Showing posts with label Rubby De La Rosa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rubby De La Rosa. Show all posts
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Trade Of The Century
The Dodgers pulled off an unbelievable trade today with the Boston Red Sox. They were able to acquire First Baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Outfielder Carl Crawford, Starting Pitcher Josh Beckett, and Third Baseman/Utility Man Nick Punto. The Dodgers gave up First Baseman James Loney (who is due to be a Free Agent at the end of the season), Pitchers Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster, and Infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr., and Outfielder Jerry Sands. With the exception of De La Rosa, I do not believe any of the players traded had a future with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have waited forever for Loney to live up to his potential, Webster is still 2 or 3 years away, DeJesus never could get over the hump, and Sands was never really going to get a legitimate chance because of the Dodgers crowded outfield. For the Boston Red Sox, this deal was primarily financial. They unloaded $261 Million in salary and the Dodgers opened up the checkbook like they never have before especially during the McCourt years. With the exception of Punto, all of the players the Dodgers acquired have been All-Stars, MVPs in one way, shape, or form, and are still in their prime. Carl Crawford will not be able to help the Dodgers this year but the Dodgers have seriously changed the balance of power in the National League West.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Losing A Pitcher's Duel
That was a tough loss last night. In retrospect, I should have gone with my Voodoo Doll. Joe Blanton versus Tim Lincecum is not exactly the matchup in game two that maximizes the Dodgers chance to win. I am hoping Joe Blanton picks tonight to pitch the game of his brief Dodger career. The Dodgers also activated Rubby De La Rosa tonight from the 60-day Disabled List and vanquished Javy Geurra down to the minors. I am sure Guerra will be recalled September 1st when the Dodgers can expand their roster to 40. Activating Rubby is a rather strange move considering it is so close to September 1st. I wonder if it is too early to have Rubby take Joe Blanton's place in the starting rotation?
Monday, June 13, 2011
A .500 Road Trip
When you are several games back in the National League West standings like the Dodgers are a .500 road trip is really not acceptable. If they were leading by 5 games, I could live with it. They had to win the final two games against the Colorado Rockies just to pull even on the road trip. They needed to make a statement with this road trip and unfortunately, I think they did.
James Loney came alive yesterday as he usually does when he enters the Denver City Limits with three hits topped off by a Grand Slam and Juan Uribe and Rod Barajas also had three hits. Rubby De La Rosa got the win (3-0) going 5 innings giving up 3 runs but leaving after the 5th with what was described as a forearm cramp. I don't think I have ever heard of a pitcher leaving with that one before.
The bullpen tried giving it away as Ramon Troncoso got mauled but lefty Scott Elbert came in and got the final out for his first save on the season and I believe the 8th Dodger to record a save this year.
They need a very solid homestand starting with the Cincinnati Reds tonight. The Dodgers are sending out Hiroki Kuroda against Brandon Arroyo. Arroyo always gives the Dodgers fits for some reason.
James Loney came alive yesterday as he usually does when he enters the Denver City Limits with three hits topped off by a Grand Slam and Juan Uribe and Rod Barajas also had three hits. Rubby De La Rosa got the win (3-0) going 5 innings giving up 3 runs but leaving after the 5th with what was described as a forearm cramp. I don't think I have ever heard of a pitcher leaving with that one before.
The bullpen tried giving it away as Ramon Troncoso got mauled but lefty Scott Elbert came in and got the final out for his first save on the season and I believe the 8th Dodger to record a save this year.
They need a very solid homestand starting with the Cincinnati Reds tonight. The Dodgers are sending out Hiroki Kuroda against Brandon Arroyo. Arroyo always gives the Dodgers fits for some reason.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
And The Rookies Shall Lead Them
Both Rubby De La Rosa and Dee Gordon got their first major league starts last night in a 6-2 Dodgers win over the Phillies.
De La Rosa had a shaky but effective outing. His stat line read 5 IP, 4 K's, 5 BB's, and only 1 Earned Run. I am hoping the uncustomary wildness can be attributed to nerves. He got the win and and it was his second in the majors. He threw 96 pitches, topping out at 98 MPH. He also walked and scored a run.
Dee Gordon singled in his first three at-bats (finishing 3 for 5), stole his first major league base, and scored a run. They batted him in the lead off position and he had the reputation of being a burner in the minors so I say let's turn him loose and see what he can do. He was batting over .300 at AAA Albuquerque with 20 Stolen Bases so he has the skills.
De La Rosa had a shaky but effective outing. His stat line read 5 IP, 4 K's, 5 BB's, and only 1 Earned Run. I am hoping the uncustomary wildness can be attributed to nerves. He got the win and and it was his second in the majors. He threw 96 pitches, topping out at 98 MPH. He also walked and scored a run.
Dee Gordon singled in his first three at-bats (finishing 3 for 5), stole his first major league base, and scored a run. They batted him in the lead off position and he had the reputation of being a burner in the minors so I say let's turn him loose and see what he can do. He was batting over .300 at AAA Albuquerque with 20 Stolen Bases so he has the skills.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
An Offensive Explosion
The Dodgers are finally putting some runs up on the board (23 in their past three games) and have a three-game winning streak to show for it. Matt Kemp (4 RBI's) and Casey Blake (3 RBI's) were the offensive stars last night in their 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. As badly as they have played this year and as many players that have been on the Disabled List, they are still only 4 1/2 games out of first place.
