The Dodgers got the results they wanted in beating the Diamondbacks on Sunday (or Saturday our time), holding on for a 7-5 win despite nearly giving it all away at the end. The bottom line is they're 2-0, and have a chance to get three straight before nearly every other team even plays yet next Sunday in San Diego.
Let's take a look at things we learned from these past couple of games:
* Obviously, the top of the rotation is really, really good. Clayton Kershaw gave up one run in 6 2/3 innings, and Hyun-Jin Ryu was scoreless through five. Zack Greinke didn't even make the trip, so when you throw his name into the mix, that's an awesome top three for any playoff series.
* While I still think the bullpen is a huge strength, the middle relief looks like the weak link. Chris Perez and Brian Wilson were great in the first game, but the parade of relievers on Sunday were not. Chris Withrow (1 walk, 1 hit), Paco Rodriguez (1 walk, 1 hit), Jamey Wright (2 walks, 2 hits, 1 run), J.P. Howell (1 walk), and Jose Dominguez (2 walks, 1 hit, 3 runs) all ranged from bad to awful.
* To defend the relievers just a little bit, I thought home plate umpire Dale Scott had a very tight strike zone, especially late in the game when everyone just wanted to get out of there. The close calls did not go the Dodgers' way. Just thought I'd throw that in there.
* I can understand Don Mattingly wanting Kenley Jansen to face the mighty Mark Trumbo in the ninth inning of the second game, but was a little confused when he expressed how he didn't want Jansen to pitch again. Paul Maholm was the only reliever who appeared to have a clue, as he struck out Miguel Montero for the second out. Why not just leave Maholm in, as the worst that could happen would be a two-run shot? Instead, Jansen got crushed on his first pitch before striking out Gerrardo Parra to end the game. Just seemed a little odd to me.
* Jose Dominguez better keep his bags packed, because there's no way I envision him staying in LA for the start of the real regular season. Yes, he throws hard, but so what? His location was all over the place, and Major League hitters can just sit on his fastball, even in the upper 90s, and tee off. Not a good appearance for him at all.
* For that matter, perhaps Dominguez's ineffectiveness will spell the return of Brandon League. Great...
* Yasiel Puig drama is a story that will never go away. Don Mattingly, along with others, were really pissed at him after the second game. It's a shame, too, because after pulling an 0-for-5 in the first game, he was great hitting in the two-hole the next game, going 3-for-5 with a double and a couple RBIs. But then there were the two outs he ran into on the bases, which is just ridiculous at this point. I bet Mattingly can't wait to get Matt Kemp back if for no other reason to bench Puig when he pulls this crap and still have a great lineup on the field.
* Dee Gordon got the start at second and at leadoff, and boy was he exciting to watch. He's still learning the nuances of playing second with an error and a botched cover to blow a double play, but at the plate, he had three hits with a double and two runs scored. He's earned more playing time, that's for sure.
* The bottom line is just like any team, winning is fun, but there's always some issues to sort out. For the Dodgers, it's Puig and bridging the gap to Jansen in the ninth. They'll be getting some big guns back in Carl Crawford and Grienke once play resumes next week, and hopefully Kemp soon after, so that will be fun to watch. As for Puig, stay tuned. To quote ESPN, it's a "developing story" to say the least.
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Vintage Kershaw Down Under
The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner says, "You can take that 9.20 spring ERA and shove it!"
If you thought the great Clayton Kershaw was going to get roughed up again like he did in Spring Training, think again. It was a clean Kershaw start, pitching 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits with seven strikeouts, as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 3-1.
Last year, if you recall, Kershaw spun his magic both on the mound and at the plate in the opening game, as his solo homer was the difference in beating the Giants 1-0. This time around he settled for a single with two strikeouts, and even was gunned down at second trying to stretch that single in the seventh.
About the only time Kershaw was in any sort of trouble was in the first, when the DBacks put two on. Aaron Hill hit a "single" with an out, which in reality should've been an error at short from Hanley Ramirez. Paul Goldschmidt, who's an absolute animal, singled to left right after, but a couple of groundouts got the Dodgers out of trouble.
The lone run came in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Mark Trumbo to score Goldschmidt, who hit a leadoff double.
Another "if you recall" was how the Dodgers had a horrible time for much of last season giving Kershaw any sort of run support, as he only had 16 wins, far fewer than he should've. So, who would be that guy to step up and give the support in this game? Yasiel Puig? Adrian Gonzalez? Ramirez?
Nope. Scott Van Slyke.
Andy's son had a great game, and if it wasn't for some freaky wind conditions, would've ended up with two homers. He instead settled for a double off the left field wall in the second, then made up for it with a two-run shot that just cleared the wall down the right field line in the fourth. That's great for a guy who was only starting because Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp didn't make the trip.
Heck, he would've been back in the States himself if not for the other two being out. It's funny how things work out sometimes.
With both teams stocking up on their relievers thanks to the "exemption" list, Don Mattingly had no problem pulling Kershaw in the seventh at 102 pitches. Chris Perez got the last out on a fly ball to Puig in right.
Then came what should be an awesome late inning combination to watch throughout the year in Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen. Wilson was perfect in striking out two, and Jansen earned the save with only one walk.
If you were to be told that Kershaw, Perez, Wilson, and Jansen all appeared in the game without knowing to score, I'm guessing you would think the Dodgers won. Sure enough, they did. I'm already excited to keep watching them this year.
We'll wait and see when Kershaw takes the mound next, as the Dodgers open ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball on March 30 in San Diego. Or, he could take the mound in the home opener against the Giants on April 4. Or heck, he could pitch both. If he locates his fastball the way he did today, to go along with his nasty slider, then it doesn't matter who he's facing - they'll be out.
Hyun-Jin Ryu gets the call in the second game, as the Dodgers will look to get greedy and sweep the Australia series. They'll still be the road team.
If you thought the great Clayton Kershaw was going to get roughed up again like he did in Spring Training, think again. It was a clean Kershaw start, pitching 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits with seven strikeouts, as the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 3-1.
Last year, if you recall, Kershaw spun his magic both on the mound and at the plate in the opening game, as his solo homer was the difference in beating the Giants 1-0. This time around he settled for a single with two strikeouts, and even was gunned down at second trying to stretch that single in the seventh.
About the only time Kershaw was in any sort of trouble was in the first, when the DBacks put two on. Aaron Hill hit a "single" with an out, which in reality should've been an error at short from Hanley Ramirez. Paul Goldschmidt, who's an absolute animal, singled to left right after, but a couple of groundouts got the Dodgers out of trouble.
The lone run came in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Mark Trumbo to score Goldschmidt, who hit a leadoff double.
Another "if you recall" was how the Dodgers had a horrible time for much of last season giving Kershaw any sort of run support, as he only had 16 wins, far fewer than he should've. So, who would be that guy to step up and give the support in this game? Yasiel Puig? Adrian Gonzalez? Ramirez?
Nope. Scott Van Slyke.
Andy's son had a great game, and if it wasn't for some freaky wind conditions, would've ended up with two homers. He instead settled for a double off the left field wall in the second, then made up for it with a two-run shot that just cleared the wall down the right field line in the fourth. That's great for a guy who was only starting because Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp didn't make the trip.
Heck, he would've been back in the States himself if not for the other two being out. It's funny how things work out sometimes.
With both teams stocking up on their relievers thanks to the "exemption" list, Don Mattingly had no problem pulling Kershaw in the seventh at 102 pitches. Chris Perez got the last out on a fly ball to Puig in right.
Then came what should be an awesome late inning combination to watch throughout the year in Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen. Wilson was perfect in striking out two, and Jansen earned the save with only one walk.
If you were to be told that Kershaw, Perez, Wilson, and Jansen all appeared in the game without knowing to score, I'm guessing you would think the Dodgers won. Sure enough, they did. I'm already excited to keep watching them this year.
We'll wait and see when Kershaw takes the mound next, as the Dodgers open ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball on March 30 in San Diego. Or, he could take the mound in the home opener against the Giants on April 4. Or heck, he could pitch both. If he locates his fastball the way he did today, to go along with his nasty slider, then it doesn't matter who he's facing - they'll be out.
Hyun-Jin Ryu gets the call in the second game, as the Dodgers will look to get greedy and sweep the Australia series. They'll still be the road team.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Gordon could be leading off come Saturday
If you're really into studying Don Mattingly's lineup against Team Australia, then perhaps the leadoff hitter for Saturday is someone we didn't exactly think of.
Dee Gordon led off and played second base today, not Yasiel Puig, who hit right behind him. Throw in the fact that Carl Crawford didn't even make the trip, and as unlikely as this was amid all the hoopla of the Alex Guerrero signing, Gordon could very well be the man at the top of the order.
I wrote about Gordon's resurgence about a week ago (here's my proof), and I speculated that he'd hit eighth. At least for today's exhibition game, Mattingly likes the idea of Gordon and Puig at the top, followed by Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier, Juan Uribe, Scott Van Slyke, and A.J. Ellis. Since the left-handed Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks has been scratched because of a possible season-ending elbow injury, two right-handed pitchers will start in Wade Miley and Trevor Cahill. It's not hard to see today's lineup carrying over to the weekend.
And you know what? Why not? I'm all for Gordon getting a chance at the top. He hit .286 this spring with a .326 OBP. Of his 12 hits, four were triples, and he was a perfect 9-9 in stolen base attempts. I'm pretty sure that's the type of guy who's earned a chance at leading off.
Keep in mind that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks play two games, so if Gordon stinks in the first game by going 0-for-5, then Mattingly can easily put Puig leading off and drop Gordon to second or eighth. It's obviously way early in the season (duh), so it's time to see if Gordon can handle the load.
On the flip side, what does this mean for Guerrero? Well, he could sneak in as the last roster spot, or it could be off to Triple-A to start everyday at second and sharpen his defense as he's still trying to transition from a year off and as a primary shortstop. That's not a bad thing, as it could very well pay off for him in the future.
