Remember when the Dodgers signed Brandon Beachy to a one-year, $2.75 million contract back in February?
No?
Well, take my word for it, because they did. And it's a good thing, too, considering the news from today concerning another one of their starters.
Hyun-Jin Ryu has opted for shoulder surgery on Thursday, all but ending any chance he pitches in 2015. Never say never, but I haven't read a thing yet that makes me even somewhat optimistic that he'll be toeing the rubber come this postseason. It ain't gonna happen, folks.
So, this is where the Dodgers start to scramble with Ryu and Brandon McCarthy already KO'd for the year. They've gotten good starts out of rookies Carlos Frias (3-1, 2.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) and Mike Bolsinger (2-0, 1.04, 1.10). In fact, those are very good numbers, so it's hard to expect them to stay that way. That's not to say they can't pitch well, but numbers that low can't be counted on over and over.
That leads us back to Beachy, who's showing signs of fighting back from his second Tommy John surgery in three years. He hasn't pitched since August of 2013, so you can understand just how long a road he's been on in pitching again. His most recent step came a few days ago when he tossed two innings of a simulated game pain free.
At the time, I don't think anyone could've expected Beachy to be so important this early in the season, but he is. In 46 career starts with the Braves, he's 14-11 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 275 K's in 267 2/3 IP. Those numbers are very promising, and you can see why the Dodgers were willing to take a chance on him.
What's next in the recovery process for Beachy? According to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles,com, he's expected to go on a rehab assignment soon. Assuming that all goes well, then it's very possible we'll see him with the big club in June.
That's a best case scenario, and considering how fragile his arm has been in the past, we'll have just wait and see how he responds after increasing his workload each start.
But let's stay positive here and say that all does go well. Beachy can then slot himself right into the back end of the rotation over the summer and give a nice boost. It'll be hard to match Ryu's consistency, but as long as he can keep his WHIP low, the much-improved Dodgers' defense can help him in a big way.
The bottom line is to keep your eye on Beachy over the next few weeks. If he's feeling good and getting hitters out, he can be just what the Dodgers need in June.
Showing posts with label Ryu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryu. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
We may not see Ryu this year for awhile... if at all
Tough news for the Dodgers today, as the LA Times is passing along a report from South Korea that says Hyun-Jin Ryu may need season-ending shoulder surgery. That would end his 2015 campaign before it even started.
After making a couple of starts in Spring Training, Ryu was shut down due to "shoulder inflammation," which is basically saying that they hoped whatever was bugging him in his shoulder would go away with rest. Obviously, it hasn't.
Now the Dodgers are faced with one of two options: cut open the shoulder, see what's wrong, and perform the surgery; or keep resting him and hope for the best.
You get the feeling that the "rest" option is being thrown out the window, as he's been doing so since March, and it doesn't seem to be making any difference. As Dodgers' reporter Dylan Hernandez points out in the article linked above, shoulder operations are historically much riskier than elbow surgeries, so Ryu is reluctant to go under the knife.
The Dodgers are in first place by 4 1/2 games over the Giants in the NL West, but the concerns remain. Brandon McCarthy is already out for the season with Tommy John surgery, Brett Anderson hasn't gotten hurt yet like he usually does, and Clayton Kershaw has actually appeared human. They were hoping Ryu would come back and be that stud #3 starter, but that's looking increasingly unlikely.
In two MLB seasons, Ryu is 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 293 K's in 344 IP. Those are some great numbers, but considering the workload he brought with him from Korea, perhaps it's not a surprise that his body is starting to fail him. That's a lot of pitches over the last few seasons.
We'll see if Ryu really does opt for surgery over time. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and he is back in the rotation over the summer.
I'm just not counting on it.
After making a couple of starts in Spring Training, Ryu was shut down due to "shoulder inflammation," which is basically saying that they hoped whatever was bugging him in his shoulder would go away with rest. Obviously, it hasn't.
Now the Dodgers are faced with one of two options: cut open the shoulder, see what's wrong, and perform the surgery; or keep resting him and hope for the best.
You get the feeling that the "rest" option is being thrown out the window, as he's been doing so since March, and it doesn't seem to be making any difference. As Dodgers' reporter Dylan Hernandez points out in the article linked above, shoulder operations are historically much riskier than elbow surgeries, so Ryu is reluctant to go under the knife.
The Dodgers are in first place by 4 1/2 games over the Giants in the NL West, but the concerns remain. Brandon McCarthy is already out for the season with Tommy John surgery, Brett Anderson hasn't gotten hurt yet like he usually does, and Clayton Kershaw has actually appeared human. They were hoping Ryu would come back and be that stud #3 starter, but that's looking increasingly unlikely.
In two MLB seasons, Ryu is 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 293 K's in 344 IP. Those are some great numbers, but considering the workload he brought with him from Korea, perhaps it's not a surprise that his body is starting to fail him. That's a lot of pitches over the last few seasons.
We'll see if Ryu really does opt for surgery over time. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, and he is back in the rotation over the summer.
I'm just not counting on it.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
2015 Season Preview: Starting Pitching
Here is the first installment in my season preview series. The Dodgers have gone through a whole lot of changes in the offseason, one of the biggest turnovers between the front office and on the field in their storied history.
Up first is the strength of the club, starting pitching.
2014
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Josh Beckett
5. Dan Haren
2015
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Brandon McCarthy
5. Brett Anderson
Then Compared to Now:
The top three in the rotation stay the same, and that's a good thing. You won't find many better threesomes at the top of any pitching staff than Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu. It's a good mix of power and craftiness coming at you from both sides of the pitching rubber.
That leaves the biggest question mark to the final two slots. Last year, Beckett gave the Dodgers many terrific starts to the tune of a 2.88 ERA, including that fantastic no-hitter in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, 20 starts was all he could give, as a hip injury forced him into retirement.
Then there was Haren, who went through the roller coaster of great to start, awful for much of the summer, then reliable again down the stretch. Through it all he had a 4.02 ERA, which was good for a guy at the bottom of the rotation.
Individual Breakdown:
Kershaw (2014 stats): 21-3, 1.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 239 K's in 198 1/3 IP
Oh ya, and an MVP and another Cy Young Award, his third overall. You really couldn't ask for much of anything else, as he completely dominated in just about every start. About the only thing that didn't go right was in the playoffs against the Cardinals, as he took two losses and got hammered for a 7.82 ERA. He'll just have to be patient and hope he gets another chance at redemption, as that's the next step in his evolution.
Greinke: 17-8, 2.71 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 207 K's in 202 1/3 IP
After another terrific season from him, the question he'll be facing all season long is if this will be his final year in Dodger blue. He's eligible to opt out of his current six-year deal, which is now entering the third year. Who knows how that will play out, but posting another sub-3.00 ERA and All-Star berth will only increase the odds of him looking for more money. So, in a strange way, the better he does, the more likely he'll be gone. But the Dodgers will gladly take the quality starts, and then worry about the contract situation in October, hopefully after a parade in downtown LA.
Ryu: 14-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 139 K's in 152 IP
The third part of the Big 3 put up great numbers in his second season, yet it was a bumpier ride thanks to a couple of injuries that limited him to 26 starts. He nearly missed the playoffs because of a sore shoulder, though was able to recover and pitch very well in Game 3 against the Cardinals. He also had a sore butt muscle at one point. Um, I'm guessing that's not much fun. Let's hope those injuries don't pop up again, as he quietly is a really good starter.
McCarthy (with Diamondbacks and Yankees): 10-15, 4.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 175 K's in 200 IP
Those numbers don't jump off the page, but his 14 starts after being traded to the Yankees should: 7-5, 2.89 ERA, 1.15 WHIP. I don't think anybody anticipated numbers like that. As a result, the Dodgers gave him a shiny, new four-year, $48 million contract. We know that he's tough, as he's more than bounced back from taking a horrible line drive to the head in 2012 with the A's, then suffered a seizure the following year in what was related to that seizure. We also know that he's had a long history of injuries, only making 30 starts once. The Dodgers believe he'll be good to go every fifth day, as he can be a great addition in the bottom part of the rotation if that's indeed the case.
Anderson (with Rockies): 1-3, 2.91 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 29 K's in 43 1/3 IP
Yup, those numbers are tiny, all because he only made eight starts. In fact, after making 30 starts in his rookie season with the A's in 2009, he's made 19, 13, 6, 5 (16 appearances), and 8 starts since. Last year he dealt with a broken left finger and lower back injury. The Dodgers only signed him for one year, so they're hoping to find that guy who has fantastic stuff when healthy, and not the guy whose name you forget about when he's buried on the DL.
Is Now Better Than Then?
On paper, I would take this year's rotation, mostly because of McCarthy. If he can pitch anywhere close to the guy who went over the AL East last season and dominated, then the Dodgers have a terrific top four. If he reverts back to the guy the DBacks were more than willing to get rid of, then that's a pretty back signing.
Let's not forget about all those great starts Beckett gave before the All-Star break last season, as he was one of the top pitchers in the National League for quite some time. Haren probably won't be missed because of his inconsistency, but when it was all said and done, a 4.02 ERA in 32 starts isn't too shabby.
I also should point out that we all need to temper our expectations for Kershaw, who's set such a high standard for himself, there's not much else he can do. Let's not just assume he can throw up zeroes every start. As we saw in the NLDS against the Cardinals, even the MVP can be human, and shaky starts happen to the best of them.
With all of that said, with some good health, the Dodgers have to like their chances in every game with the guy they send to the hill. You know what you'll get from the top three, but if McCarthy and Anderson can pitch as well as they're capable of, this is a very strong rotation, and an upgrade from last year.
Up first is the strength of the club, starting pitching.
2014
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Josh Beckett
5. Dan Haren
2015
1. Clayton Kershaw
2. Zack Greinke
3. Hyun-Jin Ryu
4. Brandon McCarthy
5. Brett Anderson
Then Compared to Now:
The top three in the rotation stay the same, and that's a good thing. You won't find many better threesomes at the top of any pitching staff than Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu. It's a good mix of power and craftiness coming at you from both sides of the pitching rubber.
That leaves the biggest question mark to the final two slots. Last year, Beckett gave the Dodgers many terrific starts to the tune of a 2.88 ERA, including that fantastic no-hitter in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, 20 starts was all he could give, as a hip injury forced him into retirement.
