If you were of the belief that Yasiel Puig was suddenly expendable because Andre Ethier is looking good again, well... just stop. Now.
Ethier has played well this year, but if the last two games have shown anything, it's that Puig is a superstar that can be all of the difference between winning and losing.
The Dodgers just finished off a sweep of the Diamondbacks, winning the last game 7-6 on a walk-off single by Howie Kendrick to score Puig. That puts them back up to 10 games over .500, and helps eliminate some of the stink from this past weekend when the Cardinals slapped them around.
More importantly, the Dodgers are getting healthier, and showing what they can do when they have their big guns back. Yasmani Grandal and Kendrick had big hits this series, as they did to start the season. And so did Puig, who looked darn near unstoppable at times.
In the three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks, Puig sat out the first game, then laced 'em up in the final two. On Tuesday he went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored in the 3-1 victory. Last night he was perfect, going 4-for-4 with a walk, two runs, a double, and a three-run homer. The Dodgers needed every one of those hits as Kenley Jansen had his first blown save of the season, giving up a run in the ninth.
When Puig first got hurt on April 24, the Dodgers continued to play good baseball, and Ethier was right in the thick of that. After looking completely lost last season, and being benched for much of the stretch run, Ethier is hitting .287 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 56 games. He deserves all of the praise he's gotten.
This is nothing against Ethier, but when I'm turning on ESPN's Baseball Tonight or Fox Sports' MLB Whiparound and seeing stories about how the Dodgers might be willing to move Puig with Ethier's emergence, I couldn't help but question what in the hell these "experts" were thinking. There is just no way the Dodgers would trade a guy as exciting and young as Puig for a guy who's playing well now in Ethier, but is also 33.
I think what happened is that the Dodgers were clicking on all cylinders during Puig's injury, so people needed a story about how they don't need the "clubhouse cancer" that is Puig. Never mind the fact that Puig started the All-Star Game last year, and is the definition of a five-tool player; Ethier was the man of the moment, so the trade talk popped up.
I'm hoping that goes away now, as Puig is the right fielder, end of discussion. With Joc Pederson locking down center, Ethier will still see plenty of action in left against right-handed pitchers. Against lefties, maybe not so much, as he's only received 23 at-bats against them this year (.261).
Puig will still have his moments of immaturity, and will still take too many strikeouts. But when he's on, look out. He's right up there with the best in the game. That's what he brings to the ballpark each night, and why the Dodgers can go very far if he does.
Trade Puig? Give me a break.
Showing posts with label Ethier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ethier. Show all posts
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
If I'm Carl Crawford, I'm very nervous right now
Carl Crawford hasn't played in a game since an April 27th victory over the Giants. In that game, he tripled, then had to leave after the third with a sore right side. That turned out to be a torn oblique, and other than placing him on the 15-day DL, not much has been said about him since.
With the way Scott Van Slyke, Andre Ethier, and Alex Guerrero have performed in his absence, I'm not sure we'll see much of Crawford from here on out.
So, like the title says, if I'm Crawford, I'm very nervous that this is the injury that KO's me from the lineup completely.
At this point, there's really no reason at all to rush Crawford back, or even to make it seem like he's needed at all. That's how well those other three players have performed. Add in the impending return of Yasiel Puig to play right field, and that makes Crawford needed even less.
Van Slyke got the start in left on Monday night, and it's a good thing he did. After Yimi Garcia blew the save in the top of the ninth, Van Slyke launched a walk-off, three-run homer to dead center to defeat the Marlins 5-3. He's played in 20 games, and is hitting .340 with five doubles, two homers, and 12 RBIs. He's strong as a freakin' ox, and his bat brings instant impact.
Guerrero started off the season red hot in any role, cooled off a bit in May, but is still hitting .326 with three doubles, six homers, and 14 RBIs in 21 games. Simply put, Don Mattingly was forced into giving him more time because of his bat.
Ethier has gotten the most playing time of anyone at 28 games, and he's responded very well. Last year was practically a giant waste for him, but so far, he's hitting .286 with three doubles, two triples, four homers, and 10 RBIs. He can put his glove on and play any of the three outfield positions, so he's invaluable in that aspect. It's great to see him contributing again and looking like he's healthy.
You know Joc Pederson and Puig are locked into their positions, and rightfully so. They can do it big on both sides of the field, and considering all of the pitching injuries the Dodgers have suffered, they need to play the best defense they can night in and night out. Barring huge slumps, those two will be etched in stone in the daily lineup card.
That leaves three other guys Donny will mix and match with for left field. Ethier has a documented history of poor results against left-handed pitchers, so he'll be looked at against righties only. Van Slyke and Guerrero can get looks when lefties are on the mound for the most part. However, I would hope Donny would play the hot hand no matter who's on the mound.
And that leaves Crawford on the outside looking in. At this point, he just needs to get his legs fully healthy, then contribute as a pinch-runner in late innings. That's not to say he'll never see left field again, but it's hard to imagine him getting much time there. The other guys have leapfrogged him.
Who knows what the future will hold, but considering how well Van Slyke, Guerrero, and Ethier have played, I doubt it will include Crawford regaining his starting role in left.
With the way Scott Van Slyke, Andre Ethier, and Alex Guerrero have performed in his absence, I'm not sure we'll see much of Crawford from here on out.
So, like the title says, if I'm Crawford, I'm very nervous that this is the injury that KO's me from the lineup completely.
At this point, there's really no reason at all to rush Crawford back, or even to make it seem like he's needed at all. That's how well those other three players have performed. Add in the impending return of Yasiel Puig to play right field, and that makes Crawford needed even less.
Van Slyke got the start in left on Monday night, and it's a good thing he did. After Yimi Garcia blew the save in the top of the ninth, Van Slyke launched a walk-off, three-run homer to dead center to defeat the Marlins 5-3. He's played in 20 games, and is hitting .340 with five doubles, two homers, and 12 RBIs. He's strong as a freakin' ox, and his bat brings instant impact.
Guerrero started off the season red hot in any role, cooled off a bit in May, but is still hitting .326 with three doubles, six homers, and 14 RBIs in 21 games. Simply put, Don Mattingly was forced into giving him more time because of his bat.
Ethier has gotten the most playing time of anyone at 28 games, and he's responded very well. Last year was practically a giant waste for him, but so far, he's hitting .286 with three doubles, two triples, four homers, and 10 RBIs. He can put his glove on and play any of the three outfield positions, so he's invaluable in that aspect. It's great to see him contributing again and looking like he's healthy.
You know Joc Pederson and Puig are locked into their positions, and rightfully so. They can do it big on both sides of the field, and considering all of the pitching injuries the Dodgers have suffered, they need to play the best defense they can night in and night out. Barring huge slumps, those two will be etched in stone in the daily lineup card.
That leaves three other guys Donny will mix and match with for left field. Ethier has a documented history of poor results against left-handed pitchers, so he'll be looked at against righties only. Van Slyke and Guerrero can get looks when lefties are on the mound for the most part. However, I would hope Donny would play the hot hand no matter who's on the mound.
And that leaves Crawford on the outside looking in. At this point, he just needs to get his legs fully healthy, then contribute as a pinch-runner in late innings. That's not to say he'll never see left field again, but it's hard to imagine him getting much time there. The other guys have leapfrogged him.
Who knows what the future will hold, but considering how well Van Slyke, Guerrero, and Ethier have played, I doubt it will include Crawford regaining his starting role in left.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Pederson vs. Ethier: Who has the edge?
Don Mattingly is not ready to declare Joc Pederson or Andre Ethier as his starting center fielder come one week from today. But that won't stop me from comparing how each has done this Spring Training, along with my pick. Here goes...
Pederson: 22 G, .389 AVG, .421 OBP, 4 2B, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 2 SB
If Pederson was looking to leave his mark, he most certainly has this spring. He leads the team in home runs, and is one behind Yasiel Puig in RBIs. His 1.217 OPS is highest among potential starters, so he's showing everything he can do with the lumber. That includes a team high 12 strikeouts, though that's not preventing him from getting on base. His defensive abilities are rated as top notch, and he got at least some playing time there during his cup of coffee last September. Add it all up, and he's doing everything possible to be the man in center.
Ethier: 18 G, .313 AVG, .389 OBP, 4 HR, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
On the other hand, old dog Ethier is not ready to concede a starting spot just yet. Well, I should say he's ready to prove why he should start again considering he was kicked to the curb by Mattingly last season (and justifiably so). Let's not forget that just three years ago, he hit 36 doubles, 20 homers, and 89 RBIs. Those numbers have gone way down since then, as injuries and poor play have made him almost a forgotten man. To his credit, the numbers he's put up this spring show that he's all business and ready to show what he can do. Maybe not for this team, but some other one.
Verdict:
With all of that said, it's just hard to picture Ethier being named the starting center fielder while Pederson is riding the pine. This is actually eerily similar to a few seasons ago when Ethier was the fresh, new player, and Juan Pierre the old dog. Joe Torre went with Ethier to start the season because the new guy gave him every reason why he's ready. That's exactly what Pederson is doing right now.
Both men would hit closer to the bottom of the order, so the pressure is off to produce in the middle. The Dodgers have plenty of guys who can reach base, and I can definitely see Pederson getting his chances to successfully drive in runs. That's how he can build himself up to a future with a bigger role.
Ethier did a good job taking over for Matt Kemp in center last season, but it's not like he was out-of-this-world good, leading to Mattingly placing Puig there for the rest of the season. Now Puig will be back in right because Pederson is looked at as the next big thing in center. He already has the glove, and now that he's showing a relaxed approach at the plate, Mattingly needs to roll with him from here on out.
Pederson: 22 G, .389 AVG, .421 OBP, 4 2B, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 2 SB
If Pederson was looking to leave his mark, he most certainly has this spring. He leads the team in home runs, and is one behind Yasiel Puig in RBIs. His 1.217 OPS is highest among potential starters, so he's showing everything he can do with the lumber. That includes a team high 12 strikeouts, though that's not preventing him from getting on base. His defensive abilities are rated as top notch, and he got at least some playing time there during his cup of coffee last September. Add it all up, and he's doing everything possible to be the man in center.
Ethier: 18 G, .313 AVG, .389 OBP, 4 HR, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
On the other hand, old dog Ethier is not ready to concede a starting spot just yet. Well, I should say he's ready to prove why he should start again considering he was kicked to the curb by Mattingly last season (and justifiably so). Let's not forget that just three years ago, he hit 36 doubles, 20 homers, and 89 RBIs. Those numbers have gone way down since then, as injuries and poor play have made him almost a forgotten man. To his credit, the numbers he's put up this spring show that he's all business and ready to show what he can do. Maybe not for this team, but some other one.
Verdict:
With all of that said, it's just hard to picture Ethier being named the starting center fielder while Pederson is riding the pine. This is actually eerily similar to a few seasons ago when Ethier was the fresh, new player, and Juan Pierre the old dog. Joe Torre went with Ethier to start the season because the new guy gave him every reason why he's ready. That's exactly what Pederson is doing right now.
Both men would hit closer to the bottom of the order, so the pressure is off to produce in the middle. The Dodgers have plenty of guys who can reach base, and I can definitely see Pederson getting his chances to successfully drive in runs. That's how he can build himself up to a future with a bigger role.
Ethier did a good job taking over for Matt Kemp in center last season, but it's not like he was out-of-this-world good, leading to Mattingly placing Puig there for the rest of the season. Now Puig will be back in right because Pederson is looked at as the next big thing in center. He already has the glove, and now that he's showing a relaxed approach at the plate, Mattingly needs to roll with him from here on out.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
2015 Season Preview: Outfield
Here is the last installment of my season preview series. The outfield went through a big change by trading away Matt Kemp, and seemingly will now rely on Joc Pederson to be the next big thing in center. Will it work? Let's take a look.
