I got to see the spring training game versus the Chicago Cubs on Sunday March 13th on WGN. The first inning was some ugly offensive baseball. Rafael Furcal led off with a single up the middle, Xavier Paul couldn't get a bunt down, Furcal got picked off, and James Loney singled but got thrown out trying to take the extra base. I admire the effort but the play was right in front of him. I was hoping Matt Kemp could make any kind of contact with two strikes. He might as well have gone back to the dugout and got a boat oar the way he was swinging.
Rubby De La Rosa got the start and pitched two solid innings. He was hitting the high 90's with his fastball and he displayed a good breaking pitch. Carlos Monasterios followed him and pitched two solid innings as well. It was probably his best effort of the Spring but he got sent to the minors today probably because he has still got options left. That will allow the Dodgers to go with a veteran arm such as Mike MacDougal who has had a good camp and has three 20 plus save seasons in the majors. It also gives the Dodgers a veteran closer in case Jonathan Broxton blows up again.
As far as the bench goes, Trent Oeltjen got a bunt down and Jerry Sands ripped an opposite field single on a pitch outside (I like the way he went with the pitch rather than try to pull it and ground out to short) but he also got thrown out at home with the play right in front of him. The coach may have sent him but I couldn't tell.
Wilkin De La Rosa, a left-handed reliever, looked pretty decent (he also got reassigned today but he was a non-roster invitee) and last years camp story and AAA flameout, Josh Lindblom displayed some decent stuff and worked his way out of a little bit of a jam.
Xavier Paul did not help himself with his performance yesterday. On the bunt attempt, you could see him drop the head of the bat below the ball and even watching it on TV, you could tell the ball was going to go straight up in the air. He did run out that bunt attempt because Zambrano let the ball hit the ground and avoided the double play. He overran second base on a hit-and-run and was tagged out although you have to give him the benefit of the doubt on that because it was hit to the shortstop and he may have been breaking up a potential double play. He looked bad striking out but he did end up with a bloop single.
Showing posts with label Carlos Monasterios. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carlos Monasterios. Show all posts
Monday, March 14, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The 5th Starter
The Dodgers started Spring Training with six starting pitchers but Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla have already gone down with injuries. Padilla will not back for two or three more weeks and Garland probably will not back until at least the middle of April and will start the season on the Disabled List.
The Dodgers probably will not need a fifth starter until the middle of April and if Padilla and Garland are not ready there are probably three likely canidates to choose from, all three of them right-handers. John Ely, who got work last year as both a starter and long reliever and sported a 4-10 record and a high ERA after looking good early, Tim Redding, owner of a career record of 37-57 and 144 career starts in the majors, and Carlos Monasterios, who also got some work in last year both starting and relieving.
Both Ely and Redding have had good camps and Monasterios has taken himself out of the running by getting lit up this Spring. I would like to see them give the spot to Ely for the simple reason that he brings a younger arm and more options to the table than does Redding. If it doesn't work out, he also has options.
The Dodgers probably will not need a fifth starter until the middle of April and if Padilla and Garland are not ready there are probably three likely canidates to choose from, all three of them right-handers. John Ely, who got work last year as both a starter and long reliever and sported a 4-10 record and a high ERA after looking good early, Tim Redding, owner of a career record of 37-57 and 144 career starts in the majors, and Carlos Monasterios, who also got some work in last year both starting and relieving.
Both Ely and Redding have had good camps and Monasterios has taken himself out of the running by getting lit up this Spring. I would like to see them give the spot to Ely for the simple reason that he brings a younger arm and more options to the table than does Redding. If it doesn't work out, he also has options.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
The Games Have Begun
The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their spring training season yesterday with split squad games versus the Angels and the Giants. Both of the Dodgers squads lost, 4-1 to the Angels and 8-3 to the Giants.
In the game with the Angels, the only Dodgers regulars to see action were outfielders Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and catcher Dioner Navarro. I see Navarro as more the back up to Rod Barajas, maybe even in a platoon type situation due to the fact that he is a switch hitter, more so than I see AJ Ellis winning the back up job. Navarro also has a little more pop in his bat than does Ellis.
Dodgers prospects Jerry Sands and Jake Lemmerman got some at bats against the Angels but the only run driven in was a sacrifice fly by Russ Mitchell. I really don't see him making the team out of spring training either.
On the mound, 2010 organization pitcher of the year Rubby De La Rosa got roughed up a little bit and Scott Elbert also got in a couple of innings of work. Elbert has a chance to make the team out of spring training as a left-handed reliever but he has always had control issues and that may be his downfall. I had a chance to see Elbert pitch about a year or two after the Dodgers drafted him when the Savannah Sand Gnats were the Dodgers low Class A farm team and they played the Asheville Tourists. He was a starter at that time, threw in the low 90's, and worked quickly and effectively. His ticket to the majors seems to be as a reliever.
Most of the Dodgers regulars faced the Giants and prospects Trayvon Robinson, Dee Gordon, and Ivan DeJesus Jr. got in some work against the Giants. I think that DeJesus's window of opportunity closed when he broke his leg a couple of spring trainings ago and his best bet to get to the majors is as a trade throw in at the trade deadline at the end of July. Pitcher Carlos Monasterios got lit up in this game and the Dodgers will probably send him down for more work because they do not have to keep him on the major league roster this season.
In the game with the Angels, the only Dodgers regulars to see action were outfielders Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and catcher Dioner Navarro. I see Navarro as more the back up to Rod Barajas, maybe even in a platoon type situation due to the fact that he is a switch hitter, more so than I see AJ Ellis winning the back up job. Navarro also has a little more pop in his bat than does Ellis.
Dodgers prospects Jerry Sands and Jake Lemmerman got some at bats against the Angels but the only run driven in was a sacrifice fly by Russ Mitchell. I really don't see him making the team out of spring training either.
On the mound, 2010 organization pitcher of the year Rubby De La Rosa got roughed up a little bit and Scott Elbert also got in a couple of innings of work. Elbert has a chance to make the team out of spring training as a left-handed reliever but he has always had control issues and that may be his downfall. I had a chance to see Elbert pitch about a year or two after the Dodgers drafted him when the Savannah Sand Gnats were the Dodgers low Class A farm team and they played the Asheville Tourists. He was a starter at that time, threw in the low 90's, and worked quickly and effectively. His ticket to the majors seems to be as a reliever.
Most of the Dodgers regulars faced the Giants and prospects Trayvon Robinson, Dee Gordon, and Ivan DeJesus Jr. got in some work against the Giants. I think that DeJesus's window of opportunity closed when he broke his leg a couple of spring trainings ago and his best bet to get to the majors is as a trade throw in at the trade deadline at the end of July. Pitcher Carlos Monasterios got lit up in this game and the Dodgers will probably send him down for more work because they do not have to keep him on the major league roster this season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)