PREDICTIONS! How will the rest of the season go?

[Villain]

The earlier you make a prediction, the more it counts. Will the Dodgers win the division? Will they miss the playoffs? Will they lose in the wildcard game? If you expect them to make it to the playoffs, how far will they go? Extra points for being more specific! Get your prediction in as early as possible.

Call your shots!

 

[lasportzphan]

I believe a team can be gauged by the end of May, early June. What can change this opinion is a call up (i.e. Puig in 2013) or trade deadline moves (i.e. 2015 Toronto Blue Jays).

Here is my prediction from May 28th:
As promised, I said I would reserve judgement on this team until late May/early June. Without further ado... this team will not make the playoffs. It's a good team, say 81-83 wins, but not built for the long haul from a pitching/bullpen stand point. Bullpen can't take on a heavy load and the starters will struggle to go deep. And against teams that grind, work counts- well even if this team did make the playoffs, they'd lose to the likes of the Cards or Giants.

John Jay returned from the DL to grind out a thirteen pitch at bat and had a base hit to show for it. Orel brought up a great point- that at bat may have made Paco a non option for tomorrow. The season is a grind, and this Dodger team is not built for it.

My 81-83 prediction was low, not surprisingly, however I anticipated a tougher schedule towards the end of the season with late series against the Giants who have given us fits all year. There are 39 games left. The Dodgers have been paying .500 ball for a significant portion of the season. So there is potential for another 19-22 wins. That has them finishing with 86-89 wins. That will not get them into the Wild Card in light of the NL Central competition. And the Giants have an easier schedule down the stretch (plus complete "ownage" of the Dodgers this year).

And honestly, this team has not looked capable of .500 ball this month or in the second half for that matter especially as the schedule gets tougher in pockets (Giants, Cubs, Pitt, Angels - all good teams). 90 wins could be a stretch let alone high 80's.

I think my observation of the pitching/bullpen issues were on point. However, I liked the moves management made during the deadline, but Latos appears to be garbage and it appears the bats have have undermined some solid outings further exposing the bullpen's inability to bridge the gap to Kenley. Simply put, the pitching situation is still amiss and does not appear to have a resolution in sight before the end of the year.

I think my short term, 2015 season analysis is misinterpreted as negative. And that could not be further than the truth. Management has positioned this team to be in the hunt all the while protecting our farm system. I feel they have done an admirable job with eyes on the long term. The Dodgers should be a competitive playoff team in 2 to 3 years, with legitimate World Series expectations. They just to find reliable 'pen arms, add another starter or hope Ryu comes back healthy, and hope Seager/Urias/Joc develop within the next couple of years.

 

[Villain]

Okay.... So what's your prediction for the rest of this season?

 

[lasportzphan]

Okay.... So what's your prediction for the rest of this season?

They will not make the playoffs and finish behind the Giants.

 

[lasportzphan]

It is funny that I caught so much grief for suggesting that this team would not make the playoffs. And while I may be wrong ( that's what makes horse races, eh?), I could very well be correct with a spot diagnosis of our issue in late May.

 

[duke1861]

They will not make the playoffs and finish behind the Giants.

I would not be surprised if we finish behind the Giants and DBacks. Snakes are only 5 back and playing well. I could see the team throwing in the towel with a week or so left.

 

[lasportzphan]

I would not be surprised if we finish behind the Giants and DBacks. Snakes are only 5 back and playing well. I could see the team throwing in the towel with a week or so left.

Throwing in the towel? Huh? I don't think professional athletes quit. That is an asinine statement. Perhaps are talent is not as capable as other teams, that may be a reason why we lose.

 

[Villain]

I would not be surprised if we finish behind the Giants and DBacks. Snakes are only 5 back and playing well. I could see the team throwing in the towel with a week or so left.

Make a prediction!

 

[Villain]

I predict that the Dodgers will win the NL West and make it at least as far as the NLCS.

 

[duke1861]

Throwing in the towel? Huh? I don't think professional athletes quit. That is an asinine statement. Perhaps are talent is not as capable as other teams, that may be a reason why we lose.

Throwing in the towel as in they don't really care. My gosh, we have a team full of athletes who are making an absurd amount of money or they have already won a World Series. I am questioning the heart of this team as I see none. As such, sure, I can see a lot of them just going out there and going through the motions.

During this slump, where has the emotion been. I have seem Kershaw get angry but thats it. Why no players only meetings, why no team meetings, why no public statements about how the team needs to improve?

Its not an asinine comment if you have watched this team lately. I see zero energy or killer instinct. I am actually running out of excuses here in St.Louis. My Cardinals friends keep asking me what is wrong and its honestly hard to come up with an excuse given our 300 million dollar payroll. Bottom line is that we have plenty of talent, but its an assembly of players.....not a team.

 

[duke1861]

Make a prediction!

Third place, 81 wins. Giants win by 3 games and DBacks win by 1.

 

[lasportzphan]

Throwing in the towel as in they don't really care. My gosh, we have a team full of athletes who are making an absurd amount of money or they have already won a World Series. I am questioning the heart of this team as I see none. As such, sure, I can see a lot of them just going out there and going through the motions.