2014
LF - Carl Crawford
CF - Yasiel Puig
RF - Matt Kemp
Bench - Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke, Joc Pederson
2015
LF - Carl Crawford
CF - Joc Pederson
RF - Yasiel Puig
Bench - Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke, Chris Heisey
Then Compared to Now:
Obviously, it's Kemp being gone. After starting off 2014 so poorly in center that he mercifully was replaced by Ethier in late May, he turned things around to be a monster in the second half. He even was responsible for leading the Dodgers to their only playoff win with a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth. He went from hitting .269 with 8 homers and 35 RBIs before the break, to .309/17/54 after, and that was with about 70 less at-bats.
Now the attention turns to a guy who was called up in September, someone who's absolutely torn up the minor leagues. That guy is Pederson, and the Dodgers both before and during the Friedman Era have protected him from numerous trade inquiries. Pederson struggled in September, going only 4-for-28, all singles. That's a small sample size, but who knows if it's still something to be concerned about.
The rest of the faces stay the same, as Ethier appears to be on the outside looking in again. About his only chance of getting regular playing time is if Crawford struggles or Pederson falls flat on his face in Spring Training. Van Slyke is still a super sub off the bench with some power, and Heisey will look to play all three outfield positions if needed.
Individual Breakdown:
Crawford (2014 stats): .300 AVG, .339 OBP, 14 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 23 SB
Boy, .300 looks a lot better than .299, doesn't it? Anyway, when he was on the field, he showed that there was still some life in his bat with a good average. Injuries and being on the wrong side of 30 have taken away his ability to relive his glory days from Tampa, but it was good to see him get on base and gather his most steals since his final year in Florida, 2010. Defensively he won't give you much, so if he stops hitting, he'll find himself riding the pine in no time.
Pederson: .143 AVG, .351 OBP, no other stats to speak of
Much like Alex Guerrero found out, the young guy with tons of potential at the plate didn't make the most of his brief opportunity. Unlike Guerrero, it appears as if a starting position is Pederson's to lose, as his terrific glove is center has already given him a leg up on the competition. He's a major reason why Kemp was moved, as it opens up a logjam of outfielders, and will hopefully allow him to relax and show off the talent that made him one of the best players in the minors last year. If he can shorten that swing a bit and not try to hit the ball to the Dodger Stadium parking lot with each hack, he could be in for a big season.
Puig: .296 AVG, .382 OBP, 37 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR, 69 RBI, 11 SB
What an interesting season it was for him, as he went from starting in the All-Star Game (and striking out all three times), to enduring a huge power outage in the second half. He played center field for most of the year when Kemp and Ethier couldn't get the job done, and through it all seemed to stay out of trouble. Now with Kemp and Hanley Ramirez gone, all eyes are on him to step up even more in his second full season (third overall). Can he focus on the game and get it done? If he can regain some power while taking the walks that are there, then he can definitely be back in the ASG. If he goes back to his immature ways, then maybe the Dodgers will miss Kemp more than they thought.
Ethier: .249 AVG, .322 OBP, 17 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB
What a disappointing seasons it was for him, and I'm sure just as frustrating for him. He basically was in and out of the starting lineup like a yo-yo for much of the season before Don Mattingly made him strictly a pinch-hitter down the stretch. Unfortunately for him, his lifeless bat didn't give Mattingly much of a reason to change his mind. It's pretty surprising to see that he only had four long balls, the first time in his career he's been under double-digits. I don't see playing time getting much better for him, so I fully expect to see him traded during the season at some point. He above most others would probably benefit from the change of scenery.
Van Slyke: .297 AVG, .386 OBP, 13 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 29 RBI, 4 SB
His best moment came in the season's first game Down Under, as his homer, double, and two RBIs helped the Dodgers to a win over the Diamondbacks. From there, he was mostly used as a spot starter all over the outfield, and would occasionally spell Adrian Gonzalez at first. I can see him having a carbon copy of 2014 this season, as his pop off the bench late in the game is a good weapon to have.
Heisey (with Reds): .222 AVG, .265 OBP, 15 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 9 SB
As far as utility players go, the Dodgers appear to have a good one in him. He's shown a good amount of pop in limited playing time in the past, peaking at 18 homers and 50 RBIs in 120 games in 2011. He's not one who will take a walk and just accept getting to first, as he wants the big hit instead. Defensively, he's been on the plus side of the DWAR battle the last two seasons, so I can see him replacing Crawford in left late in games, as Pederson and Puig wouldn't come out. That's probably the best he can offer the Dodgers right now.
Is Now Better Than Then?
On paper, no. That's a credit to what Kemp did in the second half of last season, as he finally found some good health and was able to return to the superstar he was from a few years back. Whether or not he can continue that good string in San Diego remains to be seen.
With Kemp out and Pederson in for this season, expect to see a lot of stat comparisons between the two as the season progresses. Fair or not, that's the matchup that will go a long way in determining if the Dodgers made a smart more in trading away Kemp. Let's also remember that Pederson turns 23 in April, so his progress will be measured in the years to come. If he is the real deal and Kemp's best seasons are clearly behind him, then it's a great tradeoff.
As for this season, it's hard to take Kemp's bat away from the lineup and say that the Dodgers will be better. They'll have less drama by not having to worry about Kemp's ego, so that could be a huge plus. But still, 25 homers and 89 RBIs is 25 homers and 89 RBIs, so replacing his numbers won't be easy. If Puig can keep building his resume and Young Joc shows everyone what he's made of, then Kemp's departure won't be as difficult.
2014
LF - Carl Crawford
CF - Yasiel Puig
RF - Matt Kemp
Bench - Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke, Joc Pederson
2015
LF - Carl Crawford
CF - Joc Pederson
RF - Yasiel Puig
Bench - Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke, Chris Heisey
Then Compared to Now:
Obviously, it's Kemp being gone. After starting off 2014 so poorly in center that he mercifully was replaced by Ethier in late May, he turned things around to be a monster in the second half. He even was responsible for leading the Dodgers to their only playoff win with a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth. He went from hitting .269 with 8 homers and 35 RBIs before the break, to .309/17/54 after, and that was with about 70 less at-bats.
Now the attention turns to a guy who was called up in September, someone who's absolutely torn up the minor leagues. That guy is Pederson, and the Dodgers both before and during the Friedman Era have protected him from numerous trade inquiries. Pederson struggled in September, going only 4-for-28, all singles. That's a small sample size, but who knows if it's still something to be concerned about.
The rest of the faces stay the same, as Ethier appears to be on the outside looking in again. About his only chance of getting regular playing time is if Crawford struggles or Pederson falls flat on his face in Spring Training. Van Slyke is still a super sub off the bench with some power, and Heisey will look to play all three outfield positions if needed.
Individual Breakdown:
Crawford (2014 stats): .300 AVG, .339 OBP, 14 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 23 SB
Boy, .300 looks a lot better than .299, doesn't it? Anyway, when he was on the field, he showed that there was still some life in his bat with a good average. Injuries and being on the wrong side of 30 have taken away his ability to relive his glory days from Tampa, but it was good to see him get on base and gather his most steals since his final year in Florida, 2010. Defensively he won't give you much, so if he stops hitting, he'll find himself riding the pine in no time.
Pederson: .143 AVG, .351 OBP, no other stats to speak of
Much like Alex Guerrero found out, the young guy with tons of potential at the plate didn't make the most of his brief opportunity. Unlike Guerrero, it appears as if a starting position is Pederson's to lose, as his terrific glove is center has already given him a leg up on the competition. He's a major reason why Kemp was moved, as it opens up a logjam of outfielders, and will hopefully allow him to relax and show off the talent that made him one of the best players in the minors last year. If he can shorten that swing a bit and not try to hit the ball to the Dodger Stadium parking lot with each hack, he could be in for a big season.
Puig: .296 AVG, .382 OBP, 37 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR, 69 RBI, 11 SB
What an interesting season it was for him, as he went from starting in the All-Star Game (and striking out all three times), to enduring a huge power outage in the second half. He played center field for most of the year when Kemp and Ethier couldn't get the job done, and through it all seemed to stay out of trouble. Now with Kemp and Hanley Ramirez gone, all eyes are on him to step up even more in his second full season (third overall). Can he focus on the game and get it done? If he can regain some power while taking the walks that are there, then he can definitely be back in the ASG. If he goes back to his immature ways, then maybe the Dodgers will miss Kemp more than they thought.
Ethier: .249 AVG, .322 OBP, 17 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB
What a disappointing seasons it was for him, and I'm sure just as frustrating for him. He basically was in and out of the starting lineup like a yo-yo for much of the season before Don Mattingly made him strictly a pinch-hitter down the stretch. Unfortunately for him, his lifeless bat didn't give Mattingly much of a reason to change his mind. It's pretty surprising to see that he only had four long balls, the first time in his career he's been under double-digits. I don't see playing time getting much better for him, so I fully expect to see him traded during the season at some point. He above most others would probably benefit from the change of scenery.
Van Slyke: .297 AVG, .386 OBP, 13 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 29 RBI, 4 SB
His best moment came in the season's first game Down Under, as his homer, double, and two RBIs helped the Dodgers to a win over the Diamondbacks. From there, he was mostly used as a spot starter all over the outfield, and would occasionally spell Adrian Gonzalez at first. I can see him having a carbon copy of 2014 this season, as his pop off the bench late in the game is a good weapon to have.
Heisey (with Reds): .222 AVG, .265 OBP, 15 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 9 SB
As far as utility players go, the Dodgers appear to have a good one in him. He's shown a good amount of pop in limited playing time in the past, peaking at 18 homers and 50 RBIs in 120 games in 2011. He's not one who will take a walk and just accept getting to first, as he wants the big hit instead. Defensively, he's been on the plus side of the DWAR battle the last two seasons, so I can see him replacing Crawford in left late in games, as Pederson and Puig wouldn't come out. That's probably the best he can offer the Dodgers right now.
Is Now Better Than Then?
On paper, no. That's a credit to what Kemp did in the second half of last season, as he finally found some good health and was able to return to the superstar he was from a few years back. Whether or not he can continue that good string in San Diego remains to be seen.
With Kemp out and Pederson in for this season, expect to see a lot of stat comparisons between the two as the season progresses. Fair or not, that's the matchup that will go a long way in determining if the Dodgers made a smart more in trading away Kemp. Let's also remember that Pederson turns 23 in April, so his progress will be measured in the years to come. If he is the real deal and Kemp's best seasons are clearly behind him, then it's a great tradeoff.
As for this season, it's hard to take Kemp's bat away from the lineup and say that the Dodgers will be better. They'll have less drama by not having to worry about Kemp's ego, so that could be a huge plus. But still, 25 homers and 89 RBIs is 25 homers and 89 RBIs, so replacing his numbers won't be easy. If Puig can keep building his resume and Young Joc shows everyone what he's made of, then Kemp's departure won't be as difficult.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Might the Orioles be interested in Ethier?
That would be a yes, according to Orioles' insider Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. While no specifics were given, the O's and Dodgers have held discussions about an Ethier trade, not too long after a Matt Kemp deal never came to fruition.
From what I can gather, I wouldn't say a deal is anywhere close to being done, it's just being talked about. The biggest holdup is (shocker of shocks...) Ethier's hefty contract. Right now he's owed a whopping $53.5 million over the next three years. He even has a vesting option for 2018 at $17.5 million, or a $2.5 million buyout. Um... I think we know which deal he'll end up getting in 2018!
Anyway, if you're the Dodgers, you're happy to engage in discussions, even with Kemp in San Diego. Ethier did a good job in being very flexible last season, as he was called upon to play center after Kemp failed so badly at it in May. Not soon after, he was riding the pine, as the Dodgers went with Carl Crawford in left, Yasiel Puig in center, and Kemp in right to win the division.
All the while, Ethier really didn't do anything to force Don Mattingly's hand, as his numbers fell off badly. In 130 games, he hit a mere .249 with four homers, 42 RBIs, and two steals. Simply put, his power just completely abandoned him.