Then there was Haren, who went through the roller coaster of great to start, awful for much of the summer, then reliable again down the stretch. Through it all he had a 4.02 ERA, which was good for a guy at the bottom of the rotation.
Individual Breakdown:
Kershaw (2014 stats): 21-3, 1.77 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 239 K's in 198 1/3 IP
Oh ya, and an MVP and another Cy Young Award, his third overall. You really couldn't ask for much of anything else, as he completely dominated in just about every start. About the only thing that didn't go right was in the playoffs against the Cardinals, as he took two losses and got hammered for a 7.82 ERA. He'll just have to be patient and hope he gets another chance at redemption, as that's the next step in his evolution.
Greinke: 17-8, 2.71 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 207 K's in 202 1/3 IP
After another terrific season from him, the question he'll be facing all season long is if this will be his final year in Dodger blue. He's eligible to opt out of his current six-year deal, which is now entering the third year. Who knows how that will play out, but posting another sub-3.00 ERA and All-Star berth will only increase the odds of him looking for more money. So, in a strange way, the better he does, the more likely he'll be gone. But the Dodgers will gladly take the quality starts, and then worry about the contract situation in October, hopefully after a parade in downtown LA.
Ryu: 14-7, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 139 K's in 152 IP
The third part of the Big 3 put up great numbers in his second season, yet it was a bumpier ride thanks to a couple of injuries that limited him to 26 starts. He nearly missed the playoffs because of a sore shoulder, though was able to recover and pitch very well in Game 3 against the Cardinals. He also had a sore butt muscle at one point. Um, I'm guessing that's not much fun. Let's hope those injuries don't pop up again, as he quietly is a really good starter.
McCarthy (with Diamondbacks and Yankees): 10-15, 4.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 175 K's in 200 IP
Those numbers don't jump off the page, but his 14 starts after being traded to the Yankees should: 7-5, 2.89 ERA, 1.15 WHIP. I don't think anybody anticipated numbers like that. As a result, the Dodgers gave him a shiny, new four-year, $48 million contract. We know that he's tough, as he's more than bounced back from taking a horrible line drive to the head in 2012 with the A's, then suffered a seizure the following year in what was related to that seizure. We also know that he's had a long history of injuries, only making 30 starts once. The Dodgers believe he'll be good to go every fifth day, as he can be a great addition in the bottom part of the rotation if that's indeed the case.
Anderson (with Rockies): 1-3, 2.91 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 29 K's in 43 1/3 IP
Yup, those numbers are tiny, all because he only made eight starts. In fact, after making 30 starts in his rookie season with the A's in 2009, he's made 19, 13, 6, 5 (16 appearances), and 8 starts since. Last year he dealt with a broken left finger and lower back injury. The Dodgers only signed him for one year, so they're hoping to find that guy who has fantastic stuff when healthy, and not the guy whose name you forget about when he's buried on the DL.
Is Now Better Than Then?
On paper, I would take this year's rotation, mostly because of McCarthy. If he can pitch anywhere close to the guy who went over the AL East last season and dominated, then the Dodgers have a terrific top four. If he reverts back to the guy the DBacks were more than willing to get rid of, then that's a pretty back signing.
Let's not forget about all those great starts Beckett gave before the All-Star break last season, as he was one of the top pitchers in the National League for quite some time. Haren probably won't be missed because of his inconsistency, but when it was all said and done, a 4.02 ERA in 32 starts isn't too shabby.
I also should point out that we all need to temper our expectations for Kershaw, who's set such a high standard for himself, there's not much else he can do. Let's not just assume he can throw up zeroes every start. As we saw in the NLDS against the Cardinals, even the MVP can be human, and shaky starts happen to the best of them.
With all of that said, with some good health, the Dodgers have to like their chances in every game with the guy they send to the hill. You know what you'll get from the top three, but if McCarthy and Anderson can pitch as well as they're capable of, this is a very strong rotation, and an upgrade from last year.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Ryu's value has skyrocketed... and oh ya, he's still hurt
As I type this, the Dodgers are still being creamed in Colorado 16-1 in the top of the ninth. This is a game that saw Carlos Frias make a spot start for Hyun-Jin Ryu, and it could not have gone any worse.
How bad was Frias? He only lasted two outs, giving up eight runs on 10 hits, including a three-run homer to Justin Morneau that started the scoring. His ERA coming in was 3.91... his ERA going out is 6.58. That's hard to do.
There's also this little tidbit, courtesy of Dodgers' beat writer Dylan Hernandez: Frias became the first pitcher in the modern baseball era to give up 10 hits and not complete an inning. Wow. Just plain wow.
Kevin Correia also made an appearance today, giving up six runs (five earned) in three innings, raising his ERA with the Dodgers to 7.73.
Roberto Hernandez has made seven starts with the Dodgers for a 4.76 ERA. He's failed to last longer than 4 1/3 innings in each of his last three starts.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ryu's value has suddenly gone through the roof without even throwing one pitch.
We all knew that Ryu was good before, but after having to sit and watch some of these other scrubs pitch way too often, it's obvious the Dodgers need a healthy Ryu if they stand any chance in October. The last thing anyone wants to see is one of the above mentioned guys get a big start in the postseason. That's as scary a thought as I can possibly think of.
Right now, Ryu is not on the DL, but is out with left shoulder soreness. The latest update is that he has no structural damage, which is huge. He's considered day-to-day as the Dodgers just hope they can win enough without him to wrap up the NL West and keep him resting as long as possible.
That's the silver lining on a day like this, as the Dodgers just wrapped up a horrible afternoon of baseball with a 16-2 loss. I know it's Coors Field, and I know every team has clunkers throughout the season, but these last two days have been very discouraging. To go from dominating the Giants the last two games in San Francisco to being outscored by the Rockies 26-6 the last two days is pretty frustrating.
And that's why Ryu's imminent return is such good news. Let's not forget his Game 3 start against the Cardinals last year in which he hurled seven shutout innings after the Cards defeated Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke the first two games. The stage is definitely not too big for him, and that's what the Dodgers need again next month.
Maybe four games in Chicago against the Cubs will get the Dodgers going again, as Kershaw and Greinke are scheduled to go. Maybe the bats will drive in runs again, just like the did last weekend against the Giants. Maybe the Giants will help out and lose some more.
And maybe, just maybe, Ryu can comeback strong and be that rock in the #3 spot of the rotation. That's what the Dodgers need the most.
How bad was Frias? He only lasted two outs, giving up eight runs on 10 hits, including a three-run homer to Justin Morneau that started the scoring. His ERA coming in was 3.91... his ERA going out is 6.58. That's hard to do.
There's also this little tidbit, courtesy of Dodgers' beat writer Dylan Hernandez: Frias became the first pitcher in the modern baseball era to give up 10 hits and not complete an inning. Wow. Just plain wow.
Kevin Correia also made an appearance today, giving up six runs (five earned) in three innings, raising his ERA with the Dodgers to 7.73.
Roberto Hernandez has made seven starts with the Dodgers for a 4.76 ERA. He's failed to last longer than 4 1/3 innings in each of his last three starts.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ryu's value has suddenly gone through the roof without even throwing one pitch.
We all knew that Ryu was good before, but after having to sit and watch some of these other scrubs pitch way too often, it's obvious the Dodgers need a healthy Ryu if they stand any chance in October. The last thing anyone wants to see is one of the above mentioned guys get a big start in the postseason. That's as scary a thought as I can possibly think of.
Right now, Ryu is not on the DL, but is out with left shoulder soreness. The latest update is that he has no structural damage, which is huge. He's considered day-to-day as the Dodgers just hope they can win enough without him to wrap up the NL West and keep him resting as long as possible.
That's the silver lining on a day like this, as the Dodgers just wrapped up a horrible afternoon of baseball with a 16-2 loss. I know it's Coors Field, and I know every team has clunkers throughout the season, but these last two days have been very discouraging. To go from dominating the Giants the last two games in San Francisco to being outscored by the Rockies 26-6 the last two days is pretty frustrating.
And that's why Ryu's imminent return is such good news. Let's not forget his Game 3 start against the Cardinals last year in which he hurled seven shutout innings after the Cards defeated Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke the first two games. The stage is definitely not too big for him, and that's what the Dodgers need again next month.
Maybe four games in Chicago against the Cubs will get the Dodgers going again, as Kershaw and Greinke are scheduled to go. Maybe the bats will drive in runs again, just like the did last weekend against the Giants. Maybe the Giants will help out and lose some more.
And maybe, just maybe, Ryu can comeback strong and be that rock in the #3 spot of the rotation. That's what the Dodgers need the most.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Dodgers have the big guns lined up vs. the Giants
The Giants won again on Thursday afternoon, easily taking care of the Diamondbacks 6-2. No surprise there, as the DBacks were just as helpless against the Giants (three-game sweep) as they were against the Dodgers a week ago (three-game sweep).
Through it all, the Dodgers' lead in the NL West remains at two games. And guess what? Friday night starts a three-game set in San Francisco. The fun is just about to start.
What else should be fun? In these three games in San Francisco, and in two weeks back in Los Angeles, Don Mattingly has lined up his rotation perfectly: two starts apiece for Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Fun, indeed.
There's really no other way to go about this, as those six games will most likely be make-or-break. Both teams could very well end up in the postseason either way, but obviously, both want to avoid the dreaded one-game Wild Card playoff.
Rainouts could always wreak havoc on these plans, as the Dodgers play seven games in between in Colorado and Chicago (Cubs), and we know the weather there isn't exactly sunny and calm. Let's just hope nothing crazy happens.
I also like how both series will see Ryu, Greinke, and Kershaw pitching in that order. It splits up the two lefties, and leaves the best pitcher in baseball at the end to either salvage a series, or emphatically give a series win. There's no other guy I'd want to have the ball than Kershaw in a sticky situation. You know he'll take it and battle until the last pitch.
A few days ago I wrote about the Dodgers' offense being the key to getting into the postseason, and I still very much believe that to be true. The bats simply cannot afford to go AWOL during these games and waste good starts. Of these six games against the Giants, you know the starting pitching will be good, if not very good in each one. The bats need to step up and make sure they aren't wasted performances.
The Dodgers and Giants going toe-to-toe is what pennant race baseball is all about, and I'm glad to see the big guns on the mound, and not guys like Roberto Hernandez or Kevin Correia needing to outperform themselves just to stay in the game. Nope. It's all about the Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu proving they're the best 1-3 in the game.
Now THAT'S going to be fun to watch.