Ted Lilly was the winning pitcher last night and I have never been completely sold on him as a major league starting pitcher (especially one worth $11 million a year) because of his style of pitching. He is a great change of pace pitcher to throw in the middle of Kershaw and Billingsley because of their power, but for Lilly to be successful in any game, alot of factors have to come together. His location has to be on, his mechanics have to be almost perfect, and he has to be able to effectively change speeds. If one thing is off, the chances of balls sailing out of the park are pretty good. His stats are never going to be sexy with alot of strikeouts or shutouts, or even a very low ERA but the Dodgers need him to eat up alot innings this year, maybe be a few games over .500, and it will be a successful season for him.
Rubby De La Rosa pitched a couple of more shutout innings last night, dropping his ERA to 1.80 (he has only pitched 5 innings). He has looked impressive so far and I would love to see the Dodgers send a spot start his way.
Ted Lilly was the winning pitcher last night and I have never been completely sold on him as a major league starting pitcher (especially one worth $11 million a year) because of his style of pitching. He is a great change of pace pitcher to throw in the middle of Kershaw and Billingsley because of their power, but for Lilly to be successful in any game, alot of factors have to come together. His location has to be on, his mechanics have to be almost perfect, and he has to be able to effectively change speeds. If one thing is off, the chances of balls sailing out of the park are pretty good. His stats are never going to be sexy with alot of strikeouts or shutouts, or even a very low ERA but the Dodgers need him to eat up alot innings this year, maybe be a few games over .500, and it will be a successful season for him.
Rubby De La Rosa pitched a couple of more shutout innings last night, dropping his ERA to 1.80 (he has only pitched 5 innings). He has looked impressive so far and I would love to see the Dodgers send a spot start his way.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Walk-Off Magic Of Their Own
The Dodgers had a little bit of walk-off magic on their own last night and its about time. They beat the Florida Marlins 3-2 on Dioner Navarro's pinch-hit single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth that plated the winning run. The Florida Marlins had added an extra infielder to try to keep anything from going through.
This is Dioner Navarro's second go around with the Dodgers and the value of a solid back up catcher cannot be underestimated through the long major league season. Navarro is a decent defensive catcher and being a switch-hitter is an added bonus. Some catchers have made nice long careers out of being a backup. Funny man and journeyman catcher Bob Uecker comes to mind.
Rubby De La Rosa blew his first save opportunity but did pick up the win last night so I'll take the win. One of his pitches hit 99 MPH on the radar gun. James Loney hit his second homerun of the season and Andre Ethier hit his fifth. They were both solo homeruns and God knows we wouldn't want anybody on the team to hit a three-run homer or get a key hit with some runners in scoring position.
This is Dioner Navarro's second go around with the Dodgers and the value of a solid back up catcher cannot be underestimated through the long major league season. Navarro is a decent defensive catcher and being a switch-hitter is an added bonus. Some catchers have made nice long careers out of being a backup. Funny man and journeyman catcher Bob Uecker comes to mind.
Rubby De La Rosa blew his first save opportunity but did pick up the win last night so I'll take the win. One of his pitches hit 99 MPH on the radar gun. James Loney hit his second homerun of the season and Andre Ethier hit his fifth. They were both solo homeruns and God knows we wouldn't want anybody on the team to hit a three-run homer or get a key hit with some runners in scoring position.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Beginning Of The Rubby De La Rosa Era
The Rubby De La Rosa Era has begun for the Los Angeles Dodgers as he pitched an inning in the 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros last night. He struck out two and walked none.
I did not believe he would be called up until September but the cast of rag arms the Dodgers call a bullpen necessitated the move. I was able to see him pitch in a couple of games in Spring Training this year and what I saw I was very impressed with. Several writers have made the comparison to a young Pedro Martinez when he started out with the Dodgers and I just hope Ned Colletti doesn't trade him for a has been who will only be with the Dodgers for a season or less.
Another rookie, longtime Dodger farmhand Javy Guerra, got the save in last nights game. He is the seventh different Dodger to get a save this year and I don't know if that is a record or not but it is bound to be getting close.
De La Rosa has been projected as a starter and I believe that is where he will end up but right now, none of the Dodgers starters are pitching bad enough to be benched. However, three of the five starting pitchers are in their mid-30's, and this could be an audition for next season.
I did not believe he would be called up until September but the cast of rag arms the Dodgers call a bullpen necessitated the move. I was able to see him pitch in a couple of games in Spring Training this year and what I saw I was very impressed with. Several writers have made the comparison to a young Pedro Martinez when he started out with the Dodgers and I just hope Ned Colletti doesn't trade him for a has been who will only be with the Dodgers for a season or less.
Another rookie, longtime Dodger farmhand Javy Guerra, got the save in last nights game. He is the seventh different Dodger to get a save this year and I don't know if that is a record or not but it is bound to be getting close.
De La Rosa has been projected as a starter and I believe that is where he will end up but right now, none of the Dodgers starters are pitching bad enough to be benched. However, three of the five starting pitchers are in their mid-30's, and this could be an audition for next season.
Monday, March 14, 2011
A Work in Progress
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.
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.
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.
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