There's no doubt that he's the kind of guy who needs a change of scenery. He's not a big power hitter anymore, but I certainly don't think he's as bad as the numbers he put up in 2014, either. Maybe Baltimore would be a good spot for him. Nick Markakis is in Atlanta and Nelson Cruz is in Seattle, so there's really only Adam Jones in that outfield. Ethier could slide right in.
Of course, any deal involving Ethier would have to include the Dodgers eating a big portion of that bloated deal. But if the Dodgers really are ready to go with Joc Pederson playing a much larger role this upcoming season, then Ethier is expendable.
From what I can gather, I wouldn't say a deal is anywhere close to being done, it's just being talked about. The biggest holdup is (shocker of shocks...) Ethier's hefty contract. Right now he's owed a whopping $53.5 million over the next three years. He even has a vesting option for 2018 at $17.5 million, or a $2.5 million buyout. Um... I think we know which deal he'll end up getting in 2018!
Anyway, if you're the Dodgers, you're happy to engage in discussions, even with Kemp in San Diego. Ethier did a good job in being very flexible last season, as he was called upon to play center after Kemp failed so badly at it in May. Not soon after, he was riding the pine, as the Dodgers went with Carl Crawford in left, Yasiel Puig in center, and Kemp in right to win the division.
All the while, Ethier really didn't do anything to force Don Mattingly's hand, as his numbers fell off badly. In 130 games, he hit a mere .249 with four homers, 42 RBIs, and two steals. Simply put, his power just completely abandoned him.
There's no doubt that he's the kind of guy who needs a change of scenery. He's not a big power hitter anymore, but I certainly don't think he's as bad as the numbers he put up in 2014, either. Maybe Baltimore would be a good spot for him. Nick Markakis is in Atlanta and Nelson Cruz is in Seattle, so there's really only Adam Jones in that outfield. Ethier could slide right in.
Of course, any deal involving Ethier would have to include the Dodgers eating a big portion of that bloated deal. But if the Dodgers really are ready to go with Joc Pederson playing a much larger role this upcoming season, then Ethier is expendable.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
The outfield logjam could soon be cleared
Reports are surfacing in recent days that the Dodgers are finally serious about clearing up their crowded outfield. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the main goal of president Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi at the General Managers' meetings is to move an outfielder.
Or two, maybe.
Right now, the Dodgers have four main guys (Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford) and one rising prospect (Joc Pederson).
With that said, let's take a look at each one. In addition to their 2014 stats and remaining money owed, I'll discuss the pros and cons of each player, along with the possibility of each being moved.
Yasiel Puig
2014: 148 G, .296 AVG, .382 OBP, 37 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR, 69 RBI, 11 SB, 5.3 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Four years, $24 million
Pros: Simply put, when Puig puts his total game together, it's hard to find many who are better. He can hit, run, and throw all at a very high level, which only guys like Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen can claim to do. His power was down this year, but he's shown in the past that he can certainly straighten that out. He can hit anywhere in the order thanks to his speed. And on defense, opposing runners are largely learned not to test his arm. At 24 next season, the sky is still the limit.
Cons: There's always going to be questions about his maturity, as he showed way back in the first home game of the season that he can be hard to be relied upon when he was late to the park and scratched from the lineup. A big swing shows his reluctance to get adjusted at the plate, as he was completely lost for nearly all of the NLDS. Is he too stubborn to make changes? That's still a question that lingers.
Trade Him? Nope, I just can't see it happening. There's way too much talent in that body, and for a team that desires to get younger, it's hard to imagine them getting rid of a chip like him.
Matt Kemp
2014: 150 G, .287 AVG, .346 OBP, 38 2B, 3 3B, 25 HR, 89 RBI, 8 SB, 3.8 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Five years, $107 million
Pros: It looked like it took awhile, but he finally reached a point in his recovery from all sorts of injuries where he put it all together in the second half of 2014. He turned himself back into an MVP-type player, as the ball was jumping off of his bat. He also found a home in right field after being so reluctant to switch from center. It worked, as he was a huge reason why the Dodgers claimed the NL West.
Cons: With his recent success is also a reminder not to get too excited, as we've seen this before. Fair or not, he's an injury-prone player, and when he's hurt, he's very easy to pitch to. It's unknown if he'll ever be ready to be an effective center fielder again, as he's made it crystal clear that that's where he sees himself playing again.
Trade Him? After watching him come back to life this past season, it's hard to see it happening. Then again, maybe this is the time to get something good back for him if the Dodgers think he's already peaked. I'm sure they would rather keep him, but if the offer is there, I bet they pull the trigger.
Carl Crawford
2014: 105 G, .300 AVG, .339 OBP, 14 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 23 SB, 2.3 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Three years, $62.25 million
Pros: After battling his way back from injuries, he showed that he still has some magic back in that bat. It's not as much, but much like Kemp, when he's locked in and feeling good, he can be an effective piece in the lineup. He can still steal a base as well, albeit not at the humongous rate like he once did.
Cons: He'll turn 34 next August, but seems like he's much older. His career has gone downhill since signing that mega-contract with the Red Sox back in 2011, which is the same contract the Dodgers must now deal with. At this point he's a decent outfielder and a pretty good bad when healthy, but has not played in more than 116 games the last three seasons.
Trade Him? Absolutely. The Dodgers would love to make it happen, but it will come at a price. Nonetheless, I would think they'd be OK with that, as he's obviously on the wrong side of his career, but can maybe still get something decent in return.
Andre Ethier
2014: 130 G, .249 AVG, .322 OBP, 17 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB, 0.8 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Three years, $56 million
Pros: Ethier got squeezed out by the logjam more than anyone, but has won both a Gold Glove (2011) and Silver Slugger (2009) in the past, which could earn him a starting job somewhere. He can play any outfield position pretty well, as he originally took over for Kemp in center back in May. Is much more effective against right-handed hurlers.
Cons: Another guy who's past the magic age of 30 (will be 33 next April), and isn't looked at as "Andre the Giant" like he once was. What hurts him even more is his atrocious numbers against left-handed pitchers, as he's all but useless against them. His power numbers are practically a thing of the past.
Trade Him? Just like Crawford, absolutely. In Ethier's case, it would appear to be an easier move, as he's a little younger, healthier, and has a slightly more manageable contract. He's given LA many good moments, but it's time to move on, which is something I bet he wants more than anyone.
Joc Pederson
2014: 18 G, .143 AVG, .351 OBP, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, -0.1 OWAR
Remaining Contract: ? (No information found)
Pros: Right now, we're judging him solely on his work in the minors. Luckily for him, he did some very impressive things down on the farm, including 33 homers and 30 steals in Triple-A last season. He also plays some great defense, as he's already been viewed as the next center fielder for years to come. All in all, he has largely been considered the next big thing for the Dodgers.
Cons: The funny thing about potential is that you haven't actually done anything yet. He still will get plenty of time to, but in his brief stint in LA during September, the game looked to be a little too big for him. Granted, it's a very small sample size with only 28 at-bats, but no extra-base hits shows he has plenty of work left to do.
Trade Him? No way. There's too much untapped talent to move him now. The management team before Friedman took over did not want to move him, and I can't imagine that changing now.
Or two, maybe.
Right now, the Dodgers have four main guys (Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford) and one rising prospect (Joc Pederson).
With that said, let's take a look at each one. In addition to their 2014 stats and remaining money owed, I'll discuss the pros and cons of each player, along with the possibility of each being moved.
Yasiel Puig
2014: 148 G, .296 AVG, .382 OBP, 37 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR, 69 RBI, 11 SB, 5.3 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Four years, $24 million
Pros: Simply put, when Puig puts his total game together, it's hard to find many who are better. He can hit, run, and throw all at a very high level, which only guys like Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen can claim to do. His power was down this year, but he's shown in the past that he can certainly straighten that out. He can hit anywhere in the order thanks to his speed. And on defense, opposing runners are largely learned not to test his arm. At 24 next season, the sky is still the limit.
Cons: There's always going to be questions about his maturity, as he showed way back in the first home game of the season that he can be hard to be relied upon when he was late to the park and scratched from the lineup. A big swing shows his reluctance to get adjusted at the plate, as he was completely lost for nearly all of the NLDS. Is he too stubborn to make changes? That's still a question that lingers.
Trade Him? Nope, I just can't see it happening. There's way too much talent in that body, and for a team that desires to get younger, it's hard to imagine them getting rid of a chip like him.
Matt Kemp
2014: 150 G, .287 AVG, .346 OBP, 38 2B, 3 3B, 25 HR, 89 RBI, 8 SB, 3.8 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Five years, $107 million
Pros: It looked like it took awhile, but he finally reached a point in his recovery from all sorts of injuries where he put it all together in the second half of 2014. He turned himself back into an MVP-type player, as the ball was jumping off of his bat. He also found a home in right field after being so reluctant to switch from center. It worked, as he was a huge reason why the Dodgers claimed the NL West.
Cons: With his recent success is also a reminder not to get too excited, as we've seen this before. Fair or not, he's an injury-prone player, and when he's hurt, he's very easy to pitch to. It's unknown if he'll ever be ready to be an effective center fielder again, as he's made it crystal clear that that's where he sees himself playing again.
Trade Him? After watching him come back to life this past season, it's hard to see it happening. Then again, maybe this is the time to get something good back for him if the Dodgers think he's already peaked. I'm sure they would rather keep him, but if the offer is there, I bet they pull the trigger.
Carl Crawford
2014: 105 G, .300 AVG, .339 OBP, 14 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 23 SB, 2.3 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Three years, $62.25 million
Pros: After battling his way back from injuries, he showed that he still has some magic back in that bat. It's not as much, but much like Kemp, when he's locked in and feeling good, he can be an effective piece in the lineup. He can still steal a base as well, albeit not at the humongous rate like he once did.
Cons: He'll turn 34 next August, but seems like he's much older. His career has gone downhill since signing that mega-contract with the Red Sox back in 2011, which is the same contract the Dodgers must now deal with. At this point he's a decent outfielder and a pretty good bad when healthy, but has not played in more than 116 games the last three seasons.
Trade Him? Absolutely. The Dodgers would love to make it happen, but it will come at a price. Nonetheless, I would think they'd be OK with that, as he's obviously on the wrong side of his career, but can maybe still get something decent in return.
Andre Ethier
2014: 130 G, .249 AVG, .322 OBP, 17 2B, 6 3B, 4 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB, 0.8 OWAR
Remaining Contract: Three years, $56 million
Pros: Ethier got squeezed out by the logjam more than anyone, but has won both a Gold Glove (2011) and Silver Slugger (2009) in the past, which could earn him a starting job somewhere. He can play any outfield position pretty well, as he originally took over for Kemp in center back in May. Is much more effective against right-handed hurlers.
Cons: Another guy who's past the magic age of 30 (will be 33 next April), and isn't looked at as "Andre the Giant" like he once was. What hurts him even more is his atrocious numbers against left-handed pitchers, as he's all but useless against them. His power numbers are practically a thing of the past.
Trade Him? Just like Crawford, absolutely. In Ethier's case, it would appear to be an easier move, as he's a little younger, healthier, and has a slightly more manageable contract. He's given LA many good moments, but it's time to move on, which is something I bet he wants more than anyone.
Joc Pederson
2014: 18 G, .143 AVG, .351 OBP, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, -0.1 OWAR
Remaining Contract: ? (No information found)
Pros: Right now, we're judging him solely on his work in the minors. Luckily for him, he did some very impressive things down on the farm, including 33 homers and 30 steals in Triple-A last season. He also plays some great defense, as he's already been viewed as the next center fielder for years to come. All in all, he has largely been considered the next big thing for the Dodgers.
Cons: The funny thing about potential is that you haven't actually done anything yet. He still will get plenty of time to, but in his brief stint in LA during September, the game looked to be a little too big for him. Granted, it's a very small sample size with only 28 at-bats, but no extra-base hits shows he has plenty of work left to do.
