Series Thread: BorderTown Padres v. Los Angeles Dodgers

[lasportzphan]

If you judge the Dodgers on their first three games against San Diego, April was a great month. If you judge them on their last six, April was a near disaster.

I was never comfortable with the indirect pressure the front office placed on Seager. In light of the line up around him, he is forced to live up to the hype immediately in order for this team to compete. As noted before by others, it's a lineup mixed with polarizing ends of the youth and veteran age brackets.

Bottom line, someone needs to be the consistent force, our Goldschmidt.

 

[lasportzphan]

As for this series thread, I don't take issue with the pitching when the Dodgers are not hitting. However, pissing away solid Wood starts will bite this team in the long run. Stripling is an adequate number 5 and if gets Upton out, his start looks completely different. Hatcher needs to figure out how to get ahead. He clearly does not have the pitching repertoire to work effectively from behind. If he wants to find some semblance of consistency, get ahead of batters. Baez is an enigma for me. He can look sharp and then give up a bomb.

Again, pitching will be fine and sufficient. My fear is this team is a couple bats short. We will know more in June. I suspect this team will need to use depth to buy a bat or two to compete for the division and within the playoffs.

 

[duke1861]

As for this series thread, I don't take issue with the pitching when the Dodgers are not hitting. However, pissing away solid Wood starts will bite this team in the long run. Stripling is an adequate number 5 and if gets Upton out, his start looks completely different. Hatcher needs to figure out how to get ahead. He clearly does not have the pitching repertoire to work effectively from behind. If he wants to find some semblance of consistency, get ahead of batters. Baez is an enigma for me. He can look sharp and then give up a bomb.

Again, pitching will be fine and sufficient. My fear is this team is a couple bats short. We will know more in June. I suspect this team will need to use depth to buy a bat or two to compete for the division and within the playoffs.

At some point we will have to trade off some of the elite farm players for a bat and pitcher. I hate it, but at this point, they are going to have to. Not to sound like a simpleton, but one above average bat and one above average starter would do wonders for this team.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Huh? Adrian Gonzalez isn't a consistent force? Even Goldschmidt occasionally has a bad series. Kendrick is also a very consistent player, he just hasn't found his rhythm yet. He's taking a lot of good swings and fouling off a lot of balls as well as hitting line drives right at the defenses, he will shape up it's only a matter of time.

There is no more pressure on Seager to perform than there is on Grandal, Pederson, Puig or anyone else who's name is not Gonzalez.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Only 1 run but vintage KKKKKKKKKKKKKKershaw.

 

[Villain]

Funny that despite the horrible skid, the Dodgers never lost grips on 1st place. Every team struggles.

 

[lasportzphan]

Huh? Adrian Gonzalez isn't a consistent force? Even Goldschmidt occasionally has a bad series. Kendrick is also a very consistent player, he just hasn't found his rhythm yet. He's taking a lot of good swings and fouling off a lot of balls as well as hitting line drives right at the defenses, he will shape up it's only a matter of time.

There is no more pressure on Seager to perform than there is on Grandal, Pederson, Puig or anyone else who's name is not Gonzalez.

I stick by my comment regarding a "consistent force." Check out Agon's numbers in 2015 compared to other first baseman (across MLB):
11th in OPS; .830 (2nd Half: .771)
11th in SLG; .480 (2nd Half: .427)
13th in OBP; .350 (2nd Half: .344)
3.0 WAR

After the All Star break, the numbers declined across the noted categories. So while the numbers are not "bad," they certainly are not indicative of an elite first baseman as he fails to fall in the top ten across the three categories.

To be fair, his postseason numbers perked up:
OPS: .907
SLG: .526
OBP: .381

So, perhaps my rest argument is moot. However, 9Ks in 5 games is concerning (and rally killing).

As for Kendrick, an odd example to use on your part. He only played 117 games last year and fell back into the Dodgers lap this free agency period. Perhaps the market spoke on Kendrick's value this off season. I'm not saying he is a bad second baseman, but he's not elite either. Due to the limited games, he does not qualify for assessment among all MLB second baseman, but here is how he would fall in 2015:

T-11th in OPS; .746 (2nd Half: .712)
11th in SLG; .409 (2nd Half: .394)
9th in OBP; .336 (2nd Half: .319)
2.1 WAR

Relatively middling numbers at the position, similar to Agon. A sidebar, tied for 3rd (position) for GIDP and he only played 117 games!

His postseason was adequate, but not game changing (although he did manage 1 GIDP):
OPS: .727
SLG: .455
OBP: .273

These numbers do not suggest either player is an offensive force. And there is a drop-off in the second half of these season across both players. Furthermore, their respective WARs suggest that Howie is a solid starter and Agon is a between a solid starter and a good player.

