Ramirez Out
6-8 Weeks
written by Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Independently submitted articles on your Los Angeles Dodgers, do you agree or disagree? What's your opinion?
Los Angeles Dodgers
We’ve waited all Winter, and the day is finally here – Dodgers vs Giants on Opening Day from the newly renovated Dodger Stadium. With new features, including two new video screens and increased space in the dugout seats, comes new faces.
Young lefty Paco Rodriguez beat out veteran journeyman Kevin Gregg for the final bullpen spot. Despite Gregg’s 0.82 preseason ERA, the former closer was not offered a roster spot, and no word on whether he’ll accept a minor league assignment. Rodriguez didn’t have the best Spring, but manager Don Mattingly prefers to have two left-handed options in the bullpen. Scott Elbert made the roster without much competition for the first time in his career, but will be on the shelf with soreness in his pitching arm, allow Rodriguez to take the spot.
Two more players Dodgers fans never expected to see come Opening Day: Justin Sellers, and Juan Uribe. With Hanley Ramirez out 6-8 weeks with a right thumb injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic, Sellers earned the spot for his defensive range and arm strength, while Juan Uribe is attempting to make a comeback at the plate while hitting .333/.358/.809 in Spring Training. Sellers doesn’t have the best offensive numbers, but the Dodgers will be leaning on their high-priced 2012 acquisitions to pick up the slack.
Earlier in the Spring I expected Jerry Hairston Jr. to shoulder much of the workload at third base, but it appears he will slide into the fourth outfielder spot instead. However, concerns about his recovery from hip surgery may be a factor in his playing time early in the season. Newcomer Skip Schumaker can hardly be considered the fifth outfielder, as he will see significant time replacing Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier late in games. Schumaker also offers relief at second base when Mark Ellis is given the day off.
GM Ned Colletti feels confident enough to give Tim Federowicz the back up catching spot behind AJ Ellis, and if Ellis can repeat his strong numbers at the plate from last season, he should easily be considered and established veteran.
Chad Billingsley will open the season on the DL, mostly as a precaution with the surplus of other starters and the unique situation the Dodgers will encounter, not needing a fifth starter for nearly 10 days to open the season.
Finally, with Zack Greinke not pitching until the weekend, Hyun-Jin Ryu will pitch Tuesday, and Josh Beckett will get the nod for Wednesday.
Summary: With Ramirez out, Sellers will need to maintain strong defensive range while the rest of the lineup picks up the slack. The starting rotation appears a little dicey now, but should straighten out by the second week. The bullpen looks strong, and features solid options.
Question for fans: If Uribe continues his hot Spring hitting into the regular season, do you still boo him when he steps to the plate?
To discuss the Dodgers Opening Day, tweet us at @SportSpeakLA and use the hashtag #SportSpeakOnIt
Say what you will about Major League Baseball stars playing in the World Baseball Classic – The fact remains MLB needs it to straighten overseas relations. Plus, Hanley Ramirez’s torn ligaments in his right thumb could just as easily occurred during the MLB regular season.
Would there even be a debate about the relevance and need for the WBC if Hanley wasn’t injured? Debates aside, here’s a look at the Dodgers options going forward with Ramirez out up to eight weeks.
Luis Cruz will undoubtedly be shifted to shortstop, his natural position and where he should play all season long even once Ramirez returns. Cruz is in today’s Cactus League lineup at short, getting reps to prepare for the regular season. That said, the remaining options look like this:
1. The Dodgers made a solid offseason acquisition, signing utility man Skip Schumaker out of free agency. Schumaker is mostly known as an outfielder defensively, but he showed the ability to spot start in the infield during his tenure as a St. Louis Cardinal.However, most of those starts were at second base, protecting him from hard grounders and long, off-balance throws. At
some point, the Dodgers may test him at third before the Spring is over.
2. Jerry Hairston Jr provided valuable depth at the hot corner last season while Juan Uribe was virtually non-existent (We’ll get to him below). However, that was pre-hip surgery Hairston, and manager Don Mattingly has voiced his concerns about keeping Hairston healthy and not overusing him in the infield.
3. With Dee Gordon continuing to show signs of youth, it’s a long shot to say he should start everyday at shortstop while keeping Luis Cruz at third. It’s an option to have Gordon as a lead-off man with Crawford batting second, but Gordon was arguably the worst defensive shortstop in baseball last season, and his dismal offensive production makes it difficult to view him as an everyday starter.
4. Finally, this may sound like nails on a chalkboard, but Uribe might be the best defensive option at third base, and his bat is starting to come around, albeit in Spring Training. Uribe collected four hits against the Royals a few days back, but then again, so did a lot of his teammates. It is obvious when observing Uribe’s recent body language that the veteran’s confidence is returning. If he can reproduce the final year of his Giants tenure, he could challenge Ramirez for time at third base in May.
Without Hanley’s bat in the middle of the order, key Dodgers like Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier will have to shoulder the load – which brings Ethier’s struggles against lefties back into the forefront. It will be interesting to see the developments as Mattingly makes his decisions in a week or so - more to come.
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Not likely. This kid has been displaying tremendous upside at Camelback Ranch so far this spring-He’s built like Bo Jackson with speed and power like the two-sport star as well, but Puig’s intangibles are about as polished as a cinderblock.
Carl Crawford’s recovery from Tommy John surgery has been slow going, but the Dodgers prepared for that by signing Skip Schumaker out of free agency. If Crawford struggles into the first months of the season, expect Schumaker to see regular playing time, even starting.
In addition to Schumaker, Jerry Hairston Jr hasn’t lost much mobility since his season-ending left hip labrum surgery, and is recovering on pace to be ready for Opening Day.