Trade Him? No way. There's too much untapped talent to move him now. The management team before Friedman took over did not want to move him, and I can't imagine that changing now.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Mattingly benches Puig for Game 4
With their backs against the wall, Don Mattingly is doing everything he can do ensure the Dodgers live to fight another day.
That includes sending an ice cold Yasiel Puig to the bench.
Andre Ethier will get the call to start in center for Game 4 in St. Louis, as Puig's strikeouts have finally caught up to him. In Mattingly's own words, this moves give them "the best chance to win today." Ouch.
Following a solid Game 1 in which he had two hits, scored three runs, and only struck out once, Puig has been just atrocious at the plate in the next two games: 1-for-8, one run, seven strikeouts. While it's certainly not all of his fault, the Dodgers have only scored four runs combined in those two games, and Puig's bad play in the #2 hole is a big reason why.
If anything, this sends a message that while Puig was an All-Star and a big piece of the future, Mattingly owes it to those players in the locker room to start the best team possible. If that means giving the long forgotten Ethier a start, then so be it. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I expect Puig to make an appearance today, and he's a pretty deadly bat to use off the bench with runners on late in the game. Of course, the Cardinals might not mind that considering all he does is strikeout now. We shall see.
That includes sending an ice cold Yasiel Puig to the bench.
Andre Ethier will get the call to start in center for Game 4 in St. Louis, as Puig's strikeouts have finally caught up to him. In Mattingly's own words, this moves give them "the best chance to win today." Ouch.
Following a solid Game 1 in which he had two hits, scored three runs, and only struck out once, Puig has been just atrocious at the plate in the next two games: 1-for-8, one run, seven strikeouts. While it's certainly not all of his fault, the Dodgers have only scored four runs combined in those two games, and Puig's bad play in the #2 hole is a big reason why.
If anything, this sends a message that while Puig was an All-Star and a big piece of the future, Mattingly owes it to those players in the locker room to start the best team possible. If that means giving the long forgotten Ethier a start, then so be it. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I expect Puig to make an appearance today, and he's a pretty deadly bat to use off the bench with runners on late in the game. Of course, the Cardinals might not mind that considering all he does is strikeout now. We shall see.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Left field has become the Black Hole of production
Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier.
Yuck and yuck.
That's exactly what I think of them as this season has worn on, as time and time again, these two have not gotten it done at the plate. Somehow the Dodgers are about middle of the pack in terms of AVG, OPS, and runs scored in the National League from that position. But you wouldn't know it from watching lately.
Crawford looks completely washed up. He's being paid $21 million this year to hit .234 with four homers, 23 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. His defense is just OK, but his arm is about as weak as can be. There's very little reason to play him, especially since he's hitting .172 this month after hitting .163 in July.
Ethier might be the better of the two options, but that's barely saying anything. He's earning $15.5 million, and is hitting .247 with four homers, 39 RBIs, and one steal. His bat continues to show little to no life in it, not unlike Crawford. He hit .221 in June, .239 in July, and .250 this month. Hardly numbers worthy of what he's making.
For those of you clamoring for Scott Van Slyke, well, he's only hitting .247, and has clearly struggled since the end of June. So it's not like he's a much better option for an everyday starter. He should play more, but I'm not sure that's really solving the problem at all.
The most frustrating thing is that Yasiel Puig is an All-Star this season, and Matt Kemp has turned things around both at the plate and in finding a comfort spot in right field. And then there's left field featuring two guys making over a combined $35 million this season giving the team absolutely nothing.
In a perfect world, Ned Colletti would designate one or two of them for assignment, call up Joc Pederson, and give him plenty of time to get adjusted for the playoffs. But, those ridiculous contracts just handcuff everyone so much. Getting rid of them without getting anything in return would be admitting a huge mistake, and because they still have the name value, that's not going to happen.
About all the Dodgers can do now is hope one of them gets hot like Kemp did and at least somewhat justify all of the playing time they receive. Do I think that will happen? Hell no. But then again, I don't think anyone saw Kemp figuring things out, so at least it's possible.
The Dodgers may have the best record in the NL still, but they still have an inconsistent offense. Getting something... ANYTHING, out of left field will only help them going forward.
Hey, I can dream at least, right?
Yuck and yuck.
That's exactly what I think of them as this season has worn on, as time and time again, these two have not gotten it done at the plate. Somehow the Dodgers are about middle of the pack in terms of AVG, OPS, and runs scored in the National League from that position. But you wouldn't know it from watching lately.
Crawford looks completely washed up. He's being paid $21 million this year to hit .234 with four homers, 23 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. His defense is just OK, but his arm is about as weak as can be. There's very little reason to play him, especially since he's hitting .172 this month after hitting .163 in July.
Ethier might be the better of the two options, but that's barely saying anything. He's earning $15.5 million, and is hitting .247 with four homers, 39 RBIs, and one steal. His bat continues to show little to no life in it, not unlike Crawford. He hit .221 in June, .239 in July, and .250 this month. Hardly numbers worthy of what he's making.
For those of you clamoring for Scott Van Slyke, well, he's only hitting .247, and has clearly struggled since the end of June. So it's not like he's a much better option for an everyday starter. He should play more, but I'm not sure that's really solving the problem at all.
The most frustrating thing is that Yasiel Puig is an All-Star this season, and Matt Kemp has turned things around both at the plate and in finding a comfort spot in right field. And then there's left field featuring two guys making over a combined $35 million this season giving the team absolutely nothing.
In a perfect world, Ned Colletti would designate one or two of them for assignment, call up Joc Pederson, and give him plenty of time to get adjusted for the playoffs. But, those ridiculous contracts just handcuff everyone so much. Getting rid of them without getting anything in return would be admitting a huge mistake, and because they still have the name value, that's not going to happen.
About all the Dodgers can do now is hope one of them gets hot like Kemp did and at least somewhat justify all of the playing time they receive. Do I think that will happen? Hell no. But then again, I don't think anyone saw Kemp figuring things out, so at least it's possible.
The Dodgers may have the best record in the NL still, but they still have an inconsistent offense. Getting something... ANYTHING, out of left field will only help them going forward.
Hey, I can dream at least, right?
Sunday, July 20, 2014
It's time for the outfielders to put up or shut up
The Dodgers are in a tailspin entering Sunday night's game in St. Louis. They've dropped two straight, their offense is a disaster, and their outfielders aren't doing much to help.
Take away Yasiel Puig, and there's a whole lot of nothing left. Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Carl Crawford combined to go 0-for-5 on Saturday with a big strikeout in the eighth (Kemp) and a game ending double play (Ethier). Those guys are making about $57 million combined this season.
And to that, I say this: Boys, it's time to start performing on the field. Or get out of the way and let others do it for you.
How many times are we going to go through this? There's a whole lot of talk about what they've done in the past, but not a whole lot about what they're doing this season. Probably because they're doing a big pile of nothing for the most part.
I'll give Ethier and Crawford this - they at least appear to play hard. They're not getting the results that justify their contracts, but they aren't dogging it. I'm doubt that makes anyone feel better, but it's something.
I'm not sure I can say the same about Kemp. Saying you want to be the everyday center fielder is commendable, but not taking ownership for just how awful you've been is not. As I pointed out the other day, it would be great if he said something along the lines of, "My bad, I've been terrible. I've got to play better." But have we? Nope.
Instead, we've seen a lot of swings and misses, a lot of hanging his head, and defense that is so bad, it's gotten to the point where analysts are ripping apart how he chases after the ball. Seriously. I'm not sure I've ever heard an outfielder being criticized so harshly for how he simply runs after the ball. That's pretty pathetic.
Ethier should be very thankful that Kemp is getting so much attention, because his offense has gone MIA. Right now he's hitting .249 with four home runs and 34 RBIs. He's slugging .374, by far the lowest in his career (.421 in '11 is his second lowest). There's absolutely no reason to fear him at the plate.
True, he is ridiculously better in center than Kemp, but playing him so much there is at the expense of the offense. He has no power left, doesn't get on base well (.313 OBP), and strikes out way too much. There's just no magic left in that bat.
The odd man out was supposedly going to be Crawford when he came off the DL right before the All-Star break. Kemp can be thanked again, this time for being so atrocious that plans changed. But is he an upgrade? It's hard to make that case. In 49 games, he's hitting .255 with four home runs, 19 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. Not exactly numbers that get a manager excited to pencil his name in the lineup.
At this point, the Dodgers are stuck with these guys, at least for this season. Every other team in baseball looks at their contracts and just starts laughing. And after they get done laughing, they say, "Thanks, but no thanks" when it comes to talking trade. Unless the Dodgers take on a BUNCH of cash remaining on their deals, you can forget about them going anywhere.
If these guys want to play as much as they think they deserve, then show it on the field. If you're not in the lineup, then stay ready for when you eventually will be. Because taking away Puig in right, there's two positions remaining in the outfield that have yet to be fully claimed, and we're at game #100 tonight.
Show why you deserve to play. Get a hit. Take a walk. Move a runner over. Cut down the strikeouts. Just do SOMETHING.
Or, accept the fact that your best days are behind you, and let someone else (Scott Van Slyke? Joc Pederson?) come in and play that spot.
As the headline says, it's time to put up or shut up. Make a choice.
Take away Yasiel Puig, and there's a whole lot of nothing left. Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Carl Crawford combined to go 0-for-5 on Saturday with a big strikeout in the eighth (Kemp) and a game ending double play (Ethier). Those guys are making about $57 million combined this season.
And to that, I say this: Boys, it's time to start performing on the field. Or get out of the way and let others do it for you.
How many times are we going to go through this? There's a whole lot of talk about what they've done in the past, but not a whole lot about what they're doing this season. Probably because they're doing a big pile of nothing for the most part.
I'll give Ethier and Crawford this - they at least appear to play hard. They're not getting the results that justify their contracts, but they aren't dogging it. I'm doubt that makes anyone feel better, but it's something.
I'm not sure I can say the same about Kemp. Saying you want to be the everyday center fielder is commendable, but not taking ownership for just how awful you've been is not. As I pointed out the other day, it would be great if he said something along the lines of, "My bad, I've been terrible. I've got to play better." But have we? Nope.
Instead, we've seen a lot of swings and misses, a lot of hanging his head, and defense that is so bad, it's gotten to the point where analysts are ripping apart how he chases after the ball. Seriously. I'm not sure I've ever heard an outfielder being criticized so harshly for how he simply runs after the ball. That's pretty pathetic.
Ethier should be very thankful that Kemp is getting so much attention, because his offense has gone MIA. Right now he's hitting .249 with four home runs and 34 RBIs. He's slugging .374, by far the lowest in his career (.421 in '11 is his second lowest). There's absolutely no reason to fear him at the plate.
True, he is ridiculously better in center than Kemp, but playing him so much there is at the expense of the offense. He has no power left, doesn't get on base well (.313 OBP), and strikes out way too much. There's just no magic left in that bat.
The odd man out was supposedly going to be Crawford when he came off the DL right before the All-Star break. Kemp can be thanked again, this time for being so atrocious that plans changed. But is he an upgrade? It's hard to make that case. In 49 games, he's hitting .255 with four home runs, 19 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. Not exactly numbers that get a manager excited to pencil his name in the lineup.
At this point, the Dodgers are stuck with these guys, at least for this season. Every other team in baseball looks at their contracts and just starts laughing. And after they get done laughing, they say, "Thanks, but no thanks" when it comes to talking trade. Unless the Dodgers take on a BUNCH of cash remaining on their deals, you can forget about them going anywhere.
If these guys want to play as much as they think they deserve, then show it on the field. If you're not in the lineup, then stay ready for when you eventually will be. Because taking away Puig in right, there's two positions remaining in the outfield that have yet to be fully claimed, and we're at game #100 tonight.
Show why you deserve to play. Get a hit. Take a walk. Move a runner over. Cut down the strikeouts. Just do SOMETHING.
Or, accept the fact that your best days are behind you, and let someone else (Scott Van Slyke? Joc Pederson?) come in and play that spot.