Through it all, the Dodgers' lead in the NL West remains at two games. And guess what? Friday night starts a three-game set in San Francisco. The fun is just about to start.
What else should be fun? In these three games in San Francisco, and in two weeks back in Los Angeles, Don Mattingly has lined up his rotation perfectly: two starts apiece for Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Fun, indeed.
There's really no other way to go about this, as those six games will most likely be make-or-break. Both teams could very well end up in the postseason either way, but obviously, both want to avoid the dreaded one-game Wild Card playoff.
Rainouts could always wreak havoc on these plans, as the Dodgers play seven games in between in Colorado and Chicago (Cubs), and we know the weather there isn't exactly sunny and calm. Let's just hope nothing crazy happens.
I also like how both series will see Ryu, Greinke, and Kershaw pitching in that order. It splits up the two lefties, and leaves the best pitcher in baseball at the end to either salvage a series, or emphatically give a series win. There's no other guy I'd want to have the ball than Kershaw in a sticky situation. You know he'll take it and battle until the last pitch.
A few days ago I wrote about the Dodgers' offense being the key to getting into the postseason, and I still very much believe that to be true. The bats simply cannot afford to go AWOL during these games and waste good starts. Of these six games against the Giants, you know the starting pitching will be good, if not very good in each one. The bats need to step up and make sure they aren't wasted performances.
The Dodgers and Giants going toe-to-toe is what pennant race baseball is all about, and I'm glad to see the big guns on the mound, and not guys like Roberto Hernandez or Kevin Correia needing to outperform themselves just to stay in the game. Nope. It's all about the Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu proving they're the best 1-3 in the game.
Now THAT'S going to be fun to watch.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Dodgers hit a lull, so what's the problem?
For anyone who thought the Dodgers might be able to run away with not only the NL West, but the National League as a whole, think again.
The Brewers came into Dodger Stadium and showed why they're a legit contender with a three-game sweep, finishing off the Dodgers with a 7-2 shellacking on Sunday. Couple that with last weekend, and the Brew Crew have to feel good about taking five of six from LA. And that's with both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke starting four of the six games.
After getting the lead in the NL West up to over six games, the lead over the Giants has dropped to 3 1/2. Washington and Milwaukee are now ahead of the Dodgers in the race for #1 seed in the NL.
Simply put, like the headline says, the Dodgers are in a lull, dropping three straight and four of five. So what's the deal? Here's the deal:
* In those four loses, the offense has scored nine runs, averaging 2.3 per. Even with great starting pitching, it's hard to win many games like that.
* Hyun-Jin Ryu was placed on the DL with a sore glute muscle. Kevin Correia will fill in, and while he had a great opening act, isn't the caliber of Ryu over the long haul.
* Juan Uribe was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. Justin Turner will see action at third, but his glove has been shaky to say the least of late.
* Greinke hasn't been as sharp in August. In three starts, he's 0-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He walked five in only five innings his last start, running his pitch count way up to 99.
* The bullpen completely imploded on Friday night, as Jamey Wright and Brandon League combined to give up five runs in the eighth. The eighth inning, as I recently wrote about, has been a huge disappointment.
* Even Kershaw was off his normal dominant self, giving up a couple of home runs in losing on Saturday. Of course, he still went the distance and only surrendered three runs, but his offense gave him nothing.
* Dee Gordon still has his big games, but has seen his numbers dip a bit after the break, and one has to wonder if he's slowing down a bit just from the grind of the long season.
* Matt Kemp was red hot in July, but in August he's back down to hitting .219. He's actually hit safely in 12 of 17 games, but most of those are 1-for-4 or 1-for-5.
* The defense is much-improved since the start of the season, but is still middle of the pack in fielding %. Losing Uribe at third does nothing to help, either.
* All the good vibes Dan Haren had coming into Sunday may have come to screeching halt, as the Brewers smacked him around.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com wrote a good article about how this is not a time to panic, and to instead "keep the faith." It makes a lot of sense, as every team is bound to go through peaks and valleys over the course of a 162-game season.
But, for the many reasons listed above, it's also realistic that the Dodgers need to figure things out in order to keep that first place standing in the NL West. When one of their key starting pitchers and starting third baseman get hurt, then they get swept at home, there's reasons to be a little nervous.
There is some good news, as Hanley Ramirez looks like he'll be ready to go when he comes off the DL next Sunday. As a bonus, it looks like he might play some third, something he did in his Marlins' days when they acquired Jose Reyes. That will get his bat back in the lineup, and keep the better fielding Miguel Rojas at short.
That's still a week away, and in the meantime the Dodgers will welcome the Padres and Mets into town starting Tuesday. Even though they both stink, with the way the Dodgers play at home, they can't afford to overlook anyone. If they do, they might find themselves in second in no time.
We'll see what the Dodgers' depth can do, as they will go deep into their 25-man roster to stay afloat. It would be great if guys like Kemp, Gordon, and Adrian Gonzalez have a big week, and the Dodgers can get rolling again. They are the stars, so now they need to step up and play like it.
Oh ya, and not blowing more leads in the eighth inning would help too.
The Brewers came into Dodger Stadium and showed why they're a legit contender with a three-game sweep, finishing off the Dodgers with a 7-2 shellacking on Sunday. Couple that with last weekend, and the Brew Crew have to feel good about taking five of six from LA. And that's with both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke starting four of the six games.
After getting the lead in the NL West up to over six games, the lead over the Giants has dropped to 3 1/2. Washington and Milwaukee are now ahead of the Dodgers in the race for #1 seed in the NL.
Simply put, like the headline says, the Dodgers are in a lull, dropping three straight and four of five. So what's the deal? Here's the deal:
* In those four loses, the offense has scored nine runs, averaging 2.3 per. Even with great starting pitching, it's hard to win many games like that.
* Hyun-Jin Ryu was placed on the DL with a sore glute muscle. Kevin Correia will fill in, and while he had a great opening act, isn't the caliber of Ryu over the long haul.
* Juan Uribe was placed on the DL with a strained hamstring. Justin Turner will see action at third, but his glove has been shaky to say the least of late.
* Greinke hasn't been as sharp in August. In three starts, he's 0-2 with a 3.50 ERA. He walked five in only five innings his last start, running his pitch count way up to 99.
* The bullpen completely imploded on Friday night, as Jamey Wright and Brandon League combined to give up five runs in the eighth. The eighth inning, as I recently wrote about, has been a huge disappointment.
* Even Kershaw was off his normal dominant self, giving up a couple of home runs in losing on Saturday. Of course, he still went the distance and only surrendered three runs, but his offense gave him nothing.
* Dee Gordon still has his big games, but has seen his numbers dip a bit after the break, and one has to wonder if he's slowing down a bit just from the grind of the long season.
* Matt Kemp was red hot in July, but in August he's back down to hitting .219. He's actually hit safely in 12 of 17 games, but most of those are 1-for-4 or 1-for-5.
* The defense is much-improved since the start of the season, but is still middle of the pack in fielding %. Losing Uribe at third does nothing to help, either.
* All the good vibes Dan Haren had coming into Sunday may have come to screeching halt, as the Brewers smacked him around.
Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com wrote a good article about how this is not a time to panic, and to instead "keep the faith." It makes a lot of sense, as every team is bound to go through peaks and valleys over the course of a 162-game season.
But, for the many reasons listed above, it's also realistic that the Dodgers need to figure things out in order to keep that first place standing in the NL West. When one of their key starting pitchers and starting third baseman get hurt, then they get swept at home, there's reasons to be a little nervous.
There is some good news, as Hanley Ramirez looks like he'll be ready to go when he comes off the DL next Sunday. As a bonus, it looks like he might play some third, something he did in his Marlins' days when they acquired Jose Reyes. That will get his bat back in the lineup, and keep the better fielding Miguel Rojas at short.
That's still a week away, and in the meantime the Dodgers will welcome the Padres and Mets into town starting Tuesday. Even though they both stink, with the way the Dodgers play at home, they can't afford to overlook anyone. If they do, they might find themselves in second in no time.
We'll see what the Dodgers' depth can do, as they will go deep into their 25-man roster to stay afloat. It would be great if guys like Kemp, Gordon, and Adrian Gonzalez have a big week, and the Dodgers can get rolling again. They are the stars, so now they need to step up and play like it.
Oh ya, and not blowing more leads in the eighth inning would help too.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Historically, Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu better after the break
If you're looking for some good news concerning the Dodgers' chances of winning the NL West again, it's this: the top three in the rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu have better numbers after the All-Star break compared to before. Here's a look at those numbers:
Kershaw
Pre-break: 2.72 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .208 BAA
Post-break: 2.28 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .212 BAA
Greinke
Pre-break: 3.75 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .261 BAA
Post-break: 3.40 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, .250 BAA
Ryu
Pre-break: 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .254 BAA
Post-break: 2.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, .261 BAA
(I didn't bother with wins/loses, strikeouts, and walks because they obviously have pitched a lot more innings in pre-break compared to post. I just stuck with the important numbers.)
Those are some very encouraging numbers, especially since the Dodgers' offense has been known to go into hibernation a little too much. If you want a perfect example of this, look no further than the Saturday and Sunday before the break in which the Dodgers won 1-0 two straight times over the Padres. Excellent pitching, and very mediocre hitting. And that might be generous.
There's no shortage of trade talk with this team as the deadline approaches in two weeks. Already you've seen names like David Price and Jonathan Papelbon linked to being LA bound. Then there's the tale of Matt Kemp, who could be on his way out. Andre Ethier has been in trade talks for years. You just never know what's going to happen.
Through all of that, it's great to know that the Dodgers have three studs at the top of the rotation who not only get the job done, but continue to do it better and better as the season wears on. And that's why Dodger fans should feel good about the second half.
Kershaw
Pre-break: 2.72 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .208 BAA
Post-break: 2.28 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .212 BAA
Greinke
Pre-break: 3.75 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .261 BAA
Post-break: 3.40 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, .250 BAA
Ryu
Pre-break: 3.25 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .254 BAA
Post-break: 2.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, .261 BAA
(I didn't bother with wins/loses, strikeouts, and walks because they obviously have pitched a lot more innings in pre-break compared to post. I just stuck with the important numbers.)
Those are some very encouraging numbers, especially since the Dodgers' offense has been known to go into hibernation a little too much. If you want a perfect example of this, look no further than the Saturday and Sunday before the break in which the Dodgers won 1-0 two straight times over the Padres. Excellent pitching, and very mediocre hitting. And that might be generous.
There's no shortage of trade talk with this team as the deadline approaches in two weeks. Already you've seen names like David Price and Jonathan Papelbon linked to being LA bound. Then there's the tale of Matt Kemp, who could be on his way out. Andre Ethier has been in trade talks for years. You just never know what's going to happen.
Through all of that, it's great to know that the Dodgers have three studs at the top of the rotation who not only get the job done, but continue to do it better and better as the season wears on. And that's why Dodger fans should feel good about the second half.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
1-0, again? Sure, the Dodgers will take it
For as bad as the offense has been this week for the Dodgers, there were some good things to come out of Sunday's game: they won, they took three of four from the Padres, they have the best record in the National League, and Hyun-Jin Ryu more than shook off getting creamed in Detroit.
So, despite one run for the second straight night, it's another win for the Dodgers over the Padres.
Hey, at least they did better than one run on four hits on Saturday, right?
If you want to read about how poorly the Dodgers have been performing at the plate, then take a look at my article on yesterday's game. I could have written the same exact thing today, because Yasiel Puig's RBI single in the sixth was the lone highlight of the game for either team. Tyson Ross, Ryu, and a few relievers completely shut these teams down.
What I will focus on is just that, the pitching. The start of the Dodgers' offensive ineptitude began on Tuesday against the Tigers. After taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning off of Justin Verlander, Ryu got pounded for 10 hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings as the Dodgers got destroyed 14-5. Today Ryu went six innings for two hits, no runs, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. His off speed stuff was awesome.
From there, Brandon League, J.P. Howell, and Kenley Jansen combined to shut the door. League was a little shaky, walking Yasmani Grandal and giving up a single to Cameron Maybin. Howell put out that fire when Brooks Conrad lined to Carl Crawford in left.
Howell stayed on in the eighth, still with only the one-run lead. Even though Adrian Gonzalez dropped a throw to first for an error, Howell had no issues. At the break, he has a 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 19 holds. Lefties are 8-for-56 (.143) and righties are 9-for-54 (.167) against him. Very quietly, he's turned into one of the best middle relievers in baseball.
Jansen had to toughen up today for the save, as he walked Carlos Quentin on a very close full count pitch, then watched Grandal bounce a single into right with an out. Two strikeouts later, the game was over for his 27th save.
Back on June 20, Jansen blew his third save in San Diego, giving up three runs in the ninth and being hit all over the place. His nine appearances since then? All perfect, collecting seven saves and a win while lowering his ERA from 4.55 to 3.49. He also has more K's (13) than walks (1) and hits (5) combined. He's finally mixing up his pitches and figuring things out.
Other thoughts from the game:
* OK, so here's a bit more talk about the offense. Matt Kemp didn't start (good move), but pinch-hit in the eighth with Puig on second and two outs (bad move). Predictably, he struck out. Man, he really stinks now. That's all I've got to say about that.
* I don't think I've ever seen A.J. Ellis yell and get visibly upset at himself during a game before, but that's exactly what happened after he K'd with two on and none out in the second. He's had a rough year between injuries and a big lack of production at the plate and in not throwing out stealers. Let's hope the All-Star break does him some good.
* It was good to see Crawford get the start in left, as he singled and walked in four at-bats. Like I wrote about recently, there's no way Kemp should be handed every start in left. Give me a break. Let's see what Crawford can do with more time. Better than watching Matt "Swing and a Miss" Kemp.
* Can you tell I'm down on Kemp?
* Ross is a very good young pitcher. His slider is practically untouchable. I initially wasn't so sure about him making the All-Star team, but he showed he deserves it today. Too bad for him his team sucks behind him.
Every team in baseball will take the next four days off, then return to action Friday. The Dodgers will be in St. Louis, and Dan Haren will get the ball. Gee, if that doesn't get you pumped for Friday, then I don't know what will!
So, despite one run for the second straight night, it's another win for the Dodgers over the Padres.
Hey, at least they did better than one run on four hits on Saturday, right?
If you want to read about how poorly the Dodgers have been performing at the plate, then take a look at my article on yesterday's game. I could have written the same exact thing today, because Yasiel Puig's RBI single in the sixth was the lone highlight of the game for either team. Tyson Ross, Ryu, and a few relievers completely shut these teams down.
What I will focus on is just that, the pitching. The start of the Dodgers' offensive ineptitude began on Tuesday against the Tigers. After taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning off of Justin Verlander, Ryu got pounded for 10 hits and seven runs in 2 1/3 innings as the Dodgers got destroyed 14-5. Today Ryu went six innings for two hits, no runs, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. His off speed stuff was awesome.
From there, Brandon League, J.P. Howell, and Kenley Jansen combined to shut the door. League was a little shaky, walking Yasmani Grandal and giving up a single to Cameron Maybin. Howell put out that fire when Brooks Conrad lined to Carl Crawford in left.
Howell stayed on in the eighth, still with only the one-run lead. Even though Adrian Gonzalez dropped a throw to first for an error, Howell had no issues. At the break, he has a 1.32 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 19 holds. Lefties are 8-for-56 (.143) and righties are 9-for-54 (.167) against him. Very quietly, he's turned into one of the best middle relievers in baseball.
Jansen had to toughen up today for the save, as he walked Carlos Quentin on a very close full count pitch, then watched Grandal bounce a single into right with an out. Two strikeouts later, the game was over for his 27th save.
Back on June 20, Jansen blew his third save in San Diego, giving up three runs in the ninth and being hit all over the place. His nine appearances since then? All perfect, collecting seven saves and a win while lowering his ERA from 4.55 to 3.49. He also has more K's (13) than walks (1) and hits (5) combined. He's finally mixing up his pitches and figuring things out.
Other thoughts from the game:
* OK, so here's a bit more talk about the offense. Matt Kemp didn't start (good move), but pinch-hit in the eighth with Puig on second and two outs (bad move). Predictably, he struck out. Man, he really stinks now. That's all I've got to say about that.
* I don't think I've ever seen A.J. Ellis yell and get visibly upset at himself during a game before, but that's exactly what happened after he K'd with two on and none out in the second. He's had a rough year between injuries and a big lack of production at the plate and in not throwing out stealers. Let's hope the All-Star break does him some good.
* It was good to see Crawford get the start in left, as he singled and walked in four at-bats. Like I wrote about recently, there's no way Kemp should be handed every start in left. Give me a break. Let's see what Crawford can do with more time. Better than watching Matt "Swing and a Miss" Kemp.
* Can you tell I'm down on Kemp?
* Ross is a very good young pitcher. His slider is practically untouchable. I initially wasn't so sure about him making the All-Star team, but he showed he deserves it today. Too bad for him his team sucks behind him.
Every team in baseball will take the next four days off, then return to action Friday. The Dodgers will be in St. Louis, and Dan Haren will get the ball. Gee, if that doesn't get you pumped for Friday, then I don't know what will!
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Not the greatest day for Dodger pitching
Josh Beckett. Hyun-Jin Ryu. Jamey Wright. What do they all have in common?
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Updated look at possible All-Stars
About a month ago I blogged about potential All-Star selections for the Dodgers. With a little over three weeks to go until the game, here's my updated look at who I think has a chance to represent the Dodgers:
Definitely
Yasiel Puig, OF. He's currently leading the National League in outfield voting, and rightfully so. A rough stretch in June has dipped his average to .317, but there's no denying he's the complete package this season and deserves to start. I just hope he doesn't tear some arm ligaments trying to make some crazy throw.
Clayton Kershaw, SP. The last time I discussed this subject, he was just coming back from his shoulder injury. Then he reminded everyone just how good he is with a no-hitter against the Rockies in one of the most dominating pitching performances ever. Currently at 7-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, he's earned his way back in.
Dee Gordon, 2B. While he's slipped to third in NL voting, he should be a backup to Chase Utley at second. He's still tops in baseball with 39 steals, besting Billy Hamilton by 8. And if you're beating Hamilton in that category, you must be doing something right. His defense has been much-improved of late as well, so he'll be fine.
Josh Beckett, SP. As if throwing a no-hitter against the Phillies wasn't convincing enough, then the fact that he's only getting better as the season wears on should be. His 5-4 record doesn't come close to telling an accurate story of how good he's been. Being third in the NL with a 2.28 ERA does, and his 1.02 WHIP is fourth.
Possibly
Zack Greinke, SP. I bumped him down a notch from last time for a couple of reasons. One, he's been a little bit off in June with a 3.60 ERA in four starts. Two, he's more victimized by Kershaw and Beckett, who've been better. There's nothing against the rules of having three starting pitchers from the same team, and it can definitely happen here. I think he will get in, as he's 9-3 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Those are All-Star numbers when it's all said and done.
Kenley Jansen, RP. The good news is that he's tied for second in the NL with 22 saves, three behind Francisco Rodriguez for the lead. The bad news is that he's done that with a 4.26 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, hardly All-Star numbers. And as you saw on Friday night against the lowly Padres, he gets hit around too much. What could convince those making the choices are his saves and his NL-leading 53 strikeouts among relievers. This one could go either way.
J.P. Howell, RP. Since the All-Star "counts" now, I'll throw his name out there as a situational lefty. He's tied for third in the NL with 17 holds, and owns a 1.61 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. It's not uncommon anymore for middle relievers to get some All-Star love, just like Hong-Chih Kuo did back in 2010. The only roadblock is Tony Watson of the Pirates has better numbers and is also a lefty, so we'll see what happens.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP. A pure darkhorse candidate at this point since the NL is loaded with quality starting pitching. He is 9-3 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, so if some pitchers are hurt or ineligible because of not enough rest, Ryu's name could be floated out there as a replacement.
Names Added: Howell, Ryu
Names Bumped: Adrian Gonzalez, Juan Uribe
Definitely
Yasiel Puig, OF. He's currently leading the National League in outfield voting, and rightfully so. A rough stretch in June has dipped his average to .317, but there's no denying he's the complete package this season and deserves to start. I just hope he doesn't tear some arm ligaments trying to make some crazy throw.
Clayton Kershaw, SP. The last time I discussed this subject, he was just coming back from his shoulder injury. Then he reminded everyone just how good he is with a no-hitter against the Rockies in one of the most dominating pitching performances ever. Currently at 7-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, he's earned his way back in.
