The Dodgers used their Cuban pipeline to bat their way to a 7-4 win in Arizona yesterday. Cuban born Yasiel Puig and Alex Guerrero hit their first homeruns of the season and Yasmani Grandal had two hits and scored two runs. Geurrero also drove in four as part of a three hit performance and Rookie Centerfielder Joc Pederson had three hits and hit his first homerun of the season as well.
The Dodgers had a 7-0 lead heading into the ninth inning behind seven scoreless innings from Zach Greinke and one inning from Pedro Baez. Paco Rodriguez started the ninth inning and got one out and was credited with giving up one run, Chris Hatcher came in a gave up three runs, sending his ERA into the stratosphere at over 33. He did manage to get the second out in amongst the fireworks, and Joel Peralta got the final out and earned his second save. It took three pitchers and 46 pitches to get the final three outs in order for the Dodgers to secure the 7-4 win.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
My Kingdom For A Relef Pitcher
The Los Angeles Dodgers need someone in their bullpen to step into the closer's role until Kenley Jansen gets back. J.P. Howell took the loss last night after allowing a walk off single in the tenth inning in the Dodgers 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last night. A single, a wild pitch, and a steal of third base sandwiched around an out gave the Diamondbacks the win.
With the exception of allowing a three run homer to Paul Goldschmidt, Dodgers starter Brett Anderson pitched a solid game in his first start. Yimi Garcia pitched two innings of scoreless relief and Joel Peralta also pitched a scoreless inning.
Jimmy Rollins drove in two runs and Yasmani Grandal hit his first Homerun as a Dodger to account for all of the Dodgers runs.
With the exception of allowing a three run homer to Paul Goldschmidt, Dodgers starter Brett Anderson pitched a solid game in his first start. Yimi Garcia pitched two innings of scoreless relief and Joel Peralta also pitched a scoreless inning.
Jimmy Rollins drove in two runs and Yasmani Grandal hit his first Homerun as a Dodger to account for all of the Dodgers runs.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
A Gon
"For the first time in major league history" was a great way to see the Dodgers headlines start off this morning especially when it involved homeruns rather than errors made or something like that. The headlines were referring to Adrian Gonzalez's three home runs in the Dodgers 7-4 win over the Padres last night making for a total of five in the first three games. Some math genius quickly figured that Gonzalez is on a pace to hit 270 homeruns on the season. I would love to see the Vegas or mathematical odds on that happening.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Defense And Relief Pitching
The two biggest upgrades the Dodgers made this offense was in their defense and in their relief pitching and both led to the demise of the Dodgers in their 7-3 loss to the San Diego Padres last night. The combination of Yasmani Grandal at Catcher, Jimmy Rollins at Shortstop, Howie Kendrick at Second Base, and Joc Pederson in Centerfield was supposed to shore up the Dodgers defense. It is only one game, it is the beginning of the season, and what took place last night is an aberration to what will happen the rest of the season.
Zach Greinke gave up 2 hits and 1 run in his six innings in his 2015 debut and then the relief pitching followed with an uninspired 3 innings of work allowing 6 runs, only 3 earned, and Chris Hatcher faced 4 batters in the ninth inning and did not record an out as the Padres put the game away.
Rollins made two errors in a game for the first time in almost five seasons and Grandal made the third Dodgers error of the night in the ninth inning that sealed the Dodgers fate.
The Dodgers also made several mental errors last night that cost them. Jimmy Rollins getting thrown out at third and Yasiel Puig not appearing to know how many outs their were on a one out fly ball that allowed Derek Norris to take Third Base. Like I said it is still early in the season and I believe those are what most coaches like to call "coachable" moments.
The Dodgers offense was Adrian Gonzalez. He had three of the Dodgers seven hits, drove in two of their three runs including his second homerun in as many games, and is off to a great start, the kind of start the Dodgers needed him to have. He can put the Dodgers on his back and carry them for a while until somebody else gets hot.
Zach Greinke gave up 2 hits and 1 run in his six innings in his 2015 debut and then the relief pitching followed with an uninspired 3 innings of work allowing 6 runs, only 3 earned, and Chris Hatcher faced 4 batters in the ninth inning and did not record an out as the Padres put the game away.
Rollins made two errors in a game for the first time in almost five seasons and Grandal made the third Dodgers error of the night in the ninth inning that sealed the Dodgers fate.
The Dodgers also made several mental errors last night that cost them. Jimmy Rollins getting thrown out at third and Yasiel Puig not appearing to know how many outs their were on a one out fly ball that allowed Derek Norris to take Third Base. Like I said it is still early in the season and I believe those are what most coaches like to call "coachable" moments.
The Dodgers offense was Adrian Gonzalez. He had three of the Dodgers seven hits, drove in two of their three runs including his second homerun in as many games, and is off to a great start, the kind of start the Dodgers needed him to have. He can put the Dodgers on his back and carry them for a while until somebody else gets hot.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Joc Pederson's Opening Day
Joc Pederson got the start in Centerfield for the Los Angeles Dodgers home opener against the San Diego Padres yesterday and by all accounts, he was pretty impressive. He went 1 for 3 with a double, stole third base, and lead off with a walk that preceded Jimmy Rollins three run homer that won the game. He also made a tumbling catch of a sinking Will Middlebrooks line drive into the right centerfield gap in the top of the sixth inning that saved extra bases.
The Dodgers have not had a Rookie of the Year winner since Todd Hollandsworth in 1996. Eric Karros started a five year Dodgers run of Rookie of the Year winners in 1992, followed by Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, and Hideo Nomo. Pederson was a 30/30 man last year but the Dodgers players that have passed through Albuquerque have had a history of posting video game like stats that do not translate well to Dodger stadium.