The Dodgers could always go out and acquire outfield depth before the season gets underway in April – they have a surplus in the rotation, and plenty of tradable help in the infield.
The new ownership is a stark contrast to the regime under Frank McCourt. Their approach to the farm system and the development of overseas talent is much more meticulous and patient, and they are in no hurry to rush a 22-year-old up to the plate to destroy his confidence forever.
According to a report from Dylan Hernandez in the LA Times, Manager Don Mattingly has already told people close to the situation that Puig will likely start at Double-A, a line of thinking echoed by Eric Stephen of SB Nation’s True Blue LA during our interview with him at Spring Training.
If you want to see Puig in Dodger Blue, it’s in the near future. However, Dodgers fans must show patience – which we’ve been hearing for years under McCourt. But how sweet will it be on that day a healthy Puig gets the call and stays in the Bigs for good?
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The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned highly touted (and well payed) prospect Yasiel Puig to Double-A on Tuesday, effectively ending any speculation that the Cuban defector's strong Spring could earn him an Opening Day roster spot.
Batting .526 in spring training, Puig was optioned to Chattanooga, one level above where he spent all of last season - Class A. He missed all of the 2011 season as punishment by the Cuban government for an unsuccessful first attempt at defecting.
After signing the outfielder to a seven-year, $42 million deal shortly after he defected from Cuba last June, the Dodgers have stuck to the plan of grooming Puig slowly, firmly understanding that rushing him to the Majors could have adverse effects. The Dodgers have maintained their opinion throughout the Spring - Puig needs more minor league seasoning, having just 95 professional plate appearances.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, in a quote posted by ESPN explained his take on Puig and what he saw from the 22 year-old in Spring Training.
"He came into camp and the guy wasn't even on the radar. We really didn't know what to expect," Mattingly told reporters in Arizona.
"He put himself on the map, probably knocking on the door instead of a couple years away. We knew he was tooled up. We found out he was really smart, he learns quick. He needs a little work in certain areas, the details of the game."
Puig’s chances of making the Opening Day roster were severely diminished once the Dodgers training staff determined projected starting left fielder Carl Crawford was in no immediate danger of aggravating his throwing elbow. Crawford has primarily seen action on the back fields against minor league pitching, but has been thrown into the big league lineup for the last week, faring well enough to gain Mattingly’s confidence.
However, Puig has options in the not-so-distant future. Should Crawford suffer a set back just a month into the season, Puig could be called up without the Dodgers sacrificing a year of free agency at the end of Puig’s lengthy deal. A rule in Major League Baseball says, in part, if a player spends more than 20 consecutive days in the minor leagues, he does not qualify for a full season’s service time. Essentially, Puig would have to go through the arbitration process for one year after his contract expires.
The Dodgers certainly see the Cuban prospect as an investment for the future, but if the youngster continues to impress in the minors, he provides other options should injuries hamper the Big League club. For example, if the Dodgers need bullpen or infield help,
Puig provides a surplus of outfield talent, and has a cheaper contract than Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford. The Dodgers would then have the ability to absorb some of Crawford or Ethier’s contract by trading them to a team in need of outfield depth. Puig would then be slotted into an outfield position as a replacement, and the area depleted by injuries would be replenished.
Puig has the potential to be a 5-tool player, displaying speed in running out infield singles, arm strength while getting the ball hit in the outfield gap back into the infield, power and discipline at the plate, and speed around the bases. However, he never registered a walk during Spring Training, leading team officials to the conclusion that plate discipline could become a problem when those ground ball singles through the hole become automatic double play outs.
However, Dodgers fans can agree that Puig is the most exciting prospect they’ve seen in years, and things are looking up in Tinsel Town for the re-tooled, deep-pocketed Boys in Blue. The 2013 season promises to be filled with exciting moments, and free of frequent divorce proceeding news.
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Puig On Opening Day Roster?
written by Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Puig To Start Season at Double-A
written by Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Cano in 2014 Dodger Blue?
written by Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Leading into the 2013 season, the New York Yankees made it blatantly obvious they were attempting to shrink their payroll, relying on home-grown talent to step in. However, with injuries to Mark Teixeira, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, and Alex Rodriguez, the Bronx Bombers are showing their age, and their vulnerability.
The Yankees have already made a move to counter injuries, acquiring Vernon Wells from the Angels while assuming a large chunk of his contract. Wells has been on a hot start since donning pinstripes, but he is 34 years old - Jeter turns 39 in June, and A-Rod turns 38 in July. The Yankees infield is aging and as contracts expire, they'll need youthful infield replacements. Cano won't turn 31 until October, and figures to be the future of the franchise, until recently.
Cano fired Scott Boras without giving the super-agent any kind of notice. News broke Tuesday that Cano had switched agencies, moving over to a start-up in the baseball realm by the name of Roc Nation Sports, fronted by rap legend Jay-Z. The rapper has never kept his fan allegiance a secret, commonly seen in public donning a crooked Yankee cap, and his allegiance to the Yankees is verbalized in many of his singles.
But there's one thing every hip-hop artist understands: Dollar signs - something the Dodgers have plenty of, and the Dodgers are willing to make it rain. Free agents in this era of baseball know now's the time to capitalize on rising contract numbers, just ask Zack Greinke. The prized offseason acquisition of the deep-pocketed Dodgers outwardly told media and members of the press he chose the Dodgers because they were the highest bidders.
The Dodgers current second baseman, Mark Ellis, is in the final year of his deal, and represents the last "big" move the Frank McCourt regime made on its way out. When Ellis hits the free agent market, don't expect him to return as a Dodger unless no other team picks him up, and he accepts a bench role.