Dee Gordon, 2B. While he's slipped to third in NL voting, he should be a backup to Chase Utley at second. He's still tops in baseball with 39 steals, besting Billy Hamilton by 8. And if you're beating Hamilton in that category, you must be doing something right. His defense has been much-improved of late as well, so he'll be fine.
Josh Beckett, SP. As if throwing a no-hitter against the Phillies wasn't convincing enough, then the fact that he's only getting better as the season wears on should be. His 5-4 record doesn't come close to telling an accurate story of how good he's been. Being third in the NL with a 2.28 ERA does, and his 1.02 WHIP is fourth.
Possibly
Zack Greinke, SP. I bumped him down a notch from last time for a couple of reasons. One, he's been a little bit off in June with a 3.60 ERA in four starts. Two, he's more victimized by Kershaw and Beckett, who've been better. There's nothing against the rules of having three starting pitchers from the same team, and it can definitely happen here. I think he will get in, as he's 9-3 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Those are All-Star numbers when it's all said and done.
Kenley Jansen, RP. The good news is that he's tied for second in the NL with 22 saves, three behind Francisco Rodriguez for the lead. The bad news is that he's done that with a 4.26 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, hardly All-Star numbers. And as you saw on Friday night against the lowly Padres, he gets hit around too much. What could convince those making the choices are his saves and his NL-leading 53 strikeouts among relievers. This one could go either way.
J.P. Howell, RP. Since the All-Star "counts" now, I'll throw his name out there as a situational lefty. He's tied for third in the NL with 17 holds, and owns a 1.61 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. It's not uncommon anymore for middle relievers to get some All-Star love, just like Hong-Chih Kuo did back in 2010. The only roadblock is Tony Watson of the Pirates has better numbers and is also a lefty, so we'll see what happens.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP. A pure darkhorse candidate at this point since the NL is loaded with quality starting pitching. He is 9-3 with a 3.06 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, so if some pitchers are hurt or ineligible because of not enough rest, Ryu's name could be floated out there as a replacement.
Names Added: Howell, Ryu
Names Bumped: Adrian Gonzalez, Juan Uribe
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Taking a look at the starting 5
As Zack Greinke gets ready to take on the evils of Coors Field looking for his NL-leading ninth win, a place where Hyun-Jin Ryu conquered last night in a 6-2 victory, let's take a look at how the rotation as a whole has been performing. It's not often I get to say everyone's healthy, so let's hope it lasts longer than like a week or two.
Clayton Kershaw: 4-2, 43 1/3 IP, 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 55 K, 7 BB
Keep in mind the reigning Cy Young Award winner was on the shelf for six weeks with a back injury, so his innings will obviously be down. Also keep in mind that he's built such a high standard for himself, anytime he gets even somewhat touched up, it's a surprise.
With all of that said, he's still trying to find his groove after making only seven starts. Last year through seven starts he had a 1.66 ERA, and in 2012 it was 2.56. The major difference is that an injury this year completely disrupted his rhythm. He did pitch eight innings of two-run ball his last start, and if his curveball can be thrown with more snap, and he locates his fastball better, he'll be back to dominant. If there's anyone you can trust to figure things out, it's Clayton Kershaw.
Zack Greinke: 8-2, 72 IP, 2.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 83 K, 16 BB
The guy who stepped up in Kershaw's absence was undoubtedly Greinke, although that's no surprise at all. He's a #1 on just about every other staff in baseball. He recently snapped his 20+ straight start streak of two or less earned runs, and has actually given up seven runs in his last two starts.
Still, if that's the worst thing that's happened, then it's hard to be picky about his results. To go that many starts in a row without giving up even three runs is just amazing. It was also very quietly done, as the Dodgers get headlines for all sorts of other reasons, good and bad. If there's one area he can make a slight improvement in, it's that his K/BB ratio in his last six starts (37/10) has been a little worse than his first six starts (46/6). Yes, it's hardly worth mentioning, but when this guy's control is on, 99% of the time he gets a win.
Hyun-Jin Ryu: 7-2, 64 1/3 IP, 3.08 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 53 K, 14 BB
Another guy who spent some time on the DL was Ryu, as he was gone for nearly a month with shoulder inflammation. He actually has some pretty crazy splits, as he has a 6.15 ERA at home, but a minuscule 0.95 ERA on the road. If the Dodgers get back into the postseason, you can bet Don Mattingly won't be afraid to have him pitch on the road.
His numbers are nearly identical to last year's, with slightly better K/BB ration, but a few more hits allowed as well. However, you know his home ERA will only get better, so it's hard to find a better #3 starter in baseball. Last year his home ERA was 2.32, so get ready to see more great starts out of him in the middle of the rotation.
Josh Beckett: 3-3, 66 2/3 IP, 2.57 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 63 K, 23 BB
You already know how great of a season Beckett's been having based on his no-hitter on the Sunday before Memorial Day in Philly. Who in the world would've ever guessed he'd be the one to throw the season's first (and so far, only) no-hitter? I doubt he even would've thought that.
There's no denying just how big of a season he's been having. He's eighth in the NL in ERA. Of his 11 starts, only three times has he given up more than two runs. Oh ya, did I mention he no-hit the Phillies? All of this has resulted in a more crafty, intelligent pitcher who's using his changing speeds and control to get the job done. I would expect his ERA to be somewhere in the 3s when it's all said and done, but even if it does, that means he's still having a great season.
Dan Haren: 5-4, 74 2/3 IP, 3.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 52 K, 12 BB
On the surface, the #5 starter with a 3.50 ERA is something any manager would gladly take. He came out of five April starts at 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA. Plus, he only got better down the stretch in Washington last year, so things were definitely looking up.
Well, life hasn't been so good since then. He certainly hasn't been getting bombed, as the most runs he's given up has been four on two different occasions. The biggest problem has been the long ball, as he's surrendered seven in his last four starts. I don't think anyone expected him to pitch like a Cy Young contender, but with his ERA going up in six of his last seven starts, there's definite concern about how he'll hold up over the summer. Chad Billingsley could be right around the corner ready to take his spot. We shall see.
Overall Impressions:
I don't care how poorly the offense has performed, anytime you see the names Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu at the top of the rotation, you like your chances to win. The encouraging thing is that Kershaw and Ryu are only getting stronger the more starts they get after injuries, and Greinke looks like an ace 9 times out of 10.
As I mentioned before, I think it will be real interesting to see where Billingsley fits into all of this once he's declared good to go. He has stated his desire to be a starter, and who can blame him? Save for a few bullpen appearances when he was younger, he's been starting games his whole big league career. Right now it looks like Haren is the one would should be most nervous since his numbers have gotten a little worse and worse. Do the Dodgers put both Haren and Paul Maholm in the bullpen as long relievers and see what they have in Billingsley starting games? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have three long relievers (Jamey Wright is the other one), so something has to give.
We'll wait and see how that all plays out. In the meantime, if the Dodgers can ever get guys like Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp on track, then this rotation will rack up more wins as the summer months heat up.
Clayton Kershaw: 4-2, 43 1/3 IP, 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 55 K, 7 BB
Keep in mind the reigning Cy Young Award winner was on the shelf for six weeks with a back injury, so his innings will obviously be down. Also keep in mind that he's built such a high standard for himself, anytime he gets even somewhat touched up, it's a surprise.
With all of that said, he's still trying to find his groove after making only seven starts. Last year through seven starts he had a 1.66 ERA, and in 2012 it was 2.56. The major difference is that an injury this year completely disrupted his rhythm. He did pitch eight innings of two-run ball his last start, and if his curveball can be thrown with more snap, and he locates his fastball better, he'll be back to dominant. If there's anyone you can trust to figure things out, it's Clayton Kershaw.
Zack Greinke: 8-2, 72 IP, 2.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 83 K, 16 BB
The guy who stepped up in Kershaw's absence was undoubtedly Greinke, although that's no surprise at all. He's a #1 on just about every other staff in baseball. He recently snapped his 20+ straight start streak of two or less earned runs, and has actually given up seven runs in his last two starts.
Still, if that's the worst thing that's happened, then it's hard to be picky about his results. To go that many starts in a row without giving up even three runs is just amazing. It was also very quietly done, as the Dodgers get headlines for all sorts of other reasons, good and bad. If there's one area he can make a slight improvement in, it's that his K/BB ratio in his last six starts (37/10) has been a little worse than his first six starts (46/6). Yes, it's hardly worth mentioning, but when this guy's control is on, 99% of the time he gets a win.
Hyun-Jin Ryu: 7-2, 64 1/3 IP, 3.08 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 53 K, 14 BB
Another guy who spent some time on the DL was Ryu, as he was gone for nearly a month with shoulder inflammation. He actually has some pretty crazy splits, as he has a 6.15 ERA at home, but a minuscule 0.95 ERA on the road. If the Dodgers get back into the postseason, you can bet Don Mattingly won't be afraid to have him pitch on the road.
His numbers are nearly identical to last year's, with slightly better K/BB ration, but a few more hits allowed as well. However, you know his home ERA will only get better, so it's hard to find a better #3 starter in baseball. Last year his home ERA was 2.32, so get ready to see more great starts out of him in the middle of the rotation.
Josh Beckett: 3-3, 66 2/3 IP, 2.57 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 63 K, 23 BB
You already know how great of a season Beckett's been having based on his no-hitter on the Sunday before Memorial Day in Philly. Who in the world would've ever guessed he'd be the one to throw the season's first (and so far, only) no-hitter? I doubt he even would've thought that.
There's no denying just how big of a season he's been having. He's eighth in the NL in ERA. Of his 11 starts, only three times has he given up more than two runs. Oh ya, did I mention he no-hit the Phillies? All of this has resulted in a more crafty, intelligent pitcher who's using his changing speeds and control to get the job done. I would expect his ERA to be somewhere in the 3s when it's all said and done, but even if it does, that means he's still having a great season.
Dan Haren: 5-4, 74 2/3 IP, 3.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 52 K, 12 BB
On the surface, the #5 starter with a 3.50 ERA is something any manager would gladly take. He came out of five April starts at 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA. Plus, he only got better down the stretch in Washington last year, so things were definitely looking up.
Well, life hasn't been so good since then. He certainly hasn't been getting bombed, as the most runs he's given up has been four on two different occasions. The biggest problem has been the long ball, as he's surrendered seven in his last four starts. I don't think anyone expected him to pitch like a Cy Young contender, but with his ERA going up in six of his last seven starts, there's definite concern about how he'll hold up over the summer. Chad Billingsley could be right around the corner ready to take his spot. We shall see.