The Dodgers have not had a Rookie of the Year winner since Todd Hollandsworth in 1996. Eric Karros started a five year Dodgers run of Rookie of the Year winners in 1992, followed by Mike Piazza, Raul Mondesi, and Hideo Nomo. Pederson was a 30/30 man last year but the Dodgers players that have passed through Albuquerque have had a history of posting video game like stats that do not translate well to Dodger stadium.
The Battle Of The Trades
The Dodgers won their home opener last night over the San Diego Padres 6-3 in what I would call the "Battle of the Trades." Matt Kemp won the first couple of rounds but Jimmy Rollins won the game with a big blast, a three-run homer, in the bottom of the eighth inning. Yasmani Grandal, Kemp's trade partner, never got in the game.
Reigning Cy Young And National League MVP Clayton Kershaw got the start for the Dodgers and he went 6 innings and gave all three San Diego runs, all driven in by ex-Dodger Matt Kemp. Kershaw struck out 9 but his big problem was location. When Kemp hit the two run double, Kershaw threw a fat pitch right down the middle. The inning would have been over except for the fact that Third Baseman Juan Uribe "lollygagged" his way to a ground ball and allowed Derek Norris to reach first base when it should have been the third out.
The Dodgers relievers- Yimi Garcia, Joel Peralta, and Chris Hatcher- pitched three innings of one hit baseball after Kershaw left the game. Peralta got the win and Chris Hatcher got the save after hitting the first batter he faced. Hatcher did not have a good Spring but it looks like he is going to get the opportunity to close until Kenley Jansen comes off the Disabled List.
Reigning Cy Young And National League MVP Clayton Kershaw got the start for the Dodgers and he went 6 innings and gave all three San Diego runs, all driven in by ex-Dodger Matt Kemp. Kershaw struck out 9 but his big problem was location. When Kemp hit the two run double, Kershaw threw a fat pitch right down the middle. The inning would have been over except for the fact that Third Baseman Juan Uribe "lollygagged" his way to a ground ball and allowed Derek Norris to reach first base when it should have been the third out.
The Dodgers relievers- Yimi Garcia, Joel Peralta, and Chris Hatcher- pitched three innings of one hit baseball after Kershaw left the game. Peralta got the win and Chris Hatcher got the save after hitting the first batter he faced. Hatcher did not have a good Spring but it looks like he is going to get the opportunity to close until Kenley Jansen comes off the Disabled List.
Monday, April 6, 2015
The Opening Day Roster
The Dodgers went 16-11 with 8 ties this spring. There are no real surprises on the Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day Roster. None of the Dodgers twenty non-Roster invitees made the Roster.
The Dodgers are going with four starting pitchers and seven relievers until a fifth starter is needed sometime in May. The two left handed Relievers they decided to go with were J.P. Howell and Paco Rodriguez even though non-Roster invitee Adam Liberatore pitched in 11 games without giving up a run. Rodriguez had a good camp and the experience factor may have won out. Pedro Baez and Yimi Garcia are two rookie right handed relievers that made the staff. Recently acquired Chris Hatcher may get the first crack at the Closer's role until Kenley Jansen comes back sometime in early May. Hatcher did not have a good camp with an ERA over 8.
Rookie Centerfielder Joc Pederson cemented his hold on the starting job as he tied for the team lead with Infielder Enrique Hernandez in home runs with 6 and he batted .338. Andre Ethier also had a good spring but the Dodgers are looking to deal him but it may be closer to the trade deadline before he can be moved. The Dodgers are going to carry five outfielders going into Opening Day but Scott Van Slyke can also play First Base. Darwin Barney and Alex Guerrero both made the team as backup infielders, Barney for his glove and Guerrero for his bat.
Enrique Hernandez and off season acquisition Outfielder Chris Heisey were both sent down. Hernandez had a solid spring but he can be an every day player in AAA and Heisey did not help himself out any by batting .100 this Spring. Left hander David Huff had a decent spring but was sent down to get in some innings until the Dodgers need a fifth starter in a couple of weeks.
The Dodgers are going with four starting pitchers and seven relievers until a fifth starter is needed sometime in May. The two left handed Relievers they decided to go with were J.P. Howell and Paco Rodriguez even though non-Roster invitee Adam Liberatore pitched in 11 games without giving up a run. Rodriguez had a good camp and the experience factor may have won out. Pedro Baez and Yimi Garcia are two rookie right handed relievers that made the staff. Recently acquired Chris Hatcher may get the first crack at the Closer's role until Kenley Jansen comes back sometime in early May. Hatcher did not have a good camp with an ERA over 8.
Rookie Centerfielder Joc Pederson cemented his hold on the starting job as he tied for the team lead with Infielder Enrique Hernandez in home runs with 6 and he batted .338. Andre Ethier also had a good spring but the Dodgers are looking to deal him but it may be closer to the trade deadline before he can be moved. The Dodgers are going to carry five outfielders going into Opening Day but Scott Van Slyke can also play First Base. Darwin Barney and Alex Guerrero both made the team as backup infielders, Barney for his glove and Guerrero for his bat.
Enrique Hernandez and off season acquisition Outfielder Chris Heisey were both sent down. Hernandez had a solid spring but he can be an every day player in AAA and Heisey did not help himself out any by batting .100 this Spring. Left hander David Huff had a decent spring but was sent down to get in some innings until the Dodgers need a fifth starter in a couple of weeks.
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