Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
This series has sucked. Excuse my bluntness, but man, the Dodgers have been awful. Credit to the Diamondbacks, which has been the first team to figure out the Dodgers’ bullpen.
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Dodgers
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D’backs
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1:10 p.m.
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Phoenix
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CF
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Pederson
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CF
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Hazelbaker | |
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SS
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Seager
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RF
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Peralta | |
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3B
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Turner
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1B
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Goldschmidt | |
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1B
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Gonzalez |
3B
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Lamb | |
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C
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Grandal |
2B
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Drury | |
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LF
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Toles |
LF
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Descalso | |
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RF
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Puig | C | Iannetta | |
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2B
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Utley |
SS
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Ahmed | |
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P
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McCarthy (R)
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P
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Miller (R)
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Ross Stripling has faltered slightly the last couple nights (but still owns a 0.54 FIP), while Luis Avilan and Sergio Romo were uncharacteristically bad on Friday night. Chris Hatcher has been thrown into situations this week that he has no business being in. On the whole, he’s been fine, but when he’s asked to throw more than one inning in non-low-leverage situations, he is exposed. Reinforcements are on the way, thankfully.
The lineup looks solid. It’s a little perplexing why Adrian Gonzalez is hitting as high as he is and Yasiel Puig is hitting behind Andrew Toles, but at least the “A” team is in there. If Chris Taylor could break through and get some starts at second base, that might be good for Chase Utley, who is 1-for-24 so far this season.
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Some news:
OF Brett Eibner sent back to @okc_dodgers to make room for LHP Adam Liberatore
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) April 23, 2017
About time. The Dodger bullpen has been, painfully, in need of another arm for almost a week. