NL West Talk

[socaljim242]

Yes I agree. The Dodgers were 9-11 when Bellinger came up, now they are 50-26. Bellinger has been a force since he was called up. The amazing thing is that Cody won't be 22 until next month.

Yeah thats nuts. People might get hung up on him batting .267 right now but he's batting .317 in his last 12 games and when he hits a two or three run home run in the second inning its been lights out for the other team. That's more impactfull ( not a word? ) than a guy getting three singles.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Yeah thats nuts. People might get hung up on him batting .267 right now but he's batting .317 in his last 12 games and when he hits a two or three run home run in the second inning its been lights out for the other team. That's more impactfull ( not a word? ) than a guy getting three singles.

Yeah and Cody does it again.

 

[socaljim242]

Yeah and Cody does it again.

24 Hr. Leads the National league.

 

[soxfan1468927]

True and lets say the Dodgers do win the west with the best record. The MVP might go to the most impactful player and right now its Bellinger.

Bellinger has been ridiculous, but I think the award has evolved beyond "best player on the best team" and if the season ended today, it would be Goldschmidt. In the last 20 years (so the last 40 MVP winners) only 6 have gone to a team with the best record in the league. And the last 3 (2016 Kris Bryant, 2014 Mike Trout, and 2005 Albert Pujols) were the best players that year anyway. I think you have to go back to Ichiro in 2001 to find a player who won the award because of how good the team was that year, plus fanfare over how well he performed. And that was a very close vote between him and Giambi (the guy I felt deserved it).

 

[OutlawImmortal]

The bad news is Clayton's been mediocre, the good news is that mediocre for Clayton is still a 2.47 ERA.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Bellinger has been ridiculous, but I think the award has evolved beyond "best player on the best team" and if the season ended today, it would be Goldschmidt. In the last 20 years (so the last 40 MVP winners) only 6 have gone to a team with the best record in the league. And the last 3 (2016 Kris Bryant, 2014 Mike Trout, and 2005 Albert Pujols) were the best players that year anyway. I think you have to go back to Ichiro in 2001 to find a player who won the award because of how good the team was that year, plus fanfare over how well he performed. And that was a very close vote between him and Giambi (the guy I felt deserved it).

Good comment and let's not forget that we have 1/2 of a season left. Anything can/could happen. If Bellinger can continue to have a good 2nd half of the season, he will be the ROY in the NL.

 

[The Oldtimer]

The bad news is Clayton's been mediocre, the good news is that mediocre for Clayton is still a 2.47 ERA.

The good news is that the Dodgers are finally getting Clayton some runs to work with.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Justin Turner only batting .388 at this point in the season.

 

[navamind]

The bad news is Clayton's been mediocre, the good news is that mediocre for Clayton is still a 2.47 ERA.

his ERA+ this year is the 4th best of his career... I wouldn't even say it's been mediocre for him. There's just more runs being scored across MLB (4.67 R/G, highest since 2007) and home runs are being hit at an unprecedented pace (1.26 home runs, higher than the 1.17 mark in 2000).

 

[navamind]

The D-Backs don't have any better alternatives than Rodney?

 

[calsnowskier]

The D-Backs don't have any better alternatives than Rodney?

Melancon is available for trade...

 

[Rambunctious]

Dodgers are hitting along with strong pitching look for them to move way ahead in the NL west....

 

[The Oldtimer]

The D-Backs don't have any better alternatives than Rodney?

Yeah that loss last night had to really hurt the D-Backs.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Dodgers are hitting along with strong pitching look for them to move way ahead in the NL west....

59-29!!!

 

[Rambunctious]

1000th RBI for Chase.......................................................Utley

 

[navamind]

Yeah thats nuts. People might get hung up on him batting .267 right now but he's batting .317 in his last 12 games and when he hits a two or three run home run in the second inning its been lights out for the other team. That's more impactfull ( not a word? ) than a guy getting three singles.

It's not just Bellinger as of late though...

Almost anyone that's been getting meaningful playing time has been hitting the crap out of the baseball. Dodgers as a whole are hitting .277/.375/.527 (138 wRC+) over the last month. For reference, that wRC+ is two points higher than Anthony Rizzo's 136 wRC+ in 2017. Dodgers non-pitchers are hitting .264/.352/.464 this year. What's also impressive is how deep the Dodgers bench is.

 

[socaljim242]

It's not just Bellinger as of late though...

Almost anyone that's been getting meaningful playing time has been hitting the crap out of the baseball. Dodgers as a whole are hitting .277/.375/.527 (138 wRC+) over the last month. For reference, that wRC+ is two points higher than Anthony Rizzo's 136 wRC+ in 2017. Dodgers non-pitchers are hitting .264/.352/.464 this year. What's also impressive is how deep the Dodgers bench is.

True and you know it's pretty much unexpected, Bellinger, Taylor, Barnes were all supposed to be the kids you bring up when someone goes on the DL and then sent back down but they way they played you couldn't send them back down. Heck Puig has 16 HRS. How many teams #8 hitter has 16 HRs before the all star break.

 

[navamind]

As for Bellinger... Eno Sarris had an article on the whole "Bellinger vs. Judge" debate. Judge has been much better this year, but that doesn't necessarily mean Judge will have a better career.

Aaron Judge or Cody Bellinger? | FanGraphs Baseball

 

[The Oldtimer]

True and you know it's pretty much unexpected, Bellinger, Taylor, Barnes were all supposed to be the kids you bring up when someone goes on the DL and then sent back down but they way they played you couldn't send them back down. Heck Puig has 16 HRS. How many teams #8 hitter has 16 HRs before the all star break.

Good point, Taylor has been a real surprise for the Dodgers this year. I remember when he played for the Mariners and they gave up on him.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Clayton Kershaw is the first pitcher in MLB history to strike out at least 13 in a complete game with fewer than 100 pitches.