Dee Gordon led off and played second base today, not Yasiel Puig, who hit right behind him. Throw in the fact that Carl Crawford didn't even make the trip, and as unlikely as this was amid all the hoopla of the Alex Guerrero signing, Gordon could very well be the man at the top of the order.
I wrote about Gordon's resurgence about a week ago (here's my proof), and I speculated that he'd hit eighth. At least for today's exhibition game, Mattingly likes the idea of Gordon and Puig at the top, followed by Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier, Juan Uribe, Scott Van Slyke, and A.J. Ellis. Since the left-handed Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks has been scratched because of a possible season-ending elbow injury, two right-handed pitchers will start in Wade Miley and Trevor Cahill. It's not hard to see today's lineup carrying over to the weekend.
And you know what? Why not? I'm all for Gordon getting a chance at the top. He hit .286 this spring with a .326 OBP. Of his 12 hits, four were triples, and he was a perfect 9-9 in stolen base attempts. I'm pretty sure that's the type of guy who's earned a chance at leading off.
Keep in mind that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks play two games, so if Gordon stinks in the first game by going 0-for-5, then Mattingly can easily put Puig leading off and drop Gordon to second or eighth. It's obviously way early in the season (duh), so it's time to see if Gordon can handle the load.
On the flip side, what does this mean for Guerrero? Well, he could sneak in as the last roster spot, or it could be off to Triple-A to start everyday at second and sharpen his defense as he's still trying to transition from a year off and as a primary shortstop. That's not a bad thing, as it could very well pay off for him in the future.
Monday, March 17, 2014
30-man Australia roster is set
*** UPDATE ***
To check out the 25-man roster for the two-game set in Australia, scroll down a bit and look at the lineup on the right side where it's all spelled out for you.
***
The Dodgers have until Friday to set their 25-man roster for the first couple of games Down Under, but for now, here's a look at the 30 men who made the trip overseas:
Catchers
A.J. Ellis
Tim Federowicz
Drew Butera
Infielders
Adrian Gonzalez
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Dee Gordon
Alex Guerrero
Miguel Rojas
Chone Figgins
Justin Turner
Outfielders
Andre Ethier
Yasiel Puig
Scott Van Slyke
Joc Pederson
Mike Baxter
Starters
Clayton Kershaw
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Paul Maholm
Bullpen
Kenley Jansen
Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Paco Rodriguez
Jamey Wright
Chris Perez
Seth Rosin
Chris Withrow
Jose Dominguez
Zach Lee
Red Patterson
If I had to venture a guess as to the five who will NOT be on the final roster, I would go with Patterson, Lee, Baxter, Rojas, and Maholm.
Despite the rocky spring from Kershaw, you can still see him giving at least 6-7 innings in the first game, and Ryu can easily give the same. So, they might only need 4-6 innings of bullpen work between the two games, which is why I see a couple names, if not more, slashed off the bullpen list.
Maholm is only there in case of an emergency to Kershaw or Ryu. Assuming those two stay healthy (please let them stay healthy!), then Wright can handle the long relief role, and Maholm won't be needed.
As for Rojas and Baxter getting off my list, that's more of a toss up than anything. I thought maybe Butera would be left off, but maybe carrying that extra catcher isn't a bad idea. Someone like Figgins is capable of playing in the outfield as well, so there's any extra body to play multiple positions if necessary.
To check out the 25-man roster for the two-game set in Australia, scroll down a bit and look at the lineup on the right side where it's all spelled out for you.
***
The Dodgers have until Friday to set their 25-man roster for the first couple of games Down Under, but for now, here's a look at the 30 men who made the trip overseas:
Catchers
A.J. Ellis
Tim Federowicz
Drew Butera
Infielders
Adrian Gonzalez
Hanley Ramirez
Juan Uribe
Dee Gordon
Alex Guerrero
Miguel Rojas
Chone Figgins
Justin Turner
Outfielders
Andre Ethier
Yasiel Puig
Scott Van Slyke
Joc Pederson
Mike Baxter
Starters
Clayton Kershaw
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Paul Maholm
Bullpen
Kenley Jansen
Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Paco Rodriguez
Jamey Wright
Chris Perez
Seth Rosin
Chris Withrow
Jose Dominguez
Zach Lee
Red Patterson
If I had to venture a guess as to the five who will NOT be on the final roster, I would go with Patterson, Lee, Baxter, Rojas, and Maholm.
Despite the rocky spring from Kershaw, you can still see him giving at least 6-7 innings in the first game, and Ryu can easily give the same. So, they might only need 4-6 innings of bullpen work between the two games, which is why I see a couple names, if not more, slashed off the bullpen list.
Maholm is only there in case of an emergency to Kershaw or Ryu. Assuming those two stay healthy (please let them stay healthy!), then Wright can handle the long relief role, and Maholm won't be needed.
As for Rojas and Baxter getting off my list, that's more of a toss up than anything. I thought maybe Butera would be left off, but maybe carrying that extra catcher isn't a bad idea. Someone like Figgins is capable of playing in the outfield as well, so there's any extra body to play multiple positions if necessary.
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