June

[CatsTopPac]

Look, I'm not even saying that LA looks like a playoff-caliber team on a consistent basis, but the media is blowing this all out of proportion. I get that the Dodgers have the highest payroll, and so the expectations are already high. And, I get that given the roster, the success from last year once "everyone" finally got healthy, etc., that expectations were through the roof coming into the season. I will also say that I expected them to be doing better right now.

All of that being said, as of today, the Dodgers are the 2nd Wildcard team and in the playoffs. Again, I am fully aware that it's only June 1st, and really, that's my point. I'm not worried about winning the West, as much as I just want LA to to play Dodger baseball. And again, I would venture to say that if the bullpen gets fixed, then we can chalk a half dozen loses to them, and we're fighting with SF for the best record in baseball.

Bottom line is that the bullpen needs to improve, and so does the defense, to a lesser extent. THe offense and starting pitching are very solid.

Hopefully we can chip away at the SF lead, but more importantly, I just want us to take care of ourselves. Win and stay healthy, the rest will iron itself out.

Go blue.

 

[LASports96]

Yeah, I think we'll be fine and like you said we're in the playoffs at the moment and this is worst case scenario, so we'll be good come October playoff baseball time.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Dodgers have to put their head down and take it one series at a time. The bullpen is kind of worrisome though, say what you want about Belisario but the dude ate up innings.

 

[sublime4eva]

I'm not worried YET we all know this isn't a sprint, I much rather just get hot at the end and get into playoffs with momentum, I could care less about home field advantage.
We need to do something about our bullpen though.
That's my biggest concern

 

[Silas]

I think there is an intangible uneasiness on this team with the OF situation and the Matt Kemp situation specifically. Missing Juan Uribe has hurt the Offense and Dee Gordon is regressing as expected.

I sense that Kemp is allowing his standing with the club affect his game. He is not the same Kemp we remember. I would seriously consider trading him for a package from Boston that included Boegerts.

Gordon is doing his usual swan song. It's time to bring up Guerrero once he gets back from the ear situation.

Wilson needs to go and probably Chris Perez, too. Colletti needs to get a couple of RP's.

Overall the Dodgers should come around, but they have some issues that need to be addressed.

 

[lasportzphan]

Scrappy win and thank goodness they did not waste Kershaw.... If this month goes poorly, sell. Free up dough to start plucking real, young talent over the next few years.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

I think there is an intangible uneasiness on this team with the OF situation and the Matt Kemp situation specifically. Missing Juan Uribe has hurt the Offense and Dee Gordon is regressing as expected.

I sense that Kemp is allowing his standing with the club affect his game. He is not the same Kemp we remember. I would seriously consider trading him for a package from Boston that included Boegerts.

Gordon is doing his usual swan song. It's time to bring up Guerrero once he gets back from the ear situation.

Wilson needs to go and probably Chris Perez, too. Colletti needs to get a couple of RP's.

Overall the Dodgers should come around, but they have some issues that need to be addressed.

We should of traded Kemp when we had a chance for Price, these guys in the outfield will not give their best when they don't know if they will be playing or not, someone will get traded IMO.

As for Gordon, I believe he will be fine. I'm not to worried about him. Getting rid of Wilson will be a little hard since Colletti gave him all that money. I can see Perez being an easier piece to move.

 

[LASports96]

Scrappy win and thank goodness they did not waste Kershaw.... If this month goes poorly, sell. Free up dough to start plucking real, young talent over the next few years.

There will be no selling with this team and there will be no need to do so anyways.

 

[Chilipepper]

Great that the White Sox's shot their self in the foot with the terrible defense so Dodgers can win a game. Funny how Kershaw the last few games will throw a pitch straight down the middle with nothing on it for a HR. But then after the HR he doesn't do it again.

 

[lasportzphan]

There will be no selling with this team and there will be no need to do so anyways.

You might be right.... appears Colorado is really struggling when Arenado went down (good young bat, sweet glove). I'll be curious to see what they make out of this season. While they may not make the playoffs, they are the last team I would want to visit come September.

The Giants appear to be legit, good pitching (what a signing Hudson has been) and one through eight in the line up are contributing on some level. They're fielding is still middling, but since their starting pitching and bullpen have been so lights out, it's negated the impact. At the plate, it really comes down to situational hitting (a concept the Dodgers have yet to instill in their line up). Plus, the Giants have some pop in their bats this year and are driving in runs. It's not all world stuff, but when your pitching is that good, it's plenty of production. This Giants team is handled well by Bochy and why anyone would sleep on them or disregard them is beyond me. This is the same formula that won two recent World Series and they are hitting better than in years past!

San Diego and Arizona are not threats.

So it comes down to Wild Card... Pittsburgh, Cincy, Washington, St. Louis are all under performing teams right now as are the Dodgers. I do not see a fix to the bullpen issues or fielding issues that are plaguing the Dodgers right now. But clearly many of you on this board do and are not worried about it.

If the Dodgers are 10 back but the end of June, it might be time to cut bait with some players. I'd like to see Van Slyke become a regular player. Move Kemp, Etheir, Crawford if possible. There is not anyone in the bullpen other than Withrow that I'd care about, maybe Howell. Dee Gordon is starting to come back down to earth but if he can hit .275, draw some walks and keep the OBP respectable, I like the guy and what he brings on the base paths - it is disruptive. Han Ram is such a defensive liability that when he is not hitting it really compounds things. The question is, what is a better option? I'd rather save the dough, find a dynamic fielder at shortstop and find hitters at other positions. Because come October, it's about defense and pitching with timely situational hitting.

I'd love to see any of the following players go to make room for farm system/new, young acquisitions:
Beckett, League, Wilson, Figgins, Gonzalez, Han Ram, Ethier, Kemp, Crawford

Let Kasten build the farm system and also have immediate financial freedom to bid on international talent or up and coming youngsters on the free agent market. There was a reason Boston salary dumped on us and won a World Series the following year - the guys they gave us are not winners, just money pits.

 

[lasportzphan]

Great that the White Sox's shot their self in the foot with the terrible defense so Dodgers can win a game. Funny how Kershaw the last few games will throw a pitch straight down the middle with nothing on it for a HR. But then after the HR he doesn't do it again.

Happens to every big league pitcher multiple times a year. Plus, a beast was at the plate.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Dan Haren, fucken sucks! & Matt Kemp is just a strike out machine.

I'm glad I dropped him from my fantasy team.

Bring up Zach Lee & Joc already, geese.

 

[lasportzphan]

5 unearned runs last night, one run tonight... The inconsistency this far into the season is troublesome.

 

[Chilipepper]

Dodgers are in a funk. Bad attitude, a losing one with no fire in the belly like the Giants have. Guess they just aren't getting paid enough to really give it their all.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Iv'e been a Dodgers fan all my life & have been here through good & bad times & watch all the games no matter what. With that being said I believe that give's me some right to say what I feel about this team, and as of right now they are starting to piss me off. 1st of I know many of you might say well it's just June their is still time & I understand all that blah blah blah, "it's not a sprint it's a marathon". June is a big month, It's a make it or break it kind of month IMO. This team has many issues that you all know what they are, starting with the Bullpen, defense, offense etc.

This team in all honesty has no continuity & solidarity. You can say all you want "well we just need to get into the playoffs & right now we are in the wild card" yea & so ? then what ? remember the wild card is one playoff game & we can get knocked out & our season is over. We have no defense especially with Hanley playing SS & his bat in the line up is not doing jack, wich puts more pressure on the rest of the line up. Matt Kemp has become under average baseball player & we are still some how intrigued because we here the name Matt Kemp (Superstar) wow. People wake up, the Matt Kemp from his MVP type season is not coming anytime soon. 2nd our bullpen right now is atrocious & even our starting pitching has been shaky the last couple of weeks. We make average teams look like all star hitters & I'm sick of it, teams that we should be destroying, just come in to our stadium & run us off our own diamond.

3rd this teams body language & ego's is really taking a toll on this team, these guy's don't take responsibility for their play & really don't give a fuck, and I don't see our coaches & especially Don Mattingly being a true leader that can turn things around. I honestly believe things will get more worst before it get's better. The only way I see us turning it around is some changes need to happen ASAP. We have to make some trades, especially for our outfield & Bullpen. Another thing I noticed was remember when Arriruebuena started at SS for 3 games & we won all those games, then Hanley comes back & what a coincidence we start losing & the errors pile up.I wouldn't mind if we got rid of him also if he doesn't start producing, and this is a man who want's a 5 year deal $130 million. I can name so many issues, but I guess overall what I'm trying to say is we SUCK!! like it or not, I speak the truth, deal with it. SMH!

 

[lasportzphan]

Iv'e been a Dodgers fan all my life & have been here through good & bad times & watch all the games no matter what. With that being said I believe that give's me some right to say what I feel about this team, and as of right now they are starting to piss me off. 1st of I know many of you might say well it's just June their is still time & I understand all that blah blah blah, "it's not a sprint it's a marathon". June is a big month, It's a make it or break it kind of month IMO. This team has many issues that you all know what they are, starting with the Bullpen, defense, offense etc.