Players these days don't have true allegiance to teams. The days of the Chipper Jones, the Ripken Jrs, and the Jeters have been replaced by the A-Rods, the Josh Hamiltons, and the Greinkes. Big names and big offensive production means huge contracts to the highest bidders. If the Yankees plan to hold on to Cano, they'll have to spend big on other roster additions to entice Cano to stay - Even then, that may not be enough. The Yankees could end up spending big on a new-look infield, only to lose Cano to the Dodgers.
The downside for the Dodgers: They aren't set to shed any large contracts until after the 2014 season. Clayton Kershaw will be arbitration eligible in after the 2013 season, but is likely in line for a huge payday to stay with the team. Ted Lilly's contract expires after this season, so his $13.167 per season will be off the books. However, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Beckett are under contract until 2015, and Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, Greinke, and Adrian Gonzalez are locked up long term.
The upside for the Dodgers: Money isn't an issue. Even with all the contracts above, the Dodgers figure to be involved in free agent bidding.
When all is said and done, you have to believe Cano and Jay-Z will be "popping bottles," but don't be shocked if they're wearing blue, Dodger Blue.
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According to Dodgers manager Don Mattingly via MLB.com, shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been making solid strides in returning from torn ligaments in his right thumb, and will begin a rehabilitation assignment this weekend at Class A Rancho Cucamonga.
"Rancho coming soon!!!" Ramirez tweeted, illuding to his rehab assignment.
Hanley has been participating in team batting practice for the last 10 days, and although he is still experiencing mild pain, team doctors feel he is ready to return to game action.
The initial return date for Ramirez was set at mid-May. However, the shortstop has received the best possible care for his injury and has been taking necessary steps to protect it, including a guard fastened to his hand make from tape and synthetic materials. The guard allows him to bat and throw without getting in the way.
For the Dodgers, they desperately need a spark to their offense. In Hanley's absence, replacements at shortstop and third base - a group consisting of Nick Punto, Juan Uribe, Jerry Hairston Jr and Justin Sellers, have hit a combined 29 for 130 - a .223 batting average. Throw in struggling Luis Cruz's 4 for 46 (.087) and it's clear the Boys in Blue miss their everyday shortstop.
It can't get much worse than the current situation offensively - until you review Hanley's situation more objectively. The risk of Ramirez returning too soon may be far more impactful than him rushing a return to be on the field for his bobblehead night.
Ramirez is determined to celebrate his night participating on the field for his team, but should he suffer a setback, the opposite effect might become a realization.
The next few days at Rancho may have serious season implications for the Dodgers, so hold on to your seats.
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Hanley to Begin Rehab at Class A
written by Todd Boldizsar
@toddboldizsar
Two teams going in two different directions over the last week collided in Atlanta, Friday night, kicking off a 3-game series.
Atlanta, coming into the series, had lost five of their last six, while the Dodgers had followed up an 8-game losing streak by winning four of their last five.
Atlanta, after starting the year red hot at 12-1, have fallen on early struggles going 10-17 over their last 27 games. Fortunately for them, the hot start gave a little wiggle room, keeping the Braves in control of the NL East by 2.5 games.
For the Dodgers, they haven’t found too much of a rhythm at the quarter season mark. Inconsistency throughout the line up has proved evidence for the poor start. Just about all they’ve done this year is write expensive checks.
Nonetheless, baseball is a long season, full of storylines, and these two teams met in Atlanta for a weekend get together.
In Game 1 LA held a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, but would see that lead disappear on one swing from Braves left fielder Justin Upton. With the bases juiced, Upton sent a Paco Rodriguez pitch 461 feet into the stands for the Grand Slam. Atlanta took the lead 6-4 and never looked back, going on to win the game 8-5 and over-shadow the two home run effort from Dodgers right fielder Scott Van Slyke.
Game 2 saw LA carry a 1-0 lead into the bottom half of the eighth. Chris Capuano had a solid outing over seven inning but again the wheels fell off late in the game. Atlanta hit back-to-back home runs to take a 3-1 lead and lock up the series with their second win.
Now we come to today, after a two hour and 15 minute rain delay, the third and final game got underway from Turner Field.
Adrian Gonzalez got things going early with a pair of RBI’s in his first two at-bats, giving LA the 2-0 lead. Starting pitcher Matt Magill, in only his third career start, had his best outing - going five innings and striking out eight; only giving up one run in the fifth.
With the theme I've put together in this article you can imagine what happened late in the game. After manager Don Mattingly went to the bullpen in the sixth, the LA relievers kept the game in control until the bottom of the eighth when Kenley Jansen and Brandon League combined for four Atlanta runs, putting the Braves up 5-2.
Braves closer Craig Kimbrel came in for the save and on eighteen pitches did exactly that, striking out the side.
For the Dodgers - it’s back to the drawing board, Matt Kemp, who came into the series with a 14-game hitting streak and had seemed to be finding his form, was cooled off drastically by the Atlanta pitching. Kemp went 1 for 13 in the series dropping his average 17 points from .282 down to .265. The bullpen went 0-3 in the series (Kenley Jansen 0-2), in every game blowing a solid starting performance.
“The Boys in Blue” have an opportunity to bounce right back from the three game sweep. Clayton Kershaw is on the mound Monday night in Milwaukee for Game 1 of a three game series with Ryan Braun and the Brewers.
Dodgers Swept Out of Atlanta
written by Christopher Murry
@ChrisRyanMurry
DODGERS WIN DODGERS WIN DODGERS WIN!!!!! Just a day after being swept out of the ATL, the Dodgers bounced back with a huge win in Milwaukee, Monday night.
