager would be in attendance as instructors.

“We are delighted to add legends Tommy and Bruce to our growing roster of guest instructors for the camp,” said Historic Dodgertown chairman and former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley. “Our campers will have a memorable experience spending time every day alongside some of the greatest names in Dodger history. For any baseball fan who has ever thought about a fantasy camp, this is the perfect one to attend.”

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No, seriously — the Dodgers have a good offense

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs

For more photo highlights from Thursday, visit the LA Photog Blog.

Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20 a.m.
Kershaw CCVIII: Kershawsm Buddies
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of jinxing the Dodgers by what I’m write, but I’m certainly aware what I write can look shaky a few hours later. Zack Greinke certainly did me no favors Thursday, struggling through five innings before the Dodgers came back for their 8-4 victory.

The victory shocked those fixated on what was the Dodgers’ 1-54 record when trailing after six innings, as well as those who view the Dodgers as constantly scuffling and struggling to score runs.

My sense is that most people perceive the Dodger offense as a massive underachiever, the George Costanza of platesmen, characterized by singular bumbling and a laughable parade of opportunities wasted.

But at the risk of Edwin Jackson shutting them out over seven innings this afternoon at Wrigley, let me just point out again: The Dodgers just about have the best offense in the National League.

Here’s where the Dodgers rank, according to Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference.com:

  • WAR: first
  • Offense: second, behind Pittsburgh
  • Weighted runs created plus (wRC+): tied for first with Pittsburgh
  • Runs per game: fourth, behind Colorado, Pittsburgh and Washington
  • Adjusted OPS: tied for first with Pittsburgh
  • OBP and OPS with runners in scoring position: first

Take a moment to digest that. They are near the top in almost every major category. In runs per game, where they rank fourth, they are 0.04 runs per game (six runs in 153 games, or about one run per month) out of second place, behind only Coors Field-enhanced Colorado.

How is this possible, you ask? Well, the Dodgers are getting above-average production at nearly every position, as Fangraphs’ Offense stat shows: (Note: the list below was updated from earlier this morning to correct an error.)

  • First base: sixth in the NL
  • Second base: first
  • Shortstop: third
  • Third base: second
  • Outfield: second
  • Catcher: 15th
  • Pitcher: first

One thing you might notice is that for all the drama that surrounded it, much of it media-generated, the Dodger outfield has been an enormous success offensively.

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Matt Kemp has a .926 OPS since the All-Star Break, and Carl Crawford and Scott Van Slyke are both above .800. You might downgrade Yasiel Puig, who had a big second-half slump after a superb first half, but now Puig is heating up again, going 12 for 30 (.400) with two walks, two doubles and a home run in his past seven games.

You also have an infield that is strong across the board offensively. Dee Gordon’s baserunning provides value even when his bat is suffering — which isn’t the case right now, given that he is hitting .366/.377/.442/.819 in his past 10 games (53 plate appearances). And while people keep wondering when Hanley Ramirez is going to get hot (staying healthy is another issue), he just happens to be hitting .439/.489/.537/1.086 in his past 12 games (45 plate appearances).

Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago CubsThen there’s the Dodgers increasingly not-so-secret weapon, Justin Turner, who with Van Slyke and Andre Ethier — who has quietly put together a .420 on-base percentage as a reserve — has given the Dodgers one of their best benches in recent memory.

Catcher has been a season-long disappointment offensively, and no one on the team will win a Silver Slugger award. But overall offensively, they simply excel.

I get accused of being too positive about the Dodgers. But I find myself astounded sometimes by the negativity online toward a first-place team, a team that is one game away from the best record in the NL. With the stakes so high for a team that hasn’t been to the World Series in 25 years and 11 months, I know how vexing it is when the Dodger offense doesn’t come through. The fact remains that nearly without exception, this offense comes through more often than any other offense in the NL.

The Dodgers’ weaknesses aren’t lost on me at all, but I refuse to let them define a team that has so many strengths to consider. I know this won’t matter to anyone the next time the Dodgers strike out with the bases loaded, but this team wouldn’t be where it is today, with a magic number of two for a postseason berth and eight for a division title, if it were only a Clayton Kershaw solo act.

It’s hero time

dressup

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Yes, the Dodgers proceeded with their annual rookie dress-up day Thursday after losing 16-2 to Colorado, and no, it doesn’t mean the Dodgers don’t take their pennant chase seriously.

