Here is the second installment in my season preview series. Last season, the bullpen was a huge weak spot on a division winning team, as the Dodgers had a very difficult time getting the ball to their dominant closer, Kenley Jansen. It ended up being one of the big reasons they Dodgers went four and out in the playoffs.
So, have the flurry of moves made this unit stronger heading in '15? Let's take a look.
2014
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Brian Wilson
J.P. Howell
Brandon League
Chris Perez
Jamey Wright
Pedro Baez
2015
Closer - Kenley Jansen
Setup - Joel Peralta
J.P. Howell
Pedro Baez
Brandon League
Juan Nicasio
Chris Hatcher
Then Compared to Now:
Right off the bat, what jumps out is the addition by subtraction. That is, getting rid of dead weight in Wilson and Perez. They both were so horrendous last season, it's hard to imagine those two signings going any worse. Wilson had a 4.66 ERA in 61 games, and Perez collected a 4.27 in 49. Awful, just awful. Good riddance!
In their places come Peralta, Nicasio, and Hatcher. The biggest name is Peralta, who's coming off of three straight seasons of more strikeouts than innings pitched. But, he's also seen his ERA creep up the last few seasons as well. Like Peralta, Hatcher relies on his fastball to blow hitters away, so the strikeout is always a possibility.
Howell will look to pitch more like the guy the first few months of the season, and less like the one who was knocked around at the end. Baez will look to step up into a bigger role, and Nicasio will look to play the swingman role of long reliever and spot starter.
Individual Breakdown:
Jansen (2014 stats): 2-3, 44 SV, 2.76 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 101 K's in 65 1/2 IP
After some bumps in the road to start the season, he really turned it on as the summer months got hotter and hotter. The result was another terrific season in which he by far posted his most career saves. He's in love with the cutter, and when it has a sharp bite, it's practically unhittable. When he mixes in softer stuff like a slider, he's even more effective. He's only 27 with not much mileage, so the Dodgers have very little worry that he'll continue that success.
Peralta (with Rays): 3-4, 1 SV, 18 HLD, 4.41 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 74 K's in 63 1/3 IP
The good news is that he can't possibly be worse than Wilson in the setup role (right?). The bad news is that he appears to be going in the same direction as Wilson. Of course, that's not to say he'll completely fall off the map too, as I can't imagine he'll get roughed up nearly as bad as The Beard did. The strikeouts are still there, and he only walked 15 last season in 69 appearances, which is very good. With an improved defense behind him, those are reasons to believe he'll be effective. Is he an everyday setup man? That might be a stretch, but we shall see.
Howell: 3-3, 27 HLD, 2.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 48 K's in 49 IP
It's a shame he started getting shelled in September, because before that, he was really, really good. And what do you know, he's once again the only lefty in the bullpen. Like it or not, he's the man to face tough lefties. He's not going to blow you away, as he's a location and breaking ball type of guy. When it's working, it's good. When it's not, it's practically batting practice. Maybe he just ran out of steam last season, so hopefully he can be fresher down the stretch, because he'll be needed.
Baez: 0-0, 5 HLD, 2.63 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 18 K's in 24 IP
In his first season, he only appeared in 20 games, so the sample size is small. Even with that, he was thrust right into the spotlight of the postseason, giving up a huge three-run shot to Matt Holliday in that epic meltdown in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Still, I like what he offers, as he throws hard and seems to have good composure on the mound. With Chris Withrow most likely out for all of 2015, his role will be increased even more.
League: 2-3, 11 HLD, 2.57 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 38 K's in 63 IP
What a roller coaster ride it's been for him since being traded to the Dodgers from the Mariners in 2012. He went from closer of the future to a complete waste of a big money deal. Then he posted a fantastic ERA last season, but a very high WHIP showed just how often he was playing with fire. At this point, he is what he is - a guy who will fool some with his breaking stuff, and will go through awful stretches where he lets everyone on base. He survived the offseason without getting canned, but if he falters once again, he'll be sent packing.
Nicasio (with Rockies): 6-6, 1 HLD, 5.38 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 63 K's in 93 2/3 IP
The best thing for any young pitcher is to finally get out of Coors Field, as he owns a 5.24 career ERA at home. It's not like he lit it up on the road, though, with a 4.81 ERA. Still, he has to feel great about coming to the Dodgers and taking the ball in a much friendlier ballpark. If there's a silver lining, he's made six career starts in LA (seven games overall), and owns a 3.63 ERA. That's something to build on.
Hatcher (with Marlins): 0-3, 6 HLD, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 60 K's in 56 IP
Like Jansen, he was once a catcher who converted to a hard throwing reliever. His first few seasons weren't so hot, but after getting called up in late May with the Marlins last season, put together a good season. He throws hard and keeps his walks low, which is always a good combination. Right now he's a young, power arm on the rise, so if he can keep missing bats and avoid the free passes, he'll be a good weapon.
Other Names to Remember: Daniel Coulombe, Carlos Frias, Yimi Garcia, Paco Rodriguez
Is Now Better Than Then?
The Dodgers could pair just about anyone up with Jansen and be considered better this season. They absolutely needed to dump Wilson, even if it cost them $10 million in dead salary. Big deal, it needed to be done. And thank the Lord that it did.
The guys who were brought in - Peralta, Hatcher, and Nicasio - aren't names that will jump off the page, and will have to prove that they can be the answer. Peralta appears to be the first in line to pitch the eighth, and finally give a reliable bridge to Jansen in the ninth. That, in my opinion, was the biggest Achilles' heel of the Dodgers last year, so that's something that absolutely needs to get better if they want to take the next step in the playoffs. If not Peralta, then maybe a surprise name such as Baez or Hatcher can be that guy.
Two other guys who are gone from last year are Wright and Perez, as their best days are clearly behind them. Because of those subtractions, I'll easily take this year's squad as an upgrade over last year's. But, does that mean this year's group is good? There's always a huge plus with Jansen at the end, but the newcomers and young guys like Baez will have to show they can put up consistent numbers all season long to be one of the better bullpens in baseball.
Showing posts with label Wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wilson. Show all posts
Monday, February 9, 2015
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Dodgers make the right call in dumping Wilson
It's about time.
That's the first thing that came to mind when I read the surprising move today that the Dodgers have designated Brian Wilson for assignment with the addition of Brandon McCarthy. He picked up his player option after the season, so unless he's traded or claimed by another club in the next 10 days, the Dodgers will owe him his entire $10 million salary.
In other words, in 10 days from now, the Dodgers will then owe him $10 million.
It's as simple as that, because as surprising as this move was, it would be a flat out shocker if some other team actually spends that kind of money on him.
I'm saying "surprising" only because the Dodgers sure as hell loved to use him over and over last season, despite the big warning signs that he was completely washed up. But then again, there's a whole new management in town, and they clearly saw what the rest of us saw when it came to Wilson.
Just to review, Wilson ended last year with 22 holds, but four blown saves, a 4.66 ERA, and 1.61 WHIP, which is ridiculously high. Time and time again Don Mattingly would run him out there in the eighth inning as the setup man, and time and time again he would look like crap. It had to be a huge relief to the other teams that Donny kept going to him so much. Granted, there weren't a lot of other options, but Wilson was still the worst.
What Wilson should be given credit for was his excellent 2013 season. He was signed that year at the trade deadline, and went on to post an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 games. He formed a fantastic 1-2 punch with Kenley Jansen, so the expectation coming into 2014 was that they would lock down the final two innings all season. Needless to say, it didn't happen.
Eating $10 million is never a fun thing to do, but I love the message being sent by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zadi. The Dodgers don't need to keep an awful player just because of his contract. It's time to clean house, hold everyone responsible, and build a winner.
This is a great step in that direction.
That's the first thing that came to mind when I read the surprising move today that the Dodgers have designated Brian Wilson for assignment with the addition of Brandon McCarthy. He picked up his player option after the season, so unless he's traded or claimed by another club in the next 10 days, the Dodgers will owe him his entire $10 million salary.
In other words, in 10 days from now, the Dodgers will then owe him $10 million.
It's as simple as that, because as surprising as this move was, it would be a flat out shocker if some other team actually spends that kind of money on him.
I'm saying "surprising" only because the Dodgers sure as hell loved to use him over and over last season, despite the big warning signs that he was completely washed up. But then again, there's a whole new management in town, and they clearly saw what the rest of us saw when it came to Wilson.
Just to review, Wilson ended last year with 22 holds, but four blown saves, a 4.66 ERA, and 1.61 WHIP, which is ridiculously high. Time and time again Don Mattingly would run him out there in the eighth inning as the setup man, and time and time again he would look like crap. It had to be a huge relief to the other teams that Donny kept going to him so much. Granted, there weren't a lot of other options, but Wilson was still the worst.
What Wilson should be given credit for was his excellent 2013 season. He was signed that year at the trade deadline, and went on to post an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 games. He formed a fantastic 1-2 punch with Kenley Jansen, so the expectation coming into 2014 was that they would lock down the final two innings all season. Needless to say, it didn't happen.
Eating $10 million is never a fun thing to do, but I love the message being sent by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zadi. The Dodgers don't need to keep an awful player just because of his contract. It's time to clean house, hold everyone responsible, and build a winner.
This is a great step in that direction.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Wilson exercises his option as Elbert walks
A could news of note on the bullpen from Monday.
As expected, Brian Wilson exercised his massive $10 million option for 2015. There was no way in the world any team would pay anything even close to that, or even half of that. So ya, there was zero suspense in this decision.
Last season was just an absolute disaster for Wilson, who wasn't anywhere close to the pitcher who signed with the Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2013. In 61 games, he went 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. It was stunning to see just how ineffective he was. I thought he would be even stronger following Tommy John surgery a couple years ago. Boy was I wrong.
Like it or not, he'll be back. That doesn't mean he won't be released at some point, but that's a big chunk of change to eat. Let's just hope he mercifully doesn't pitch in the setup role again. That would be embarrassing.
Someone who will not be back is Scott Elbert, who rejected a minor league assignment and chose free agency. He was nowhere to be found for two years with one elbow injury after another. Then he resurfaced at the end of this season and made the playoff roster, but gave up a huge two-run homer to Kolten Wong in Game 3 of the NLDS, putting the Dodgers in a hole they would not recover from.
In a perfect world both of these guys would be gone, but one out of two ain't bad.
As expected, Brian Wilson exercised his massive $10 million option for 2015. There was no way in the world any team would pay anything even close to that, or even half of that. So ya, there was zero suspense in this decision.
Last season was just an absolute disaster for Wilson, who wasn't anywhere close to the pitcher who signed with the Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2013. In 61 games, he went 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. It was stunning to see just how ineffective he was. I thought he would be even stronger following Tommy John surgery a couple years ago. Boy was I wrong.
Like it or not, he'll be back. That doesn't mean he won't be released at some point, but that's a big chunk of change to eat. Let's just hope he mercifully doesn't pitch in the setup role again. That would be embarrassing.
Someone who will not be back is Scott Elbert, who rejected a minor league assignment and chose free agency. He was nowhere to be found for two years with one elbow injury after another. Then he resurfaced at the end of this season and made the playoff roster, but gave up a huge two-run homer to Kolten Wong in Game 3 of the NLDS, putting the Dodgers in a hole they would not recover from.
In a perfect world both of these guys would be gone, but one out of two ain't bad.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
How much blame should be on Colletti for the failed bullpen?
As Andrew Friedman gets settled into his position of the man pulling all the strings for the Dodgers, Ned Colletti is quietly getting adjusted to his new role as well. A new role that will no longer allow him to be the trigger man in player movement.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Much of the focus since news broke this week of Friedman getting hired has been about the construction of the bullpen under Ned Colletti. As the Royals have shown in the playoffs, a top-notch bullpen can carry a team a long, long way.
Something the Dodgers didn't come close to having.
