Wake Me Up When September Ends

There’s not a lot to play for right about now… except pride, and hopefully, the Dodgers have learned that trying to win the division or having the best record is not the path to a World Championship. The Dodgers are resting players and peppering the IL with pitchers so as to have them rested come October, so wake me up when September ends. There’s nothing to see here, folks; move along! Well, I am slightly kidding, but what is going to happen this month is that players are going to get some much-needed rest. Doc took Julio out of the game last night after just 78 pitches. Rest! It doesn’t help him much in his Cy Young quest (15 Wins and counting), but the team is intent on keeping him fresh. There is a “cage fight” scheduled later this month between Doc and Freddie Freeman, and the winner will get to decide if Freeman sits out!

The Dodgers should have no concern with setting the all-time franchise record for wins. The Goal in 2022 is a World Championship, not setting the all-time win record. They tried that last year – how did that go? It’s been a fun season, but the icing on the cake is winning World Series. Some people say that Atlanta and the Mets look superior to the Dodgers. They probably thought the same thing about the Yankees, whom (earlier this season) I predicted would circle the drain. The Yankees are the oldest team in baseball. Their pitching was vastly overrated, and Stanton is a “potato chip.” This is a public service announcement from “Mr. I Told You So.”

READ MY LIPS:

  • The Dodgers are #1 in Runs scored in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in Batting Average in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in OB% in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in SLG% in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in OPS in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in SB% in all of MLB and #6 overall in SBs.
  • The Dodgers are #1 in team ERA is all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in WHIP in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in Fewest Runs Allowed in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #1 in Starting Pitcher ERA in all of MLB
  • The Dodgers are #3 in Bullpen ERA but are due to get a plethora of relievers back shortly.

Interestingly, the Dodgers are #18 in Strikeouts! The Braves are #2 in strikeouts. Of the playoff contenders, only the Mets and the Cardinals strike out less (the Mets strike out 7.5 times a game while the Dodgers strike out 8.2 times a game). The Dodgers average 5.35 runs a game, while the Mets score 4.6. I’ll trade a few strikeouts for more runs any day.

It’s a free country, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I do have to question the thinking ability of anyone who really believes that any MLB team is better than the Dodgers. I won’t even say the Dodgers have the best player at certain positions, but I will say that Trea Turner, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman are all TOP THREE at their positions. As bad as he has been, Cody Bellinger is TOP 3 defensively in CF, and Gavin Lux is making a name for himself. I found it incredible that fans were ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater in the last game he played.

It appears the Dodgers are going to give Miguel Vargas an opportunity in LF. He will have to produce rather quickly, but I would like to see them give him all the ABs against LH pitching in LF over the ten days so that he doesn’t think he has to hit a 6-run homer to show his skills. This is an audition… make no mistake about it! Trayce Thompson needs to keep his eye on it, and the clock is ticking on Joey Gallo. Justin Turner has re-gained All-Star Status, and Chris Taylor is starting to get his swing back, while Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger are still waiting for that to happen. It might not happen, and if it doesn’t, the Dodgers will compensate accordingly – they have the pieces.

Many Dodgers fans are like Baseball Closers – they have short memories. It’s good to have a short memory if you are closer, but not so desirable in a fan. When the Dodgers lose a couple of games in a row, some fans forget how good the Dodgers really are, and they sometimes go Bat-Shit-Crazy. My job is to remind them!

Rants & Raves

  • I think Mookie might stay at 2B until Gavin Lux returns. I have never seen a “shovel pass” from Betts to Turner like I saw last night.
  • I really don’t know what to say about Blake Treinen – he only threw five pitches but looked superb, hitting 97 and 98 MPH.
  • Danny Duffy, Tommy Kahnle, and Keone Kela all pitched for OKC last night. Duffy was good, Kahnle was bad, and Kela was ugly. V-Gon pitched on Friday and was very good. They are just getting the “feel” back – some are ahead of others.
  • The Magic Number to Clinch the NL West is 12. It’s very early in the season to talk about that!
  • The Dodgers could have Four Players in the Top 10 for MVP… Probably 3.
  • Will Smith is establishing himself as one of the best LA Dodger Catchers of all time. No, I am not forgetting Campy (I said LA Dodgers). He becomes just the third catcher in Dodgers history to accumulate two or more seasons with 20 or more homers.
  • It turned out that Blake Treinen was diagnosed with a partial tear in his right capsule and advised to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery (much like Julio Urias underwent a few years ago). Blake is not known for conventional wisdom and went another route. So far, it is paying off! Just last week, Dodger Fans finally found out what was really wrong, and it was VERY SERIOUS. If I were Andrew Friedman, I would absolutely want Dave Roberts to give the cryptic, evasive, and sometimes “dumb” answers that he does so I could keep my friends close but my enemies closer. Dave does that job perfectly, even if (as fans) we hate it!
  • The Dodgers are allegedly giving Andrew Heaney extra rest and calling up Ryan Pepiot to pitch today as David Price goes on the IL with a wrist problem… maybe to never come off of it! Caleb Ferguson is listed as the “opener.” Monday, against the Runts, we have a matchup of TBD vs. TBD. Evidently, the first time twins have ever pitched against each other.
  • I recently updated my Top Dodger Prospects (located at the Top Navigation Bar on this site. Feel free to agree or not!
  • Gavin Stone has only pitched nine innings since August 1st. Maybe he has a tired arm… Maybe that’s why he hasn’t gotten the call. I wish the Dodgers would be more forthcoming about stuff! 😉

