Season taking on a new shape - good pitching (3rd in NL) and so-so hitting. St. Louis series went about par with 6 runs apiece and two losses for Dodgers. I think this should be encouraging since a good staff is what we all want right? http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/pitching/year/2015/seasontype/2/league/nl Lots of hitting at home is fine but Dodgers better get home advantage for playoffs if this continues. Joc with #13 looking better all the time.
#15 (477' 2nd decker) 'http://mlb.mlb.com/shared/video/emb...d=141589583&width=400&height=224&property=mlb'
#16 to CF "Not only has the hard-swinging rookie hit 15 home runs in the Dodgers’ first 51 games, a 162-game pace for 47, but he has hit them further than anyone else in the major leagues, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Pederson launched a soaring, 467-foot home run that clanged off some seats way above the bullpens here in the Dodgers’ 6-3 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday afternoon. The average distance of Pederson’s home runs is 426 feet, longest in the majors. Lucas Duda has averaged 421 feet on his home runs and Giancarlo Stanton has averaged 420 feet, tied with Prince Fielder for third. Pederson is listed at 215 pounds. Each of those other guys weighs at least 240 pounds." - Mark Saxson/ESPN
Looking for Joc's bat specs and came up with 36oz. And some crazy who wants $15K for an autographed' Big Stick. ' !! http://www.amazon.com/Pederson-Autographed-Rawlings-Picture-Prospect/dp/B00IVUWB7G Found others going for around $300. on Ebay...LOL! Crazy what a few bombs will do for the memoribilia market.
Good pitching. little timely offensive support and.....we wait for Puig or somebody to put the team on his back and start a big streak. Local headlines and talkshow banter is about another pitcher but, no way is the staff the big issue at this rate. Fade-outs agst Giants and Cardinals have been mostly about the punk offense. Down from 5+ runs first 30 games to about 2 last month. BIG dropoff. We need a big stick and/or Corey Seager to get plugged into SS and see what kinda pop he has. Typical for last 3-4 weeks - another wasted effort by Greinke: http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/06/13/padres-2-dodgers-1-zack-greinke-out-pitched-by-ian-kennedy/
More same - first place but only because the tide went out on the Giants too. Frustration. http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...n-kershaw-said-hes-never-been-more-frustrated "So far, this stretch of mediocrity has been far from punishing, but it's certainly no way to live." Mark Saxon/ESPN
Olney taking the easy way out with the same old 'one guy's going to turn this around.'...blah,blah> Mattingly is a sacred cow yet. That may change. The fact that this is a slow team AND doesn't hit/run much has to be looked at. I get the feeling that the FO thinks good (sometimes) pitching and good D will pay off come playoff time. Then they toss out a few names like Olivera and Seager as being the frosting on the cake? Eh, high risk here. The Mattingly Watch has begun. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:13124132
Buster - read this: http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/06/20/dodgers-need-a-spark-but-hector-olivera-wont-provide-it/ The $62 million dollar guy: “Olivera hasn’t played in a competitive game in awhile, hasn’t played in the field on even a part-time basis in years, and hasn’t played an international game (the only games that MLB teams can scout Cubans in person) in years. He has a blood disorder that knocked him out of game action for over a year, turns 30 next month and was noticeably fatigued in some private workouts for clubs, which were all scheduled with plenty of downtime between so he could recover. In the game/workout I saw him play in, he had four plate appearances in six innings, then left the game right before he would’ve faced RHP Yadier Alvarez, who was sitting 93-97 mph. The pitchers Olivera has been facing in these workouts generally work around 88-91 mph and are of roughly A-Ball quality. Olivera’s careful handling has been a good move by his representation because it controls how scouts see him and limits risk, but it’s raised more than a few eyebrows and is doing nothing to allay fears about various medical and durability issues.” -Dustin Nosler/Dodgers Digest, 6/20
" The Dodgers continue to struggle mounting rallies -- a month-long pattern -- and they are 6-18 against teams with winning records." Mark Saxon/ESPN Can't hide these numbers much longer.
Big bucks for more prospects: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...row-big-money-around-for-international-talent They better grab Cueto soon. All this beefing up the minors while the big team needs 1-2 starters and a bonafide cleanup hitter. The rest of the division ain't gonna sleep - the only reason Dodgers are in first, after a horrible .500 month of June, is because the Giants tanked at the same time. Should be an interesting 2nd half. Joc Pederson sez he wont do Home Run Derby if he's not an All-Star. ??? Something about it's not right doing the contest only.
Bullpen game for Dodgers turns into a 368 pitch, 4hr 13min softball game. A very odd couple weeks slogs on. Lead in division goes up to 5 games as G's tanking continues. With another quality starter this could turn into a stroll through regular season but. the way this lineup hits, no one banking on big noise in playoffs w/o better baseball. Kershaw and the All Star snub seems in keeping with his season so far. In/out, good/great - there are better pitchers out there currently. He needs to work on his 'bite' - the curve is not what we're used to seeing and w/o it the hitters are catching up to his hardstuff 2-3 times every start. Somehow I think this all works out for the better and he goes on a roll in a couple weeks....we hope. http://www.dailynews.com/sports/201...h-lifts-dodgers-to-10-7-victory-over-phillies
The Brett Anderson watch continues. If he's on current form, the Phillies slap the ball to left side and Dodgers win big agst. Billingsly. Chad B. getting shelled would not surprise anyone. Big talent gone to injuries. No love from Dodger fans - he hung around too long at 60% of his original self. Anderson is walking on eggs. 96 IP with Dodgers is his most in 5 yrs. His career suggests he'll suffer yet another injury. Fans praying he sticks around in the 3 spot and throwing 7 innings with a good WHIP and, more importantly, LOTS of balls pounded into the ground. The guy is tough to get under one of his tosses. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:13211519
Molly Knight's book got a ton of free pub on LA talk radio last two weeks. And, as she notes in the following interview, much of Puig-bashing she supposededly did in book was bunko put out by radio talk show guys. Whatever. It remains on my reading list, though, after wandering thru this interview it doesn't seem to offer any new turns on the old game. It's still a big business with some odd ball characters running around it but, nothing we haven't read about before. http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/07/14...lly-knight-about-the-best-team-money-can-buy/
Cross town deal coming soon? Dodgers/Angels swap players? David Vascey/Dodger Talk holding his ground on this new pitcher deal: CJ Wilson for Andre Eithier. He's been saying that the big name deals (Cueto/Hamels/Price) are off the table since the Dodgers will not part with Seager and/or Urias. Could be OK. Wilson 7-7 and 3.83 for Angels. Put him in the National League and he may work well thru Sept. Eithier's big contract ($17 mil/yr( IIRC)/ with a couple yrs. left) has been a prob with Carl Crawford coming back. I think we need another bat in the middle of the lineup. No news on that move lately.
Bret Anderson's a gamer and was pitching well and now he's dinged up. Dodgers down to two quality starters and a list of no-names. How urgent is this getting? "It went from a dull wail to a piercing siren." - Mark Saxon?ESPN If this were me I'd have a limo at D. Price's pad and be comping his mother with roses and kobe steak. This would be the deal to put us over the top. Kick it up a notch and not waste anymore time. Word, Mark Saxon: http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/dodger-report
More bullsheit from ownership. Still no trades, starting pitching is suspect, hitting is abysmal and division lead is poof....and we still have to hear all that from the radio because WE AIN'T GOT NO STINKING TV DEAL! Biggest payroll in MLB history and we're trotting out Ian Thomas, a washed-up former (2010) 1st rounder in Zach Lee, Brandon Beachy and cast of no-names in big series in Washington & NYC. What crap is this. Make something happen Magic. What a joke this is turning out to be. Open your wallet. David Price and Orestes Cespedes for starters to get back in this race or we get bonked in playoffs again. NL Elite: Cardinals Giants Pirates Hype: Dodgers Nationals Mets Cubs Donnie Baseball - heads up dude, we're getting tired of hearing zippo from you about where this team is at.
Breaking down the trades: http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/07/30...llpen-farm-for-cash-in-reported-3-team-trade/ Latos carrying some baggage? Dodger station reporter David Vascey went off on Latos two days ago saying he's basically Clubhouse Cancer. Weird - the guy hasn't put the uni on and Vascey downs him. Must be some history there for that kind of reportage. Mat Latos
Can he actually be a factor agst the Giants? What? Some old stuff from back in the day with the Pads: http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/mat-latos-3-most-memorable-off-the-field-moments/ Oh, and this from our new boy and one Mr.Posey: This trade seems like a stand-pat salary dump (Olivera) to pickup a couple back rotation guys. Pfft.........
[QUOTE This trade seems like a stand-pat salary dump (Olivera)[/QUOTE] Wrong: "Prior to the game, the Associated Press reported that the Dodgers’ luxury-tax payroll climed to $297 milllion, which would lead to a $43 million luxury tax at the end of the year. The Dodgers are also responsible for $16 million remaining on Hector Olivera‘s $28 million signing bonus"
Wrong: "Prior to the game, the Associated Press reported that the Dodgers’ luxury-tax payroll climed to $297 milllion, which would lead to a $43 million luxury tax at the end of the year. The Dodgers are also responsible for $16 million remaining on Hector Olivera‘s $28 million signing bonus"[/QUOTE]