So now, the question can be asked of how much blame Colletti should receive for the bullpen he put together this season. There's definitely two ways of looking at it, so let's dive right in.
1) Bringing in ex-closers like Brandon League, Brian Wilson, and Chris Perez is an easy move to make. They have experience pitching in big situations.
When looking at the bullpen on paper before the season started, the breakdown looked something like this: Perez for the 7th, Wilson for the 8th, Kenley Jansen to close things out. That certainly looked like a good trio in the final innings, especially after the success of Wilson at the end of 2013.
With the great starting pitching the Dodgers have, it looked like they could turn games into six-inning affairs. It's not a stretch to say that they felt like they were going to win lots of games when they had the lead going into the late innings. Either they had a starting pitcher rolling along, or their bullpen full of former closers would close the door.
2) There's a reason League, Perez, and Wilson are ex-closers. It's because they're washed up and clearly not what they used to be.
Unfortunately for Colletti, this turned out to be the case, especially in the NLDS when the middle relief time and time again failed to bridge the gap to Jansen. It was an ugly way to end the season to say the least.
Everyone but Jansen was a disaster pretty much all season long. Perez had a 4.27 ERA in 49 games, though it seemed like it was much worse. Wilson lost all of the zip on his pitches, and ended up with a 4.66 ERA in 61 games. League was improved at 2.57 in 63 games, but that was mostly in low-pressure situations.
My guess is Colletti went with the experience of guys who have been there, done that over guys who are more comfortable pitching in the middle innings. It was a chance he was willing to take, and while the Dodgers did win the NL West, it was mostly in spite of the ex-closers.
One interesting little tidbit that has been whispered is about Colletti being handcuffed from making trades at the deadline, as management labeled the top prospects like Corey Seager, Julio Urias, and Joc Pederson as untouchable. Remember how Colletti said he wanted to improve the 'pen, yet nothing came of it? It seemed pretty strange at the time, especially considering this team's recent history of taking on all sorts of money to get more talent.
Well, it sure looks like we should cut Colletti some slack, as it appears as if he was willing to get more arms, yet was blocked. Who knows what those deals may have been, so possibly in the long run, it's a good thing to hold onto the prospects instead of getting the short-term fix.
Bottom Line:
While I can understand Colletti's thought process in regards to the ex-closers, the end result is that it completely blew up in his face. There's no way any of us thought these guys would be THIS bad, but the reality is they were. So that makes Colletti's moves to be failures.
Much of the blame needs to be with the pitchers themselves, as they not only made Colletti look like a fool, but completely dropped their stocks as well. This group was so lousy, even a little bit of improvement would have still made them bad. That's how poorly they performed.
So let's just call it even down the middle: Colletti gets half the blame for signing the wrong guys, and the ex-closers get the other half for stinking up the joint over and over. We'll settle at that.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Same old story: Dodgers' bullpen crumbles once again
Game 3 was more of the same for the Dodgers. A close game in the late innings. A starting pitcher yanked. And a bullpen than simply cannot get the big outs when needed.
Add it all up, and it's the Cardinals who are feeling good after a 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS. Game 4 is Tuesday afternoon, as the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw on three days' rest to salvage the series.
The story for the start of Game 3 was the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, and with a strikeout of Matt Carpenter to start the game, he showed that his shoulder was ready to go. He ended up lasting six innings, giving up one run on five hits, striking out four. He really gave the Dodgers everything they could've hoped for.
Who didn't give the Dodgers what they hoped for? That's right - the damn bullpen. More specifically, the middle relief, because they're so bad at this point, Kenley Jansen stands virtually no chance of being handed the ball in the ninth with a lead. It's gotten downright embarrassing watching the middle relief in action.
In the previous two games, we've seen Pedro Baez and J.P. Howell fall apart. In Game 3, it was Scott Elbert's turn. With the rain coming down hard from a passing shower, Yadier Molina took a first-pitch fastball to left for a double to start the seventh.
After a Jon Jay sacrifice bunt, Kolten Wong deposited a 405-foot home run to right, KO'ing any chance the Dodgers had in this one. Elbert gave up a double to Carpenter for good measure before mercifully getting the hook.
I know a lot of people blame Don Mattingly for putting Elbert in, as it clearly was the wrong move. But think about it - who the hell else is there to turn to? Brian Wilson? Give me a break. He faced three batters, giving up a double and intentional walk. After getting an out, he had the nerve to act surprised that he was getting pulled. That's right, the guy who's stunk it up all season long is mad he's getting pulled. Whatever.
Brandon League is another option, but not much of one. Howell was very fortunate to turn a double play on a ball hit back to him to end the eighth. Of course, he gave up another single right before that to load the bases. He's about as easy a reliever to hit as there is in baseball right now.
At this point, the Dodgers are going to have to win in spite of the crap that sits in the bullpen all game, then comes in and gives up hard hit after hard hit. I guess they can only hope Kershaw and Zack Greinke keep their pitch counts low, keep the score lower, and bridge the gap themselves to Jansen.
Two guys we haven't seen appear yet are Jamey Wright and Carlos Frias, so don't be surprised if they're next in line to give this thing a shot. You can also include Dan Haren on that list since he's been bumped from his Game 4 start. Hell, he's better than watching some of these other clowns.
Despite all of this, the Dodgers only need to win two straight games to advance. One in St. Louis with Kershaw looking for redemption, and back in LA with Greinke. That's certainly doable. Maybe someone like Adrian Gonzalez or Hanley Ramirez hits a couple homers and leads the way.
It will also help to not have the incredibly inconsistent Dale Scott calling balls and strikes. He should be an NBA referee with all the home town calls he gave. I don't blame Kemp at all for going off about the strike zone. It was a joke all night long.
Add it all up, and it's the Cardinals who are feeling good after a 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS. Game 4 is Tuesday afternoon, as the Dodgers turn to Clayton Kershaw on three days' rest to salvage the series.
The story for the start of Game 3 was the return of Hyun-Jin Ryu, and with a strikeout of Matt Carpenter to start the game, he showed that his shoulder was ready to go. He ended up lasting six innings, giving up one run on five hits, striking out four. He really gave the Dodgers everything they could've hoped for.
Who didn't give the Dodgers what they hoped for? That's right - the damn bullpen. More specifically, the middle relief, because they're so bad at this point, Kenley Jansen stands virtually no chance of being handed the ball in the ninth with a lead. It's gotten downright embarrassing watching the middle relief in action.
In the previous two games, we've seen Pedro Baez and J.P. Howell fall apart. In Game 3, it was Scott Elbert's turn. With the rain coming down hard from a passing shower, Yadier Molina took a first-pitch fastball to left for a double to start the seventh.
After a Jon Jay sacrifice bunt, Kolten Wong deposited a 405-foot home run to right, KO'ing any chance the Dodgers had in this one. Elbert gave up a double to Carpenter for good measure before mercifully getting the hook.
I know a lot of people blame Don Mattingly for putting Elbert in, as it clearly was the wrong move. But think about it - who the hell else is there to turn to? Brian Wilson? Give me a break. He faced three batters, giving up a double and intentional walk. After getting an out, he had the nerve to act surprised that he was getting pulled. That's right, the guy who's stunk it up all season long is mad he's getting pulled. Whatever.
Brandon League is another option, but not much of one. Howell was very fortunate to turn a double play on a ball hit back to him to end the eighth. Of course, he gave up another single right before that to load the bases. He's about as easy a reliever to hit as there is in baseball right now.
At this point, the Dodgers are going to have to win in spite of the crap that sits in the bullpen all game, then comes in and gives up hard hit after hard hit. I guess they can only hope Kershaw and Zack Greinke keep their pitch counts low, keep the score lower, and bridge the gap themselves to Jansen.
Two guys we haven't seen appear yet are Jamey Wright and Carlos Frias, so don't be surprised if they're next in line to give this thing a shot. You can also include Dan Haren on that list since he's been bumped from his Game 4 start. Hell, he's better than watching some of these other clowns.
Despite all of this, the Dodgers only need to win two straight games to advance. One in St. Louis with Kershaw looking for redemption, and back in LA with Greinke. That's certainly doable. Maybe someone like Adrian Gonzalez or Hanley Ramirez hits a couple homers and leads the way.
It will also help to not have the incredibly inconsistent Dale Scott calling balls and strikes. He should be an NBA referee with all the home town calls he gave. I don't blame Kemp at all for going off about the strike zone. It was a joke all night long.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Mattingly needs to adjust his bullpen habits... NOW
Saturday afternoon was one of those games that leaves you wondering just how long the Dodgers can last in the postseason. Not because they don't have the talent, but because they don't exactly make the smartest decisions at times.
And that starts with Don Mattingly's use of the bullpen.
Look, I swear I'm not one who constantly points the finger at Mattingly when things don't go well. Even last season when he was virtually a game or two away from getting fired before the Dodgers went on their historic 42-8 run, I was fully on his side. And I still like him as a manager.
With that said, I'm going to criticize him big time on one particular thing right now, and that's his CONSTANT and STUBBORN use of Brian Wilson as a setup man. As yesterday showed, it just makes no sense whatsoever.
But let's back up for a second and take a look at the seventh inning and J.P. Howell. With the Dodgers up 7-2 thanks to two homers and five RBIs from Adrian Gonzalez, Howell started the inning walking Chris Coghlan. Following an out, a wild pitch sent Coghlan to third, and Anthony Rizzo's RBI single made it 7-3.
No big deal, right? Well, no. Right-handed Mike Olt pinch-hit and singled. Left-handed Luis Valbuena flew out to right to make it two down. Right-handed Arismendy Alcantara then lined a three-run shot out to left, and all of a sudden it was 7-6.
For those of you keeping score, Howell faced righties in two of his last three hitters. Why in the world Mattingly decided to keep in the lefty Howell when he had righty Brandon League warming up is completely beyond me. And what do you know, League came in next and got a grounder to short to end the inning.
OK, so that was a hiccup, and hopefully Mattingly learned from his mistake. Wrong. In came Wilson and his 4.53 ERA to pitch in the setup role. Time and time again he has shown why he's lousy for this role, yet Mattingly sticks with him.
And on Saturday, sure enough, Wilson was rocked. After a John Baker single greeted him, Coghlan continued his huge day an out later with a two-run homer to put the Cubs up for good. Carlos Frias had to relieve and get the last out.
Hey, I'm all for managers showing confidence in their players. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere, and that line should have been drawn a long time ago in regards to Wilson pitching the eighth. I don't care how shaky the bullpen is - Wilson is the shakiest, and has absolutely no business pitching in that role. I just can't believe Mattingly can't see what is so obvious to even the most casual of Dodger fans.
Changes have to be made. Howell was having a great season, but has fallen apart in September to the tune of a 13.50 ERA. Perhaps hitters have finally caught up to him, as the book on him is to lay off the soft stuff, and make him bring the "heat" that wouldn't blow a Little League player away. He's only made six appearances this month, yet his ERA has gone up over one full run since the end of August from 1.24 to 2.27.
As for Wilson, it's just the same old song and dance. Apparently Mattingly still thinks the Wilson who collected 171 saves and two rings with the Giants is walking through that door. Even though he had a great run in a short span last season, his arm is obviously shot. I'd be willing to bet every single person who watches him pitch realizes that except one: Don Mattingly.
The solution is that Mattingly needs to rely on new blood later in the game to get the ball to Kenley Jansen. Guys like Pedro Baez, Scott Elbert, and Paco Rodriguez should get the call. Howell is slowly crumbling, and Wilson is just plain awful. Opposing teams are salivating every time they see one of those two being trotted out to the mound. Try something different for crying out loud!
The Dodgers are assured a playoff berth. If they want it to start in the Division Series and not the one-and-done Wild Card round, then Mattingly needs to make adjustments in the 'pen. He hasn't yet, so I'm very skeptical it will happen.