LA looked to ace Clayton Kershaw to stop the bleeding and return the Dodgers to those of last week.
Kershaw, coming into the start, held a 4-2 record on the year with one complete game - two and a half hours later Kershaw leaves the game with a 5-2 record with now his second complete start.
The former Cy Young winner had command of his breaking ball throughout the game, leading him to nine complete innings while only allowing three hits, and striking out five. #22 was so much on his game tonight - he even singled to left in the third.
Andre Ethier, who has struggled of late, opened up the series with a solid two RBI performance, tripling in Matt Kemp in his first at-bat, and then sending a Yovani Gallardo pitch 406 feet into the right field bleachers in his next at-bat before being tossed by the home plate umpire.
Matt Kemp hasn’t exactly, this year, been the stellar threat he has been in previous years, but over the last 18 games has been making better contact with the ball. Kemp, shrugged off the 1 for 13 performance in Atlanta with a solo home run in the sixth inning, his second of the year. Kemp hadn’t seen a ball go over any type of wall in 80 at-bats. Kemp, like Ethier, is the type of player that hits in bunches.
Ethier has been known in the past to hit home runs in groups of four or five, and Kemp has always been a creature of habit. All we’ve ever seen from the Dodger center-fielder is consistency, a dual threat, not only with the glove but a terror at the plate. This season hasn’t been up to par for the slugger, I guess you can say he is consistently inconsistent.
It’s a shame to think that a 1 for 4 game from Matt Kemp is progress, but it is for someone who is in a slump right now. Eventually those 1 for 4 nights will turn into 2 for 4, 3 for 4 outings. The RBI’s and home runs will start flowing, but its like learning how to walk, you must master the baby steps before you can sprint.
Dodger fans, don’t be discouraged, the NL West has always been a division won in the September. LA is only seven games behind Arizona with a great opportunity to sweep the Brewers. Tonight Zack Grienke gets the start, and tomorrow in the series finale, Hyun-Jin Ryu takes the hill. It’s a one day at a time lifestyle in Hollywood, so be patient Los Angeles, the Dodgers are coming.
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Kershaw's Gem Snaps Dodgers' Skid
written by: Christopher Murry
@ChrisRyanMurry
To say the Dodgers are living up to the off-season hopes is far from the truth.
The team that Magic Johnson and partners assembled was designed with a win-now mentality. Following the 19-26 start, LA isn’t where they should be and rumors have began to spin regarding the future of manager Don Mattingly.
Mattingly, a first time manager, is in the third and final year of his contract. Of course anytime a team starts off slow, or has clubhouse issues, or are hanging around the bottom of the division, the manager becomes the scapegoat.
Is firing Don Mattingly really the right answer though? Is such a drastic move only 45 games in to the season really the right choice for a team who is looking to move forward?
High profile teams have reached this crossroad often in the past. Anytime a superstar team is assembled, with a manager already in place, the man penciling in the lineups gets placed under a microscope and is the focus of scrutiny (ex: Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat).
I think we're jumping the gun just a tad. There are many bright spots in the Dodgers dugout. Last season everyone said the Dodgers were out of their minds for taking on the payrolls of Beckett, Gonzalez, and Crawford. Everyone said Beckett was on the end of his run, Gonzalez wasn’t the player he was in San Diego, and CRAWFORD? WHO? This guy had been non-existent. Remember reading a quote that stated “The Red Sox were just let off the hook" last season?
Well guess what? Happened six months later. Gonzalez is tearing the cover off the ball, Crawford leads the Dodgers in four major categories: home runs, hits, stolen bases, and runs scored, and is well on his way to the Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay.
I’m LA grown, I’m LA made. I know how the relationships between fans and Los Angeles sports franchises operate. It’s a cut throat kind of love. Everybody wants "now now now." We can love you last night and boo you off the field 24 hours later.
Let me tell you Los Angeles, RELAX. The Dodgers will be fine, no one has to be fired. The only fire that is needed is the one lit under the rears of a few veterans in that dugout (i.e. the $85 million man. I won't mention any names, Andre Ethier).
Let's look at it from a statistical view, the Dodgers are only six games out of first. Colorado? please, Arizona? please. San Francisco is the only threat. If the Dodgers are playing this bad and first place in the NL West is up for grabs by six games, the season definitely is far from over.
“Rome wasn’t built in one night.” Forget what the last couple years have been, forget the run to back-to-back NLCS appearances just a few years ago. Those days are over, this is "A whole new Blue."
The Dodgers pitching staff is locked and loaded, especially with the return of Grienke. LA has three of five starters that can lock up wins (Kershaw, Ryu). Hanley Ramirez is expected to return soon. Scott Van Slyke is emerging as a young threat. Once Matt Kemp and Andre “overpaid” Ethier get on board, the Dodgers will become the team they're expected to be. Until then - everybody calm down, knock off the rumors, and let the season develop. For God sakes it’s a 162 game schedule. PLAY BALL!
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Keep Calm LA
written by Christopher Murry
@ChrisRyanMurry
The 2013 "Freeway Series" concluded last night with the Angels salvaging a season split with crosstown rival Dodgers by a final of 3-2.
The Game opened up on a high note when LA left fielder Carl Crawford hit a leadoff triple deep into the right field corner off Angels starter Jason Vargas (later scoring on an Adrian Gonzalez sacrifice fly).
From that point on Vargas settled in only having one regrettable pitch (fifth inning solo home run to Designated hitter Ramon Hernandez) to lead the Angels to the win.
So what have we learned from this four game set? For one, the trashing talking rights in Los Angeles are at a standstill, any argument between fans cannot end with an exclamation point, but can only elevate in pitch.