This article has 69 Comments

  1. As I said a few times already. The numbers and stats you put up are indisputable and they say the Dodgers are the best team in MLB.
    In. the REGULAR SEASON!
    You can throw all of them out once th postseason begins.
    And all of us agree on this.
    We have watched that script before. Many times.

    So when comparing the teams that eventually will fight for the ultimate price it is necessary to look closer at the respective rosters and their weaknesses and strength.

    Dodgers strength is their depth in pitching and the top 4 – 5 in the lineup.
    Depth is extremely important for a 162 game season.
    Not nearly important in the playoffs.
    Top end talent trumps in the playoffs.

    And in two important positions the dodgers definitely are not at the top of the chain.
    We lack a top notch , reliable closer. That has bitten us in previous years and only in 2020 when finally DR used Julio we won it all.
    We lack thathttps://ladodgertalk.com/2022/06/15/changing-of-the-guard/#comment-124772 lights out , overpowering ace starter . We had. Him with WB in 2020 and that was the year we won it all. Julio might be a THE guy this season but other teams have that guy or even two.
    On the hitting side I see too many weak bats outside the top 4-5 in the lineup.
    Gallo, Barnes, MM, Belli, Hanser, CT3 all are not hitting. Other than during the regular season Facing layoff caliber pitching every day this problem very likely will be even magnified.

    The way this team is constructed at the moment they are not my favorit to win it all.
    I see the Mets and Houston ahead of them , maybe even the Braves.

    I agree with you on Lux. Kid has played a very good season on O and D and no reason to throw him under the bus for two questionable plays the other day. Tough crowd.

    Would like to see Miller start on Monday .with his stuff He could be the deus ex machina for the dodgers in their quest for the WS title.

    Go Dodgers!

    1. Yes, it all starts over in the Post-Season, but having the best players with the best depth and best statistics in just about every conceivable category helps… A LOT. Then, add in that the Dodgers greatly improved their running game so that it is arguably the best in baseball. Add in that Many Defensice Metrics rank them #1 and add in the incredible pitching depth. I like the Dodger’s chances of winning this year more than last. Many teams have won the WS lacking a Game Over Closer. The team that is hot has a better chance, and I like the Dodger’s chances better than any. Still, it is a crapshoot.

      1. I would argue that depth is EXTREMELY important in the playoffs, not just regular season.
        We saw this last year, when the Dodgers had to turn to guys like Billy McKinney and Andy Burns after the late season injuries. Shoring up the veteran depth was a priority for AF, which is why seasoned pros like Lamb and Pillar were in OKC. Snagging Trayce from the Tigers when Mookie was hurt has really paid off.
        As I’ve mentioned before, I rate Mooke and Trayce as our top two outfielders right now based on recent performance.
        Outman was been fantastic this season, in OKC and LA, but will he get a chance to dislodge Belli, Gallo or Taylor–even if they continue to scuffle? Rooting for them all, of course–and also for Vargas in leftfield.

    2. DR, you’re starting to sound like a broken record. Phillips can be that lock down closer and if Julio isn’t an ace, I don’t know who is. Gonsolin could be that guy. You want heat? Just one bad game from May, it happens to all of them except dGrom apparently. How do you feel about Scherzer’s oblique acting up? Did you happen to see that the Mets lost 7-1 to the Nats last night? They’re genuinely trying their best not to be overtaken by the Braves and lose to the Nats? We’re having Spring Training style tryouts and crushed a playoff team.

    3. Well, dodgerram being we haven’t started the playoffs yet MT can only list stats from the regular season. With your reasoning the Dodgers might as well just go fishing at the end of the season. They’re going to suck in the playoffs so why bother. Their tremendous depth don’t mean shit….until it does. The players aren’t immune from injury in the postseason. Why is it only the Dodgers that are going to choke, fail, and become injury prone? None of the other teams will have any negative issues. Only the Dodgers. OK. Why do you think the Braves, Mets, and Astros will be better? Just saying it doesn’t make it so. And you’re being realistic? Realism is based on facts I believe. So no. You’re providing an opinion or a guess. To which you’re entitled to. We all know the playoffs these days are a crap shoot. A hot team, not necessary the best team, can win the WS. It seems you have already assumed the Dodgers will not be a hot team. Or that our closer (whoever that might be) will fail. Or half the lineup can’t hit (although the lineup hasn’t been established yet). And you think this why? Why so negative? Oh, you are not hurting anyone’s feelings. Sorry.
      Change course…then carry on.

