Is The Manager the Problem?

June 8, 2023

Pitching changes, lineups, and strategy decisions are subjective… VERY subjective. Additionally, second guessers are seldom wrong. I rarely question tactical decisions because I know that there are frequently underlying reasons. I think I was dead on in what I said about Caleb Ferguson, and I think you will find out about it soon enough. The beat writers report what the team gives them; sometimes, they are told not to publish…

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A Championship Without a Designated Closer

September 29, 2022

I have always wondered about the predictability of having a closer and why teams have simply gone in the direction of having a 9th inning man, no matter what the situation was.  If you really think about it, throwing that “stopper” out there for the final three outs night after night is probably not the best managerial strategy.  It may be for teams with limited bullpen resources, but not with…

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The Hitting Coach

June 8, 2021

It might be hard for some to believe, but prior to 1977 the position of Hitting coach as such did not exist. The first hitting coach with that title was Jim Gilliam. There have been 18 since. Before that time, players did not have a specific person to go to. All of these guys had varying degrees of experience. Some, including Gilliam, Mattingly, McGwire. Wallack, Reggie Smith, Jack Clark, Mota,…

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First Year Impact Players – 2011 to 2020

March 25, 2021

The winter of 2010 brought some more changes to the Dodgers. Joe Torre retired from managing and Don Mattingly took over. The other main point was the now very public and hostile divorce proceedings between McCourt and his wife. So things were off to a rocky start.                             Colletti though had to put together a team and there were a lot of players who were free agents. He re-signed Kuroda…

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The Status of the 2021 Free Agent Player

January 8, 2021

Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, Carlos Carrasco, and the BIG MARKET name, Francisco Lindor.  These four have a chance to be top tier in 2021, with Lindor in the elite class.  And they have all changed teams this offseason.  The first two names have moved the Padres into a top three NL and top four MLB team, while the second two names have moved the NYM to a significant NL East…

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How Age Changed How I Look At Baseball

January 1, 2021

I just started thinking about this the other day. And it is so true. As a kid, you are in awe of the players. The speed of the game and how it seems like they make the plays so easily. The first time in a major league ballpark is magical. The first time you come through the tunnel as I did at the Coliseum and see the colors and have…

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How the Braves Got To the NLCS

October 11, 2020

Most believed that the Reds were going to be a very dangerous Wild Card team to face because of their starting pitching.  Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo, and Sonny Gray.  The Braves never had to face Gray as they dispatched the Reds in two.  But it wasn’t easy.  The Braves needed to go 13 innings before Freddie Freeman had a walk off single to beat the Reds 1-0.  The Reds outhit…

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I Am Not An Ostrich

August 13, 2020

I wrote this before Game three in partial response to MT’s comments.  With the way my year is going, the Dodgers will win 25-0, Belli will go 7-7 with 4 HRs, and the team will go 15-15 WRISP. Update – Well not quite as good as described above, Wednesday’s game had some definite positives.  The Dodgers actually used two bunts to put the team in a position to score two…

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Dodgers Hit Man

August 4, 2020

A few days ago I posted an article on young right-hander Geraldo Carrillo whom I had included in a group of players who seemed to be unlikely candidates to make it to the Dodgers. I mentioned Caleb Ferguson, Zach McKinstry and Victor Gonzalez. Another player came to mind that I neglected to mention that has proven it can be done. Also, since the minor league season is in hiding until…

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Play Ball!

March 28, 2019

Pedro Moura had a Q & A on The Athletic yesterday about the Dodgers. Some moron named Edward V. asked this: How long till Friedman and co are kicked out by Dodger fans for not delivering a championship? Pedro Moura wrote: Fans are not the bosses of big league executives, Edward. So, Edward came back and said: Fair. How about how long till Dodger fans turn on the executives for…

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