As the headline says, it's time to put up or shut up. Make a choice.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Dodgers lacking a true Big Bopper
If you're looking strictly at box scores and standings, then you saw that the Dodgers beat the Padres 1-0 on A.J. Ellis's sac-fly RBI in the ninth inning on Saturday, putting them back in first place of the NL West. You also saw that with the win, the Dodgers have the best record in the National League.
If you're someone who watches the game closely like I do, then you know the truth - the Dodgers are very fortunate to be in this position because their offense is practically on life support. Those guys better be buying the pitching staff a whole lot of gifts.
Right now, the Dodgers don't have that one guy who strikes a whole lot of fear in the opposing team. Last year it was Hanley Ramirez and Yaisel Puig, and even Adrian Gonzalez at times. Before that it was Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier at various points. Even before that, it was all about Mannywood.
Outside of MAYBE Puig, the offense is really struggling to find that one guy to step up and lead the way. And even though Puig is starting in the All-Star Game and is in the Home Run Derby, he's hit one home run since the end of May and has seen his average dip from .344 to .307. So he's on the list of struggling players as well.
How about the other guys? Well, let's take a look:
Kemp? He continues to look like a shell of his former self more and more each game. Two more strikeouts last night, including one in the ninth when Gonzalez led off with a double, making it nine K's in the last five games. Before that, he walked leading off the seventh, but was quickly erased on a stolen base attempt. There's no life in his bat, as he can't catch up to fastballs and is constantly tricked by breaking balls. What a waste.
Gonzalez? He was hitting .337 with eight homers and 24 RBIs through April, but that has dramatically changed. In the three months since then, he's hit six homers with 36 RBIs. So while you look at the bottom line and see that he's fourth in the NL with 60 RBIs, the truth is that he did most of that damage at the start of the season. A .182 average against lefties has really hurt him.
Ramirez? Last year he was able to perform at a MVP level when he was on the field for half the games. This season he seems to be getting hurt every two minutes, and when he does play, it's a nothing special. He's hitting .275 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs, which aren't bad numbers, but again, nothing great. It's his contract year, so I'm sure that's weighing on him heavily. But the bottom line is that his injury history and lack of production is not giving him a good outlook for that huge contract he's seeking this offseason.
Ethier? Let's just say that the days of "Andre the Giant" are long gone. Much to his credit, he plays hard each time he takes the field, which is why he's claimed the starting job in center field. But at .252 with four homers and 34 RBIs, there's barely any magic left in that bat. Plus, he's just as lousy against lefties as A-Gon is, hitting .190. Wow.
With all of this talk about the Dodgers trading for guys like David Price or Cole Hamels, I think it's only a matter of time before we start hearing about upgrading the offense. Why not? The guys I just listed above are either hurt, past their prime, or both. They're certainly not showing any signs of turning things around. Maybe they can, but most likely it wouldn't be anything drastic.
At what point does Ned Colletti decide to bring up young studs like Joc Pederson or Alex Guerrero? They'd clearly add some life to an offense that lacks punch and consistency. I'm sure that would lead to hard feelings if some of the rich boys have to sit, but so be it.
I have all the confidence in the world the Dodgers will make the playoffs. They have a starting rotation that can give them plenty of chances to win. But do they have the offense? That's the part that really concerns me.
Without the big threat on offense to get the job done, then it will be another year without a ring.
If you're someone who watches the game closely like I do, then you know the truth - the Dodgers are very fortunate to be in this position because their offense is practically on life support. Those guys better be buying the pitching staff a whole lot of gifts.
Right now, the Dodgers don't have that one guy who strikes a whole lot of fear in the opposing team. Last year it was Hanley Ramirez and Yaisel Puig, and even Adrian Gonzalez at times. Before that it was Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier at various points. Even before that, it was all about Mannywood.
Outside of MAYBE Puig, the offense is really struggling to find that one guy to step up and lead the way. And even though Puig is starting in the All-Star Game and is in the Home Run Derby, he's hit one home run since the end of May and has seen his average dip from .344 to .307. So he's on the list of struggling players as well.
How about the other guys? Well, let's take a look:
Kemp? He continues to look like a shell of his former self more and more each game. Two more strikeouts last night, including one in the ninth when Gonzalez led off with a double, making it nine K's in the last five games. Before that, he walked leading off the seventh, but was quickly erased on a stolen base attempt. There's no life in his bat, as he can't catch up to fastballs and is constantly tricked by breaking balls. What a waste.
Gonzalez? He was hitting .337 with eight homers and 24 RBIs through April, but that has dramatically changed. In the three months since then, he's hit six homers with 36 RBIs. So while you look at the bottom line and see that he's fourth in the NL with 60 RBIs, the truth is that he did most of that damage at the start of the season. A .182 average against lefties has really hurt him.
Ramirez? Last year he was able to perform at a MVP level when he was on the field for half the games. This season he seems to be getting hurt every two minutes, and when he does play, it's a nothing special. He's hitting .275 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs, which aren't bad numbers, but again, nothing great. It's his contract year, so I'm sure that's weighing on him heavily. But the bottom line is that his injury history and lack of production is not giving him a good outlook for that huge contract he's seeking this offseason.
Ethier? Let's just say that the days of "Andre the Giant" are long gone. Much to his credit, he plays hard each time he takes the field, which is why he's claimed the starting job in center field. But at .252 with four homers and 34 RBIs, there's barely any magic left in that bat. Plus, he's just as lousy against lefties as A-Gon is, hitting .190. Wow.
With all of this talk about the Dodgers trading for guys like David Price or Cole Hamels, I think it's only a matter of time before we start hearing about upgrading the offense. Why not? The guys I just listed above are either hurt, past their prime, or both. They're certainly not showing any signs of turning things around. Maybe they can, but most likely it wouldn't be anything drastic.
At what point does Ned Colletti decide to bring up young studs like Joc Pederson or Alex Guerrero? They'd clearly add some life to an offense that lacks punch and consistency. I'm sure that would lead to hard feelings if some of the rich boys have to sit, but so be it.
I have all the confidence in the world the Dodgers will make the playoffs. They have a starting rotation that can give them plenty of chances to win. But do they have the offense? That's the part that really concerns me.
Without the big threat on offense to get the job done, then it will be another year without a ring.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Give Mattingly credit for taking a stance on Kemp
As the Dodgers get ready for a Memorial Day game against the Reds, one day after Josh Beckett's epic no-hitter, Don Mattingly has released his lineup with Carl Crawford in left, Andre Ethier in center, and Yasiel Puig in right.
And, for the fourth straight game, no Matt Kemp.
And, for the fourth straight game, Mattingly has made the right call. Again.
Look, this is not going to be a "Matt Kemp Sucks" post where I completely bash everything about the guy. There's a reason he's earning $21+ million this season, and that's because he's an All-Star caliber player who is capable of being as a complete a five-tool player as there is in baseball.
But, after being handed chance after chance, even Mattingly had to concede that center field might not be the thing for him anymore. Thursday night's game in New York was the final straw.
Who knows what goes on behind closed doors, but so far at least, we have not heard anything negative from Kemp about being benched, and then being told that he'll start to work some in left field. I can't imagine a competitor like Kemp likes hearing that he's basically not quick enough anymore to cover all the ground a center fielder requires.
If he's smart, though, then maybe deep down he knows there's some truth to what Mattingly is doing, and is trying to make the necessary adjustments to crack the lineup again.
Nonetheless, with the Dodgers taking two of three in Philadelphia this weekend with a more defensive minded approach to the lineup, it'll be more of the same as the Reds come to town. Winning makes managers look pretty smart, so in this case, even the biggest Kemp fans can't complain about Ethier getting the nod in center again.
With that said, let's not forget that Ethier has plenty of work to do as well. He's clearly the best center fielder on the roster right now, no doubt. But, he absolutely has to start hitting left-handed pitchers better. He's over 100 points lower against lefties (.182) than righties (.288), which has been an ongoing issue for him his whole career. I'm not sure it'll ever change, but if he wants that everyday nod in center, he'll need better results than 4-for-22 against Southpaws.
I'm sure we'll soon see Kemp in the starting lineup again, but hopefully in left, not center. Maybe that will be just the thing to kickstart his career again. We will see.
And, for the fourth straight game, no Matt Kemp.
And, for the fourth straight game, Mattingly has made the right call. Again.
Look, this is not going to be a "Matt Kemp Sucks" post where I completely bash everything about the guy. There's a reason he's earning $21+ million this season, and that's because he's an All-Star caliber player who is capable of being as a complete a five-tool player as there is in baseball.
But, after being handed chance after chance, even Mattingly had to concede that center field might not be the thing for him anymore. Thursday night's game in New York was the final straw.
Who knows what goes on behind closed doors, but so far at least, we have not heard anything negative from Kemp about being benched, and then being told that he'll start to work some in left field. I can't imagine a competitor like Kemp likes hearing that he's basically not quick enough anymore to cover all the ground a center fielder requires.
If he's smart, though, then maybe deep down he knows there's some truth to what Mattingly is doing, and is trying to make the necessary adjustments to crack the lineup again.
Nonetheless, with the Dodgers taking two of three in Philadelphia this weekend with a more defensive minded approach to the lineup, it'll be more of the same as the Reds come to town. Winning makes managers look pretty smart, so in this case, even the biggest Kemp fans can't complain about Ethier getting the nod in center again.
With that said, let's not forget that Ethier has plenty of work to do as well. He's clearly the best center fielder on the roster right now, no doubt. But, he absolutely has to start hitting left-handed pitchers better. He's over 100 points lower against lefties (.182) than righties (.288), which has been an ongoing issue for him his whole career. I'm not sure it'll ever change, but if he wants that everyday nod in center, he'll need better results than 4-for-22 against Southpaws.
I'm sure we'll soon see Kemp in the starting lineup again, but hopefully in left, not center. Maybe that will be just the thing to kickstart his career again. We will see.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Dodgers have a Southpaw problem
Yesterday I wrote about the Dodgers' continual problems with defense, as evidenced by their 5-3 loss to the Phillies on Saturday in which four of those runs could've easily been avoided with better D.
Then I remembered a comment made during the game by either Charlie Steiner or Orel Hershiser (forgive me, I forgot which one), and that's their inability to hit left-handed pitchers. So I checked the stats. Boy were they not kidding.
Coming into today's games, the Dodgers are dead last in all of baseball with a .217 average against lefties. Ouch.
Here's a look at how some of the key left-handed hitters are doing against Southpaws:
Andre Ethier: 4-for-22, .182
Adrian Gonzalez: 11-for-59, .186
Dee Gordon: 8-for-41, .195
Carl Crawford: 5-for-24, .208
Totals: 28-for-146, .192
And now, here's a look a some of the key right-handed hitters:
Matt Kemp: 8-for-51, .157
Juan Uribe: 6-for-32, .188
Justin Turner: 8-for-37, .216
Hanley Ramirez: 9-for-39, .231
Scott Van Slyke: 11-for-35, .314
Yasiel Puig: 14-for-41, .341
Totals: 56-for-235, .238
Team Totals Overall: 99-for-457, .217
For some guys, this is surprising. A-Gon is obviously better against righties, but also has a career .276 average against lefties. Kemp has long pounded lefties for a .333 average. Hanley is at .306.
For others, it's not a surprise. Ethier has been saddled his whole career with the stigma of not hitting lefties (.234), and he's once again proving why he can't quite be considered an everyday player with numbers that pathetic. Crawford (.258) and Gordon (.216) also are much worse against lefties.
The bottom line is everyone on here, with the exception of Puig and Van Slyke, has to perform more to their career averages against Southpaws. Not only are most of these numbers down, but in some cases, not even on the same planet as to where they've been in the past.
There's really no excuse for guys like Kemp and Hanley to continue to look so lost against lefties. They've both feasted on these types of pitchers in their careers, and now is the time to step up and perform to that level again. If not, then expect the rest of the National League to load up on lefties whenever they play the Dodgers. The numbers prove it works.