  2. Oh ye of little faith, but always ending in “Go Dodgers!!!”, “Remember the Alamo!!!” No, “Remember the ’88 Dodgers!!!” These Dodgers are better than those Dodgers. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will know these Dodgers can beat deGrom.

    1. Sorry , did I hurt your feelings with my not-so -rose -colored view on the postseason outlook?
      I am really sorry if I did
      And yet, even if you do not approve it I will end as usual:

      Go Dodgers!

      P.s
      Before Julio threw that last strike to end tha 2020 WS I promised to myself never to ask anything more of the baseball gods than that last out.if the dodgers never win another WS title in my lifetime I am okay with it,maybe that is why I allow me a more objective and realistic look at their chances than some other fans.

      1. You’re confusing “realistic” with “nihilistic”. Your takes aren’t realistic at all.

  3. I think Will Smith’s school-boy looks and low-key, quiet manner are one reason he is (somewhat) overlooked. (On the USA team he’ll be playing with Realmuto, much more the fiery type.)
    Have we ever seen Smith bark at an umpire or an opposing player? And there’s a steathy quality to Smith’s career. He was never as hyped as someone like Lux was or Cartaya is now–or Joey Bart as Posey’s successor. Adley Rutschman may or may not end up being the next Johnny Bench–but I’m happy with Will Smith being Will Smith.
    Speaking of people being (somewhat) overlooked, good old Justin Turner’s resurgence has been impressive. Just read this on mlb.com:
    “After a frigid start to the season, the 37-year-old Turner has quietly posted a .380/.447/.569 slash in 38 games dating back to late June. If he stays the course in September, he could convince L.A. to pick up his option or perhaps ink another multiyear deal in free agency.”
    I knew he had shaken his slump, but I had no idea he’d gotten that hot.

    1. Hey Duke. My feelings exactly about Will “The Trill 2” Smith. I’ve been a fan since he first came up. He’s been my favorite current Dodger just for the reasons you mentioned. I appreciate his unassuming manner. No one exemplifies the “just do your job” mantra better than Will.
      Excellent post.

  4. Apparently Jerry Hairston was quite animated the other night on the post game show when talking about Cody Bellinger’s stance and upright batting position. He said is not a good athletic approach and if wasn’t the athlete he is he would only be hitting .100. Says he needs to return to his stance/approach he used last post season.

    I think Cody needs a complete new swing path/approach and must get away from the level bat he uses currently. Cody cannot simply catch up to exceptional FB’s he is going to see in the post season.

    I don’t think Gallo makes the post season roster and Vargas will.

    1. Hanser or CT3
      Gallo or Muncy

      Can not keep all four of those dead bats for postseason play
      My vote is Mm and CT3 over Hanser and Gallo
      Even then it leaves the roster with 4 weak bats in Belli, Max, CT3, Barnes
      And who knows how long TT can keep his hitting shoes on
      Betts
      TT
      Freeman
      Smith
      MM
      JT
      Lux
      TT
      Bellinger

      Bench: ct3, Barnes, vargas, Rios ( same power as Gallo but better average)
      I would also give Outman an audition . Kid is hot , has power and speed and could give us a spark

      Go Dodgers!

      1. https://twitter.com/juanctoribio/status/1566288073473662976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1566288073473662976%7Ctwgr%5E5a334eda0740ef0600d258a485c3e0d8b830cf84%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2F

        Mookie sayin’ what he thinks w/o pulling a Lebron-style event.

        If Hanser keeps that fluffernut heater around the zone he’s a lock for playoffs. Comes in to punch out Alonso in blowout Dodger sweep of S.A.C. peons.

  5. I have been on the belli bandwagon for a long time. Now I’m not jumping off but it looks like he may serve as a late inning defensive replacement assuming he makes the roster. Gallo probably needs to be dfa d , nice enough guy but dear lord we can’t have max belli gallo and Taylor in the same lineup! Hell Austin Barnes is actually better at the plate now than any of those 4! Was may ok after Friday s performance? Need him big time in playoffs. Julio was great last night,kershaw was very good Thursday,and me personally, I don’t mind sending Anderson out in game 3 against any other teams number 3! Bullpen starting to take shape, praying for the return of a healthy and rested gonsolin! We should win it all. Not a huge doc fan but I believe he can get us where we need to be, go blue!

  6. In other Dodgers injury news, Brusdar Graterol is hoping to play catch today or tomorrow as he recovers from right elbow inflammation. Graterol told Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group and other reporters that his injury is indeed just inflammation, as revealed by a recent MRI. Graterol was retroactively placed on the 15-day injured list on August 31, just over a week after he returned from missing nearly six weeks on another IL stint due to shoulder inflammation.