Overall Impressions:
I don't care how poorly the offense has performed, anytime you see the names Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu at the top of the rotation, you like your chances to win. The encouraging thing is that Kershaw and Ryu are only getting stronger the more starts they get after injuries, and Greinke looks like an ace 9 times out of 10.
As I mentioned before, I think it will be real interesting to see where Billingsley fits into all of this once he's declared good to go. He has stated his desire to be a starter, and who can blame him? Save for a few bullpen appearances when he was younger, he's been starting games his whole big league career. Right now it looks like Haren is the one would should be most nervous since his numbers have gotten a little worse and worse. Do the Dodgers put both Haren and Paul Maholm in the bullpen as long relievers and see what they have in Billingsley starting games? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have three long relievers (Jamey Wright is the other one), so something has to give.
We'll wait and see how that all plays out. In the meantime, if the Dodgers can ever get guys like Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp on track, then this rotation will rack up more wins as the summer months heat up.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Just when you think the Dodgers are healthy...
They get bitten by the injury bug... again.
This time it's A.J. Ellis, who is back on the 15-day DL with a right ankle sprain. Tim Federowicz is back. Look for Drew Butera, who caught Josh Becket's no-no on Sunday, to get the majority of starts behind the dish.
Currently not on the DL, but not in the lineup against on Monday is Hanley Ramirez, who continues to rest his sore right calf. At least that's what he's saying it is, but it's also feared to be an Achilles' injury. And if you're a sports fan in LA, then you know how dangerous that injury can be (see: Bryant, Kobe). Maybe I'm fearing the worst, but that word makes me shake.
Juan Uribe is the only other Dodger on the 15-day DL right now, as he hurt his hamstring running the bases in New York, and is still about 10 days away from being eligible for activation. I have no idea if that will happen right away, but we should soon find out. Justin Turner and Chone Figgins will continue to man the hot corner.
At least the starting rotation is fully healthy, as Hyun-Jin Ryu makes his second start on Monday against the Reds after missing nearly a month with left shoulder inflammation.
This time it's A.J. Ellis, who is back on the 15-day DL with a right ankle sprain. Tim Federowicz is back. Look for Drew Butera, who caught Josh Becket's no-no on Sunday, to get the majority of starts behind the dish.
Currently not on the DL, but not in the lineup against on Monday is Hanley Ramirez, who continues to rest his sore right calf. At least that's what he's saying it is, but it's also feared to be an Achilles' injury. And if you're a sports fan in LA, then you know how dangerous that injury can be (see: Bryant, Kobe). Maybe I'm fearing the worst, but that word makes me shake.
Juan Uribe is the only other Dodger on the 15-day DL right now, as he hurt his hamstring running the bases in New York, and is still about 10 days away from being eligible for activation. I have no idea if that will happen right away, but we should soon find out. Justin Turner and Chone Figgins will continue to man the hot corner.
At least the starting rotation is fully healthy, as Hyun-Jin Ryu makes his second start on Monday against the Reds after missing nearly a month with left shoulder inflammation.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Ryu + road start = 26 straight scoreless innings
For most people, home is where the heart is.
For Hyun-Jin Ryu, anywhere but home is where his heart is.
Needing a win to avoid a sweep in San Francisco, Don Mattingly turned the ball over to Ryu, and the results were outstanding: seven innings, four hits, no runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. And most importantly, a win for the Dodgers over the Giants 2-1.
This was a far cry from the last time Ryu took on the Giants. That was the home opener back on April 4, and he didn't even make it to the third inning in getting drilled for eight runs (six earned). This time it was one changeup after another, and boy were the Giants off balance.
Take away the home opener start, and he'd be 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA. That's because all four of his other starts have been on the road. The Dodgers are about to start a 10-game homestand, so he'll get a couple starts in Dodger Stadium, most likely against the Phillies and Rockies.
This domination on the road is a role reversal from last season, where he had a 3.69 ERA in 15 starts on the road, and a 2.32 ERA in 15 starts at home. Obviously he won't go the whole season at this torrid pace on the road, but the encouraging thing is based on last season's numbers, he can be pretty darn good at home, too. Add it all up, and it's looking like an All-Star season for Ryu.
While we all wait on the impending return of the great Clayton Kershaw (who had a good bullpen session today, by the way), Mattingly has to be thrilled that Ryu and Zack Greinke are a combined 6-1 and are more than carrying the load in Kershaw's absence.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Yasiel Puig certainly had an interesting day in right field. He dropped a simple fly ball, recovered in time to gun the runner out at second on the force, immediately came back and made a terrific catch facing the wall, then had a great running catch in the eighth. Considering all of the stuff coming out about his defection from Cuba, you can't help but wonder where his head is at now. And that's an understatement.
* My headline would've easily been about the bullpen had they blown Ryu's gem, but thankfully Kenley Jansen held on for his fifth save. Brian Wilson got the hold and didn't allow a run despite a leadoff double and a walk. Jansen should've gone 1-2-3, but Tim Federowicz bumbled a dropped strike three to Michael Morse leading off. Ehire Adrianza hit an RBI single, but with two on, Brandon Crawford flew out to end it. Close one.
* Good to see Scott Van Slyke's name back in the starting lineup, as it looks like Mattingly is trying to get him in more. That's a good decision. He hit a double with a run scored and a walk, and hit the warning track with another swing.
* A night after going 3-for-4 in the leadoff spot, Dee Gordon had no answers for Madison Bumgarner, going 0-for-4. With Hanley Ramirez sitting out because of his hand, Justin Turner got the call at short and played well with a double and a run.
* One of the runs scored was from an RBI single from Federowicz. Yes, really. He still can't hit at .091, but he picked a good time today for his first RBI.
As I mentioned before, the Dodgers will be home for the next 10 games, starting on Friday against the Diamondbacks. I'm guessing these two teams will play each other about 120 games this season. Greinke goes against Wade Miley.
For Hyun-Jin Ryu, anywhere but home is where his heart is.
Needing a win to avoid a sweep in San Francisco, Don Mattingly turned the ball over to Ryu, and the results were outstanding: seven innings, four hits, no runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. And most importantly, a win for the Dodgers over the Giants 2-1.
This was a far cry from the last time Ryu took on the Giants. That was the home opener back on April 4, and he didn't even make it to the third inning in getting drilled for eight runs (six earned). This time it was one changeup after another, and boy were the Giants off balance.
Take away the home opener start, and he'd be 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA. That's because all four of his other starts have been on the road. The Dodgers are about to start a 10-game homestand, so he'll get a couple starts in Dodger Stadium, most likely against the Phillies and Rockies.
This domination on the road is a role reversal from last season, where he had a 3.69 ERA in 15 starts on the road, and a 2.32 ERA in 15 starts at home. Obviously he won't go the whole season at this torrid pace on the road, but the encouraging thing is based on last season's numbers, he can be pretty darn good at home, too. Add it all up, and it's looking like an All-Star season for Ryu.
While we all wait on the impending return of the great Clayton Kershaw (who had a good bullpen session today, by the way), Mattingly has to be thrilled that Ryu and Zack Greinke are a combined 6-1 and are more than carrying the load in Kershaw's absence.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Yasiel Puig certainly had an interesting day in right field. He dropped a simple fly ball, recovered in time to gun the runner out at second on the force, immediately came back and made a terrific catch facing the wall, then had a great running catch in the eighth. Considering all of the stuff coming out about his defection from Cuba, you can't help but wonder where his head is at now. And that's an understatement.
* My headline would've easily been about the bullpen had they blown Ryu's gem, but thankfully Kenley Jansen held on for his fifth save. Brian Wilson got the hold and didn't allow a run despite a leadoff double and a walk. Jansen should've gone 1-2-3, but Tim Federowicz bumbled a dropped strike three to Michael Morse leading off. Ehire Adrianza hit an RBI single, but with two on, Brandon Crawford flew out to end it. Close one.
* Good to see Scott Van Slyke's name back in the starting lineup, as it looks like Mattingly is trying to get him in more. That's a good decision. He hit a double with a run scored and a walk, and hit the warning track with another swing.
* A night after going 3-for-4 in the leadoff spot, Dee Gordon had no answers for Madison Bumgarner, going 0-for-4. With Hanley Ramirez sitting out because of his hand, Justin Turner got the call at short and played well with a double and a run.
* One of the runs scored was from an RBI single from Federowicz. Yes, really. He still can't hit at .091, but he picked a good time today for his first RBI.
As I mentioned before, the Dodgers will be home for the next 10 games, starting on Friday against the Diamondbacks. I'm guessing these two teams will play each other about 120 games this season. Greinke goes against Wade Miley.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Ryu dishes, Gonzalez delivers
Don Mattingly had it right: "There was really no true stress in the game."
If the Diamondbacks were pumped up to play the Dodgers in their first meeting in Arizona since the infamous Pool Incident, they sure as heck didn't act like it. Ryu had no issues in two-hitting the DBacks over seven innings, and AGon drove in five of the six runs in the 6-0 win.
The true stars of the show were Ryu and Gonzalez (with a special nod to Hanley Ramirez and his three hits), as they made it look easy, as Mattingly put it. Ryu was coming off a very rough home opener in which he was chased after two innings and eight runs. He struck out eight and only walked one.
Want to know what his ERA would be covering three road starts? Try zero. That's right, he's all but perfect on the road, with 19 innings of scoreless ball. Even with getting rocked against the Giants, his ERA is still a very solid 2.57. He said he was in better shape coming into this season, and he's sure pitching like he meant it.
Coming into Friday night's road game, Gonzalez had actually gotten a hit in 7 of the 10 games, but they were all single hit games for a .189 average. Friday looked more like the guy who collected 100 RBIs last season, as he hit a two-run homer in the first, a two-run single up the middle in the third, and an RBI single to left in the eighth. One night of big swings raised his average to .244. He looks ready to unload.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Like I mentioned above, let's not forget that Ramirez in the #3 spot with two doubles and an RBI. Hes' up to .310 after starting the year 1-for-15 through four games.
* Yasiel Puig was back in the lineup in the #2 spot, gathering one hit and two runs. Matt Kemp sat out while Puig, Carl Crawford, and Andre Ethier started against the right-handed Brandon McCarthy.
* Jamey Wright is getting work when he can, and he struck out the side in the eighth and stayed on to finish the game out. He has a 1.59 ERA in six appearances.
* Juan Uribe was 0-for-4 with two double play balls, but it didn't matter. He made at least two fantastic plays at third. He sure as heck can glove it and throw it.
* The DBacks sit in dead last in the NL West at 4-9. The injury to Patrick Corbin is obviously a huge one, as their staff looks just plain ordinary. Take away the mighty Paul Goldschmidt, and there's not a lot to be scared of.
Both teams are back at it on Saturday night, as Zack Greinke looks to go 3-0. Wade Miley started the first game in Australia and took the loss, but has bounced back for two straight wins since then.
If the Diamondbacks were pumped up to play the Dodgers in their first meeting in Arizona since the infamous Pool Incident, they sure as heck didn't act like it. Ryu had no issues in two-hitting the DBacks over seven innings, and AGon drove in five of the six runs in the 6-0 win.
The true stars of the show were Ryu and Gonzalez (with a special nod to Hanley Ramirez and his three hits), as they made it look easy, as Mattingly put it. Ryu was coming off a very rough home opener in which he was chased after two innings and eight runs. He struck out eight and only walked one.
Want to know what his ERA would be covering three road starts? Try zero. That's right, he's all but perfect on the road, with 19 innings of scoreless ball. Even with getting rocked against the Giants, his ERA is still a very solid 2.57. He said he was in better shape coming into this season, and he's sure pitching like he meant it.
Coming into Friday night's road game, Gonzalez had actually gotten a hit in 7 of the 10 games, but they were all single hit games for a .189 average. Friday looked more like the guy who collected 100 RBIs last season, as he hit a two-run homer in the first, a two-run single up the middle in the third, and an RBI single to left in the eighth. One night of big swings raised his average to .244. He looks ready to unload.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Like I mentioned above, let's not forget that Ramirez in the #3 spot with two doubles and an RBI. Hes' up to .310 after starting the year 1-for-15 through four games.
* Yasiel Puig was back in the lineup in the #2 spot, gathering one hit and two runs. Matt Kemp sat out while Puig, Carl Crawford, and Andre Ethier started against the right-handed Brandon McCarthy.
* Jamey Wright is getting work when he can, and he struck out the side in the eighth and stayed on to finish the game out. He has a 1.59 ERA in six appearances.
* Juan Uribe was 0-for-4 with two double play balls, but it didn't matter. He made at least two fantastic plays at third. He sure as heck can glove it and throw it.
* The DBacks sit in dead last in the NL West at 4-9. The injury to Patrick Corbin is obviously a huge one, as their staff looks just plain ordinary. Take away the mighty Paul Goldschmidt, and there's not a lot to be scared of.
Both teams are back at it on Saturday night, as Zack Greinke looks to go 3-0. Wade Miley started the first game in Australia and took the loss, but has bounced back for two straight wins since then.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Ryu gets the nod in San Diego
Here's something you don't see often: a pitcher making back-to-back starts. That's exactly what Hyun-Jin Ryu will be doing when he gets the ball against the Padres on Sunday night.
OK, so technically he'll be rested about a week after pitching the second game against the Diamondbacks in Australia, but still...
With Clayton Kershaw taking some time off to heal an achy back, Ryu himself was in danger of not being able to go as well. He cracked the nail on his right big toe running the bases in his first start, which just sounds uncomfortable. After throwing a 30-pitch bullpen session, mixing in all of his stuff, he declared himself good to go.
It's a cool honor for Ryu, too, becuase I really think he's going to put together an even better season than last year (14-8, 3.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). He already has one win after going five scoreless Down Under, and he might be the best #3 starter in all of baseball. Since Zack Greinke pitched in the Freeway Series opener on Thursday, Ryu is the natural guy to pitch the second Opening Day.
Speaking of quietly effective, the Padres' Andrew Cashner will toe the rubber in his home park, and unless you're a fan of the NL West or a big fantasy player, you probably don't know him. But I do, and I know how good he is with a 3.09 ERA in 31 starts last year. This will be a fun game to watch.
OK, so technically he'll be rested about a week after pitching the second game against the Diamondbacks in Australia, but still...
With Clayton Kershaw taking some time off to heal an achy back, Ryu himself was in danger of not being able to go as well. He cracked the nail on his right big toe running the bases in his first start, which just sounds uncomfortable. After throwing a 30-pitch bullpen session, mixing in all of his stuff, he declared himself good to go.
It's a cool honor for Ryu, too, becuase I really think he's going to put together an even better season than last year (14-8, 3.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). He already has one win after going five scoreless Down Under, and he might be the best #3 starter in all of baseball. Since Zack Greinke pitched in the Freeway Series opener on Thursday, Ryu is the natural guy to pitch the second Opening Day.
Speaking of quietly effective, the Padres' Andrew Cashner will toe the rubber in his home park, and unless you're a fan of the NL West or a big fantasy player, you probably don't know him. But I do, and I know how good he is with a 3.09 ERA in 31 starts last year. This will be a fun game to watch.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
It's looking like Kershaw and Ryu in Australia
*** UPDATE ***
It's official. Don Mattingly will give the ball to Clayton Kershaw in the first game, then to Hyun-Jin Ryu in the next. Should be fun.
***
First Zack Greinke complained about having no fun in Australia. Then he left a start after four pitches due to a strained calf muscle.
Complaining + injury = no trip Down Under.
While Don Mattingly has not made it official, it's sure looking like Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will get the nod in the two-game set against the Diamondbacks in Australia. Greinke probably won't even make the trip, which is just fine with him, I'm sure.
When you're scouting the Diamondbacks, you immediately start with the mighty Paul Goldschmidt, who had a monster 2013 by hitting .302 with 36 homers and 125 RBI. He's also a right-handed hitter, so naturally you wish the right-handed Greinke could match up with him instead of the two southpaws.
Granted, Kershaw and Ryu are not your typical lefties, so it's probably all a wash in the end.
Because of the quirkiness of this trip, both teams are allowed to carry 30 roster members with them in case of injury to the top 25. Again, nothing is confirmed, but it's looking like Dan Haren will go on the trip, along with Matt "Ball Four" Magill to pitch in an exhibition game against Team Australia two days before the opener.
It's official. Don Mattingly will give the ball to Clayton Kershaw in the first game, then to Hyun-Jin Ryu in the next. Should be fun.
***
First Zack Greinke complained about having no fun in Australia. Then he left a start after four pitches due to a strained calf muscle.
Complaining + injury = no trip Down Under.
While Don Mattingly has not made it official, it's sure looking like Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will get the nod in the two-game set against the Diamondbacks in Australia. Greinke probably won't even make the trip, which is just fine with him, I'm sure.
When you're scouting the Diamondbacks, you immediately start with the mighty Paul Goldschmidt, who had a monster 2013 by hitting .302 with 36 homers and 125 RBI. He's also a right-handed hitter, so naturally you wish the right-handed Greinke could match up with him instead of the two southpaws.
Granted, Kershaw and Ryu are not your typical lefties, so it's probably all a wash in the end.
Because of the quirkiness of this trip, both teams are allowed to carry 30 roster members with them in case of injury to the top 25. Again, nothing is confirmed, but it's looking like Dan Haren will go on the trip, along with Matt "Ball Four" Magill to pitch in an exhibition game against Team Australia two days before the opener.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Iffy times for Dodgers' Games 3 and 4 starters
If the Dodgers are going to finish off the Braves at home, it might be in spite of their scheduled starters, and not because of them.
Hyun-Jin Ryu has recently raised questions about the health of his arm after throwing a bullpen session on Friday with Don Mattingly and team doctor Neal ElAttrache watching closely. Predictably, that has people wondering if he's truly feeling right heading into a very important Game 3 of the deadlocked NLDS with the Braves.
So is Ryu hurt, or simply being careful? If you are to listen to him, it's the latter. What we do know is that his bullpen apparently looked clean, and he's saying all the right things by insisting he's fine. Perhaps we just need to take his word for it, but with the way the Dodgers have cycled through one injury after another this year, it's natural to be concerned.
The numbers suggest Ryu is healthy, because despite a 1-3 record in September, his ERA was 2.88. His WHIP was a monthly-best 1.08. It's entirely possible he was pitching somewhat injured all along, and it worsened recently. Dodger fans just have to hope this is all much ado about nothing.
Say the Braves get home field back by winning Game 3, then the Dodgers could be in trouble. Game 4 will see Ricky Nolasco take the mound, and while he's fully healthy as far as we know, his numbers of late certainly aren't. He was fantastic through two September starts, then was bombed in his last three, causing his ERA for the month to skyrocket to 6.66. Geez, just look at that number, 6.66. That's scary on many different levels...
Anyway, if the Dodgers want to win at home, they're going to have to have much better situational hitting than they did in Game 2. Usually their pitching takes care of itself, and maybe Ryu and Nolasco will be great, but there's definitely more uncertainty with them than Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. That goes without saying.
Hopefully by Tuesday morning, the Dodgers will either be preparing for the Cardinals or Pirates, or preparing for a winner-take-all start from Kershaw. If not, then the starters at home most likely let them down.
Hyun-Jin Ryu has recently raised questions about the health of his arm after throwing a bullpen session on Friday with Don Mattingly and team doctor Neal ElAttrache watching closely. Predictably, that has people wondering if he's truly feeling right heading into a very important Game 3 of the deadlocked NLDS with the Braves.
So is Ryu hurt, or simply being careful? If you are to listen to him, it's the latter. What we do know is that his bullpen apparently looked clean, and he's saying all the right things by insisting he's fine. Perhaps we just need to take his word for it, but with the way the Dodgers have cycled through one injury after another this year, it's natural to be concerned.
The numbers suggest Ryu is healthy, because despite a 1-3 record in September, his ERA was 2.88. His WHIP was a monthly-best 1.08. It's entirely possible he was pitching somewhat injured all along, and it worsened recently. Dodger fans just have to hope this is all much ado about nothing.
Say the Braves get home field back by winning Game 3, then the Dodgers could be in trouble. Game 4 will see Ricky Nolasco take the mound, and while he's fully healthy as far as we know, his numbers of late certainly aren't. He was fantastic through two September starts, then was bombed in his last three, causing his ERA for the month to skyrocket to 6.66. Geez, just look at that number, 6.66. That's scary on many different levels...