As for Seager, he is often in the two spot, the place where managers place their best hitter. I'd say that is a lot of weight for any player in their "official" rookie year. The minors exist to build skill set and, perhaps equally, confidence. You never want to send a kid to the wolves too early. That's all I'm saying.

 

[lasportzphan]

Funny that despite the horrible skid, the Dodgers never lost grips on 1st place. Every team struggles.

Seeing every player slump at once is a rarity too. I agree with you, they can afford this slump, but anymore slumps against teams they should beat like this, and they could find themselves in a hole.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I stick by my comment regarding a "consistent force." Check out Agon's numbers in 2015 compared to other first baseman (across MLB):
11th in OPS; .830 (2nd Half: .771)
11th in SLG; .480 (2nd Half: .427)
13th in OBP; .350 (2nd Half: .344)
3.0 WAR

After the All Star break, the numbers declined across the noted categories. So while the numbers are not "bad," they certainly are not indicative of an elite first baseman as he fails to fall in the top ten across the three categories.

To be fair, his postseason numbers perked up:
OPS: .907
SLG: .526
OBP: .381

So, perhaps my rest argument is moot. However, 9Ks in 5 games is concerning (and rally killing).

As for Kendrick, an odd example to use on your part. He only played 117 games last year and fell back into the Dodgers lap this free agency period. Perhaps the market spoke on Kendrick's value this off season. I'm not saying he is a bad second baseman, but he's not elite either. Due to the limited games, he does not qualify for assessment among all MLB second baseman, but here is how he would fall in 2015:

T-11th in OPS; .746 (2nd Half: .712)
11th in SLG; .409 (2nd Half: .394)
9th in OBP; .336 (2nd Half: .319)
2.1 WAR

Relatively middling numbers at the position, similar to Agon. A sidebar, tied for 3rd (position) for GIDP and he only played 117 games!

His postseason was adequate, but not game changing (although he did manage 1 GIDP):
OPS: .727
SLG: .455
OBP: .273

These numbers do not suggest either player is an offensive force. And there is a drop-off in the second half of these season across both players. Furthermore, their respective WARs suggest that Howie is a solid starter and Agon is a between a solid starter and a good player.

As for Seager, he is often in the two spot, the place where managers place their best hitter. I'd say that is a lot of weight for any player in their "official" rookie year. The minors exist to build skill set and, perhaps equally, confidence. You never want to send a kid to the wolves too early. That's all I'm saying.

You are basing this all off of 1 year, I thought your point was consistency? Gonzalez is among the top 15 active players in career hits, he won the RBI title, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove in 2014. Yet he is just an average 1st baseman. Sorry man, I gotta laugh. Most people would consider Gonzalez a very good, even a great player.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Too bad Gonzalez is just average:

A decade of Adrian Gonzalez

 

[lasportzphan]

You are basing this all off of 1 year, I thought your point was consistency? Gonzalez is among the top 15 active players in career hits, he won the RBI title, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove in 2014. Yet he is just an average 1st baseman. Sorry man, I gotta laugh. Most people would consider Gonzalez a very good, even a great player.

Fair point, he has been a model of consistency throughout his career. But his prime years are behind him. Could he improve upon his 2015 season? Absolutely. However, Agon been extremely candid about his shoulder surgery, approach and declining power.

I don't think I have posted anything confrontational or off the wall. Furthermore, the stats speak for themselves. It's cool to have a difference of opinion. Sorry to have offended you. Merely shooting the breeze about baseball.

 

[lasportzphan]

Too bad Gonzalez is just average:

A decade of Adrian Gonzalez

I am not advocating "replacing" Agon. I am saying the Dodgers need more production if Agon's numbers hold like 2015.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Fair point, he has been a model of consistency throughout his career. But his prime years are behind him. Could he improve upon his 2015 season? Absolutely. However, Agon been extremely candid about his shoulder surgery, approach and declining power.

I don't think I have posted anything confrontational or off the wall. Furthermore, the stats speak for themselves. It's cool to have a difference of opinion. Sorry to have offended you. Merely shooting the breeze about baseball.

Not offended at all, we can disagree just fine. I just found it odd that two guys with more than 10 years in the league and career averages above .290 are being called inconsistent.

 

[lasportzphan]

Not offended at all, we can disagree just fine. I just found it odd that two guys with more than 10 years in the league and career averages above .290 are being called inconsistent.

Agreed, they are consistent. But they are no longer forces baring an about face from last years stats. If you think the line up as it stands now is enough, congrats.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Agreed, they are consistent. But they are no longer forces baring an about face from last years stats. If you think the line up as it stands now is enough, congrats.

Having a force in the lineup didn't seem to work out for the Dbacks last year.