    Plunkett also reported that Tony Gonsolin was doing some throwing in the outfield yesterday, which is a good sign given the concerning nature of the forearm strain that sent Gonsolin to the 15-day IL earlier this week. The Dodgers were hopeful at the time that Gonsolin’s strain was relatively minor, and that his IL trip was mostly preventative. Roberts said a few days ago that Gonsolin received good results on an MRI, and Gonsolin already throwing is a step towards the All-Star right-hander possibly being able to return in relatively short order.

    Moving onto position players, Roberts told Plunkett and company that Gavin Lux will miss a few games after receiving a cortisone shot. Lux has missed time over the last two weeks dealing with neck and upper-back soreness, and the hope is that the cortisone shot will help enough that Lux can avoid the injured list.

  7. So Scherzer rounding into post season form. ‘Side Fatigue’. What the hell is that?? Old age pulled muscle?? Who will he be blaming that on this year. As for Muncy and CT–I give it a 98% chance that they make playoff roster over Hanser , Gallo- , if that is really the choice. Rookies Vargas, Outman etc 0%%

    Hey are Barnes and JT at highest batting average for year? Barnes .204

    1. Trolling Met fans about Dr. Scherzer and his modus operandi is not easy.

      Like we were last year, hard to get excited about an aging innings guy when his pitch count ain’t right.

      Scherzer the mercenary grumpy old uncle still looking out for #1 and the rest of team can take a hike for all he cares.

      Love he makes Bucko come up with new spins on the same old narrative: ‘He’s my $43 mil sorta-ace and I ride this horse till he dead.’

      1. According to you blunder, apparently the “grumpy guy” mercenary’s arm died much earlier this year than it did last season. There is the great vision of AF of not signing him again, in my opinion there was a good chance that it would happen again, Cronos already bills him.

      2. “Scherzer the mercenary grumpy old uncle still looking out for #1 ”

        I like you’re style, Blunder. A while back I disagreed with Bear’s criticism of Scherzer when Max complained about Doc’s usage of him after he left and signed with the Mets. I take it back. Bear was right. I was wrong. Scherzer’s an excuse making turd.

  8. “Many Dodgers fans are like Baseball Closers – they have short memories. It’s good to have a short memory if you are closer, but not so desirable in a fan. When the Dodgers lose a couple of games in a row, some fans forget how good the Dodgers really are, and they sometimes go Bat-Shit-Crazy. My job is to remind them!”

    This “Closer” remembers a certain Blogger demanding Doc’s head not so long ago.

    It’s my job to remind him of it.

      1. Lol – very good

        Gotta agree though – September needs to hurry up and get out the way…

  9. Let’s all sit around the campfire, hold hands, and sing Kumbaya. Only approved Happy Talk is allowed.

    The Dodgers are the best. They have the best batting average, the best run differential, the best runs allowed, the best runs scored. Let’s just hand them the WS trophy now.

    You know what all of that means? It means nada, zilch, nothing, zero. The postseason is an entirely new season. The regular season is ancient history – and isn’t even the same game. Playoff baseball is a completely different animal, and the Dodgers, right now, have a completely different team than the one that is, according to the Pollyannas here, the best team in history of baseball.

    The Braves, as is the pattern for which they are particularly adept, are now peaking at just the right time after floundering during the first half. They did this last year as an 88 win team during the regular season, handily beating a 106 win Dodger team.

    “Yeah, but the Dodgers had the best team last year.” Yeah? Well that didn’t mean squat, did it? They got their butts handed to them by some guy named Rosario and Joc Pederson and his ridiculous pearl necklace.

    The Nationals had a losing record in the first half of 2019, only won 93 games that year and were a friggin wild card and beat a Dodger team that won 106 games. The Dodgers might have the talent, but they also have manager making bonehead tactical decisions in key moments of key games, so there’s that.

    To say the team that won 91 games during the regular season is banged up is an understatement. The clubhouse is a triage unit. Gonsolin is probably done, Grateral is probably done, May had about a month last season where he was starting to look pretty good. Before that, he was young and hittable. It looks like he’s reverted back to being hittable, and wilts under pressure situations.

    “Yeah, but Roberts said the MRI results were, “not good, not bad, about as good as we could have hoped … but not quite.'” Yeah, and I remember Roberts said Andre Ethier had a bruise and would be in the Spring Training lineup the next day …. he had a broken leg and his career was effectively over …. so there’s the typical dissembling by Roberts.

    Gallo is Gallo, Bellinger is Bellinger, Muncy is Muncy and CT3 is swinging right through straight-as-arrow center cut fastballs. Betts, TT and Freddy have been solid, but are now starting to get banged up and slow down, and the bottom of the order is a black hole where rallies go to die.

    Keep up the Happy Talk, but the Dodgers are going to have to play better than they did against the Mets if they want to advance in the playoffs.