But hey, I can still hope.
And that starts with Don Mattingly's use of the bullpen.
Look, I swear I'm not one who constantly points the finger at Mattingly when things don't go well. Even last season when he was virtually a game or two away from getting fired before the Dodgers went on their historic 42-8 run, I was fully on his side. And I still like him as a manager.
With that said, I'm going to criticize him big time on one particular thing right now, and that's his CONSTANT and STUBBORN use of Brian Wilson as a setup man. As yesterday showed, it just makes no sense whatsoever.
But let's back up for a second and take a look at the seventh inning and J.P. Howell. With the Dodgers up 7-2 thanks to two homers and five RBIs from Adrian Gonzalez, Howell started the inning walking Chris Coghlan. Following an out, a wild pitch sent Coghlan to third, and Anthony Rizzo's RBI single made it 7-3.
No big deal, right? Well, no. Right-handed Mike Olt pinch-hit and singled. Left-handed Luis Valbuena flew out to right to make it two down. Right-handed Arismendy Alcantara then lined a three-run shot out to left, and all of a sudden it was 7-6.
For those of you keeping score, Howell faced righties in two of his last three hitters. Why in the world Mattingly decided to keep in the lefty Howell when he had righty Brandon League warming up is completely beyond me. And what do you know, League came in next and got a grounder to short to end the inning.
OK, so that was a hiccup, and hopefully Mattingly learned from his mistake. Wrong. In came Wilson and his 4.53 ERA to pitch in the setup role. Time and time again he has shown why he's lousy for this role, yet Mattingly sticks with him.
And on Saturday, sure enough, Wilson was rocked. After a John Baker single greeted him, Coghlan continued his huge day an out later with a two-run homer to put the Cubs up for good. Carlos Frias had to relieve and get the last out.
Hey, I'm all for managers showing confidence in their players. But there has to be a line drawn somewhere, and that line should have been drawn a long time ago in regards to Wilson pitching the eighth. I don't care how shaky the bullpen is - Wilson is the shakiest, and has absolutely no business pitching in that role. I just can't believe Mattingly can't see what is so obvious to even the most casual of Dodger fans.
Changes have to be made. Howell was having a great season, but has fallen apart in September to the tune of a 13.50 ERA. Perhaps hitters have finally caught up to him, as the book on him is to lay off the soft stuff, and make him bring the "heat" that wouldn't blow a Little League player away. He's only made six appearances this month, yet his ERA has gone up over one full run since the end of August from 1.24 to 2.27.
As for Wilson, it's just the same old song and dance. Apparently Mattingly still thinks the Wilson who collected 171 saves and two rings with the Giants is walking through that door. Even though he had a great run in a short span last season, his arm is obviously shot. I'd be willing to bet every single person who watches him pitch realizes that except one: Don Mattingly.
The solution is that Mattingly needs to rely on new blood later in the game to get the ball to Kenley Jansen. Guys like Pedro Baez, Scott Elbert, and Paco Rodriguez should get the call. Howell is slowly crumbling, and Wilson is just plain awful. Opposing teams are salivating every time they see one of those two being trotted out to the mound. Try something different for crying out loud!
The Dodgers are assured a playoff berth. If they want it to start in the Division Series and not the one-and-done Wild Card round, then Mattingly needs to make adjustments in the 'pen. He hasn't yet, so I'm very skeptical it will happen.
But hey, I can still hope.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
8th inning could be the Dodgers downfall
Remember last season when Brian Wilson was signed, and the Dodgers had the ultimate 1-2 punch with Kenley Jansen down the stretch and in the postseason?
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Well, it sure was fun while it lasted.
The combination of Jamey Wright and Brandon League were the latest to not get the job done in the setup role, as they turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-2 deficit, and the Dodgers dropped one to the Brewers 6-3. At least the Phillies had a comeback of their own in beating the Giants, so the lead in the NL West remains 5 1/2.
To say the eighth inning was ugly would be an understatement. Here's the final tally: nine batters, four hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout. Most of that damage was done against Wright, who gave up four of those hits and one intentional walk. Even his one out was a hard lineout by Jonathan Lucroy leading off. Every ball hit against him was hard.
League was put in a tough situation of the bases loaded and one out, but he did get Rickie Weeks swinging for two down. But, as has been the case over his three-year deal worth $22.5 million, he couldn't get a second big out, as Lyle Overbay's double cleared the bases and any hope of the Dodgers winning. It was pathetic.
There's no doubt in my mind that the biggest issue the Dodgers face right now is bridging the gap to Jansen. There certainly isn't a Wilson circa 2013 Don Mattingly can turn to. Wilson, by the way, had an 0.66 ERA in 18 appearances last season. Little did we realize just how much we'd miss that version of Wilson.
About the only reliable guy in the 'pen before Jansen is J.P. Howell, but he's not your prototypical setup man. He relies on the soft stuff, and is very effective at it. In 39 1/3 innings, he has a 1.37 ERA. I think Mattingly should just ignore the lefty-righty stuff and pitch him more in the eighth regardless. It certainly can't hurt.
But other than Howell... yikes. It's just a whole lot of nothing to turn to. Here's my breakdown of the other choices, and why they're.... well, not good choices:
Wilson - 5.26 ERA, and can't seem to pitch a clean eighth
League - Much better ERA at 2.32, but the bigger the pressure, the worse he gets
Wright - Had a chance to make a positive impression, and showed why he's much more suited to pitching earlier in the game
Chris Perez - Currently on the DL, and when he's back, has absolutely no business taking the mound in any inning
Pedro Baez and Carlos Frias - Too young and inexperienced to pitch in a big situation. But then again, it's not like they can do any worse, so why not try them?
So like I said, there just aren't any solid options to turn to. I actually liked it on Friday night when Donny gave Wright a chance to do the job. It definitely backfired, but the other options are so bad, it was worth a shot.
This is definitely a big concern heading into the postseason. The only positive is that the Dodgers have really good starting pitching in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu (who hopefully can rest his sore butt!). They can pitch deep into games, which would then limit the amount of relievers needed. We hope.
If I'm Jansen, I'm making sure my arm is plenty rested and ready to go in October. I absolutely think Donny will call upon him in the eighth for more than the traditional three-out save. Donny really has no choice. Might as well skip all the other bums and go with the Big Dog.
Will someone actually step up and finally claim that setup role over the final month-and-a-half? That will be the major question facing the Dodgers the rest of the season.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
It all could come down to the bullpen for the Dodgers
One night after Kenley Jansen's horrific blown save against the Padres, the Dodgers bounced right back behind seven shutout innings from Josh Beckett. Saturday was a solid night, as Dee Gordon scored twice and stole his 39th base, Hanley Ramirez drove in two, and Justin Turner had two hits. Jansen even got the save, regaining some momentum from the night before.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
The Dodgers have been better in June with an 11-8 record, but one issue remains that could hold them back: the bullpen has got to get better.
The last two games in San Diego are the perfect example. Friday night was just brutal to watch. Dan Haren was pretty good, giving the Dodgers 5 2/3 innings for three runs. J.P. Howell and Brandon League both got a couple of outs to get into the eighth up 5-3.
Before the season, if you were to be told that the Dodgers have a two-run lead heading into the eighth, you would've been happy since Brian Wilson and Jansen were coming in. But reality has been much different than on paper, and both have underachieved.
Wilson was very fortunate to escape the eighth unharmed, as Scott Van Slyke, subbing for an injured Yasiel Puig, made a great running catch in right to prevent a run from being scored.
Then Jansen blew the save in the ninth, getting knocked all over the place, and raising his ERA from 3.72 to 4.55 in the process.
On Saturday night, the Dodgers found themselves up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Don Mattingly rightfully didn't put Wilson back in there, but Paul Maholm gave up a leadoff triple to Cameron Maybin, and a two-out walk to Seth Smith. League came in and immediately let both runs score on two singles. Thankfully Jansen was much better in closing it out the next inning.
Right now, the bullpen is clearly sticking out as the weak link. The offense looks better with guys like Gordon, Hanley, and Matt Kemp swinging the bats better. The defense has settled in, save for Hanley's error during Clayton Kershaw's (almost) perfect game. The starting rotation has been superb all along.
Then there's the bullpen, which still can't seem to figure things out. Ideally, Wilson should've been one of the top setup men in baseball, but that certainly hasn't been the case. His ERA has actually gone way down to 5.33, but an enormous 1.89 WHIP shows that way too many men reach base against him. He looks like he's ready to implode at any point again.
The guys behind him have been a mixed bag as well. The best has been Howell with a 1.89 ERA and 16 holds. League had a good stretch to lower his ERA to 2.21, but still doesn't look comfortable in tight situations late in games. Chris Perez has been awful with a 5.61 ERA, and doesn't deserve any big innings at all.
Jamey Wright has been good with a 2.43 ERA, although his role is hard to figure out since he was supposed to be a long reliever. Does Donny strictly keep him for that role, or use him as a setup man occasionally? It's a tough call. The other long reliever, Maholm, looks lost with a 5.04 ERA. I wonder if he'll be sent packing.
Two guys relied upon for most of last year were Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez. Well, Withrow is done for the year with Tommy John surgery, and Paco is in Triple-A.
Jansen is going through some tough times for the first time in his career. He used to just show up, blow everyone away, then leave. Now, it looks as if hitters are more comfortable against him, and know what to expect. Supposedly there was a mechanical flaw that was being worked on after Friday's meltdown, so maybe that will work. I still think he needs to mix his pitches up more as I've said for awhile now. Mariano Rivera he is not, so throwing the same cutter over and over won't work all the time. It's time to accept some change.
I definitely expect Ned Colletti to be active over the next month-and-a-half in acquiring relief help. I can't imagine they can continue to watch games like these last two nights where the offense and starting pitching gets a lead, and they have to scratch and claw to hold on. That's pretty frustrating.
For in-house replacements, there's guys down at Triple-A like Paco, Jose Dominguez, and Pedro Baez who could get another shot in LA. Don't forget about those names.
The bottom line is that the Dodgers need to try something new with the 'pen. Most guys haven't pulled their weight, so some fresh arms will only do them good. We all know Colletti isn't afraid to pull the trigger on trades and roster moves, so keep an eye out for what happens. It should be interesting.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Brian Wilson should not be the setup man
Can I possibly state that any clearer?
After watching the way he nearly handed away the Memorial Day game in Dodger Stadium, a mere minutes after Hyun-Jin Ryu flirted with a perfect game into the eighth inning, it's obvious that changes need to be made.
Yes, I know he's a former stud closer on a World Series championship team.
Yes, I know he's a three-time All-Star.
Yes, I know last season he was fantastic for the Dodgers in the home stretch, giving up one earned run in 24 games between the regular season and playoffs.
But no, I do not think that should CONSTANTLY earn him the right to pitch as the setup man in close games. For whatever reason, he's just not the same player anymore. Period.
Take a look at what happened Monday night. The Dodgers were up 4-0 going into the eighth, and Todd Frazier broke up Ryu's bid for history with a leadoff double. Soon the Reds put one on the board with two men on and one out. In came Wilson.
It started off well, as Devin Mesoraco struck out. All Wilson had to do was get another out and the Dodgers would still in comfortable control. Instead, Skip Schumaker walked on a full count, and Billy Hamilton, perhaps the weakest player in all of baseball, hit a two-run double to make it 4-3.
And for the icing on the cake, Zack Cozart walked on four straight pitches to put the leading run on base. Thankfully Kenley Jansen put out the fire by striking out Brandon Phillips, and soon getting through the ninth unscathed for his 15th save.
Quite frankly, Wilson was pathetic and embarrassing all at the same time. If he wants the ball in these types of situations, he can't give up doubles to a tiny leadoff hitter, and walk a pair. Somehow through all of that he wasn't even charged with a run, so his one out LOWERED his ERA to 7.56. Oh joy.
I know the Dodgers aren't going to release him, because if they never did can Brandon League after all of the bad outings he's been through, then Wilson's going nowhere. But please, please, PLEASE stop putting him in as the setup man. That ship has sailed. Donnie Baseball, just let it go!
Please?!?!
After watching the way he nearly handed away the Memorial Day game in Dodger Stadium, a mere minutes after Hyun-Jin Ryu flirted with a perfect game into the eighth inning, it's obvious that changes need to be made.
Yes, I know he's a former stud closer on a World Series championship team.
Yes, I know he's a three-time All-Star.
Yes, I know last season he was fantastic for the Dodgers in the home stretch, giving up one earned run in 24 games between the regular season and playoffs.
But no, I do not think that should CONSTANTLY earn him the right to pitch as the setup man in close games. For whatever reason, he's just not the same player anymore. Period.
Take a look at what happened Monday night. The Dodgers were up 4-0 going into the eighth, and Todd Frazier broke up Ryu's bid for history with a leadoff double. Soon the Reds put one on the board with two men on and one out. In came Wilson.
It started off well, as Devin Mesoraco struck out. All Wilson had to do was get another out and the Dodgers would still in comfortable control. Instead, Skip Schumaker walked on a full count, and Billy Hamilton, perhaps the weakest player in all of baseball, hit a two-run double to make it 4-3.
And for the icing on the cake, Zack Cozart walked on four straight pitches to put the leading run on base. Thankfully Kenley Jansen put out the fire by striking out Brandon Phillips, and soon getting through the ninth unscathed for his 15th save.
Quite frankly, Wilson was pathetic and embarrassing all at the same time. If he wants the ball in these types of situations, he can't give up doubles to a tiny leadoff hitter, and walk a pair. Somehow through all of that he wasn't even charged with a run, so his one out LOWERED his ERA to 7.56. Oh joy.
I know the Dodgers aren't going to release him, because if they never did can Brandon League after all of the bad outings he's been through, then Wilson's going nowhere. But please, please, PLEASE stop putting him in as the setup man. That ship has sailed. Donnie Baseball, just let it go!
Please?!?!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Crawford makes us forget about the bullpen... sort of
* Carl Crawford hit a game-winning two-run homer in the 11th to beat the Marlins 9-7.
* Yasiel Puig hit an enormous three-run bomb measured at 452 feet, his longest as a pro.
* Dee Gordon went 5-for-6 to raise his average to .357, stole three bases, and made a great diving stop to boot.
* Matt Kemp had three hits with a double.
* Juan Uribe and Miguel Olivo each had two hits and two runs.
* Brandon League (yes, Brandon League) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.
(What I just did was list the positives in Saturday night's game. Because the reality is the bullpen turned a 7-2 laugher into an extra-innings battle thanks to another frustrating night.)
The bottom line is that the Dodgers got the win, but on a night where Kenley Jansen was resting due to a heavy workload, the other guys who appeared at the end did absolutely nothing to give Don Mattingly confidence in resting Jansen again. Talk about nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or something like that.
It started with Brian Wilson, who took over in the seventh after Paul Maholm gave up three runs in six innings. Wilson, quite frankly, sucked. Any good vibes he had from three straight scoreless appearances was thrown out the window in this one, as Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer to cut the lead to 7-6. J.P. Howell had to get out of the inning with the last out.
Chris Withrow wasn't a whole lot better, loading the bases in the eighth on two walks and a double. He set himself up for some huge failure with Giancarlo Stanton at the plate, but two fastballs and a sharp breaking ball later, Stanton struck out.
OK, so at least the Dodgers were up 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth, and even with Jansen unavailable, Chris Perez and his 1.35 ERA was. You know, the former All-Star closer for the Indians. All was good, right? Wrong.
Perez coughed up the lead, and was lucky he didn't blow the game in the process. He had to get two outs with the bases loaded just to send the game into extras. Two hits and two walks were his undoing.
The final tally for the bullpen from innings 7-9: four runs, four hits, five walks.
And nearly an embarrassing loss.
The bullpen's 3.80 ERA puts them 10th in the National League. That's not terrible, but certainly not very good either. All things considered, it's a little below average. And definitely not worth the millions upon millions of dollars that Ned Colletti threw at them to shutdown the final few innings.
I'll chalk up Wilson's and Perez's performances to rough nights, as they both still have sparkling ERAs. Wilson, on the other hand, not so much. As loyal as Mattingly is to him, and understandably so after how good he was last season, it's time to slide him down in the pecking order even more than he has been. If he has trouble holding onto a five-run lead in the seventh, I'm not sure what he can do.
The Dodgers have to be exhausted after playing two long games in Minnesota on Thursday, flying right to Miami for a Friday game, and then 11 innings on Saturday. Well, the offense has done the job for the most part, now the bullpen needs to step up and do theirs. It seems like two steps forward, two steps back on a day-to-day basis.
With Hyun-Jin Ryu on the shelf, old friend Stephen Fife gets the call on Sunday afternoon in Miami. His opponent? Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, who has not given up an earned run in three starts covering 23 innings. Yikes.
* Yasiel Puig hit an enormous three-run bomb measured at 452 feet, his longest as a pro.
* Dee Gordon went 5-for-6 to raise his average to .357, stole three bases, and made a great diving stop to boot.
* Matt Kemp had three hits with a double.
* Juan Uribe and Miguel Olivo each had two hits and two runs.
* Brandon League (yes, Brandon League) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.
(What I just did was list the positives in Saturday night's game. Because the reality is the bullpen turned a 7-2 laugher into an extra-innings battle thanks to another frustrating night.)
The bottom line is that the Dodgers got the win, but on a night where Kenley Jansen was resting due to a heavy workload, the other guys who appeared at the end did absolutely nothing to give Don Mattingly confidence in resting Jansen again. Talk about nearly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, or something like that.
It started with Brian Wilson, who took over in the seventh after Paul Maholm gave up three runs in six innings. Wilson, quite frankly, sucked. Any good vibes he had from three straight scoreless appearances was thrown out the window in this one, as Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer to cut the lead to 7-6. J.P. Howell had to get out of the inning with the last out.
Chris Withrow wasn't a whole lot better, loading the bases in the eighth on two walks and a double. He set himself up for some huge failure with Giancarlo Stanton at the plate, but two fastballs and a sharp breaking ball later, Stanton struck out.
OK, so at least the Dodgers were up 7-6 going into the bottom of the ninth, and even with Jansen unavailable, Chris Perez and his 1.35 ERA was. You know, the former All-Star closer for the Indians. All was good, right? Wrong.
Perez coughed up the lead, and was lucky he didn't blow the game in the process. He had to get two outs with the bases loaded just to send the game into extras. Two hits and two walks were his undoing.
The final tally for the bullpen from innings 7-9: four runs, four hits, five walks.
And nearly an embarrassing loss.
The bullpen's 3.80 ERA puts them 10th in the National League. That's not terrible, but certainly not very good either. All things considered, it's a little below average. And definitely not worth the millions upon millions of dollars that Ned Colletti threw at them to shutdown the final few innings.
I'll chalk up Wilson's and Perez's performances to rough nights, as they both still have sparkling ERAs. Wilson, on the other hand, not so much. As loyal as Mattingly is to him, and understandably so after how good he was last season, it's time to slide him down in the pecking order even more than he has been. If he has trouble holding onto a five-run lead in the seventh, I'm not sure what he can do.
The Dodgers have to be exhausted after playing two long games in Minnesota on Thursday, flying right to Miami for a Friday game, and then 11 innings on Saturday. Well, the offense has done the job for the most part, now the bullpen needs to step up and do theirs. It seems like two steps forward, two steps back on a day-to-day basis.
With Hyun-Jin Ryu on the shelf, old friend Stephen Fife gets the call on Sunday afternoon in Miami. His opponent? Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, who has not given up an earned run in three starts covering 23 innings. Yikes.
Friday, April 25, 2014
The "dominant" Dodgers' bullpen... is pretty average
Oh boy. One night after Brian Wilson completely melted down against the Phillies in a 7-3 loss, getting burned for four runs and only one out in the ninth, it's time we take a look at how exactly the Dodgers' bullpen is doing.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Let's break it down, starting with team stats, and then looking at some individual arms in the 'pen.
Team Stats:
2-7, 83 1/3 IP, 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8 saves, 4 blown saves, 40 BB, 92 K, .235 BAA
NL Averages:
4-3, 69 IP, 3.54 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 6 saves, 3 blown saves, 28 BB, 68 K, .236 BAA
Analysis:
Like the headline says, all things considered, the bullpen is pretty average. Not terrible by any means, but not exactly the shutdown group of arms Ned Colletti thought he was getting. The number that jumped out to me the most is the innings pitched, as only Arizona at 92 has more. No surprise, both teams lost their aces (Patrick Corbin for the year, Clayton Kershaw for over a month). The amount of walks is third in baseball. Even with more innings, that's still way too high. Blowing one out of every three saves isn't great, either.
Individual Stats:
Chris Withrow - 0-0, 11 1/3 IP, 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 7 BB, 16 K
J.P. Howell - 1-2, 10 IP, 0.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 6 BB, 11 K
Chris Perez - 0-1, 10 2/3 IP, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Jamey Wright - 1-1, 11 1/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8 BB, 10 K
Paco Rodriguez - 0-0, 5 2/3 IP, 3.18 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K
Kenley Jansen - 0-1, 13 IP, 3.46 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5 BB, 24 K, 8 SV
Brandon League - 0-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3 BB, 7 K
Paul Maholm - 0-0, 2 1/3 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 0 BB, 1 K
Jose Dominguez - 0-0, 5 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 2 BB, 7 K
Brian Wilson - 0-2, 4 IP, 15.75 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 4 BB, 4 K
Analysis:
Who would've thought Wilson's name would be dead last in ERA? He could not have possibly been any better last season, with only one run allowed in 13 2/3 innings. Now he's just getting hit all over the place, and his location has been abysmal. He's already spent time on the DL this season, so don't be surprised if it's right back to that soon.
Don Mattingly has recently stated that he wants to give Jansen more time off. That's a smart thing since he leads the bullpen in innings. But, Thursday night it was Wilson in the closer's role of keeping the scored tied in the ninth, and he flunked with flying colors. This is why Mattingly rides his horse so much. Even with an ERA higher than normal, with nearly twice the amount of strikeouts as innings, it's easy to see why he's used to much.
The top three names on that list should be getting more cracks in the late innings as Wilson works through whatever mechanical or physical issues he has. Withrow has emerged as a legit power arm. Howell continues to get batters out on both sides of the plate. Perez looks more like the All-Star closer he was with the Indians, and not the guy who fell apart last year.
Final Verdict:
All in all, the bullpen isn't quite as bad as people may think. It's completely understandable to be disappointed that a group of relievers making around $35 million this season are in the middle of the pack. That type of money is dished out to ensure zeros late in games, not blown saves and big hits.
Jansen is still the clear-cut closer, as he has four straight shutout appearances of late, including seven strikeouts and no walks. Mixing up his pitches a little more has really paid off. Even if he was still throwing cutter after cutter, he's the best closer they have, especially with Wilson being so bad.
Instead of Wilson as the primary setup guy, I'd move Perez up to that spot, with Withrow and Howell right behind. Perez has only given up runs in one of his 12 appearances. If there's a big lefty to get out, then of course send in Howell.
I'd also like to see is the return of Rodriguez from Triple-A. Right now the Dodgers have only one left-handed reliever in Howell, which is way too few. At least give Mattingly one more option from the left side.
Once Kershaw comes back, then Maholm can be moved to the long relief role, as Wright doesn't look like he's really in that role right now. Unless Maholm is sent packing, which wouldn't be a bad thing, quite honestly. I just think that if anything, he can be brought in for multiple innings if necessary.
Finally, I would address League, but if the Dodgers haven't canned him yet, I doubt they ever will. He's been better than Wilson, at least.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Taking a look at the loaded Dodgers' bullpen
If you're a Dodger fan looking for quality arms, then Christmas was very kind. Ned Colletti announced the signings of Chris Perez, Jamey Wright, and J.P. Howell on Tuesday, giving the Dodgers one of the deepest, and hopefully best, bullpens in all of baseball.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
To go along with the signings of those three is the return of Brian Wilson, who was re-signed about three weeks ago. With that in mind, let's take a look at the arms that could form the 'pen in April, with their 2013 stats in parenthesis.
Shoo-Ins:
Closer - RHP Kenley Jansen (28 saves, 16 holds, 1.88 ERA, 0.86 WHIP)
Enters the season as the clear-cut closer, and there's little reason to believe that will change. Then again, in a crazy spot like closer, anything can happen. Didn't Brandon League enter 2013 as the closer? And wasn't Jonathan Broxton once a "shutdown" closer? You get the point. Still, with a great fastball and cutter, it's hard to believe Jansen will flop.
Setup - RHP Brian Wilson (3 holds, 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP)
In a great move by Colletti, was brought back as both the primary eighth inning guy, and a fallback option in case Jansen has some troubles. Was everything the Dodgers could have hoped for and more in 2013, and with more time ticking away since his Tommy John surgery in 2012, should have even stronger stuff for 2014.
LHP J.P. Howell (11 holds, 2.03 ERA, 1.05 WHIP)
Got the multi-year deal he was searching for, and with a .164 average against left-handed hitters, will find himself in plenty of big situations once again. Two straight seasons of great numbers with the Rays and Dodgers shows he's up for the challenge.
LHP Paco Rodriguez (20 holds, 2 saves, 2.32 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
About the only thing that went wrong for him in an incredible rookie year was the nosedive he took at the end of last year, as he was actually left off of the NLCS roster. But with a fresh arm and deceptive delivery, showed what he could do for many months. The hope, of course, is that his arm strength can last during the rigors of a full season.
RHP Chris Perez (25 saves, 1 hold, 4.33 ERA, 1.43 WHIP with Indians)
He's a two-time All-Star, so he certainly knows how to get the big outs. Last season was a disaster in every way for him, whether he was getting hurt, blowing saves, or getting busted by the law. The best thing for him could very well be pitching in friendly Dodger Stadium against weaker offenses and away from the closing spotlight. I like the addition, as I'll take a chance on him over a bum like Ronald Belisario any day of the week.
Long Relief - RHP Jamey Wright (6 holds, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP with Rays)
As Colletti recently admitted, he wished he was more aggressive in re-signing him after the 2012 season. A year of long relief success later, that's exactly what he did in bringing him back to LA for the same role. There really aren't a whole heck of a lot of pitchers who actually embrace the role of getting ready quickly to pitch multiple innings at a moment's notice, and he's one of the best, so it's a good move.
Battling it Out:
RHP - Chris Withrow (4 holds, 1 save, 2.60 ERA, 0.90 WHIP)
Like Rodriguez, is another young arm who got plenty of big outs. I bet people will look at those numbers above and be pleasantly surprised. I can see him teaming with Perez and Rodriguez in the middle innings to bridge the gap to Wilson and Jansen. He's got the hard stuff to do it.
RHP Jose Dominguez (1 hold, 2.16 ERA, 1.68 WHIP)
A young man with electric stuff, as he can reach 100 MPH at any point. He's very fortunately to have such a low ERA, as opponents hit .314 off of him, albeit in a small sample size with 8 1/3 innings. Still, there's something about power arms out of the bullpen that is so intriguing, and if he can learn to pitch to corners and mix in some soft stuff, he can be a huge weapon.
RHP Brandon League (14 saves, 2 holds, 5.30 ERA, 1.55 WHIP)
Ahhh, good old League, the guy who won't go anywhere thanks to two years left on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. What a shame it would be if he beats out better arms like Withrow and Dominguez, but that's a definite possibility. Maybe Rick Honeycutt found something in his delivery that will improve him? I'm searching for something here, because it's hard to get even a little bit excited to see him pitch again.
Don't Forget About:
LHP Scott Elbert (Did not pitch in 2013)
Still recovering from Tommy John surgery, he will be out until around the All-Star break at best guess. Pitched mostly in 2011 and 2012, and with ERA's of 2.43 and 2.20, respectively, it's easy to see why a lefty with hard stuff like him sticks around. Suppose Rodriguez gets worn down again, then possibly Elbert steps in down the stretch. It might not be entirely realistic to count on him for any of 2014, but like it says above, don't forget about him.
Bottom Line:
By my count, that's nine guys duking it out for between 7-8 spots in the bullpen (taking out an injured Elbert). Plus, you have to remember that when fully healthy, the starting rotation sports six guys in Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren, Chad Billingsley, and Josh Beckett. You know those first three names won't be anywhere near the bullpen, so one of Haren, Billingsley, or Beckett may have to be do the Chris Capuano act of bouncing between starter and reliever.
With the way this team gets hurt, Don Mattingly might not need to make many tough decisions on who stays and who goes, much like the outfield situation from last season. But of the three names on the "Battling it Out" list, I'd say as of right now Withrow gets the nod, with League and then Dominguez. League is awful, but has that damn contract, so he can't be ignored. Dominguez has to show more consistency before getting a permanent stay in LA.
Colletti has stated that he's all but done with roster moves, so it would be a surprise to see another reliever signed. Then again, if the Dodgers bid and are successful in getting Masahiro Tanaka, then that throws a wrench into all of these plans, not that that's a bad thing if this kid is the real deal. We shall see.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Wilson is back, as Belisario gets booted
Some good news coming out of the Dodgers' bullpen these last few days. Brian Wilson has been re-signed to a one-year, $10 million contract on Thursday, with a player option for 2015 that could pay him the same.
The other good news? Ronald Belisario has been non-tendered, mercifully ending his roller coaster ride in LA.
Wilson did everything the Dodgers could have hoped for towards the end of 2013, and then some. He was signed as a free agent in late-July after winning two World Series rings with the Giants (one as their closer, another as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery). He made his debut on August 19 and proceeded to go 2-1 with an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 appearances covering 13 2/3 innings.
In the playoffs, he made six appearances without surrendering a run, as he clearly showed the world that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
With that in mind, I'm shocked that he's back. I thought for sure he would land a closer's role somewhere. Maybe he could've and never could agree on terms, or maybe he just liked pitching in LA and was never blown away by any other offer. Either way, it'll be great to see the Wilson-Kenley Jansen combination shutting down the eighth and ninth innings again. That's great news for a team looking to take the next step to the World Series.
If I'm a starting pitcher for the Dodgers, I'm thrilled that Wilson is back because my chances for a higher win total just went up.
As for Belisario, there was no way the Dodgers could conceivably give him another deal after watching how inconsistent he's been the last couple of seasons. This past year in 77 appearances, he went 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which is very high. His stuff is never in doubt, but his ability to throw for strikes consistently was only getting worse and worse. Plus, he had a 7.36 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
In other words, good bye, and good riddance!
The other good news? Ronald Belisario has been non-tendered, mercifully ending his roller coaster ride in LA.
Wilson did everything the Dodgers could have hoped for towards the end of 2013, and then some. He was signed as a free agent in late-July after winning two World Series rings with the Giants (one as their closer, another as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery). He made his debut on August 19 and proceeded to go 2-1 with an 0.66 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 18 appearances covering 13 2/3 innings.
In the playoffs, he made six appearances without surrendering a run, as he clearly showed the world that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
With that in mind, I'm shocked that he's back. I thought for sure he would land a closer's role somewhere. Maybe he could've and never could agree on terms, or maybe he just liked pitching in LA and was never blown away by any other offer. Either way, it'll be great to see the Wilson-Kenley Jansen combination shutting down the eighth and ninth innings again. That's great news for a team looking to take the next step to the World Series.
If I'm a starting pitcher for the Dodgers, I'm thrilled that Wilson is back because my chances for a higher win total just went up.
As for Belisario, there was no way the Dodgers could conceivably give him another deal after watching how inconsistent he's been the last couple of seasons. This past year in 77 appearances, he went 5-7 with a 3.97 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, which is very high. His stuff is never in doubt, but his ability to throw for strikes consistently was only getting worse and worse. Plus, he had a 7.36 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
In other words, good bye, and good riddance!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Revisiting some postseason questions
Back on September 30, I took a look at five reasons the Dodgers could win the World Series, along with five reasons why they wouldn't (read my original report here).
Well... we obviously know they didn't, so let's take a look at each key point and break it down.
Reasons They Will
1. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke as the 1-2 punch. Everything was working out quite nicely for this... and then Game 6 of the NLCS hit. And that's when Kershaw had his worst start of the season with seven runs in four innings. Even with that clunker, he had a 3.13 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in four October starts, striking out 28 in 23 innings.
Greinke was also solid, recording a 2.57 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in three starts. The only downside is that he twice surrendered a 2-0 lead to the Cardinals, and on the losing end against the Braves, though that was hardly his fault. He was signed to be the ace right behind Kershaw, and that's what he did.
All in all, these guys definitely provided the punch, but their offense did not give them the love they needed. They both went in the first couple of games in St. Louis, and both were loses because of virtually no run support. In other words, there wasn't a whole lot more they could do.
2. Hanley Ramirez is the best hitter around. Absolutely yes for the NLDS. No way for the NLCS.
The reason? It's simple - Joe Kelly beaning him in the ribs in Game 1 of the NLCS. Ramirez was already banged up enough from the season, but this is the injury that caused his average to tumble from .500 after the NLDS to .323 five games later (he sat out Game 2). What a shame, too, because the offense was never able to overcome his lack of production.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. Of the regular starters, Puig's .333 led the team for the postseason. He was much better in the NLDS, as he had a hit in all four games, including multi-hits in three of them, all wins.
With that said, he was pushed back to the #5 spot right before the start of the postseason, and he only had two RBIs the entire way. Not exactly the type of production you'd want from a guy in that spot.
4. Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen closing out games. Both men brought the goods, and both more than delivered. Wilson did not allow any runs in six appearances, and showed the world that he's ready to close again in 2014. Of course, staying on to be the top setup man would be nice as well!
Jansen only had one slip-up in Game 5 of the NLCS by allowing a couple of runs, but the Dodgers still won, so it didn't matter. He had a whopping 10 strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, good for an incredible 20.77 K/9. He collected a couple of saves as well.
5. Road Warriors. The Dodgers played four games away from home, and only won one of them. They split in Atlanta before wrapping it up at home, and lost all three games in St. Louis. The injury to Ramirez was definitely a big reason why, but for a team that finished tied for tops in the Majors with 45 wins away from home, their play on the road in the postseason was a disappointment.
Reasons They Won't
1. No Matt Kemp. Absolutely this turned out to be a big issue. There were countless amounts of times the Dodgers had runners on, failed to drive them in, and I'd think about Kemp getting the job done. Not the beat up Kemp, the version that is feeling good and the ball is jumping off his bat. As we saw in the NLCS, a run here or there could've meant a World Series trip for the Dodgers. We'll never know.
2. Injury prone. Oh boy, did I call this or what? Everything was going quite smoothly until Kelly plunked Ramirez, and the Dodgers were never the same.
The numbers don't lie: in the NLDS they averaged 6.5 runs a game, and in the NLCS they averaged 2.2, including two shutouts. Of course, it's not like everybody was hurt, as guys like Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe did a big pile of nothing against the Cardinals. It sure seemed like a trickle down effect once Ramirez was clearly not the same.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. I already pointed out his solid .333 postseason average. But, there were bumps along the way. He started off 0-for-10 with six strikeouts through two games of the NLCS. When he did start to hit, he infuriated the Cardinals with his antics on the bases in celebration. Then there was his bad overthrows in the Game 6 blowout.
Bottom line is that you have to take the good with the bad with him, and hope there's more good. There was a lot of good against the Braves, but not so much with a World Series berth on the line.
4. Streaky offense. Just look at my numbers from above about the runs averaged per round. When you get to the NLCS and fall over four runs shy per game than the previous round, all the pitching in the world probably won't get you the wins needed to advance. That's exactly what happened.
5. Ricky Nolasco fading. In 10 games, Nolasco only made one start, which was Game 4 of the NLCS. With the Dodgers trailing in the series 2-1, he lasted only four innings and gave up three runs, taking the loss. He wasn't awful, but certainly wasn't good either.
He was lined up to start Game 4 of the NLDS, but Mattingly went with Kershaw on three days' rest instead. That move ended up working, but who knows if Kershaw felt some long-term effects from that. Maybe he had a dead arm in the last start? Nobody knows for sure, and he's definitely not telling anyone if he was less than 100%. It's just a shame that after such a fantastic start, Nolasco faded so badly that the rotation in the playoffs was thrown a bit out of whack.
Well... we obviously know they didn't, so let's take a look at each key point and break it down.
Reasons They Will
1. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke as the 1-2 punch. Everything was working out quite nicely for this... and then Game 6 of the NLCS hit. And that's when Kershaw had his worst start of the season with seven runs in four innings. Even with that clunker, he had a 3.13 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in four October starts, striking out 28 in 23 innings.
Greinke was also solid, recording a 2.57 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in three starts. The only downside is that he twice surrendered a 2-0 lead to the Cardinals, and on the losing end against the Braves, though that was hardly his fault. He was signed to be the ace right behind Kershaw, and that's what he did.
All in all, these guys definitely provided the punch, but their offense did not give them the love they needed. They both went in the first couple of games in St. Louis, and both were loses because of virtually no run support. In other words, there wasn't a whole lot more they could do.
2. Hanley Ramirez is the best hitter around. Absolutely yes for the NLDS. No way for the NLCS.
The reason? It's simple - Joe Kelly beaning him in the ribs in Game 1 of the NLCS. Ramirez was already banged up enough from the season, but this is the injury that caused his average to tumble from .500 after the NLDS to .323 five games later (he sat out Game 2). What a shame, too, because the offense was never able to overcome his lack of production.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. Of the regular starters, Puig's .333 led the team for the postseason. He was much better in the NLDS, as he had a hit in all four games, including multi-hits in three of them, all wins.
With that said, he was pushed back to the #5 spot right before the start of the postseason, and he only had two RBIs the entire way. Not exactly the type of production you'd want from a guy in that spot.
4. Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen closing out games. Both men brought the goods, and both more than delivered. Wilson did not allow any runs in six appearances, and showed the world that he's ready to close again in 2014. Of course, staying on to be the top setup man would be nice as well!
Jansen only had one slip-up in Game 5 of the NLCS by allowing a couple of runs, but the Dodgers still won, so it didn't matter. He had a whopping 10 strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, good for an incredible 20.77 K/9. He collected a couple of saves as well.
5. Road Warriors. The Dodgers played four games away from home, and only won one of them. They split in Atlanta before wrapping it up at home, and lost all three games in St. Louis. The injury to Ramirez was definitely a big reason why, but for a team that finished tied for tops in the Majors with 45 wins away from home, their play on the road in the postseason was a disappointment.
Reasons They Won't
1. No Matt Kemp. Absolutely this turned out to be a big issue. There were countless amounts of times the Dodgers had runners on, failed to drive them in, and I'd think about Kemp getting the job done. Not the beat up Kemp, the version that is feeling good and the ball is jumping off his bat. As we saw in the NLCS, a run here or there could've meant a World Series trip for the Dodgers. We'll never know.
2. Injury prone. Oh boy, did I call this or what? Everything was going quite smoothly until Kelly plunked Ramirez, and the Dodgers were never the same.
The numbers don't lie: in the NLDS they averaged 6.5 runs a game, and in the NLCS they averaged 2.2, including two shutouts. Of course, it's not like everybody was hurt, as guys like Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe did a big pile of nothing against the Cardinals. It sure seemed like a trickle down effect once Ramirez was clearly not the same.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. I already pointed out his solid .333 postseason average. But, there were bumps along the way. He started off 0-for-10 with six strikeouts through two games of the NLCS. When he did start to hit, he infuriated the Cardinals with his antics on the bases in celebration. Then there was his bad overthrows in the Game 6 blowout.
Bottom line is that you have to take the good with the bad with him, and hope there's more good. There was a lot of good against the Braves, but not so much with a World Series berth on the line.
4. Streaky offense. Just look at my numbers from above about the runs averaged per round. When you get to the NLCS and fall over four runs shy per game than the previous round, all the pitching in the world probably won't get you the wins needed to advance. That's exactly what happened.
5. Ricky Nolasco fading. In 10 games, Nolasco only made one start, which was Game 4 of the NLCS. With the Dodgers trailing in the series 2-1, he lasted only four innings and gave up three runs, taking the loss. He wasn't awful, but certainly wasn't good either.
He was lined up to start Game 4 of the NLDS, but Mattingly went with Kershaw on three days' rest instead. That move ended up working, but who knows if Kershaw felt some long-term effects from that. Maybe he had a dead arm in the last start? Nobody knows for sure, and he's definitely not telling anyone if he was less than 100%. It's just a shame that after such a fantastic start, Nolasco faded so badly that the rotation in the playoffs was thrown a bit out of whack.
Monday, September 30, 2013
5 reasons the Dodgers will win the World Series... and 5 reasons they won't
Here we go, postseason time! The Dodgers open up in Atlanta in the best-of-five series for a trip to the NLCS. And from there, in what would be their first trip back in 25 years since winning it all in 1988, the Fall Classic.
Let's take a look at five reasons the Dodgers can win it all, and five reasons they might not.
Think Positively!
1. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke as a 1-2 punch. There are plenty of great arms on display in the postseason, but none quite as good as what the Dodgers can roll out to the mound the first two games of any series. No matter who is in or out of the lineup, Don Mattingly knows the Dodgers have a great chance with Kershaw and Greinke toeing the rubber.
Based on the second half of the season, it's no stretch to say that these guys are also the top two pitchers in baseball right now. We all know how fantastic Kershaw was in what will be his second Cy Young Award won (16-9, 1.83 ERA, 0.94 WHIP ), but Greinke's stats after the All-Star break have been phenomenal as well (7-2, 1.85 ERA, 0.98 WHIP). If your numbers approach Kershaw's, even for half the season, then you've done something pretty special. Despite playing at home for the first couple of games of the NLDS, the Braves can't feel that great about their chances. The numbers back it up.
2. Hanley Ramirez is the best hitter around. There's no doubt that 2013 has been the season that has put Ramirez back on the map, despite playing in only 86 games because of various injuries. But by hitting .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs, he reminded everyone just how well-rounded a hitter he is.
Now is the time for Ramirez to put the offense on his back and get the big hits needed to win. With Matt Kemp out for the playoffs, it's even more important that he hits well. Yes, he's still banged up, but even at less than 100%, he's a great hitter. After only gathering 11 at-bats in April and May combined, he ended July with a .365 average, 10 homers, and 34 RBIs. I don't think at any point this season he's been fully healthy, so that stats show just how good he is anyway. A big month of October will not only lead the Dodgers to a title, but a big fat contract extension as well!
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. There's just something about Puig and his flair for dramatics that can get Dodger fans excited. After making a big splash in Spring Training, he was called up on June 2 with the Dodgers at a pathetic 23-32. Puig lit a fire in this team that helped carry them to the NL West title.
His lack of big game experience shouldn't be a factor at all, because if anyone is ready and willing to go all out, all the time, it's Puig. He's the type of player that can strikeout his first four at-bats, then hit the game-winning homer in his fifth. He can also make the big diving catch to save a game. I think he's chomping at the bit to get out there and prove what kind of a great player he is.
4. Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen closing out games. It's taken only 18 games for Wilson to prove that not only is he back, he's just as dominant as ever. Combine his arm with Kenley Jansen's, and the Dodgers have to feel very confident with a lead after seven innings.
Wilson carries an 0.66 ERA into the postseason along with three holds. He's a more reliable option than Ronald Belisario, who continues to go from good to bad one game to the next. Wilson also has the obvious postseason experience having won two rings with the Giants, including closing out the World Series over the Rangers in 2010. Jansen was sensational in the closer's role with 28 saves, a 1.88 ERA, and 111 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. They're both ready to let it loose.
5. Road warriors. The team with the best record away from home? That would be the Dodgers, which tied the Rangers for tops in the Majors at a 45-36 clip. Thanks in large part to their historic 15-game road winning streak around the All-Star break, the Dodgers appear just as comfortable away from home as they do at Chavez Ravine.
Of course any team would rather open up the postseason at home, but keep in mind that Kershaw and Greinke are going the first two games in Atlanta, so the Dodgers' confidence has to be high. Basically they need to take one game on the road to regain home field advantage, which seems doable. And based on their great road record, it can certainly happen.
Watch Out!
1. No Matt Kemp. As Don Mattingly correctly pointed out as news of Kemp's shutdown hit on Sunday, the Dodgers went 42-8 at one point without him. Kemp has only played in 179 games the last two seasons, so they're certainly used to not having him around.
But with all of that said, there's just no way the Dodgers won't miss him. Opposing pitchers have to gameplan a whole heck of a lot more against Kemp than they do for his replacements like Skip Schumaker, or even Andre Ethier, who might also miss the NLDS. Kemp has the type of impact bat that could give the Dodgers a big lead late in the game with a home run. That's so hard to replace. And since all signs were that he'd be back for the postseason, only to get the bad news after the last regular season game, there's no doubt it's a big blow for everyone.
2. Injury prone. To go along with Kemp, it seems like there are so many guys who are only a play away from being done for the season as well. Ethier is most likely either scratched from the NLDS or is only a pinch-hitter. Ramirez has been banged up all season. Puig has been battling through a few ailments lately as well.
Don Mattingly is used to mixing and matching his lineup on a daily basis, but still, it's tough not to be able to write in his big guns everyday and let them do their thing. The fact that Schumaker is the probable starting centerfielder is a reminder just how things can change so quickly. Can you imagine what would happen if Kershaw, Greinke, or Jansen got hurt as well? Man, that would be awful.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. Yes, you read that right. As much as Puig is about to embrace the bright lights of October, it could turn out to be a disaster if he gets out of control.
We've already seen Mattingly and his own teammates get on his case for throwing temper tantrums, and trying to throw guys out from about 800 feet away, allowing runners to move up. Plus, there have been a whole lot of swings and misses of late, mostly because he looks like he's trying to kill everything. Expect pitchers to make him expand the zone and challenge him to be patient. What if he doesn't want to walk? He'll be an easy out from the leadoff spot if he can't control himself, and the offense will suffer.
4. Streaky offense. It's true that the final three-game series against the Rockies was meaningless in the big picture, but take a look at their run production: 11, 0, 1. That's not exactly the most encouraging way to enter the postseason.
Their runs scored has dipped quite a bit in September. In August they scored 128 runs (4.4 AVG), good for third in the NL. This past month that fell to 102 (3.8 AVG), which was ninth. Granted, some of those games were played with quirky lineups thanks to being the first team to clinch the division, but plenty of the regulars still got their swings in. Maybe the offense is ready to roll again with a set lineup, but they'll have to prove that. And with Kemp not in there, it'll be even tougher.
5. Ricky Nolasco fading. After shutting down the Diamondbacks on September 9, Nolasco stood at 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 12 starts with the Dodgers. It sure looked like the Dodgers had a huge advantage in the first three games of any series with Kershaw, Greinke, and Nolasco, not to mention Hyun-Jin Ryu after that. Life was good.
And then life was bad. His next three starts were an unbelievable disaster, as he got bombed by going 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA. He seriously went from unhittable to batting practice. There really was no in between. I firmly believe he would've been the Game 3 starter, but not anymore. Suppose the Dodgers are down 2-1 in the NLDS, how confident are they sending him to the mound? It's hard to say they would feel that good about it right now. That's how badly things have turned around for him.
Let's take a look at five reasons the Dodgers can win it all, and five reasons they might not.
Think Positively!
1. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke as a 1-2 punch. There are plenty of great arms on display in the postseason, but none quite as good as what the Dodgers can roll out to the mound the first two games of any series. No matter who is in or out of the lineup, Don Mattingly knows the Dodgers have a great chance with Kershaw and Greinke toeing the rubber.
Based on the second half of the season, it's no stretch to say that these guys are also the top two pitchers in baseball right now. We all know how fantastic Kershaw was in what will be his second Cy Young Award won (16-9, 1.83 ERA, 0.94 WHIP ), but Greinke's stats after the All-Star break have been phenomenal as well (7-2, 1.85 ERA, 0.98 WHIP). If your numbers approach Kershaw's, even for half the season, then you've done something pretty special. Despite playing at home for the first couple of games of the NLDS, the Braves can't feel that great about their chances. The numbers back it up.
2. Hanley Ramirez is the best hitter around. There's no doubt that 2013 has been the season that has put Ramirez back on the map, despite playing in only 86 games because of various injuries. But by hitting .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs, he reminded everyone just how well-rounded a hitter he is.
Now is the time for Ramirez to put the offense on his back and get the big hits needed to win. With Matt Kemp out for the playoffs, it's even more important that he hits well. Yes, he's still banged up, but even at less than 100%, he's a great hitter. After only gathering 11 at-bats in April and May combined, he ended July with a .365 average, 10 homers, and 34 RBIs. I don't think at any point this season he's been fully healthy, so that stats show just how good he is anyway. A big month of October will not only lead the Dodgers to a title, but a big fat contract extension as well!
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. There's just something about Puig and his flair for dramatics that can get Dodger fans excited. After making a big splash in Spring Training, he was called up on June 2 with the Dodgers at a pathetic 23-32. Puig lit a fire in this team that helped carry them to the NL West title.
His lack of big game experience shouldn't be a factor at all, because if anyone is ready and willing to go all out, all the time, it's Puig. He's the type of player that can strikeout his first four at-bats, then hit the game-winning homer in his fifth. He can also make the big diving catch to save a game. I think he's chomping at the bit to get out there and prove what kind of a great player he is.
4. Brian Wilson and Kenley Jansen closing out games. It's taken only 18 games for Wilson to prove that not only is he back, he's just as dominant as ever. Combine his arm with Kenley Jansen's, and the Dodgers have to feel very confident with a lead after seven innings.
Wilson carries an 0.66 ERA into the postseason along with three holds. He's a more reliable option than Ronald Belisario, who continues to go from good to bad one game to the next. Wilson also has the obvious postseason experience having won two rings with the Giants, including closing out the World Series over the Rangers in 2010. Jansen was sensational in the closer's role with 28 saves, a 1.88 ERA, and 111 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. They're both ready to let it loose.
5. Road warriors. The team with the best record away from home? That would be the Dodgers, which tied the Rangers for tops in the Majors at a 45-36 clip. Thanks in large part to their historic 15-game road winning streak around the All-Star break, the Dodgers appear just as comfortable away from home as they do at Chavez Ravine.
Of course any team would rather open up the postseason at home, but keep in mind that Kershaw and Greinke are going the first two games in Atlanta, so the Dodgers' confidence has to be high. Basically they need to take one game on the road to regain home field advantage, which seems doable. And based on their great road record, it can certainly happen.
Watch Out!
1. No Matt Kemp. As Don Mattingly correctly pointed out as news of Kemp's shutdown hit on Sunday, the Dodgers went 42-8 at one point without him. Kemp has only played in 179 games the last two seasons, so they're certainly used to not having him around.
But with all of that said, there's just no way the Dodgers won't miss him. Opposing pitchers have to gameplan a whole heck of a lot more against Kemp than they do for his replacements like Skip Schumaker, or even Andre Ethier, who might also miss the NLDS. Kemp has the type of impact bat that could give the Dodgers a big lead late in the game with a home run. That's so hard to replace. And since all signs were that he'd be back for the postseason, only to get the bad news after the last regular season game, there's no doubt it's a big blow for everyone.
2. Injury prone. To go along with Kemp, it seems like there are so many guys who are only a play away from being done for the season as well. Ethier is most likely either scratched from the NLDS or is only a pinch-hitter. Ramirez has been banged up all season. Puig has been battling through a few ailments lately as well.
Don Mattingly is used to mixing and matching his lineup on a daily basis, but still, it's tough not to be able to write in his big guns everyday and let them do their thing. The fact that Schumaker is the probable starting centerfielder is a reminder just how things can change so quickly. Can you imagine what would happen if Kershaw, Greinke, or Jansen got hurt as well? Man, that would be awful.
3. Yasiel Puig on the big stage. Yes, you read that right. As much as Puig is about to embrace the bright lights of October, it could turn out to be a disaster if he gets out of control.
We've already seen Mattingly and his own teammates get on his case for throwing temper tantrums, and trying to throw guys out from about 800 feet away, allowing runners to move up. Plus, there have been a whole lot of swings and misses of late, mostly because he looks like he's trying to kill everything. Expect pitchers to make him expand the zone and challenge him to be patient. What if he doesn't want to walk? He'll be an easy out from the leadoff spot if he can't control himself, and the offense will suffer.
4. Streaky offense. It's true that the final three-game series against the Rockies was meaningless in the big picture, but take a look at their run production: 11, 0, 1. That's not exactly the most encouraging way to enter the postseason.
Their runs scored has dipped quite a bit in September. In August they scored 128 runs (4.4 AVG), good for third in the NL. This past month that fell to 102 (3.8 AVG), which was ninth. Granted, some of those games were played with quirky lineups thanks to being the first team to clinch the division, but plenty of the regulars still got their swings in. Maybe the offense is ready to roll again with a set lineup, but they'll have to prove that. And with Kemp not in there, it'll be even tougher.
5. Ricky Nolasco fading. After shutting down the Diamondbacks on September 9, Nolasco stood at 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 12 starts with the Dodgers. It sure looked like the Dodgers had a huge advantage in the first three games of any series with Kershaw, Greinke, and Nolasco, not to mention Hyun-Jin Ryu after that. Life was good.
And then life was bad. His next three starts were an unbelievable disaster, as he got bombed by going 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA. He seriously went from unhittable to batting practice. There really was no in between. I firmly believe he would've been the Game 3 starter, but not anymore. Suppose the Dodgers are down 2-1 in the NLDS, how confident are they sending him to the mound? It's hard to say they would feel that good about it right now. That's how badly things have turned around for him.
Monday, August 19, 2013
The Beard activated by LA
As expected, the Dodgers have activated Brian Wilson before Monday's game in Miami. For the fourth time this season, Scott Van Slyke has been sent down to make room.
The Beard did everything correctly in his rehab assignments, making four scoreless appearances. Don Mattingly has already said he expects Wilson to be one of the key setup men behind Kenley Jansen.
I guess the obvious question is if Wilson is ready to take on the setup role. The Dodgers must feel like he is, seeing that he's about 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery, which usually takes about a year before one can really commit to pitching again. Plus, as previously mentioned, he looked flawless in rehab.
Mattingly has to love his options out of the bullpen. Jansen is as shutdown a closer as there is, but behind him there's plenty of big arms in Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell on the left side, and Ronald Belisario and Chris Withrow on the right. There's also Brandon League and Carlos Marmol, two former All-Star closers who have performed much better of late.
It will still be very strange watching Wilson pitch in Dodger blue, but hopefully it won't take long to get used to. A few scoreless innings will take care of any lingering hatred from his Giants' days.
The Beard did everything correctly in his rehab assignments, making four scoreless appearances. Don Mattingly has already said he expects Wilson to be one of the key setup men behind Kenley Jansen.
I guess the obvious question is if Wilson is ready to take on the setup role. The Dodgers must feel like he is, seeing that he's about 16 months removed from Tommy John surgery, which usually takes about a year before one can really commit to pitching again. Plus, as previously mentioned, he looked flawless in rehab.
Mattingly has to love his options out of the bullpen. Jansen is as shutdown a closer as there is, but behind him there's plenty of big arms in Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell on the left side, and Ronald Belisario and Chris Withrow on the right. There's also Brandon League and Carlos Marmol, two former All-Star closers who have performed much better of late.
It will still be very strange watching Wilson pitch in Dodger blue, but hopefully it won't take long to get used to. A few scoreless innings will take care of any lingering hatred from his Giants' days.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Dodgers by the numbers
I haven't done this in awhile, but it's always fun to look at exactly where the boys in blue rank in certain categories. Today I'll focus on the bullpen, which has been a huge part of turning things around.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
ERA: 3.57 (15th best)
Saves: 34 (7th)
Save %: 68 (19th - still feeling the effects of Brandon League)
Walks: 122 (22nd)
BAA: .244 (15th)
OPS: .669 (7th)
Total Bases: 451 (25th)
K/9: 8.29 (12th)
Trust me, these numbers listed above were not pretty back in April, May, and June. The League experiment as closer was a colossal flop, which mercifully ended after four blown saves and a 6.00 ERA in early June. Then Kenley Jansen was inserted as closer, and after blowing his first save in Pittsburgh, has gone 14-15 since.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the numbers for the boys in the 'pen right now:
Kenley Jansen: 58 1/3 IP, 4-3, 17 SV, 16 HLD, 2.01 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 84 K
J.P. Howell: 48 1/3 IP, 2-0, 10 HLD, 2.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 42 K
Paco Rodriguez: 42 IP, 2-2, 2 SV, 14 HLD, 2.14 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 45 K
Chris Withrow: 18 1/3 IP, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.45 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 21 K
Ronald Belisario: 51 1/3 IP, 5-6, 1 SV, 13 HLD, 3.33 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 41 K
Carlos Marmol: 7 IP, 0-0, 5.14 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 4 K
Brandon League: 42 2/3, 6-3, 14 SV, 1 HLD, 5.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 22 K
The top four in that list are as good as it gets. Jansen's success in the closer's role has made everything else fall into place. Howell and Rodriguez are fantastic from the left side, and Withrow has forced the Dodgers to keep him with the big club. They get big outs whenever necessary.
Belisario is his typical streaky self, but he's been on a hot one the last couple of months. He had an 8.31 ERA in June, lowered it all the way to 1.42 in July, and hasn't surrendered a run in August. When he's on, he's tough to catch up to. The Dodgers will ride this hot streak as long as they can.
The numbers for Marmol and League obviously aren't pretty, but there is a silver lining for both. League has put up blanks in nine of last 12 appearances since the beginning of July, lowering his ERA by over a run. Marmol doesn't have a large sample size, but is scoreless in his last five trips to the mound.
Keep in mind that Brian Wilson will soon be coming, as his rehab is just about done. Don't be surprised to see him move right into a setup role. He's been scoreless in three innings of work, and if reports are true that he's more than recovered from Tommy John surgery last year, then look out. He's another big chip to be added to this great team in the postseason push.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Brian Wilson strengthens the Dodgers' 'pen
With the trade deadline a day away, the Dodgers made a move that could be huge if all works out.
No, it wasn't like the big splash moves made last year by acquiring Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Josh Beckett. It wasn't even a trade they made.
It's signing free agent Brian Wilson, the former closer with the Giants. That is, the guy with World Series success and 171 career saves.
Wilson inked a minor league deal, with an obvious eye towards joining the big club in the stretch run. He recently was clocked throwing around 93-94, according to the guys on MLB Network Radio. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports tweets that he had offers from three teams total.
I remember before the season how the Dodgers were interested in Wilson's services, but he wasn't healthy enough then, as he recently made it known that if he's not fully healthy, he's inches away from being there.
I also remember discussing during the All-Star break how one of the two areas of need for the Dodgers was their middle relief, specifically right-handed relief (the other area is health, of course). Well, when you have a chance to sign a guy who's been a three-time All-Star, led the league with 48 saves in 2010, won a ring, and finished seventh in Cy Young voting, it's a good thing.
Where exactly does Wilson fit in? Perhaps he can close, but Kenley Jansen has been fantastic in that role, going a perfect 7-7 in July with a 1.46 ERA and .140 BAA. I can see Wilson pitching in the eighth, as Ronald Belisario can still be too erratic at times to be completely trusted. At the very least, if Wilson can prove he's truly healthy, you'll see him getting the ball late in games to get big outs.
Again, this is all assuming Wilson is recovered and still has the ability to get hitters out. He hasn't pitched since April 12 of last season, going down for Tommy John surgery after only two appearances. Maybe the best thing he did is take his time after surgery and not rush to sign at the start of this season. He has the track record, so the best plan of attack was to make sure everything was right, then workout for teams.
Let's give credit to Ned Colletti for making this happen. It can only be a good thing, because if it doesn't work out, it was only a minor league contract to begin with. But if it does, it will be great to have someone with his numbers and experience on the postseason roster.
And yes, it is OK to root for an ex-Giant! He's ours now!
No, it wasn't like the big splash moves made last year by acquiring Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Josh Beckett. It wasn't even a trade they made.
It's signing free agent Brian Wilson, the former closer with the Giants. That is, the guy with World Series success and 171 career saves.
Wilson inked a minor league deal, with an obvious eye towards joining the big club in the stretch run. He recently was clocked throwing around 93-94, according to the guys on MLB Network Radio. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports tweets that he had offers from three teams total.
I remember before the season how the Dodgers were interested in Wilson's services, but he wasn't healthy enough then, as he recently made it known that if he's not fully healthy, he's inches away from being there.
I also remember discussing during the All-Star break how one of the two areas of need for the Dodgers was their middle relief, specifically right-handed relief (the other area is health, of course). Well, when you have a chance to sign a guy who's been a three-time All-Star, led the league with 48 saves in 2010, won a ring, and finished seventh in Cy Young voting, it's a good thing.
Where exactly does Wilson fit in? Perhaps he can close, but Kenley Jansen has been fantastic in that role, going a perfect 7-7 in July with a 1.46 ERA and .140 BAA. I can see Wilson pitching in the eighth, as Ronald Belisario can still be too erratic at times to be completely trusted. At the very least, if Wilson can prove he's truly healthy, you'll see him getting the ball late in games to get big outs.
Again, this is all assuming Wilson is recovered and still has the ability to get hitters out. He hasn't pitched since April 12 of last season, going down for Tommy John surgery after only two appearances. Maybe the best thing he did is take his time after surgery and not rush to sign at the start of this season. He has the track record, so the best plan of attack was to make sure everything was right, then workout for teams.
Let's give credit to Ned Colletti for making this happen. It can only be a good thing, because if it doesn't work out, it was only a minor league contract to begin with. But if it does, it will be great to have someone with his numbers and experience on the postseason roster.
And yes, it is OK to root for an ex-Giant! He's ours now!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Taking a look at Greinke and The Beard
There hasn't been much movement on the Dodgers front lately, which is a huge change from the hectic pace that saw them grab one player after another towards the end of the 2012 season. But there are two big free agent pitchers being discussed, so let's take a look at both of them.
Zach Greinke - There's no doubt that the Alpha Dog of the free agent starters this offseason is Greinke. He split his time between the Brewers and Angels last season, going 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He also is a strikeout machine, K'ing 200 in 212 1/3 innings. He won the Cy Young Award in 2009 with the Royals, posting one of the sickest seasons you'll ever see (16-8, 2.17, 1.07, 242).
What is also is no doubt is the type of contract he'll command. It'll easily be nine figures, which you have to figure is already scaring some teams off. But don't forget, these are the new Dodgers, and money is of little to no object. So, let the bidding wars begin.
If the Dodgers somehow do get Greinke, he'll make a great 1-2 punch with Clayton Kershaw. Throw in a rejuvenated Josh Beckett, a hopefully healthy Chad Billingsley, and possibly Korean lefty Ryu Hyun-Jin, and the Dodgers suddenly have a deep pitching staff. It's hard not to get excited about that.
What can't be ignored is the Dodgers' history of giving starting pitchers long-term deals. Kevin Brown? Flopped. Jason Schmidt? Abysmal. To Ned Colletti's credit, he's been gun shy about dishing out those deals ever since then. And who can blame him? So, there's always a risk with dishing out such huge contracts.
If the Greinke thing doesn't work out, look for Kyle Lohse to be pursued, and even another run at Ryan Dempster.
Brian Wilson - In a surprising move (at least to me), the Giants chose to non-tender closer Brian Wilson, who was out practically the entire 2012 season with Tommy John surgery. It was a big blow at the time, but we all know the Giants found a way to figure things out anyway, winning the World Series. I really hate saying that.
Pre-elbow problems, Wilson was one of the top closers in baseball, and may have even been the best at one point. In the 2010 championship season, he saved 48 games with a 1.18 ERA, plus 93 K's in 74 2/3 innings. He followed that up with 36 saves in 2011 before the elbow injury hit this past year.
Let's say the Dodgers do sign Wilson, who supposedly would favor pitching in LA since he lives there in the offseason. I would look at him as someone who pays off as the year progresses. A bullpen down the stretch of Wilson, Ronald Belisario, Brandon League, and Kenley Jansen would be awesome. The Dodgers would still need to add a lefty arm or two, but that's some serious heat late in games.
Granted, it would be really weird to watch him pitch for the Dodgers at first. I won't go so far to say it would be like watching Mariano Rivera pitch for the Red Sox, but it's the same idea. But let's remember the Giants chose not to keep him, so now anything goes. That definitely includes The Beard pitching in Dodger blue.
Zach Greinke - There's no doubt that the Alpha Dog of the free agent starters this offseason is Greinke. He split his time between the Brewers and Angels last season, going 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He also is a strikeout machine, K'ing 200 in 212 1/3 innings. He won the Cy Young Award in 2009 with the Royals, posting one of the sickest seasons you'll ever see (16-8, 2.17, 1.07, 242).
What is also is no doubt is the type of contract he'll command. It'll easily be nine figures, which you have to figure is already scaring some teams off. But don't forget, these are the new Dodgers, and money is of little to no object. So, let the bidding wars begin.
If the Dodgers somehow do get Greinke, he'll make a great 1-2 punch with Clayton Kershaw. Throw in a rejuvenated Josh Beckett, a hopefully healthy Chad Billingsley, and possibly Korean lefty Ryu Hyun-Jin, and the Dodgers suddenly have a deep pitching staff. It's hard not to get excited about that.
What can't be ignored is the Dodgers' history of giving starting pitchers long-term deals. Kevin Brown? Flopped. Jason Schmidt? Abysmal. To Ned Colletti's credit, he's been gun shy about dishing out those deals ever since then. And who can blame him? So, there's always a risk with dishing out such huge contracts.
If the Greinke thing doesn't work out, look for Kyle Lohse to be pursued, and even another run at Ryan Dempster.
Brian Wilson - In a surprising move (at least to me), the Giants chose to non-tender closer Brian Wilson, who was out practically the entire 2012 season with Tommy John surgery. It was a big blow at the time, but we all know the Giants found a way to figure things out anyway, winning the World Series. I really hate saying that.
Pre-elbow problems, Wilson was one of the top closers in baseball, and may have even been the best at one point. In the 2010 championship season, he saved 48 games with a 1.18 ERA, plus 93 K's in 74 2/3 innings. He followed that up with 36 saves in 2011 before the elbow injury hit this past year.
Let's say the Dodgers do sign Wilson, who supposedly would favor pitching in LA since he lives there in the offseason. I would look at him as someone who pays off as the year progresses. A bullpen down the stretch of Wilson, Ronald Belisario, Brandon League, and Kenley Jansen would be awesome. The Dodgers would still need to add a lefty arm or two, but that's some serious heat late in games.
Granted, it would be really weird to watch him pitch for the Dodgers at first. I won't go so far to say it would be like watching Mariano Rivera pitch for the Red Sox, but it's the same idea. But let's remember the Giants chose not to keep him, so now anything goes. That definitely includes The Beard pitching in Dodger blue.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Dodgers in pursuit of C.C. Sabathia and Jack Wilson
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has an article today discussing the Dodgers' pursuit of both C.C. Sabathia of the Cleveland Indians and Jack Wilson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here's how it all breaks down:
* They are looking into possible deals, but will be unable to get both men. The reason is that they will need to give up the same minor league prospects in both deals. The question is which one they value more.
* The Milwaukee Brewers are still considered the front-runners for Sabathia, but the Dodgers certainly have some say in this matter. Signing with a big market team like LA would give them a good chance of resigning him at the end of the season, avoiding free agency.
* Wilson coming aboard would mean the probable end to Rafael Furcal's tenure as Wilson is signed through 2009. GM Ned Colletti has acknowledged a willingness to acquire a shortstop.
* The prospects mentioned are AA righty James McDonald, AAA shortstop Chin-lung Hu, and current Major Leauge 3rd baseman Andy LaRoche.
Here's my thoughts on all of this. Sabathia is definitely worth acquiring because dominant lefties like him are hard to come by. Can you imagine a rotation of Sabathia, Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, and Hiroki Kuroda next season? That's pretty nasty. Plus, there's still Derek Lowe and Brad Penny to consider. Talk about an outstanding rotation.
Wilson has had some injury problems the last 3 years, which is immediately a red flag. To be fair, they're not even close to what Furcal has gone through. He's a contact hitter, taking only 46 K's in 477 AB's last season. What he doesn't have a lick of is power, but I don't think the Dodgers are too concerned with that. He'd be a decent addition, just as long as Dodger fans don't expect him to work wonders offensively.
In the end, it would be hard to argue with getting Sabathia. Trading for him and then resigning him would be a huge signal that the Dodgers are ready to be major players again.
* They are looking into possible deals, but will be unable to get both men. The reason is that they will need to give up the same minor league prospects in both deals. The question is which one they value more.
* The Milwaukee Brewers are still considered the front-runners for Sabathia, but the Dodgers certainly have some say in this matter. Signing with a big market team like LA would give them a good chance of resigning him at the end of the season, avoiding free agency.
* Wilson coming aboard would mean the probable end to Rafael Furcal's tenure as Wilson is signed through 2009. GM Ned Colletti has acknowledged a willingness to acquire a shortstop.
* The prospects mentioned are AA righty James McDonald, AAA shortstop Chin-lung Hu, and current Major Leauge 3rd baseman Andy LaRoche.
Here's my thoughts on all of this. Sabathia is definitely worth acquiring because dominant lefties like him are hard to come by. Can you imagine a rotation of Sabathia, Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, and Hiroki Kuroda next season? That's pretty nasty. Plus, there's still Derek Lowe and Brad Penny to consider. Talk about an outstanding rotation.
Wilson has had some injury problems the last 3 years, which is immediately a red flag. To be fair, they're not even close to what Furcal has gone through. He's a contact hitter, taking only 46 K's in 477 AB's last season. What he doesn't have a lick of is power, but I don't think the Dodgers are too concerned with that. He'd be a decent addition, just as long as Dodger fans don't expect him to work wonders offensively.
In the end, it would be hard to argue with getting Sabathia. Trading for him and then resigning him would be a huge signal that the Dodgers are ready to be major players again.
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