We’ve learned that two losses can hold a different conversation. The Angels lose two games, and their still one of the hottest teams in the league (winners of 10 of their last 12). Two losses from the Dodgers, has them searching for resolution despite going 9-9 over their last 18 games.
The Blue Crew continues to be consistently inconsistent. The same reasons LA has struggled throughout the year continued through last night; simple errors that can be fixed and defensive miscues. Ted Lilly, on paper, had a decent outing through five innings, but struggled with keeping the ball up resulting in extra base hits.
We’ve also learned that Matt Kemp may have a justification for his season struggles. Kemp, who had off season shoulder surgery, returned to the DL Thursday afternoon with a strained left hamstring. Lingering issues with his shoulder could be result as the worst season of his career at the plate, with hamstring injuries affecting his training and fielding. Should LA fans find comfort in the excuses or should they feel discouraged?
It’s a coin toss, we all know Kemp’s potential, but throughout history many great players haven’t been quite themselves following injuries. On the other hand, many players have come back from injuries to explode and terrorize opponents (NFL, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson)
So where do the Dodgers go from here? Is trading Andre Ethier a move that can help the team? Do the Dodgers need a shake up from upper management to show the guys they need to perform? Should everyone just chill out give this team some time to heal, and come together? In my opinion, everyone just calm down, let’s not jump the gun 52 games into something built for long term. This season is far from over; the Dodgers are still only 7.5 out of first place.
The problem for the Dodgers is that right now they're under a microscope. Everything is easily ignored with wins, but when a high profile team is not producing, panic sets in and decisions are made out of a comfort zone. All I know is, the farm system for the Dodgers, is stacked with potential Mike Trout caliber players (Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson) so why not give these guys a shot. Scott Van Slyke was given a chance and look where he is at.
Schedule notes:
Dodgers @ Rockies 5/31/13 5:40 Kershaw vs. Garland
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Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been calling for it for months, and general manager Ned Colletti has finally obliged.
Yasiel Puig - the Cuban defector with 5-tool potential - has journeyed from American journalists spelling his name incorrectly (Yasel? Really?), to high A-ball curiosity, to Spring Training sensation, to suiting up for the Big Show.
We all know Puig batted over .500 in the Spring, and we all know he's batting over .300 at Double-A Chattanooga, but the unknown is what makes this kid so exciting.
With $87 million in payroll out with injuries, Puig will be part of an outfield rotation that includes Scott Van Slyke (batted clean-up last night), Skip Schumaker, and Andre Ethier. Of those four men, Puig features far-and-away the most raw talent. His batting practice missiles and his speed around the bases are intriguing, but is his natural athleticism enough to overcome the immense expectations we've placed on him?
Instant comparisons to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (The Anaheim Angels) center fielder Mike Trout seem inherently flawed. Dodgers fan expecting to see Trout-like numbers instantly might be disappointed. Puig doesn't have the service time Trout boasts when it comes to training - he sat out an entire year as punishment by the Cuban government for a failed defection attempt. His progression was supposed to be much slower. Off the field issues that include reckless driving show his immaturity.
However, the Dodgers are in clear "What do we have to lose now?" mode, and Puig has arrived.
For this series with the Padres, beleaguered manager Don Mattingly has options for his lineup - real options, options he hasn't seen in some time.
Puig can be slotted into the 2nd slot in the lineup, but can also be placed farther down the order when Hanley Ramirez returns from a strained hamstring - expected Tuesday night.
Puig doesn't have much experience in center field this season, however. He has primarily played right field while teammate and fellow hot-hitter, Joc Pederson, has been manning the middle. This may mean more starts for Ethier in center (yikes) or more starts for Schumaker in that spot.
In any event, the instant infusion of power and potential speed Puig and Ramirez provide may be just what the Dodgers need FOR THE FANS, and as a temporary patch until Matt Kemp can return to 2010 form.
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The Dodgers' injury issues have been a critical problem for the team, including shortstop Hanley Ramirez, making two trips to the DL only days apart.
Ramirez originally injured himself during the WBC (World Baseball Classic) Championship game, diving for a ball at third base and tearing a ligament in his right thumb. The injury immediately put him on the DL, keeping him out of the Opening Day lineup.
Ramirez returned to the field April 30, homering in his first start to help the Dodgers beat the Rockies. Three days later Hanley was right back on the DL with a strained hamstring. After a month on the pine, Ramirez could make his second debut of the season tonight versus the Padres.
You can never predict injuries, but hopefully for the Dodgers they can start to move forward from the bug. With the exception of Adrian Gonzalez at first, the LA infield isn’t exactly an ideal group. Ramirez will be a huge upgrade in the lineup, complimenting Carl Crawford, Gonzalez, and recently called up Yasiel Puig.
Right now the Dodgers rotate Jerry Hairston Jr., Luis Cruz, Juan Uribe, and Nick Punto throughout the infield. These players should never be starting as a unified group on a game-by-game basis.
With Ramirez back in the lineup, LA can lock up Cruz up at third base, Ramirez at short, Mark Ellis at second, and Gonzalez at first. A solid infield can swing momentum to the plate - Last year Ramirez totaled 24 home runs and 92 RBI’s with both Miami and LA. Obviously without him at the plate, LA is missing a huge offensive juggernaut.
In only four games this season, Ramirez has incredible numbers. Eleven plate appearances with five hits, two doubles, and one homer, and a .455 average.
If you look at the body of work, the return of Ramirez should be just what the doctor ordered.
With the emergence of Cuban call up Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers find themselves at the front door of a tough decision. As of right now, left fielder Carl Crawford and center fielder Matt Kemp are on the DL, so it’s easy to work with outfield positioning. Scott Van Slyke in left, Ethier in center, and Puig in right - No harm No foul.