    1. The Braves, as is the pattern for which they are particularly adept, are now peaking at just the right time after floundering during the first half. They did this last year as an 88 win team during the regular season, handily beating a 106 win Dodger team. The Dodgers scored 27 runs, the Braves scored 28 runs in the series. There were 3 one run games and the home team won each of them. I guess you have a new definition for handily.

      Since when does once become a pattern? Didn’t we toss them from the playoffs in 2018 and 2020?

      “Keep up the Happy Talk, but the Dodgers are going to have to play better than they did against the Mets if they want to advance in the playoffs.” Thanks Captain Obvious.

      The Mets are going to have to play better than they did last night when they lost to the worst team in baseball, while facing the worst starting pitcher in baseball.

      Did Andre Either do any kind of baseball activities the day after this MRI came back?

      What the hell does this mean? Gallo is Gallo, Bellinger is Bellinger, Muncy is Muncy. Are you just being lazy or are you having a stroke? Is there a requirement for a minimum number of words?

      The clubhouse is a triage unit. Gonsolin is probably done, Grateral is probably done. You’re two days behind the news cycle. You should get some current info since this is the opposite of reality. Go up a couple of posts for current news.

      How the hell do you come up with this shit? Pretty much everything you wrote here is a lie. You should get a job with CNN covering mostly peaceful protests.

      1. “What the hell does this mean? Gallo is Gallo, Bellinger is Bellinger, Muncy is Muncy. Are you just being lazy or are you having a stroke? Is there a requirement for a minimum number of words?”

        It means they haven’t done squat for a very long time and it’s foolhardy to expect them to suddenly and miraculously change just in time for the playoffs.

        The Braves took the Dodgers to a game 7 in 2020. THAT was a hard fought and close series. Last year against the Braves was not. Even though you can point to the narrow run differential for the entire series, it was clear the the Dodgers just ran out of gas – and players – at the end. The Braves were just the better team – AT THAT TIME (which was the right time).

        You’re basing you conclusive TG and Bazooka news on what Roberts says, and who the hell even knows what that means? For all we know TG’s arm fell off. You’d have better luck trying to interpret tea leaves than understanding or believing a Roberts answer to a question. Why don’t toss some chicken bones in the air and look at the results and get back to us.

        … And they were mostly peaceful protests. The Ministry of Truth told us! Your skepticism means you must be an Ultra MAGA. You’re an enemy of the state. Our Dear Leader told us so the other night.

    2. Even blind squirrels do it once.

      Do it twice… and I’m listening!

      I do not think that you really believe the regular season means nothing:

      1. It established patterns,
      2. It determines seeding and home field advantage,
      3. It can infuse confidence in a team, and
      4. If you do all that, it likely means you have the best players.

      That means SOMETHING… just not EVERYTHING!

      There are several things that come into play, and I look at them like they are equal in importance:
      24% – BEST PLAYERS
      24% – BEST RECORD
      24% – MOMENTUM
      24% – BLIND LUCK
      04%- WHAT THE BASEBALL GODS WANT

      Worrying robs you of your happiness now. If bad happens, at least you were happy for a time. What me worry?

      1. Ok, to be SOMEWHAT serious, yes, the regular season means the Dodgers are a very very good team. They should b considered the favorites to win it all. But as Cassidy points out above, being the best team in the regular season barely gives a statistical advantage in winning the WS.

        Dodgerrick was fond of saying, “the best predictor of future results is past results ” … or something like that.

        Sort of, but not really. The only constant is change. At the end of June, the Yankees were the unquestioned juggernaut of the MLB. Now they’re struggling. Things can change quickly.

        Enjoy how good the Dodgers are. They’re historically good. Blank slate when the playoffs start. It’ll be fun.

  10. Having home field advantage is key to our chances of winning the Series this year. So what we do in the regular season does effect the post season.

  11. Let’s sit around the campfire and complain about the best team in baseball. Like a bunch of Karnes, you find things to complain about. Let’s come up narratives like the regular season doesn’t mean anything. And somehow these other brilliant GM’s purpose built their teams to be sub-par for the regular season, but dominate in the postseason.

    Let’s not forget that the Braves had a home series against us even though we won close to 20 more games. We lost the first two in their yard by a run each. I guess the Dodgers planned on having one their best hitters get injured on the last day of the season and the Braves planned that Rosario, who always sucked, would be an MVP. Brilliant!

    When you’re clearly the best team in baseball, it makes sense to boast about the greatness of team. When you’re a Dodgers fan and you’re boasting about worse teams being better than us by claiming the regular season is meaningless, you might be delusional.

    Why can’t the Giants just be good?

    You guys nitpick the shit out of a great team and jump on the bandwagon of every other team that presents any kind of a remote challenge to us. I feel sorry for those with such a negative outlook. You must be the life of the party. It makes my stomach turn sometimes reading all of your nonsense. You bat a buck fifty with you predictions and the only thing you can get right is that someone else will win the World Series. With 12 teams in the playoffs, the odds are in your favor. It’s pretty hard to be wrong when flipping a coin with two heads.