Then I remembered a comment made during the game by either Charlie Steiner or Orel Hershiser (forgive me, I forgot which one), and that's their inability to hit left-handed pitchers. So I checked the stats. Boy were they not kidding.
Coming into today's games, the Dodgers are dead last in all of baseball with a .217 average against lefties. Ouch.
Here's a look at how some of the key left-handed hitters are doing against Southpaws:
Andre Ethier: 4-for-22, .182
Adrian Gonzalez: 11-for-59, .186
Dee Gordon: 8-for-41, .195
Carl Crawford: 5-for-24, .208
Totals: 28-for-146, .192
And now, here's a look a some of the key right-handed hitters:
Matt Kemp: 8-for-51, .157
Juan Uribe: 6-for-32, .188
Justin Turner: 8-for-37, .216
Hanley Ramirez: 9-for-39, .231
Scott Van Slyke: 11-for-35, .314
Yasiel Puig: 14-for-41, .341
Totals: 56-for-235, .238
Team Totals Overall: 99-for-457, .217
For some guys, this is surprising. A-Gon is obviously better against righties, but also has a career .276 average against lefties. Kemp has long pounded lefties for a .333 average. Hanley is at .306.
For others, it's not a surprise. Ethier has been saddled his whole career with the stigma of not hitting lefties (.234), and he's once again proving why he can't quite be considered an everyday player with numbers that pathetic. Crawford (.258) and Gordon (.216) also are much worse against lefties.
The bottom line is everyone on here, with the exception of Puig and Van Slyke, has to perform more to their career averages against Southpaws. Not only are most of these numbers down, but in some cases, not even on the same planet as to where they've been in the past.
There's really no excuse for guys like Kemp and Hanley to continue to look so lost against lefties. They've both feasted on these types of pitchers in their careers, and now is the time to step up and perform to that level again. If not, then expect the rest of the National League to load up on lefties whenever they play the Dodgers. The numbers prove it works.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Streaky Dodgers wake up just in time
The Dodgers found themselves down 4-0 before they even had a hit on Saturday night, and it looked like a lifeless night in Dodger Stadium.
Then Andre Ethier turned back the clock, the Diamondbacks couldn't field a grounder, Adrian Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 14, Brian Wilson nearly blew a four-run lead, and Kenley Jansen stuck out Paul Goldschmidt to preserve the 8-6 win.
That, in a nutshell, was how the Dodgers bounced back from their first loss to the DBacks on Friday night.
This was not the cleanest game you'll ever see, as both teams committed two errors, the DBacks handed away a 4-0 lead, and the Dodgers looked like they wanted to hand it right back in the eighth. Thankfully they didn't, and with the Padres beating the Giants, first place in the NL West belongs to LA once again.
Let's give credit to a couple of guys: Dan Haren and Ethier. Haren got virtually no help in the third, when Hanley Ramirez dropped an easy throw to second, taking away what could have been a double play to end the inning. Four runs were put on the board, sure enough.
Ethier got the start against the right-handed Mike Bolsinger, who looked really good early, then watched Ethier smack a three-run shot in the fourth to make it 4-3.
The bottom of the fifth pretty much summed up how lousy the DBacks have been this year. Three straight singles by Haren, Dee Gordon, and Carl Crawford started the inning, then Martin Prado booted an easy grounder from Ramirez. Yes, one that should've been a double play. It was on from there, as Gonzalez had a two-run single, and Matt Kemp a two-run double.
This could've been a game where the Dodgers just rolled over and died. But, with Haren hanging tough, and Ethier's big swing (plus some shoddy DBacks defense), it turned into a good win. We'll take it.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Wilson's location certainly isn't as sharp as he's used to, as both tying runs were on base before he got Chris Owings grounding out to end the eighth. His slider isn't that bad, but is just missing off the corner, and hitters are laying off of it. With a 10.13 ERA and elbow troubles already this year, it's pretty concerning.
* Good decision by Don Mattingly to sit Yasiel Puig, who's whiffing could use a day off. It turned out to be a good move to play Ethier and Crawford, who each contributed in the big middle innings.
* You think anyone outside of LA (and fantasy players) realize Haren is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA? Doubtful.
* Jansen needed a big strikeout to regain some swagger, and he got it by K'ing the mighty Goldschmidt to end the game. How did he do it? With an 83 mph slider. I love it! Finally something other than just a cutter! You see, it can work!
* Not playing Justin Turner was also a welcome sight. Gordon went 2-for-4 with a run in the leadoff spot, and is hitting .375.
* Shout-out to Stealing Home for his Ethier love he showed a few days ago after I referred to him as "overpaid." He definitely showed some of that good situational hitting in this one! Now keep it going!
The Dodgers will look to take the three-game set by sending Josh Beckett to the mound on Easter Sunday. Following that game will be four straight at home against the Phillies.
Then Andre Ethier turned back the clock, the Diamondbacks couldn't field a grounder, Adrian Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 14, Brian Wilson nearly blew a four-run lead, and Kenley Jansen stuck out Paul Goldschmidt to preserve the 8-6 win.
That, in a nutshell, was how the Dodgers bounced back from their first loss to the DBacks on Friday night.
This was not the cleanest game you'll ever see, as both teams committed two errors, the DBacks handed away a 4-0 lead, and the Dodgers looked like they wanted to hand it right back in the eighth. Thankfully they didn't, and with the Padres beating the Giants, first place in the NL West belongs to LA once again.
Let's give credit to a couple of guys: Dan Haren and Ethier. Haren got virtually no help in the third, when Hanley Ramirez dropped an easy throw to second, taking away what could have been a double play to end the inning. Four runs were put on the board, sure enough.
Ethier got the start against the right-handed Mike Bolsinger, who looked really good early, then watched Ethier smack a three-run shot in the fourth to make it 4-3.
The bottom of the fifth pretty much summed up how lousy the DBacks have been this year. Three straight singles by Haren, Dee Gordon, and Carl Crawford started the inning, then Martin Prado booted an easy grounder from Ramirez. Yes, one that should've been a double play. It was on from there, as Gonzalez had a two-run single, and Matt Kemp a two-run double.
This could've been a game where the Dodgers just rolled over and died. But, with Haren hanging tough, and Ethier's big swing (plus some shoddy DBacks defense), it turned into a good win. We'll take it.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Wilson's location certainly isn't as sharp as he's used to, as both tying runs were on base before he got Chris Owings grounding out to end the eighth. His slider isn't that bad, but is just missing off the corner, and hitters are laying off of it. With a 10.13 ERA and elbow troubles already this year, it's pretty concerning.
* Good decision by Don Mattingly to sit Yasiel Puig, who's whiffing could use a day off. It turned out to be a good move to play Ethier and Crawford, who each contributed in the big middle innings.
* You think anyone outside of LA (and fantasy players) realize Haren is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA? Doubtful.
* Jansen needed a big strikeout to regain some swagger, and he got it by K'ing the mighty Goldschmidt to end the game. How did he do it? With an 83 mph slider. I love it! Finally something other than just a cutter! You see, it can work!
* Not playing Justin Turner was also a welcome sight. Gordon went 2-for-4 with a run in the leadoff spot, and is hitting .375.
* Shout-out to Stealing Home for his Ethier love he showed a few days ago after I referred to him as "overpaid." He definitely showed some of that good situational hitting in this one! Now keep it going!
The Dodgers will look to take the three-game set by sending Josh Beckett to the mound on Easter Sunday. Following that game will be four straight at home against the Phillies.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
The overpaid guys let the Dodgers down
After about five hours and 12 innings, the Dodgers walked away from AT&T Park shaking their heads for many reasons.
The biggest one is the money they're paying a couple of guys who aren't earning anything close to their bottom dollar.
Those two guys are Andre Ethier and Brandon League, who both had chances to either get a lead or keep the game tied. Neither happened, and on Jackie Robinson Day throughout baseball, the Giants beat the Dodgers 3-2.
Let's start with Ethier (trust me, I'm anxious to get to League, but I'll hold off a few paragraphs). Ethier was 1-for-6 with a single in the fourth. That blistering night at the plate dropped his average to .213. Of his 10 hits, only one is for extra-bases (a solo home run), so his slugging is a paltry .277. Maybe worst of all, he got the start while Matt Kemp had to wait until the seventh to get into the game, something I'm sure he was just thrilled about.
Wait a minute, I was wrong. Worst of all is that Ethier is making $15.5 million this year, and is signed through 2017, and possibly 2018 because it's a vesting option. Remember when he extended for five years and $85 million, and we thought it was a good idea? It wasn't.
Needless to say, "Andre the Giant" is nowhere to be seen anymore. Two years ago he hit 20 homers and 89 RBIs, and those numbers dropped to 12 and 52 last year. I'm not sure he can even get to that this year. It's time for Don Mattingly to stop playing him so damn much. I'd rather see a guy like Scott Van Slyke start against a right-handed pitcher than Ethier. Yes, I know Van Slyke is a righty himself, but so what? Ether is hitting .243 against righties, so enough is enough. The magic in his bat is gone.
OK, now let's get to good old League. How appropriate is it that he's the one who took the loss after such a long game? Very, I'd say. This guy makes Ethier's contract look like a bargain. That's how utterly disastrous these last two years have been for him.
What pisses me off even more is what happened before the game. Brian Wilson was activated from the 15-day DL, and instead of Ned Colletti just cutting his loses with League, Paco Rodriguez is the one who gets sent down. Why? Because he has "options," meaning there's no penalty to send him to Triple-A. Wouldn't you know it, League stays and takes the loss just hours later. Typical.
The League contract is one of the worst ones in Dodgers' history. After posting some good numbers in 2011 after being traded from the Mariners, Colletti threw three years and $22.5 million to get him to stay as the closer. It's not working. He got booted early in the season last year from that role, and isn't even close to regaining it this year.
Yet here the Dodgers are, with the highest payroll in all of baseball, stubbornly keeping this guy around. Amazing. I guess they are content watching him collect $15 million this season and next, while effective relievers like Rodriguez are in Albuquerque because of the numbers game.
If I'm Colletti, I'm taking care of a couple of things. Ethier plays good defense, but his lack of pop makes him expendable, and certainly not worthy of as many starts as he gets. I'd look to move him and roll with Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Kemp, and Van Slyke in the outfield. If one of them gets hurt (or WHEN, I should say), then call up Joc Pederson.
For League, it's simple: call him in, say your good-byes, and move on.
The biggest one is the money they're paying a couple of guys who aren't earning anything close to their bottom dollar.
Those two guys are Andre Ethier and Brandon League, who both had chances to either get a lead or keep the game tied. Neither happened, and on Jackie Robinson Day throughout baseball, the Giants beat the Dodgers 3-2.
Let's start with Ethier (trust me, I'm anxious to get to League, but I'll hold off a few paragraphs). Ethier was 1-for-6 with a single in the fourth. That blistering night at the plate dropped his average to .213. Of his 10 hits, only one is for extra-bases (a solo home run), so his slugging is a paltry .277. Maybe worst of all, he got the start while Matt Kemp had to wait until the seventh to get into the game, something I'm sure he was just thrilled about.
Wait a minute, I was wrong. Worst of all is that Ethier is making $15.5 million this year, and is signed through 2017, and possibly 2018 because it's a vesting option. Remember when he extended for five years and $85 million, and we thought it was a good idea? It wasn't.
Needless to say, "Andre the Giant" is nowhere to be seen anymore. Two years ago he hit 20 homers and 89 RBIs, and those numbers dropped to 12 and 52 last year. I'm not sure he can even get to that this year. It's time for Don Mattingly to stop playing him so damn much. I'd rather see a guy like Scott Van Slyke start against a right-handed pitcher than Ethier. Yes, I know Van Slyke is a righty himself, but so what? Ether is hitting .243 against righties, so enough is enough. The magic in his bat is gone.
OK, now let's get to good old League. How appropriate is it that he's the one who took the loss after such a long game? Very, I'd say. This guy makes Ethier's contract look like a bargain. That's how utterly disastrous these last two years have been for him.