The issue will come in the next few weeks, once Kemp and Crawford return from injury. LA has an overstocked outfield - five legitimate players with only three available positions.
Van Slyke has come on as a solid roamer in the outfield, in other words he can play any of the three spots, and his bat has proved to be a threat in the lineup (.243 average, 6 home runs, 11 RBI’s in 21 games).
Carl Crawford is having his best season since his days in Tampa Bay, and Matt Kemp.... well.........is still Matt Kemp. It's hard to believe that the year he is having is any indication of the player he truly is. The former MVP runner-up (non PED MVP, I’m not mentioning any names Ryan Braun) has battled injuries to his shoulder and hamstring. Two injuries that can break you down as a player, and turn your game from night to day. Kemp will bounce back, maybe not with the total season numbers LA fans are accustomed to seeing, but Kemp will come on and finish strong.
Now we come to the “Cuban Missile” Yasiel Puig. Anything I say here won’t do any justice to what this 22-year-old kid is putting together only five games into his MLB career. Puig not only has been an assassin at the plate, but his arm is reminiscent of Raul Mondesi. Some people are born with cannons for arms, Puig is one of them.
Number 66 is rewriting the history books with what he has done over the last week. Already eclipsing Matt Kemp in home run totals (4), and already making the league forget about what Angels phenom Mike Trout did last year. That statement should open your ears “Already making the league forget about what Mike Trout did last year,” those words are hard too believe. Mike Trout is being compared to Micky Mantle, a comparison that is rare and extremely bold.
LA fans and baseball fans all over, please believe it, Yasiel Puig is the REAL DEAL. This isn’t just some fluke or just “a hot start," Puig is the present and future of the franchise. Like “Fernando-mania” took over Los Angeles, “Puig-mania” is doing the same.
Mike Trout is a 4-tool player, Yasiel Puig is a 5-tool player. Puig's’ arm gives him slight edge over Trout.
With all this said - yeah, the Dodgers have a couple decisions to make in the outfield, but when you narrow it down to right field...... ETHIER PACK YOUR BAGS. Where are you going? Who cares........
MVPuig..!!!!
MVPuig..!!!!
MVPuig..!!!!
The ramifications of Tuesday night's altercation have been handed out, with the Diamondbacks getting let off easy.
In total, 12 players were either suspended or fined (8 suspensions, 4 fines), with Arizona starting pitcher Ian Kennedy receiving the worst of the 12 players:
Arizona
Ian Kennedy-10 games + fine
Eric Hinske-5 games + fine
Kirk Gibson-1 game + fine
Miguel Montero-fined
Geraldo Parra-fined
Los Angeles
J.P. Howell-2 games + fine (appealed)
Skip Schumaker-2 games + fine (appealed)
Mark McGwire-2 games + fine
Ronald Belisario-1 game + fine
Don Mattingly-1 game + fine
Yasiel Puig-fined
Zack Grienke-fined
Along with these mentioned suspensions, the league also fined the Dodgers for allowing players on the Disabled List to come off the bench to join the party behind first base: Josh Beckett, Chris Capuano.
So what have we learned following the brawl? Well, for one, Arizona is getting away with a slap on the wrist - Ian Kennedy should have been suspended at least 20 games. I say 10 for each throw to the head of Puig, and Grienke. Kennedy has a history of throwing at players, he also is a top pitcher in this league. His command is very well controlled.
I understand balls getting away from you and ending up a little inside, but to graze Yasiel Puig’s nose, and possibly putting a young talent on the DL for a while is uncalled for.
Kennedy is set to miss two starts and quite frankly that is not enough. Major League Baseball, in regards to PED’s, handle suspensions right. The message is sent to anyone looking for an edge in their performance (50 games for first offense, 100 games for the second), but they get it all wrong when it comes to throwing at players heads.
My thoughts on this are apart from the brawl that ensued, the serious matter is the malicious intent to intentionally hurt someone.
As far as the other suspensions and fines go - I feel they all fit. Fighting is a part of the game, and punishment should follow. Rivalries are best lived in the MLB, and fighting in sports, features that passion.
With Ian Kennedy’s history, he will walk this line again, he has before and it will be a breaking story in the sports world in the future. So if the punishment isn’t taken seriously from the players, the league shouldn’t expect anything less from the Arizona ace.
Over the last 48 hours, two mid-20’s phenoms with experience on the Cuban national team, have been cleared to play in the United States and declared free agents by Major League Baseball.
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Dalier Hinojosa, aged 27 and 26 respectively, are not limited by the new international sanctions – they are both over the age of 23 with three years of experience playing professionally in international leagues.
They can sign for any dollar amount MLB teams are willing to pay. Next year’s rules will call for a player to have at least five years of experience in a professional international league before being eligible to play in the states, in addition to a cap on max contracts.
Gonzalez’s price is said to be in the 6-7 year range at anywhere between $40 and $60 million, he features a mid-90’s fastball, a slider, change up and 2 seam fastball. Meanwhile, Hinojosa is relatively more unknown, but features a similar repertoire, and has also already thrown for scouts, the Dodgers said to be in attendance.
According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, the Dodgers are in more heavily on Gonzalez, and other teams are wary of the $8.5 billion backing LA’s ownership through their TV deal.
Shaikin’s co-worker, Dylan Hernandez, believes Gonzalez could pitch at the Major League level this season while Hinojosa might be a better option as a September call up. (For a clip of Gonzalez pitching for Cuba, click here courtesy of True Blue LA).