    I suppose the only thing worse is when the talking heads on TV do it. Everyone assumes that the Mets are just going to lineup deGrom and Scherzer for games 1 and 2 against us. No comment on how hard that’s going to be to actually accomplish when you have to win the previous series, or use them at the end of the season to win the division. No talk about how Scherzer sucked last year. No talk about all the time they’ve spent on the IL. But, everyone on the Dodgers is a huge injury risk.

    I honestly can’t believe how you can get through life with such a negative attitude and no reasoning skills.

    1. “You bat a buck fifty with you predictions”

      Yeah, well, my predictions got me 20 bucks of your hard earned money. I shoulda had it framed so I can take a picture of it and post here every time I gotta read your yammering.

      “Let’s not forget that the Braves had a home series against us even though we won close to 20 more games. We lost the first two in their yard by a run each. I guess the Dodgers planned on having one their best hitters get injured on the last day of the season and the Braves planned that Rosario, who always sucked, would be an MVP. Brilliant!”

      My point exactly! Don’t rest on your laurels or gloat about having the best team in baseball, because that was yesterday. Anything can happen in the playoffs, and winning depends on who’s hot, who’s not, and who makes a key play and which manager makes a bonehead move in a key situation (which means the Dodgers are already at a disadvantage cuz we can count on Roberts doing that).

  12. B&P: I couldn’t agree more. All it takes is one of the other 11 teams to be extremely hot at the right time to win it all. We will go into the post season with the best offense, the best pitching staff, and the best defense, therefore the best team. But shit can (and unfortunately does) happen.

    It’s so easy to nit pick and go through life negatively. Be thankful guys that you root for a team that gives you a chance to nit pick about what could go wrong but what has gone so right historically. In the old days when there were only 16 teams and the best regular season record in each league played in the WS, the best team had a great chance of winning it all. That team only had to beat one team in a seven game series. Today, when any one of 12 teams has almost an equal chance of prevailing (a team has to win 3 or 4 series and 11-13 games to win it all), it is somewhat of a “crapshoot”, and unfortunately can be based on momentum. That happens all the time in the regular season.

    Just look at this year’s Yankees. If the post season happened in April-June, I would bet a lot the Yankees would win it all. If the post season happened in July-August, I dare say the winner would have not been the Yanks. Good teams have bad streaks and bad teams have good streaks all year long. That is why the Marlins, Giants, Nationals, and Braves can win the WS despite not being the best team to name some recent winners.

    Having said all that, we still have the best chance going in but it is a chance. So get a grip and enjoy the ride, regardless of the outcome.

    1. I touched on this yesterday or the day before. If it’s true that the postseason is a crapshoot, than nothing you do can change the outcome, it’s in the hands of the gods and the fate they’ve already determined. So why worry?

      If you value logic and reasoning over faith, then it stands to reason that the best team has the best chance. So, why complain?

      Some people just want to be turds in a punchbowl or a baby ruth in the swimming pool.

      The same people that are worried about Gonsolin and Graterol aren’t worried about Scherzer and deGrom? How the hell does that make any sense?

      Then you want to site a narrative about a pattern and falsely describe a close series as being beaten handily is just false, lazy and moronic. With nothing to back it up, I can just as easily say we have the best of everything baseball has to offer and I would be factually more accurate.

      I’m embarrassed by Patch’s post. It’s uncharacteristically hot where we live, and with all those fumes while riding his bike in record breaking heat, I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt. But then again, he insisted for most of the year that the Giants are good, so there’s that.

      1. Some interesting facts about the top seed winning the WS:

        From 1946-68, with just two teams involved, the team with the game’s best record won 12 of 23 years, or 52%, a bit better odds than a coin flip. When divisional play was introduced in 1969 and the field doubled to four teams, that number was cut by nearly half – to 28% (7 of 25).

        And somewhat surprisingly, those odds remained virtually identical with the introduction of the wild card in time for the 1995 postseason, as the regular season wins king claimed the World Series in just seven of the past 27 postseasons, or 26%. That includes the last 10 seasons that featured two wild cards per league with a play-in game for nine of those years, and an expanded 16-team field during the pandemic-stricken 2020 season.

      2. To my knowledge both Graterol and TG are on the IL while MS and de Grom are not.
        Amazing , just amazing how some spin their “arguments”
        Very realistic , B&p .lol

        Go Dodgets!

        1. deGrom is a walking accident waiting to happen. Scherzer is an old man, and it is starting to catch up with him. After those two, the Mets staff is thin. Their closer is A-1. But even Ottovino got lit up last night. Yeah, those guys are on the IL, but there are four weeks left in the season. Anything can happen in four weeks. Your lack of faith in the team is ok for you, but is looked at as warped by the rest.