Here’s a link to some pics, and honestly, I think the kids look rather sharp.

As for more conventional baseball costumes, Hanley Ramirez is in his and slated to return to the starting lineup tonight, at the site of his August 4, 2013 tumble into the stands in pursuit of a foul ball.

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The 4+1 Game turns eight

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4+1Today is the eighth anniversary of the Dodgers’ remarkable 4+1 game, which Sports Illustrated and Tom Verducci called the game of the year.  SportsNet LA has produced a remembrance of the incredible night through the eyes of Vin Scully. You can also read my own essay about the game here.

— Jon Weisman

A Dodger fan saves a Giants fan

Giants fan Ryan Clanton, suffering from Fabconi Anemia — which usually leads to bone marrow failure — received a bone marrow donation from Dodger fan Joey Hilburn. KTVU.com has more.

— Jon Weisman

The formula for winning the NL West

LOS ANGELES DODGERS AT SAN DIEGO PADRES

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco GiantsBy Jon Weisman

A postscript to Thursday’s postgame post on the Dodgers starting pitching

In both the 2013 National League Division Series and the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers only needed to win the games started by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke to advance to the next round. It happened in the NLDS; it didn’t in the NLCS.

It’s nearly an identical story for this year’s final 10 games to clinch the NL West title.

Kershaw and Greinke each have two remaining scheduled starts, including one apiece against the Giants. If the Dodgers win those games, that alone would trim the magic number for clinching the division all the way from nine to three.

That means that in the Dodgers’ other six games, they would only need to go 3-3 to win the NL West, even if the Giants went 8-0 in the games they don’t face Kershaw and Greinke.

Consequently, every time the Giants lost, the pressure on the Dodgers would lessen. And as rough as the Dodgers’ No. 3-5 starters had it in Colorado this week, it’s a bit extreme to expect the Dodgers will get zero wins in their remaining six games.

Now obviously, if Greinke and Kershaw falter, or if the Dodger offense doesn’t support them, the Dodgers are in trouble – just like they were in last year’s NLCS. But that’s always been true. The team’s strength all year has been the front of the rotation (a rotation that Hyun-Jin Ryu should rejoin in the playoffs) and an offense that ranks first in the NL in wins above replacement.

It’s no different than saying that if Madison Bumgarner and Yusmeiro Petit falter or if the Giants offense doesn’t support them, the Giants are in trouble.

It’s no different than saying that if Team X’s best players don’t perform, Team X is in trouble.

But just think of it this way: If Greinke and Kershaw win their remaining starts and the Giants don’t play .750 ball in their other eight games, the NL West is over.

Farewell, Max Stone

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We received word that Max Stone, a longtime fixture at Dodger Stadium, has passed away. Our deepest condolences to his friends and family. In addition to the video above, you can read more about Stone in this Kevin Modesti story from the Daily News in 2011.

– Jon Weisman

Starting pitching becomes startling pitching

ColoBy Jon Weisman

Ten games to go. Ten games to find starting pitchers for.

That’s the puzzle I imagine most Dodger fans are trying to solve after Carlos Frias managed the near unthinkable – a game score of 0 – in today’s 16-2 loss at Colorado.

In allowing eight runs on 10 hits in two-thirds of an inning, Frias produced the lowest game score by a Dodger starting pitcher in 28 years, since Jerry Reuss allowed nine earned runs and 15 baserunners in four innings against the Phillies. Frias also recorded the fewest outs by any Major League starting pitcher who allowed at least 10 hits since at least 1901.

And Frias might have been lucky to get those two outs. One was an inexplicable caught stealing on a 2-0 pitch after the first five Rockies had combined for three singles, a double and a home run, the other an equally inexplicable squeeze bunt attempt when the team was 7 for 7 off Frias.

Asked to mop up, Kevin Correia fared well only by comparison, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and a walk in three innings without a strikeout.

The Dodgers have allowed at least 10 runs in three of their past six games, a disturbing ratio to be sure, though I would argue that in defeat, it doesn’t matter whether you lose by one run or 10.

Milwaukee lost its game to St. Louis tonight, lowering the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot to four. But San Francisco cut the Dodgers’ National League West lead to two games by scoring two in the ninth to defeat Arizona, and with the divisional magic number at 9, it’s natural to wonder how the Dodgers will play out the final 10 games of the season.

