Clayton Kershaw finally got his 100th career win last night. No Dodger fan thought it would take him until the middle of May to achieve that milestone. I believed he would get that in the first week of the season. His location has been off this year and his pitch counts have been high. He threw 110 pitches last night in 6 2/3 innings and his walk ratio is much higher than it was last year.
Even with Kershaw's slow start, the Dodgers are off to a 23-12 start and a solid lead in the National League West. This is due to a great start by Zach Greinke and a surprising offense that is putting up record numbers for the Dodgers and is one of the best in baseball. This is in spite of a slow start by Jimmy Rollins (.197 BA) and injuries to two starting outfielders, Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Keep On Winning
The Los Angeles Dodgers record is 22-10 heading into tonight's finale with the Miami Marlins. The Los Angeles Dodgers Disabled List now contains nine names including two starting outfielders (Puig and Crawford), two starting pitchers (McCarthy and Ryu) and the team's closer (Jansen). I have always said that I believe Manager Don Mattingly is at his best when he is plugging in pieces in the lineup or cobbling together the starting rotation.
He has a reserve outfielder, Enrique Hernandez, who came from the Miami Marlins in the Dee Gordon trade. Hernandez has been an infielder throughout his rise through the minors and got in 121 at bats with the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins last year. He tied for the Dodgers lead in homeruns with six this spring.
Alex Guerrero, another natural Second Baseman playing out of position at Third Base and in the Outfield, has been pressing for playing time because of his bat no matter where they have to plug him in. He has six homeruns in 51 at bats and no steady position to play.
The Dodgers are only carrying 12 position players right now on their roster and 13 pitchers. Everybody should be getting their chances to hit.
He has a reserve outfielder, Enrique Hernandez, who came from the Miami Marlins in the Dee Gordon trade. Hernandez has been an infielder throughout his rise through the minors and got in 121 at bats with the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins last year. He tied for the Dodgers lead in homeruns with six this spring.
Alex Guerrero, another natural Second Baseman playing out of position at Third Base and in the Outfield, has been pressing for playing time because of his bat no matter where they have to plug him in. He has six homeruns in 51 at bats and no steady position to play.
The Dodgers are only carrying 12 position players right now on their roster and 13 pitchers. Everybody should be getting their chances to hit.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The Utility Man Award
The NBA has a Sixth Man Award and I believe that Major League baseball should have a Utility man Award or Something. It would have to be a player that does not stat everyday and can play multiple positions.
The Dodgers have a couple of players that could win that award in Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke. Justin Turner was Sunday's hero against the Colorado Rockies and Scott Van Slyke was last night's hero against the Miami Marlins. Van Slyke's first big play came on defense. I don't think he is ever going to be known as a five tool player but he threw a strike to Dodgers Catcher Yasmani Grandal to nail a Marlins runner trying to score from third on a sacrifice fly. The ball got stuck in his glove at first and he had to reload but he made the play. His biggest play came in the bottom of the ninth when he hit a walk off, three run homer to win the game.
Both Turner and Van Slyke are batting over .300 and only have about 100 at bats between the two of them. Van Slyke primarily plays the outfield but can play first base if absolutely necessary whereas Turner is primarily an infielder. Both would make excellent candidates for my new Utility Man Award.
The Dodgers have a couple of players that could win that award in Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke. Justin Turner was Sunday's hero against the Colorado Rockies and Scott Van Slyke was last night's hero against the Miami Marlins. Van Slyke's first big play came on defense. I don't think he is ever going to be known as a five tool player but he threw a strike to Dodgers Catcher Yasmani Grandal to nail a Marlins runner trying to score from third on a sacrifice fly. The ball got stuck in his glove at first and he had to reload but he made the play. His biggest play came in the bottom of the ninth when he hit a walk off, three run homer to win the game.
Both Turner and Van Slyke are batting over .300 and only have about 100 at bats between the two of them. Van Slyke primarily plays the outfield but can play first base if absolutely necessary whereas Turner is primarily an infielder. Both would make excellent candidates for my new Utility Man Award.
Monday, May 11, 2015
And A Hard Rain Fell....
I borrowed this title from a book about the Vietnam War by John Ketwig. You need to go find a copy of that book. It is an excellent read. It is also an accurate description of the Dodgers weekend in Colorado. The Dodgers had a five inning game on Friday night getting a 2-1 win and Brett Anderson got credit for the complete game win. The Dodgers were rained out on Saturday and woke up to snow on the ground on Sunday.
Clayton Kershaw got the start on Sunday and he has not been able to find his groove this season. He gave up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to a very un-Kershaw like 4.26. Luckily for him and the Dodgers, their bats are still booming. Justin Turner hit a two run homer, Adrian Gonzalez drove in three and the Dodgers completed the rain-shortened two game sweep with a 9-5 win.
Clayton Kershaw got the start on Sunday and he has not been able to find his groove this season. He gave up 5 runs in 5 2/3 innings, raising his ERA to a very un-Kershaw like 4.26. Luckily for him and the Dodgers, their bats are still booming. Justin Turner hit a two run homer, Adrian Gonzalez drove in three and the Dodgers completed the rain-shortened two game sweep with a 9-5 win.
Friday, May 8, 2015
The Elusive Fifth Starter
The Dodgers have been wanting one of their pitchers to step up and grab the fifth starters slot since the season began. Four pitchers have all had their chances- Scott Baker, Mike Bolsinger, David Huff, and Joe Wieland. Carlos Frias can be added to that mix but he slid into Brandon McCarthy's fourth slot when he went down.
Scott Baker is the only one that has more than one start (2). None of the four have a win (Carlos Frias is 2-0 taking McCarthy's spot)and none of them have made it past the sixth inning. Mike Bolsinger is the only one that had a good start (5 2/3, 1 ER). When McCarthy comes back, Frias will occupy that fifth starter's position. After yesterday's win over Milwaukee, Manager Don Mattingly said Frias would continue to get the ball. The Dodgers need somebody to nail it down until they start getting some arms back.
Scott Baker is the only one that has more than one start (2). None of the four have a win (Carlos Frias is 2-0 taking McCarthy's spot)and none of them have made it past the sixth inning. Mike Bolsinger is the only one that had a good start (5 2/3, 1 ER). When McCarthy comes back, Frias will occupy that fifth starter's position. After yesterday's win over Milwaukee, Manager Don Mattingly said Frias would continue to get the ball. The Dodgers need somebody to nail it down until they start getting some arms back.
A Grandal Day In Milwaukee
First of all, I have got to come up with better titles. Yasmani Grandal hit two homeruns yesterday and drove in eight in the Dodgers 14-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Grandal has resurrected his batting average from well below the Mendoza line just a week ago to .301 after his breakout game against Milwaukee. He got on base all six times he went to the plate (two walks) batting second behind rookie Joc Pederson.
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Pederson Mmmbopps The Dodgers To A Win
Rookie Centerfielder Joc Pederson hit a second inning Grand Slam, his 5th homerun on the season, after being greeted with the walkup music "Mmmbop" by Hanson. A couple of the Dodger veterans hijacked Pederson's typical hip hop walkup music before his at bat. They should substitute teen bop hits of the '90's more often. Jeff Turner hit his second homerun on the season and Pitcher Carlos Frias pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball to improve his way to 2-0 on the season.
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