        2. Both spent more time on the IL this year. Scherzer has the most recent injury, pulled early last night. deGrom as only pitched 21 games the last two seasons combined.

          Amazing, just amazing how you spin your arguments.

          Seriously, any fact against the Mets you ignore. Any fact against the Dodgers, you exaggerate.

          Graterol and TG are both throwing, hence not injured.

  13. Sunday Dodger Minor League Schedule

    9:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Ronan Kopp) vs. Lake County (Aaron Davenport)
    Game 2: Great Lakes (Kendall Williams) vs. Lake County (Jack Leftwich)
    11:05 a.m.: Oklahoma City (Michael Grove) at Round Rock (Cole Winn)
    4:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Nick Nastrini) vs. Northwest Arkansas (Alec Marsh)
    5:35 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Peter Heubeck) at Inland Empire (Joey Walsh)

  14. A lot of angst in here today. The team that gets hot is usually the team that wins. Home field throughout the playoffs is a good thing, so what happens in the regular season is of huge importance. The wild card teams are going to use up their best pitching in the three games, if they all go three games. Pads are going to have to use Darvish, Snell and most likely, Clevinger to get past whoever they face. Cardinals’ best pitcher has been the kid they got from the Yankees. Wainright is only at .500 for the year, they have not had Flaherty, and their other starters have not shown a whole lot either. The one NL team that has pitching that scares you is not the Mets; it is the Braves. After Scherzer and deGrom, the Mets staff is very iffy. The Braves can run some bazookas at you. I think expecting Cody, Max or Gallo to all of a sudden find it is unrealistic. If Bellinger can finally come to the realization this winter that he needs a complete retooling of his swing, he might become the hitter we saw back in the day. I saw a blurb here today about Barnes, well Barnes has quietly raised his average to .204. He now has a higher average than Bellinger, Muncy, and Gallo. Chris Taylor hit some rockets last night, even though he avoided a serious injury to his hand when he was hit. The off day must have helped Trea some, his power stroke came back, but he still chases that low and away pitch. Vargas showed some discipline at the plate. Thompson stuck to what he has done this season and still did not hit a lefty. Manaea is a mess. He must really hate pitching at Dodger Stadium.

  15. B&P: While I agree with your posts today, you continue to misunderstand what I’ve meant with the word “crapshoot”. The definition of the word is “something that has an unpredictable outcome”. Even if we use your 60% number of a few days ago, that certainly suggests unpredictable. If we use MushersPop’s numbers in his earlier post, it suggests unpredictable even more.

    Dodgerram, yes our 2 guys are currently on the IL. However, deGrom has spent the better part of the past 2 years on the IL. Who knows whether he is just one pitch away from a return to the IL. MS is also not currently on the IL but came out of last night’s game after 67 pitches. He is also the guy who couldn’t finish last year’s post season due to a dead arm. A few days ago I said that Scherzer’s post season numbers were 128.2 innings, 7-6 record, 3.14 ERA. WHIP 1.1. These are good numbers, but not great or Ace like and certainly beatable. Finally, here are Urias’ numbers. 2021 20/3 ERA 2.96, 2022 15/7 ERA 2.29, career 47/17 ERA 2.89. Please tell me what else you need for him to be an Ace in your world?

    1. Don’t make it about you. Plenty people have mentioned crapshoot. Like I said, close to 50% of World Series winners had the best record in one of the two leagues. Of course there’s some uncertainty. It’s sport. But, the reality is the better teams have a better chance of the winning the ring.

  16. After arriving back in LA it was obvious the team was worn down from too much in too little time to put the Padres in their rightful place in the 1st game. It only took overnight for Dodgers to recharge their batteries and spank Padres asses and show them who they really are. It’s not who’s pitching against the Dodgers or how sharp a teams defense is, it’s more how the Dodgers are at whichever moment called to battle. There is no better team in baseball and it’ll take time and a whole lot of luck and money for any franchise to field this caliber of team. The Dodgers can lose and do lose to lesser teams often enough to call the playoffs a crapshoot. I don’t like wildcards or even divisions. Those spots take too much away from ‘let the best team win’ as the path to a World Series title is littered with unfair obstructions just to get lesser teams that chance to beat the best. And that’s exactly what all the other teams will have to do to take this championship. The Dodgers are the best. If you don’t see that your eyes don’t work. All’s I look for is that comfort zone the team showed most of this season. If all cylinders are in tune the Dodgers are unbeatable. No worries!

    1. Quas – thanks for your kind offer of your Mitt, but we already have one here. I use for Cricket practice with my son.
      I’m sure someone would love to have it though.

      Good to see the Diamondbacks about to overtake SF in the Standings.

      1. Hey no problem. Is cricket gear the same as baseball gear? I don’t or haven’t really tried viewing cricket games, am I missing much? If I watch any soccer it’s always on ice and indoors. There’s always some kid that would be happy to take the glove. I just will have to hang around the park a couple blocks from my Apt. Or just pass it to one of the coaches. In this town Little League is a grade school function.