All Cubans aside, the Dodgers have their eyes on one other, easier-on-the-pocket starter: The Chicago Cubs’ Matt Garza. While Garza is the cheaper option, and in a contract year, the Dodgers would likely have to give up young outfield prospect Joc Pederson. The outfield is clogged at Chavez Ravine, with Crawford beginning to see regular playing time and Matt Kemp returning to health after the break. Scott Van Slyke has proven to be a solid pinch-hitting power option off the bench in limited playing time, and we all know Puig is here to stay.
Dodger fans grimace at the prospect of raiding the farm system for a 3-month rental, but it would have been a much more devastating maneuver under the McCourt regime.
Los Angeles has a very unique opportunity at the present time to return to prominence in the second-largest market in the Majors, and they are fortunate enough to have multiple ways to accomplish the task. Gonzalez seems to be the best option due to his age, skill set, and MLB-readiness. Dropping another $40 million plus on a Cuban defector, however, might not be in the Dodgers’ long-term plans of shrinking their payroll.
Although Garza isn’t the top choice, he may be the most logical one if the Cubs approach the deadline with the righty still in toe. A haul of prospects from the Dodgers would be the best option for the Cubs, a team that seems to be perennially in rebuilding mode.
Will the Dodgers go with the ticket-selling, payroll increasing splash and land Gonzalez, or will cooler heads and cheaper prices prevail with a move for Garza? You tell us! Follow @SportSpeakLA on Twitter and share your thoughts.
It’s hard to believe that just over a month ago the Dodgers were 30-42 and 9.5 games out of first place in the National League West.
What LA has done over the course of 26 games is remarkable. Since LA’s last place position on June 21, the Dodgers have gone 22-5 for the best record in baseball over that stretch (Tampa Bay 20-7 since June 21) to take a .5 game lead over Arizona for first place in the West.
LA isn’t just winning the 1-run games anymore, they’re blowing their opponents out; scoring early and heavy, sending the opposing team to the bullpen early in the contest.
Despite Matt Kemp consistently, going to the DL only 24 hours after being taken off the DL, LA has had a multitude of players tearing the cover off the ball. Coming into the year you couldn’t imagine a scenario where Matt Kemp wouldn’t be the center piece of a World Series run, but 98 games into the season, that's exactly whats happening.
While the rest of the league is dealing with PED’s and suspensions to some of the games top players, the Dodgers are simply........ playing baseball. Dodger Stadium has a charge to it, that hasn’t been around since the 80’s, since Fernando-MANIA. Yasiel Puig has been the majority for the success up to this point. Although Puig is struggling over his last 64 at-bats (.250, 1 home run, 4 RBI’s, 23 K’s), his effort in the field and early-June unbelievable play has triggered a monster in the LA clubhouse.
Hanley Ramirez looks like he did in 2009 with the Marlins when he batted .342 with 24 home-runs with 106 RBI’s. Ramirez, for the last 2.5 years hasn’t been happy and it showed on the field. Since Puig was called up, Ramirez has been the best player on the team in LA. Since June 19, "Han-Ram" leads all of baseball with a .430 average and has been absolutely destroying the baseball. LA pitching has been good enough, Clayton Kershaw has been a typical Clayton Kershaw and Zack Grienke has been lights out. When the offense in putting up 7-14 runs, pitchers can afford an off night.
So yeah - the numbers are great to look at, but what does this all mean? This means the Dodgers are coming for October. LA is now 52-47, in sole possession of first place in the division after coming from five runs down to top the Blue Jays 10-9 tonight. Games that used to look as potential road blocks, are now just another day at the ball park. LA hasn’t missed a beat, 5-0 since the All-Star break (all on the road) including a 3-game sweep over a tough-pitching Washington Nationals team. The Dodgers have a long road ahead of them, from tonight all the way to the September 29 season finale with Colorado, LA has to be on their game. The schedule is NOT easy by any means, but LA should NOT fear the schedule either.
Keep playing the way their playing, and I’ll pull an Aaron Rodgers and “bet my salary” that LA wins the World Series.
Stats:
22-5 over last 27 (since June 22)
30-42, last place 9.5 games back of Arizona June 21 to first place, .5 games ahead of Arizona before tonight's win.
For someone who hasn’t watched a lick of baseball all season, they might pick up the sports page, look at the standings and say, “Dodgers are in first place, 5.5 games up but look at St. Louis, look at Pittsburgh, look at Oakland, Boston, Atlanta.......oooooooo....aaaahhhhh... these teams are running away from the rest of the league.” BLAH BLAH BLAH. My response to the once-a-week baseball guy is watch baseball for the next two weeks, and get an educated opinion on what's going on.
Teams like Boston, Oakland, Pittsburgh are those of a 2013 Mercedes with a transmission that is on the ropes (good for now but will eventually blow up). The Dodgers began with a 87 Honda, and traded it in for a 2014 Lamborghini, a well-oiled machine. A beast on the road, incomparable when it comes to classification of cars.
What the Dodgers have put together over the last 6 weeks or so is staggering. Posting a 31-7 record since the now historic June 22 (best record in baseball since), including a franchise-record 14 straight wins away from Chavez Ravine. It's gotten to the point where the question is not, "Are the Dodgers going to win?" but, "How bad are they going to shatter the opposing pitcher's confidence?"
Think about it - when the Dodgers faced Jordan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals on July 21, Zimmerman was on fire, winning eight of his previous 11 starts. After allowing seven runs off eight hits in only two innings of work (his worst outing of the season), Zimmerman found himself in the midst of a 3-game losing streak (Zimmerman ended the streak with his 13th win Saturday vs. Milwaukee).