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Oklahoma will host two Dodger minor-league teams: Dodgers bring Double-A affiliation to Tulsa

By Jon Weisman

Moving their Double-A affiliation from Chattanooga after six seasons, the Dodgers have signed a working agreement with the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Owned by Dale and Jeff Hubbard, the Drillers are the oldest professional sports franchise in Tulsa — dating back to 1905 — but play at ONEOK Field, which opened in 2010.

The distance between Chattanooga and the Dodgers’ Triple-A team in Albuquerque was approximately 1,300 miles. From Tulsa to their new Triple-A team in Oklahoma City, it’s barely 100 miles.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Hubbard family and making Tulsa our home for the Dodgers’ double-A team,” Dodger president & CEO Stan Kasten said. “Having our top two minor league teams within the state of Oklahoma will certainly be great for our organization and for the Dodger fans in the state.”

Carl Crawford lifts his numbers against lefties

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies

For highlights from Tuesday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Dodgers at Rockies, 12:10 p.m.
Darwin Barney, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Carl Crawford, LF
Tim Federowicz, C
Miguel Rojas, SS
Carlos Frias, P

By Jon Weisman

Carl Crawford’s current hot streak, in which he has a .467 on-base percentage and .617 slugging percentage in 105 plate appearances since August 10, will be tested today when he faces left-handed Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa.

Even during his batting surge, Crawford has rarely faced lefty pitching — in fact, today marks only his fourth start against a southpaw this year.

But Crawford’s numbers against left-handers this year are surprisingly good, though they’re out of left field, so to speak. He is 16 for 50 with four walks and two home runs, for an .886 OPS. Against lefties last year, Crawford had a .551 OPS and his career mark is .685.

Crawford homered off San Diego lefty relievers Alex Torres on August 19 and Frank Garces on September 8. Lifetime against De La Rosa, Crawford is 0 for 3 with a strikeout.

It’s a rare lineup for Don Mattingly against a left-handed starter that doesn’t have Scott Van Slyke, who has a 1.016 OPS against lefties in 2014. Though Dee Gordon is on the bench to start today’s game, Adrian Gonzalez and Crawford are both in. Tim Federowicz, whose only MLB homer of 2014 was in daylight at Colorado on June 7, is also starting, as is Miguel Rojas at short while Hanley Ramirez rests his injured elbow.

At the scene of the shine: Hideo Nomo’s no-hitter in Colorado, 18 years ago today

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Today, the Dodgers are in Colorado, where they can celebrate the 18th anniversary of what for 17 1/2 years was the most recent no-hitter in Dodger history — and to this day, given the site and the gloomy weather, was perhaps the least likely.

— Jon Weisman

 

Dodgers officially move Triple-A affiliation to Oklahoma City

By Jon Weisman

The Oklahoma City RedHawks will succeed the Albuquerque Isotopes as the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, the team has officially announced.

Previously affiliated with the Houston Astros, Oklahoma City plays in the American Northern Division of the Pacific Coast League.  The Dodgers had been affiliated with Albuquerque for a total of of 44 years (1963-71 Double-A, 1972-2000 Triple-A and 2009-2014 Triple-A).

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Well, that was unusual

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By Jon Weisman

Tonight wasn’t the Dodgers night — it was a 10-4 over-and-out night — but it wasn’t for lack of baseunners. The National League’s No. 1 team with runners in scoring position had three hits but 11 outs, stranding 10 runners and wasting most of their 16 hits, including three by Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig’s first home run since July 31.

That was more than unfortunate — that was very rare.

The last two times the Dodgers had at least 16 hits without scoring more than four runs, the games went more than 20 innings: their 1-0 victory in 22 innings at Montreal on August 23, 1989 and their 21-inning victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field that took two days to complete, August 17-18, 1982.

Before that was a 14-inning victory over Pittsburgh on September 1, 1981, a 15-inning win over St. Louis on July 20, 1973, a memorable 19-inning, 7-3 loss to the Mets on May 24, 1973 (Willie Davis went 6 for 9) and a 12-inning loss to the Astros on April 10, 1973.

You get my drift? Before tonight, the last nine-inning game in which the Dodgers had at least 16 hits and at most four runs was June 20, 1970, when they lost at Cincinnati, 5-4. Nine Dodgers had hits and five had multiple hits, led by Wes Parker with three. They even went 4 for 13 with runners in scoring position and, like tonight, had a ninth-inning home run. But it wasn’t enough.

My philosophy: It’s better to have had baserunners and lost than never to have had baserunners at all.

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