  17. Left Inland So CA this weekend to escape the 110 degree weather. Only to find a San Diego with 93 degrees and 80% humidity. So that worked out.

    But my son and I will be at the Padre/Arizona game at Petco tomorrow. Great ballpark. I’ll be sure to complain to Padre fans (and the two Arizona fans) just how worried I am about the Dodgers right now. I’m sure I’ll find endless sympathetic ears. Being a Dodger fan is just so damn stressful, you know. Reminds me of that episode of the Kardashian; the one where they almost didn’t make it to the party at the mansion in Malibu because one of them couldn’t find a handbag that matched their new Prada shoes. As a Dodger fan in 2022; I so get the struggle.

    Ok, enough snark. We’re the favorites to win it all. Full stop.

    Looking forward Petco. Wish it was against the Dodgers. But it’s a great place to watch a game.

    1. Enjoy the game JC, heading back to Cali to help with my brother getting to his phys therapy appts for about 5 weeks. We might take in a game, who knows. I will simply be happiest if they win the last game they play this year. That will mean they are champs again, and no one can say, hey, it was a shortened season, it does not count.

  18. DODGERS RECALL RYAN PEPIOT

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled right-handed pitcher Ryan Pepiot and placed left-handed pitcher David Price on the injured list with left wrist inflammation.

    Pepiot, 25, returns to the Dodgers and he is 2-0 on the campaign with a 4.02 ERA (14 ER/31.1 IP) and 36 strikeouts in seven games. With Triple-A Oklahoma City, he is 8-0 with a 2.58 ERA (24ER/80.1 IP) and 98 strikeouts in 16 games (14starts). The Indiana native has spent parts of three seasons in the minor leagues with the Dodgers, going 13-9 with a 3.51 ERA (81 ER/205.0 IP) and 256 strikeouts in 55 games (46 starts). He was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the third round (102nd overall) of the 2019 First Year Player Draft out of Butler.

    Price, 37, has made 38 appearances for the Dodgers this season, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.58 ERA (11 ER/38.1 IP). The former 2012 Cy Young has been in the Major Leagues 14 seasons and he is a combined 157-82 with a 3.32 ERA (790 ER/ 2141.2 IP) and 2,072 career strikeouts. He was the number one selection in the 2007 First Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University.

  19. 7:08 PM ET

    Padres (74-60)
    Dodgers (91-41)
    SP Mike Clevinger R
    5-5 3.59 ERA 85.1IP 27BB 73K
    SP Ryan Pepiot R
    2-0 4.02 ERA 31IP 22BB 36K

    Confirmed Lineup
    RF Mookie Betts R
    SS Trea Turner R
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    3B Max Muncy L
    DH J. Turner R
    LF Joey Gallo L
    2B Chris Taylor R
    CF C. Bellinger L

    Partly-cloudy-day
    2% Rain
    98° Wind 10 mph Out

  20. One other thought about ‘best teams’. So someone posted that when only two teams went to the WS, only 52% of the time the ‘best’ team won. I guess that means the team with the most wins. So that doesn’t mean they were better. They didn’t play each other during the regular season. Maybe one league was so weak that year that the winner was just better than them, but not better than the team in other league with less wins. Still, I’d rather have our team going forward than any other.

  21. Today, our run differential is over 100 points better than the next best team…

    Dodgers 289
    Mets 121
    Braves 155
    Yankees 186
    Astros 169

  22. Pepiot has talent, but goodness! Watching his lack of command and control is painful to watch. No. He can’t be a high leverage reliever. He’s more frustrating to watch than Kenley and Birdman combined.

  23. I thought Pepiot was out of options last time we brought him up. If so what does that mean going forward ?

  24. Pepiot has too many pitches to choose from. Limit him to two! He loses concentration. I say what I said before the season. He’s a little bit of a head case with great stuff. Harnessing it is the problem.

    Caleb Ferguson is filthy. He can close or set up.

    Alex Vesia is filthy and has the guts of a cat burglar. He can be the LH closer! I love his enthusiasm. He should grow a Fu Man Chu and act like the Mad Hungarian!

    Is it Miller Time, or should we just get Stoned?

  25. Everything being said about Pepiot was said about Gonsolin last year. Wait till next year to decide what goes best with your crow.

  26. A lot to like in this game, especially how the offense struck back after the Pads made it a one-run game.
    Just noticed: Trayce, who has significant reverse splits, hit that no-doubt HR off a lefty.
    And while we’d prefer hits, Belli managed to walk three times. Pretty odd for a guy with a terrible on-base percentage. Maybe this was a fluke, but being selective should help him get his bat working. (Muncy struck out four times. Let’s hope that’s the fluke.)
    Great to see Justin keep swinging the bat so well. He’s just red-hot. And so is Will Smith and Mookie.
    On the other hand, Phillips looked mortal.
    DFA?

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