This team in all honesty has no continuity & solidarity. You can say all you want "well we just need to get into the playoffs & right now we are in the wild card" yea & so ? then what ? remember the wild card is one playoff game & we can get knocked out & our season is over. We have no defense especially with Hanley playing SS & his bat in the line up is not doing jack, wich puts more pressure on the rest of the line up. Matt Kemp has become under average baseball player & we are still some how intrigued because we here the name Matt Kemp (Superstar) wow. People wake up, the Matt Kemp from his MVP type season is not coming anytime soon. 2nd our bullpen right now is atrocious & even our starting pitching has been shaky the last couple of weeks. We make average teams look like all star hitters & I'm sick of it, teams that we should be destroying, just come in to our stadium & run us off our own diamond.

3rd this teams body language & ego's is really taking a toll on this team, these guy's don't take responsibility for their play & really don't give a fuck, and I don't see our coaches & especially Don Mattingly being a true leader that can turn things around. I honestly believe things will get more worst before it get's better. The only way I see us turning it around is some changes need to happen ASAP. We have to make some trades, especially for our outfield & Bullpen. Another thing I noticed was remember when Arriruebuena started at SS for 3 games & we won all those games, then Hanley comes back & what a coincidence we start losing & the errors pile up.I wouldn't mind if we got rid of him also if he doesn't start producing, and this is a man who want's a 5 year deal $130 million. I can name so many issues, but I guess overall what I'm trying to say is we SUCK!! like it or not, I speak the truth, deal with it. SMH!

Every thing you said is spot on... Except about trading. Nobody is going to trade value to LA other than maybe affording the team a slight salary dump. Even the Red Sox are pitching in some dough on the deal from a few years ago.

Han Ram is appearing to not be worth the dough at this point in his career.... Last year he showed so much promise to regaining old form but paying a guy 20mil per for shoddy defense and a bat that will go quiet for months at a time might be a bad investment. A lot of options are coming on the table. I hope the Dodgers are open minded.

I can only imagine the pinch the Dodgers are in from a business plan stand point with the tv deal failing as well. The Curse of Kirk Gibson is alive and well.

I was never worried about the bats, but a bad bullpen and bad defense will undermine any team. You could see it festering in April.

 

[Chilipepper]

It's getting bad when Puig has more discipline at the plate than Kemp, Gonzalez, Hanley. Who all are swinging at bad pitches in the dirt.

 

[lasportzphan]

It's getting bad when Puig has more discipline at the plate than Kemp, Gonzalez, Hanley. Who all are swinging at bad pitches in the dirt.

You know, I harp on the situational hitting, but the numbers tell a different story. Considering the Dodgers have an A-List starting rotation, their production numbers indicate that they should be winning more games.

The Dodgers are not that bad with RISP batting .255 and 8th in MLB in runs scored. As a team, they are batting .254

It appears the Dodgers are poor situational hitters because they have nearly 20 at bats more than any MLB with runners in scoring position.

Now, where the situational hitting issue garners steam is that the Dodgers Tied for 3rd in K's with RISP. Just like an error, you are giving a team an extra out. A strikeout is the WORST thing you can do aside from the double play.

So yes, plate approach is an issue. Guys are simply striking out with RISP. When you look at all total strikeouts on the year, the Dodgers fall to 11th in the league. So clearly, these guys are not taking the right approach at the plate with RISP.

The Dodgers defense is well above the league average in giving up unearned runs (25). More errors, more pitches. And we are in a league plagued with TJ surgery so pitch counts are not trifled with. Our top notch starters get pulled as they have to garner more outs due to shoddy fielding and then the shaky bullpen must come in more often, earlier in games and you see how the whole thing snowballs.

This teams' faults are as clear as day to me. Last year, nobody was really competitive in the NL West and the Dodgers inspired surge was enough to carry them through an awful September. This year they actually do have to make a consistent effort as coasting will not suffice. So far, the superstars are not inclined on changing their approach and the numbers would indicate it's a problem.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Yeah, I can't say that I disagree with the last few posts. Situational hitting is piss poor, but overall hitting has taken a dive. The stars are not shining. HanRam showed a flash but other than that 4-4 night, he is hitting .209 since May 11th. Gordon has one multi-hit game and is hitting .171 since May 11th. Kemp is only hitting .172 since May 11th (including the 0-20 stint), and AGon has gone HITLESS in 9 of his last 13 games and is only hitting .207 since May 2nd. Ethier is only 5 for his last 36 ABs and hitting .220 since May 11th.

And Puig is hitting .318 with 11 multi-hit games and 11 2Bs since May 10th.

And that is our 1-6 hitters. Oh, and Crawford and Uribe are on the DL. So all told, that is $107 mil, and the only offensive production we are getting is from Puig, at $3.7 mil. The rest has laid an egg offensively for almost the last month, and has helped us with the 6th most errors in baseball. So, in conclusion, that $104 mil (besides Puig) is more payroll than half of the MLB, and has basically taken the last month off.

And I'm not even going to get into the bullpen.

 

[lasportzphan]

And I'm not even going to get into the bullpen.

Or the defense...