During this slump, where has the emotion been. I have seem Kershaw get angry but thats it. Why no players only meetings, why no team meetings, why no public statements about how the team needs to improve?

Its not an asinine comment if you have watched this team lately. I see zero energy or killer instinct. I am actually running out of excuses here in St.Louis. My Cardinals friends keep asking me what is wrong and its honestly hard to come up with an excuse given our 300 million dollar payroll. Bottom line is that we have plenty of talent, but its an assembly of players.....not a team.

So what I infer from your rant, is that all we need is more heart and emotion? Why did you not speak up sooner? What if other teams' employ more heart and emotion to counter our heart and emotion? Will our increase in heart and emotion trump opponents heart and emotion because you claim we have more talent?

By the way.... I would say Kershaw plays with plenty of heart and emotion as witnessed in Oakland last Tuesday. Puig showed some emotion this past Sunday arguing balls and strikes.

I think you are over simplifying the situation. We lack talent in the bullpen and depth within the starting rotation.

 

[duke1861]

So what I infer from your rant, is that all we need is more heart and emotion? Why did you not speak up sooner? What if other teams' employ more heart and emotion to counter our heart and emotion? Will our increase in heart and emotion trump opponents heart and emotion because you claim we have more talent?

By the way.... I would say Kershaw plays with plenty of heart and emotion as witnessed in Oakland last Tuesday. Puig showed some emotion this past Sunday arguing balls and strikes.

I think you are over simplifying the situation. We lack talent in the bullpen and depth within the starting rotation.

We have plenty of talent but we don't play well as a team. How many All-Stars and future HOF players are on the team? I agree that the bullpen is an issue. I said that at the beginning of the season and people on here told me I was crazy.

I believe that heart and emotion can make up for a lack of talent. The Royals and Giants proved that last year as do the Cardinals year in and year out. The Giants rotation was a joke but they won the WS. I see zero emotion and energy out of this team. I agree that Kershaw and Puig have shown some sense of urgency out there but nobody else. Again, why has nobody called a players only meeting....why has no behind closed doors meetings been held to address the slumps?

BTW, if we have a 300 million dollar payroll and we lack talent, shouldn't we fire the front office? Seriously, how hard is it to screw up a team with a limitless payroll? I understand I am ranting, but I live in St.Louis and the local sports radio destroys us daily and they bring up valid points. Compared to the Cardinals, we are a disaster and they have half the payroll we do and they actually develop their players.

 

[duke1861]

So what I infer from your rant, is that all we need is more heart and emotion? Why did you not speak up sooner? What if other teams' employ more heart and emotion to counter our heart and emotion? Will our increase in heart and emotion trump opponents heart and emotion because you claim we have more talent?

By the way.... I would say Kershaw plays with plenty of heart and emotion as witnessed in Oakland last Tuesday. Puig showed some emotion this past Sunday arguing balls and strikes.

I think you are over simplifying the situation. We lack talent in the bullpen and depth within the starting rotation.

I agree that we lack rotation depth, again, whose fault is that? Other teams don't use injuries as an excuse so why do we? Why did we not make a decent trade at the deadline? Again, the front office needs to be held responsible for once. We always find a way to deflect blame from them for some reason.

 

[Villain]

I agree that we lack rotation depth, again, whose fault is that? Other teams don't use injuries as an excuse so why do we? Why did we not make a decent trade at the deadline? Again, the front office needs to be held responsible for once. We always find a way to deflect blame from them for some reason.

The season isn't over. The Dodgers added two starters at the trade deadline, remember? One of them has 4 more years of team control.

 

[duke1861]

The season isn't over. The Dodgers added two starters at the trade deadline, remember? One of them has 4 more years of team control.

I agree Villain and I like Wood for the most part. Its the bullpen and the theory of throwing junk arms to the pen and hoping one sticks is my problem.

If we had the Royals bullpen, we would be up by 9 games at least. Just my opinion.

 

[Smed55]

Well we will not be a wild card team, I'm not sure why that option was even given?

I think we will hold on and win division, after that who knows, if if if, that's what it comes down to then! Anyone that makes the playoffs, then has a chance to play really well, get lucky , or both. I don't see it, but it could happen!

 

[lasportzphan]

The Giants completely shitting the bed and the Dodgers playing excellent team ball of late has my prediction looking silly.

I'll eat crow, appears I am wrong. And I like being wrong in this instance.

Now, can the Dodgers hit in October?

 

[CatsTopPac]

The Giants completely shitting the bed and the Dodgers playing excellent team ball of late has my prediction looking silly.

I'll eat crow, appears I am wrong. And I like being wrong in this instance.

Now, can the Dodgers hit in October?

Hahaha, high hopes and low expectations. Story of my life.

It's always great when the Giants shit the bed. I'm really hoping that we can avoid playing the Cards and Pirates (in that order). We should do pretty well until then, or otherwise. Still need the bullpen, offense, and SP other than ZG and CK.

 

[Villain]

The Dodgers have the best record in baseball since Aug 25. This thread was started on Aug 24.