What pisses me off even more is what happened before the game. Brian Wilson was activated from the 15-day DL, and instead of Ned Colletti just cutting his loses with League, Paco Rodriguez is the one who gets sent down. Why? Because he has "options," meaning there's no penalty to send him to Triple-A. Wouldn't you know it, League stays and takes the loss just hours later. Typical.
The League contract is one of the worst ones in Dodgers' history. After posting some good numbers in 2011 after being traded from the Mariners, Colletti threw three years and $22.5 million to get him to stay as the closer. It's not working. He got booted early in the season last year from that role, and isn't even close to regaining it this year.
Yet here the Dodgers are, with the highest payroll in all of baseball, stubbornly keeping this guy around. Amazing. I guess they are content watching him collect $15 million this season and next, while effective relievers like Rodriguez are in Albuquerque because of the numbers game.
If I'm Colletti, I'm taking care of a couple of things. Ethier plays good defense, but his lack of pop makes him expendable, and certainly not worthy of as many starts as he gets. I'd look to move him and roll with Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Kemp, and Van Slyke in the outfield. If one of them gets hurt (or WHEN, I should say), then call up Joc Pederson.
For League, it's simple: call him in, say your good-byes, and move on.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
For Game 6, Mattingly should swap Puig and Ethier
As the Dodgers get ready for Game 6 in St. Louis, Don Mattingly stated today that he fully expects Andre Ethier and Hanley Ramirez to be in the lineup. There's more confidence in Ethier than there is in Ramirez, and understandably so considering everything hurts for Ramirez right now. But, with a couple of days off between the last pitch of Game 5 and the first pitch of Game 6, hopefully he'll be in better shape.
With that said, if I was Mattingly, I would make one lineup adjustment: hit Yasiel Puig in the #5 spot, swapping spots with Ethier, who would move to #6.
There's a few reasons for this. One, Ethier is 3-for-17 in this series (.176 AVG). I don't care if the Cardinals have right-handed Michael Wacha as the starter, Mattingly can't keep overvaluing what side of the mound the pitcher delivers from. Right now Ethier is a singles hitter and nothing more. It doesn't matter if the pitcher is right of left-handed, he's still pretty bad.
The second reason ties into the first one, in that Puig is a much better option to drive in runs from the middle of the order. He was as bad as they came in the first two games, but after putting up an 0-for-10 spot, he's since gone 5-for-9 with a triple and two RBIs. Give him a chance to get an extra-base hit against a really good pitcher.
The last reason has to do with Ramirez. The last two games he's had to leave early because of his fractured ribs, to go along with various other ailments. He even missed all of Game 2. Say he needs to leave early in Game 6 as well and Nick Punto has to take his spot in the #3 hole. Then say the Dodgers are down by at least one in the ninth. Whom would you rather have up with two outs: Puig or Ethier? I don't care how many strikeouts Puig gets, one swing from him can make a heck of a lot more difference than Ethier.
Mattingly has used basically the same lineup during both rounds in the playoffs, with the only real difference where Puig has hit. As the Tigers and Red Sox have shown, making some changes can be a positive thing. Make the heart of the order Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Puig, and that strikes much more fear in the Cardinals than Ethier hitting behind A-Gon.
With that said, if I was Mattingly, I would make one lineup adjustment: hit Yasiel Puig in the #5 spot, swapping spots with Ethier, who would move to #6.
There's a few reasons for this. One, Ethier is 3-for-17 in this series (.176 AVG). I don't care if the Cardinals have right-handed Michael Wacha as the starter, Mattingly can't keep overvaluing what side of the mound the pitcher delivers from. Right now Ethier is a singles hitter and nothing more. It doesn't matter if the pitcher is right of left-handed, he's still pretty bad.
The second reason ties into the first one, in that Puig is a much better option to drive in runs from the middle of the order. He was as bad as they came in the first two games, but after putting up an 0-for-10 spot, he's since gone 5-for-9 with a triple and two RBIs. Give him a chance to get an extra-base hit against a really good pitcher.
The last reason has to do with Ramirez. The last two games he's had to leave early because of his fractured ribs, to go along with various other ailments. He even missed all of Game 2. Say he needs to leave early in Game 6 as well and Nick Punto has to take his spot in the #3 hole. Then say the Dodgers are down by at least one in the ninth. Whom would you rather have up with two outs: Puig or Ethier? I don't care how many strikeouts Puig gets, one swing from him can make a heck of a lot more difference than Ethier.
Mattingly has used basically the same lineup during both rounds in the playoffs, with the only real difference where Puig has hit. As the Tigers and Red Sox have shown, making some changes can be a positive thing. Make the heart of the order Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Puig, and that strikes much more fear in the Cardinals than Ethier hitting behind A-Gon.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Dodgers would be wise to sit Ethier
There's still no word on whether or not Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier will be able to give it a go for Game 3 of the NLCS. There's plenty on the line, obviously, as the Dodgers desperately need to win this one to avoid going down 3-0.
Having Ramirez's bat in the lineup, even at 50%, would be huge for the Dodgers. Opposing pitchers still have to very much account for him and the impact his swing can make. He's already had a CT scan, but as of now, those results aren't available.
Ethier is also trying to fight his way back into the lineup, as he sat out most of Game 2 before striking out to end it. I can certainly admire his desire to play, but I have to ask the question: Is putting him in the starting lineup even a good idea at this point?
The answer, I'm sorry to say, is clearly no.
The Ethier we are seeing now is a shell of his former self, the guy who was the glue in the outfield for nearly the entire season when Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp were hurt, and Yasiel Puig was still in Double-A. That guy didn't have a big bat power-wise, but had 47 extra-base hit in 142 games while playing some great defense, especially in center when Kemp was out.
Now? Not so much. He pinch-hit in all four games against the Braves in the NLDS, and went 0-for-3 with a walk and strikeout. In Game 1 of the NLCS, he found his way back in the starting lineup in center, and responded by going 1-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts. There was also the double by Carlos Beltran that scored two runs which wasn't caught at the wall. Fair or not, it's safe to question whether Skip Schumaker would've caught that ball. We'll never know.
As if he didn't look bad enough in Game 1, the way he struck out to end Game 2 was especially alarming. Three fastballs from Trevor Rosenthal, three weak swings and misses by Ethier. Yikes.
Seeing Schumaker's name etched in center at the start of Game 3 is not going to create all sorts of excitement for Dodger fans. He's only hitting .176 this October (3-for-17) with two RBIs. But, it's the right thing to do. Ethier's ankle is simply not in the shape it needs to be to automatically grant him the starting nod. Kudos to him for trying, but right now, he looks like an easy 0-for-4 against someone as good as Adam Wainwright.
I certainly hope Ethier can somehow find a way to get healthier before time runs out on the Dodgers in 2013. Based on his .111 postseason average, Don Mattingly can't afford to go with him again in the biggest game of the year for the Dodgers. And whether or not Ethier claims he's good to go should be a moot point. The best players need to be in tonight's lineup who give the Dodgers their best chance to win.
That's Schumaker, not Ethier.
Having Ramirez's bat in the lineup, even at 50%, would be huge for the Dodgers. Opposing pitchers still have to very much account for him and the impact his swing can make. He's already had a CT scan, but as of now, those results aren't available.
Ethier is also trying to fight his way back into the lineup, as he sat out most of Game 2 before striking out to end it. I can certainly admire his desire to play, but I have to ask the question: Is putting him in the starting lineup even a good idea at this point?
The answer, I'm sorry to say, is clearly no.
The Ethier we are seeing now is a shell of his former self, the guy who was the glue in the outfield for nearly the entire season when Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp were hurt, and Yasiel Puig was still in Double-A. That guy didn't have a big bat power-wise, but had 47 extra-base hit in 142 games while playing some great defense, especially in center when Kemp was out.
Now? Not so much. He pinch-hit in all four games against the Braves in the NLDS, and went 0-for-3 with a walk and strikeout. In Game 1 of the NLCS, he found his way back in the starting lineup in center, and responded by going 1-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts. There was also the double by Carlos Beltran that scored two runs which wasn't caught at the wall. Fair or not, it's safe to question whether Skip Schumaker would've caught that ball. We'll never know.
As if he didn't look bad enough in Game 1, the way he struck out to end Game 2 was especially alarming. Three fastballs from Trevor Rosenthal, three weak swings and misses by Ethier. Yikes.
Seeing Schumaker's name etched in center at the start of Game 3 is not going to create all sorts of excitement for Dodger fans. He's only hitting .176 this October (3-for-17) with two RBIs. But, it's the right thing to do. Ethier's ankle is simply not in the shape it needs to be to automatically grant him the starting nod. Kudos to him for trying, but right now, he looks like an easy 0-for-4 against someone as good as Adam Wainwright.
I certainly hope Ethier can somehow find a way to get healthier before time runs out on the Dodgers in 2013. Based on his .111 postseason average, Don Mattingly can't afford to go with him again in the biggest game of the year for the Dodgers. And whether or not Ethier claims he's good to go should be a moot point. The best players need to be in tonight's lineup who give the Dodgers their best chance to win.
That's Schumaker, not Ethier.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Ethier will open the NLCS in center
Andre Ethier has apparently done enough to convince Don Mattingly and the Dodgers' management to return to the starting lineup. He'll get the nod in center and hit seventh behind Juan Uribe in Game 1 of the NLCS.
This is great news, at least if he's truly healthy. You get the feeling that it's one of those things where Ethier is feeling better, but both sides are trying to convince themselves that he really will be OK to start. Perhaps it will be one of those issues where they'll let him go until he shows signs of not being able to execute the way he should.
With that in mind, expect Skip Schumaker to have his glove ready and be stretched during every inning.
The Cardinals feature an all right-handed rotation (Joe Kelly, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn), so Ethier's bat from the left side is essential. Schumaker also hits left, and while he did fairly well in the NLDS against the Braves, his bat doesn't have the game-changing impact that Ethier's does.
Of course, neither one of them has the impact that Matt Kemp's bat does, and this is the type of series where he will be sorely missed, but I digress.
Hopefully Ethier can provide some thump at the bottom of the order, as the Dodgers will look to steal back home field advantage with a win in any of the first couple of games. Some improved health plus Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw taking the ball means that is a good possibility of happening.
This is great news, at least if he's truly healthy. You get the feeling that it's one of those things where Ethier is feeling better, but both sides are trying to convince themselves that he really will be OK to start. Perhaps it will be one of those issues where they'll let him go until he shows signs of not being able to execute the way he should.
With that in mind, expect Skip Schumaker to have his glove ready and be stretched during every inning.
The Cardinals feature an all right-handed rotation (Joe Kelly, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn), so Ethier's bat from the left side is essential. Schumaker also hits left, and while he did fairly well in the NLDS against the Braves, his bat doesn't have the game-changing impact that Ethier's does.
Of course, neither one of them has the impact that Matt Kemp's bat does, and this is the type of series where he will be sorely missed, but I digress.
Hopefully Ethier can provide some thump at the bottom of the order, as the Dodgers will look to steal back home field advantage with a win in any of the first couple of games. Some improved health plus Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw taking the ball means that is a good possibility of happening.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Update on Ethier's condition heading into the NLDS
As Game 1 of the NLDS against the Braves is only a day away, Andre Ethier does not appear to be anywhere close to full health. Rather, it looks like he will be on the active roster, but only to pinch-hit.
The biggest factor going against Ethier is simply time, as he is slowly progressing, but not nearly fast enough to give it a full go. He initially was hurt on September 4, aggravated it further on September 13, and hasn't started a game since. He tried to workout in San Francisco not long ago, but felt too much discomfort when trying to round the bases.
With that said, Don Mattingly will make a few adjustments. First, he'll put Carl Crawford back in the leadoff spot, allowing Yasiel Puig to move down to the #5 spot behind Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez for his run production.
Also, this could mean that guys like Jerry Hairston, Scott Van Slyke, or Dee Gordon could find themselves on the roster. Hairston and Van Slyke could see time in the outfield, and Gordon might get some action in the "Billy Hamilton" pinch-running role.