Anyway, if the Dodgers want to win at home, they're going to have to have much better situational hitting than they did in Game 2. Usually their pitching takes care of itself, and maybe Ryu and Nolasco will be great, but there's definitely more uncertainty with them than Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. That goes without saying.
Hopefully by Tuesday morning, the Dodgers will either be preparing for the Cardinals or Pirates, or preparing for a winner-take-all start from Kershaw. If not, then the starters at home most likely let them down.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Ryu will go in Game 3 of the NLDS, Nolasco in Game 4
In what shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody, Don Mattingly made offical today that Hyun-Jin Ryu will get the start in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Braves, and if necessary, Ricky Nolasco will go in Game 4. Both games will be in Dodger Stadium.
Hopefully one of these games will be a closeout game considering Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke go first two games in Atlanta's Turner Field. Then again, baseball can be a strange sport, so Ryu and Nolasco might have the responsibility of keeping the Dodgers alive. You never know.
What we do know is that based on the end of the season, Ryu is clearly the better choice for Game 3. He ended up 14-8 with an even 3.00 ERA in 30 starts this season, and the Braves do worse hitting against lefties (.239) than against righties (.252). Plus, he's much better at home (2.32 ERA) than on the road (3.69 ERA).
Of course, Nolasco made the decision much easier for Mattingly by getting shelled his final three starts. For awhile, it sure looked like he'd leapfrog Ryu for that Game 3 start, but that all came to a crashing thud in mid-September. Hopefully, and especially if he is pitching to keep the Dodgers alive, he's figured out what has ailed him and the bats can back him up. He still ended up 8-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 15 starts with the Dodgers, so the history of success is there at least.
Hopefully one of these games will be a closeout game considering Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke go first two games in Atlanta's Turner Field. Then again, baseball can be a strange sport, so Ryu and Nolasco might have the responsibility of keeping the Dodgers alive. You never know.
What we do know is that based on the end of the season, Ryu is clearly the better choice for Game 3. He ended up 14-8 with an even 3.00 ERA in 30 starts this season, and the Braves do worse hitting against lefties (.239) than against righties (.252). Plus, he's much better at home (2.32 ERA) than on the road (3.69 ERA).
Of course, Nolasco made the decision much easier for Mattingly by getting shelled his final three starts. For awhile, it sure looked like he'd leapfrog Ryu for that Game 3 start, but that all came to a crashing thud in mid-September. Hopefully, and especially if he is pitching to keep the Dodgers alive, he's figured out what has ailed him and the bats can back him up. He still ended up 8-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 15 starts with the Dodgers, so the history of success is there at least.
Monday, September 16, 2013
With injuries mounting, Dodgers lean on rotation even more
As the regular season winds down with only 13 games left before the Dodgers take on the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Monday, the dreaded injury bug has once again struck. This past weekend, as the Giants took three of four in Dodger Stadium, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, and Yasiel Puig all missed various amounts of time with injuries.
That's not to mention Matt Kemp, who looks to finally be activated following his ankle injury. But who knows how healthy he is.
Only Puig is ready to return to for Monday's game, as the Dodgers will again throw together a makeshift lineup that includes Nick Punto leading off at short, Skip Schumaker in center, and Chili Buss in left.
What does all of this mean? If the starting rotation wasn't already important enough, they're even more so now.
I can't even imagine what would happen if Clayton Kershaw or Zack Greinke go down. Ditto for Hyun-Jin Ryu and Ricky Nolasco, who are a notch below the big dogs, but still pretty damn good when they're on.
At this point, the offense basically has nearly three weeks to get things figured out. The magic number remains at four, so if the Dodgers split with the DBacks this series, then it's all over in the NL West. I wouldn't say there's pressure on those guys to play through the injuries, but the closer they get to sealing the division, the more they want to just get it over with
Even if those guys are able to rest and get back into the lineup, if this season has taught us anything, it's that the next injury could be right around the corner. I think the Dodgers just have to hope that the playoffs happen to be during a time of good health, as these guys seem to get a big hit one moment, then are limping off the field the next.
So that takes us back to the starting rotation, and the huge role they will play in October. In a perfect scenario, the starters would pitch into the sixth or seventh, and the lineup featuring the likes of Puig, Kemp, Ramirez, Ethier, Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez would give plenty of support. Now, I'm not so sure the offense can be counted on. That means the starters have to bring their ultimate "A" game night in and night out.
In other words, with the offense in flux, I'm not so sure it'll be good enough to give up 3-4 runs per start. It may have to be more like 1-2, and hope the offense does just enough to win.
I think that's the beauty of this rotation, though. They are absolutely capable of doing just that. They can go four deep and have the advantage against any rotation. Plus, they have a dominant closer in Kenley Jansen to hand the lead to. The score might only be 1-0 or 2-1, but that's way it goes.
Let's hope the Dodgers take care of the division soon, the big guns get their proper rest and are ready to go, and the postseason features the Dodgers at their best.
If not, it's up to the rotation to see how long they last in the bright lights of October.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
An updated look at the rotation candidates
As we currently stand, there are 13 games left in Spring Training. Here's another look at how the rotation is shaping up, as the battle for the fifth starter heats up.
Clayton Kershaw
2-2, 19 IP, 20 K, 4 BB, 3.79 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
Kershaw recently took a liner off of his calf, but as usual, wasn't affected at all. Rumor has it he's pretty good. 'Nuff said.
Zack Greinke
0-0, 5 IP, 3 K, 1 BB, 3.60 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
Obviously, this hasn't been the start to his Dodger tenure that Greinke has hoped for. On the good side, his elbow injury appears to be minor, with the only setback being that he might not be ready for his first start. After that, he appears good to go. With the money he makes, the Dodgers will take every precaution necessary, especially since they have plenty of other starters who can plug a gap in the meantime.
Chad Billingsley
0-1, 7 2/3 IP, 6 K, 3 BB, 7.04 ERA, 1.96 WHIP
The numbers are high, but the good news is that he's even pitching at all. I still have plenty of worries about Billingsley lasting all year, or with him being effective at all if he's not 100%.
Hyun-Jin Ryu
1-2, 16 1/3 IP, 18 K, 6 BB, 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
Ryu has gotten progressively better as he settles into pitching to MLB hitters. His last start against the Brewers he surrendered one run in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six while allowing only three hits. I really like him towards the end of the rotation, as hitters aren't used to him yet, and he has the stuff to matchup very well against other 4-5 starters.
Josh Beckett
0-0, 9 1/3 IP, 11 K, 3 BB, 0.96 ERA, 0.75 WHIP
Speaking of pitchers I like this year, Beckett is right atop that list. He showed last year that coming to LA has dramatically helped his career, and I expect him to be great this year as well. A full season in LA will show that he still can get it done, and very well, too.
Chris Capuano
0-1, 9 1/3 IP, 10 K, 2 BB, 10.61 ERA, 1.61 WHIP
Not the greatest of starts for Capuano, who hasn't gotten going at all. The K/BB split is encouraging, though. The longball has killed him, as he's already given up four, so if he figures out how to cut down on that, he'll be fine.
Aaron Harang
1-0, 9 IP, 4 K, 5 BB, 10.00 ERA, 2.44 WHIP
Yikes. It's hard to believe his record is even 1-0 with numbers like those, even if it is Spring Training. When opponents are hitting .395 against you, it's probably not the best way to earn a rotation spot. It's hard to imagine that happening at this point. He better get ready for long relief or another team.
Ted Lilly
0-2, 6 2/3 IP, 5 K, 5 BB, 9.45 ERA, 2.40 WHIP
Once again we have a candidate for the #5 spot who has awful numbers. Lilly has the most to prove, as he missed nearly all of last season with a shoulder injury. And like Harang, I can't see how he gets that last spot. Just ugly numbers to say the least.
Clayton Kershaw
2-2, 19 IP, 20 K, 4 BB, 3.79 ERA, 1.32 WHIP
Kershaw recently took a liner off of his calf, but as usual, wasn't affected at all. Rumor has it he's pretty good. 'Nuff said.
Zack Greinke
0-0, 5 IP, 3 K, 1 BB, 3.60 ERA, 1.40 WHIP
Obviously, this hasn't been the start to his Dodger tenure that Greinke has hoped for. On the good side, his elbow injury appears to be minor, with the only setback being that he might not be ready for his first start. After that, he appears good to go. With the money he makes, the Dodgers will take every precaution necessary, especially since they have plenty of other starters who can plug a gap in the meantime.
Chad Billingsley
0-1, 7 2/3 IP, 6 K, 3 BB, 7.04 ERA, 1.96 WHIP
The numbers are high, but the good news is that he's even pitching at all. I still have plenty of worries about Billingsley lasting all year, or with him being effective at all if he's not 100%.
Hyun-Jin Ryu
1-2, 16 1/3 IP, 18 K, 6 BB, 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
Ryu has gotten progressively better as he settles into pitching to MLB hitters. His last start against the Brewers he surrendered one run in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six while allowing only three hits. I really like him towards the end of the rotation, as hitters aren't used to him yet, and he has the stuff to matchup very well against other 4-5 starters.
Josh Beckett
0-0, 9 1/3 IP, 11 K, 3 BB, 0.96 ERA, 0.75 WHIP
Speaking of pitchers I like this year, Beckett is right atop that list. He showed last year that coming to LA has dramatically helped his career, and I expect him to be great this year as well. A full season in LA will show that he still can get it done, and very well, too.
Chris Capuano
0-1, 9 1/3 IP, 10 K, 2 BB, 10.61 ERA, 1.61 WHIP
Not the greatest of starts for Capuano, who hasn't gotten going at all. The K/BB split is encouraging, though. The longball has killed him, as he's already given up four, so if he figures out how to cut down on that, he'll be fine.
Aaron Harang
1-0, 9 IP, 4 K, 5 BB, 10.00 ERA, 2.44 WHIP
Yikes. It's hard to believe his record is even 1-0 with numbers like those, even if it is Spring Training. When opponents are hitting .395 against you, it's probably not the best way to earn a rotation spot. It's hard to imagine that happening at this point. He better get ready for long relief or another team.
Ted Lilly
0-2, 6 2/3 IP, 5 K, 5 BB, 9.45 ERA, 2.40 WHIP
Once again we have a candidate for the #5 spot who has awful numbers. Lilly has the most to prove, as he missed nearly all of last season with a shoulder injury. And like Harang, I can't see how he gets that last spot. Just ugly numbers to say the least.
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