With the Dodgers nearing uncharted territory, they are well on their way to making history. There is not one opponent on the remaining schedule that can pose a threat with the Cardinals reeling. The Dodgers take opposing teams' best pitchers and make him look as if he has no business on the mound. After wrapping up the series in Chicago, LA heads to St. Louis in a potential NLCS match-up, followed by a potential World Series match-up with Tampa Bay back at the Ravine.
As a realist I understand that as quickly the Dodgers turned their season around is as quickly they can fall flat on their face, but over the last six weeks I haven’t been given any inclination to the possibility of this horrific set of event transpiring. A Dodger will be the NL Rookie Of The Year, either Hyun-Jin Ryu or Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez will make a case for NL MVP (very unlikely to get it) and Clayton Kershaw, despite win/loss record looks to be the NL Cy Young. If there was category for “Baseball Annihilation” that award would go to Hanley “Han-Ram” Ramirez. Since coming off the DL in early June, no one has had a more devastating swing, and provided more clutch hitting than #13.
As the season comes down the final stretch, enjoy what's beginning to blossom in Los Angeles. The Dodgers are my favored team to win the 2013 World Series (in six games over Tampa Bay) and in the words of Vin Scully before the start of every game: “It’s time for Dodger baseball."
Are Dodgers Best in Baseball? (Blog)
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This would have been all true for the Los Angeles Dodgers after four or five weeks into the season. At 13-21, 8 games out of first, the rumors began in LA. Questions about roster moves, the health of Matt Kemp, and the entire city of Los Angeles calling for Don Mattingly to be fired.
The biggest area of intrigue was the Farm System. Players like Scott Van Slyke, Jose Dominguez, and most importantly Yaisel Puig were showing signs of improvement at rapid rates. During spring training Puig was electrifying, his .452 batting average put GM Ned Colletti in a tight predicament entering the season. Colletti was asked why he didn’t put Puig on the opening day roster, Colletti responded with, ‘How could I? When your opening day outfield consists of Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier, what was I to do? We're talking over $200 million on the field....'’
But Puig was destined to make the club, filling in when the oft-injured Kemp was shelved with one injury after the other. The ability of a club to seemlessly replace a star with a farm system graduate is the mark of a champion. It was as if the Dodgers were destined to fail in the beginning, or for Matt Kemp to get hurt, all making it possible for the young emerging stars to showcase their talents on the big league level.
In addition to a solid minor league structure, the Dodgers are vibing in the clubhouse, and the fluid communication spills out to the playing field. The dugout has a tangible liveliness, and Dodgers are commonly caught with smiling faces and friendly antics by broadcast cameras.
I have always been a firm believer in things happening for a reason, if you stick to your course, things always have a way of working out. This couldn’t be any more true for the 2013 Dodgers. The 41-8 record is one of the best stretches in MLB history and the best since the 1944 St. Louis Cardinals.
Of the five other teams since 1906 to go 41-8 or better through a 49-game span, ALL HAVE REACHED the World Series (1906 Cubs 44-5, 1912 Giants 42-7, 1944 and 1942 Cardinals 41-8, 1913 Giants 41-8). Since the now historic date in Dodgers history of June 22, 2013, LA has gained 18 games in the NL West (9.5 out to 8.5 up) and put themselves in position for not only the NL West Title, but also a World Series Title (last 1988). The boys in blue don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, winners of nine straight, LA has swept back-to-back series (Tampa bay, NY Mets) and are one up on the Phillies for their 18th win in their last 19 road games.
So what started off as a horrific spring, has become a season to remember for the boys of summer.
For more on the surging #Dodgers, follow @SportSpeakLA on Twitter.
The Boys of Blue Summer
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LA came into the contest on a 10-game win streak, with a 42-8 record over their last 50 games (MLB best record over span in 100 years).
Andre Ethier’s ninth home run of the year in the second inning put LA up 1-0, giving pitcher Ricky Nolasco an early lead to work with. Nolasco pitched well, only allowing two runs off five hits and striking out five before being pulled for Ronald Belisario after six innings of work.
With Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Skip Schumaker given the day off, the LA offense struggled to make contact and put the ball in play. Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez, and Mark Ellis combined for an 0-12 day. If these guys aren’t hitting on days when key players are sitting - it’s going to be a long day in any ballpark.
With the game knotted up at two in the bottom half of the ninth, Mattingly called upon Brandon League to try to send the game to extras and preserve the Dodger win streak. Although League has played better since July 21, he seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time once again this season.
Facing a former teammate from Seattle, League's outting started off on the wrong foot when Casper Wells reached first base on Hanley Ramirez’s first error of the ninth. League kept the ball on the ground for what normally is an easy out from the superstar shortstop (Ramirez). Carlos Ruiz stepped to the plate, already with a 3-3 day, Ruiz took the first pitch he saw and sent it deep into right-center field alley, putting runners on first and second. After a brief meeting between Don Mattingly and League, up next was pinch-hitter Jimmy Rollins, who was intentionally walked. With the bases loaded for pinch-hitter Michael Young, the veteran grounded it to short where Han-Ram misplayed the ball, scoring Wells (error to Ramirez-his second) and ending the game, a 3-2 Dodgers loss.
The Dodgers you can’t win every game, and the turn of events in the ninth was very unusual for this Dodgers ball club. LA is still 25-4 since the All-Star Break, and have 19 of 21 road games. The beauty of baseball - you can go back out there tomorrow and put this loss behind you. Oh by the way, the Dodgers, led by former Miami Marlin Ramirez, are in South Beach tomorrow afternoon to take on his old team.
Next game: @Miami Marlins, Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-3, 2.91 ERA) vs. Jose Fernandez (8-5 2.45 ERA)
25-4 since all star break
19-2 last 21 on road
Dodgers Winning Streak Ends at 10
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