I have to wonder, though, if keeping Ethier active is truly worth it. I'm reading about keeping his bat active for late-game situations, something he's excelled at in the past. But can he still contribute that way with a bad ankle? With runners in scoring position, he hit .228. With the bases loaded, he hit .143. In late or close situations, he hit .218.
Not exactly numbers that ring "Get that guy in there!" late in a big spot.
I admire Ethier for his desire to stay in there, especially with Matt Kemp suffering his 93rd injury of the last couple of seasons, KO'ing him for the playoffs already. I'm just a little worried that the Dodgers will expect him to come off the bench in a big spot and deliver. He couldn't do it healthy, so I'm doubting it will happen on one good leg.
Then again, maybe he'll turn back the clock 25 years and deliver his own Kirk Gibson moment when we least expect it.
The biggest factor going against Ethier is simply time, as he is slowly progressing, but not nearly fast enough to give it a full go. He initially was hurt on September 4, aggravated it further on September 13, and hasn't started a game since. He tried to workout in San Francisco not long ago, but felt too much discomfort when trying to round the bases.
With that said, Don Mattingly will make a few adjustments. First, he'll put Carl Crawford back in the leadoff spot, allowing Yasiel Puig to move down to the #5 spot behind Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez for his run production.
Also, this could mean that guys like Jerry Hairston, Scott Van Slyke, or Dee Gordon could find themselves on the roster. Hairston and Van Slyke could see time in the outfield, and Gordon might get some action in the "Billy Hamilton" pinch-running role.
I have to wonder, though, if keeping Ethier active is truly worth it. I'm reading about keeping his bat active for late-game situations, something he's excelled at in the past. But can he still contribute that way with a bad ankle? With runners in scoring position, he hit .228. With the bases loaded, he hit .143. In late or close situations, he hit .218.
Not exactly numbers that ring "Get that guy in there!" late in a big spot.
I admire Ethier for his desire to stay in there, especially with Matt Kemp suffering his 93rd injury of the last couple of seasons, KO'ing him for the playoffs already. I'm just a little worried that the Dodgers will expect him to come off the bench in a big spot and deliver. He couldn't do it healthy, so I'm doubting it will happen on one good leg.
Then again, maybe he'll turn back the clock 25 years and deliver his own Kirk Gibson moment when we least expect it.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Banged up outfielders plaguing the Dodgers heading into October
Remember when Yasiel Puig was called up from Double-A back in June, and the major question was how Don Mattingly would juggle four starting outfielders?
Mattingly has yet to answer that question because he hasn't needed to. And with the playoffs less than a week away, that's a bit of a problem.
Matt Kemp was a late scratch from the lineup on Saturday, which turned out to be a 1-0 loss to the Rockies, and Yasiel Puig and Andre Ethier sat out as well. Oh, and Carl Crawford got the night off to not risk any injury to him, too. Add that all up, and the starting outfield consisted of Scott Van Slyke in left, Skip Schumaker in center, and Chili Buss in right.
I'm guessing that's not exactly the lineup that's going to get it done in the NLDS. Or in any game.
Look, Kemp actually deserves credit for sitting out on Saturday with his sore left ankle. I'm not sure he would've used that same caution even a year ago, so not getting hurt worse in a meaningless game was the smart call. But it's also giving the Dodgers more reasons to worry that one little thing will cause him to go down again. That's the way it's been the last two years.
The Dodgers know they will open the NLDS on the road in either Atlanta or St. Louis. Mattingly is doing all he can to give his guys rest, while not having them sit too long and get rusty. It's a tough balance when you manage a team that gets hurt so much like this one.
At this point, it looks like Crawford, Kemp, and Puig will be the starting outfield in Game 1, with Andre Ethier either sitting out the first round, or available off the bench because of his ankle. That could go either way. Basically it's four guys all banged up at various levels, and that can't be very comforting for Mattingly.
Who this does benefit is guys like Schumaker, Nick Punto, and possibly Jerry Hairston to make the 25-man roster for the NLDS. Those guys don't have nearly the impact bats that the other guys do, but the Dodgers need that insurance just in case something else happens. And if we've learned anything from this season, it's that the next injury could be a foul ball off the leg away, ala Puig on Friday.
Maybe some rest until Thursday is exactly what the Dodgers need, as it's certainly a better scenario than playing in a do-or-die Wild Card game on Tuesday. Don't be surprised, however, to see Mattingly using all sorts of different combinations in the NLDS because of one injury after another.
Hey, at least he's used to this.
Mattingly has yet to answer that question because he hasn't needed to. And with the playoffs less than a week away, that's a bit of a problem.
Matt Kemp was a late scratch from the lineup on Saturday, which turned out to be a 1-0 loss to the Rockies, and Yasiel Puig and Andre Ethier sat out as well. Oh, and Carl Crawford got the night off to not risk any injury to him, too. Add that all up, and the starting outfield consisted of Scott Van Slyke in left, Skip Schumaker in center, and Chili Buss in right.
I'm guessing that's not exactly the lineup that's going to get it done in the NLDS. Or in any game.
Look, Kemp actually deserves credit for sitting out on Saturday with his sore left ankle. I'm not sure he would've used that same caution even a year ago, so not getting hurt worse in a meaningless game was the smart call. But it's also giving the Dodgers more reasons to worry that one little thing will cause him to go down again. That's the way it's been the last two years.
The Dodgers know they will open the NLDS on the road in either Atlanta or St. Louis. Mattingly is doing all he can to give his guys rest, while not having them sit too long and get rusty. It's a tough balance when you manage a team that gets hurt so much like this one.
At this point, it looks like Crawford, Kemp, and Puig will be the starting outfield in Game 1, with Andre Ethier either sitting out the first round, or available off the bench because of his ankle. That could go either way. Basically it's four guys all banged up at various levels, and that can't be very comforting for Mattingly.
Who this does benefit is guys like Schumaker, Nick Punto, and possibly Jerry Hairston to make the 25-man roster for the NLDS. Those guys don't have nearly the impact bats that the other guys do, but the Dodgers need that insurance just in case something else happens. And if we've learned anything from this season, it's that the next injury could be a foul ball off the leg away, ala Puig on Friday.
Maybe some rest until Thursday is exactly what the Dodgers need, as it's certainly a better scenario than playing in a do-or-die Wild Card game on Tuesday. Don't be surprised, however, to see Mattingly using all sorts of different combinations in the NLDS because of one injury after another.
Hey, at least he's used to this.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Uribe reminds us why "the other guys" are so important
Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez, and Adrian Gonzalez all did their part in an 8-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday night. Puig reached base twice; Ramirez homered, doubled, and scored three runs; and Gonzo also doubled and homered.
But the story of the night was one Juan Uribe, who put on an absolute show. Three solo home runs, then an RBI infield single just for fun. And even though he committed only his fifth error of the season on a bad throw, he also had a dazzling barehanded pickup and throw to nail Adam Eaton in the third.
And with that, it's a reminder just how much the Dodgers need someone other than the "Big 3" mentioned above to step up when it matters most. Since the Dodgers were on a four-game skid and playing the second place Diamondbacks, Uribe did just that.
I still won't change my belief just how much a healthy Matt Kemp would boost this club, but I also have to assume it won't happen. Or, we all should just accept the "believe it when we see it" slogan. If he comes back, that's great. But until then, guys like Uribe need to chip in in order to win big games.
For further proof that the rest of the order has to contribute, take a look at the previous series against the Reds. Observe the stats of the Big 3, then compare them to all "the other guys":
Game 1 (3-2 loss) - Big 3: 3 hits, Ramirez solo homer; Others: 2 singles
Game 2 (4-3 loss) - Big 3: 6 hits, Puig two-run homer; Others: 4 singles
Game 3 (3-2 loss) - Big 3: 3 hits, Ramirez solo homer; Others: 3 singles
Just to emphasize the point even more, none of "the other guys" had an RBI all weekend. With the exception of A.J. Ellis going 4-for-7 in two starts, nobody else did a lick. The result was a one-run loss in each game, and that big hit just wouldn't come.
With Uribe finding his swing in a big way, it's time to see even more of "the other guys" to get things going as well. Carl Crawford is one who comes to mind right away. In his last four starts, he's gone 2-for-17 with a double and six strikeouts. He's still hitting .286, which is pretty good, but we've seen him do more. Even Don Mattingly may be losing some patience, as he was hitting in the #2 hole on Monday, rather than his customary leadoff spot.
Another couple of guys who get regular playing time and could step up at the plate more are Andre Ethier and Mark Ellis. Ethier, to his credit, started the scoring barrage last night with a solo homer in the second. Still, he's hitting a dismal .192 in eight games this month, and even though it's not a large sample size, could be much better.
Ellis is hitting .174 this month and .269 overall. While I would never question his desire and hard work, I can definitely see him losing more playing time to guys Mattingly is looking to get some swings like Michael Young, Skip Schumaker, and Nick Punto. Seeing that Ellis only has 10 doubles, six homers, and two triples in 110 games, he might have to get a little more used to watching from the bench.
The Dodgers' magic number is down to eight, so the division title in well within their sights. The next step is getting home field for as long as they can, so hopefully that will push them to stay focused through September so they're sharp for the Division Series. Getting more of "the other guys" to chip in a little more at the plate will help them do just that.
But the story of the night was one Juan Uribe, who put on an absolute show. Three solo home runs, then an RBI infield single just for fun. And even though he committed only his fifth error of the season on a bad throw, he also had a dazzling barehanded pickup and throw to nail Adam Eaton in the third.
And with that, it's a reminder just how much the Dodgers need someone other than the "Big 3" mentioned above to step up when it matters most. Since the Dodgers were on a four-game skid and playing the second place Diamondbacks, Uribe did just that.
I still won't change my belief just how much a healthy Matt Kemp would boost this club, but I also have to assume it won't happen. Or, we all should just accept the "believe it when we see it" slogan. If he comes back, that's great. But until then, guys like Uribe need to chip in in order to win big games.
For further proof that the rest of the order has to contribute, take a look at the previous series against the Reds. Observe the stats of the Big 3, then compare them to all "the other guys":
Game 1 (3-2 loss) - Big 3: 3 hits, Ramirez solo homer; Others: 2 singles
Game 2 (4-3 loss) - Big 3: 6 hits, Puig two-run homer; Others: 4 singles
Game 3 (3-2 loss) - Big 3: 3 hits, Ramirez solo homer; Others: 3 singles
Just to emphasize the point even more, none of "the other guys" had an RBI all weekend. With the exception of A.J. Ellis going 4-for-7 in two starts, nobody else did a lick. The result was a one-run loss in each game, and that big hit just wouldn't come.
With Uribe finding his swing in a big way, it's time to see even more of "the other guys" to get things going as well. Carl Crawford is one who comes to mind right away. In his last four starts, he's gone 2-for-17 with a double and six strikeouts. He's still hitting .286, which is pretty good, but we've seen him do more. Even Don Mattingly may be losing some patience, as he was hitting in the #2 hole on Monday, rather than his customary leadoff spot.
Another couple of guys who get regular playing time and could step up at the plate more are Andre Ethier and Mark Ellis. Ethier, to his credit, started the scoring barrage last night with a solo homer in the second. Still, he's hitting a dismal .192 in eight games this month, and even though it's not a large sample size, could be much better.
Ellis is hitting .174 this month and .269 overall. While I would never question his desire and hard work, I can definitely see him losing more playing time to guys Mattingly is looking to get some swings like Michael Young, Skip Schumaker, and Nick Punto. Seeing that Ellis only has 10 doubles, six homers, and two triples in 110 games, he might have to get a little more used to watching from the bench.
The Dodgers' magic number is down to eight, so the division title in well within their sights. The next step is getting home field for as long as they can, so hopefully that will push them to stay focused through September so they're sharp for the Division Series. Getting more of "the other guys" to chip in a little more at the plate will help them do just that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)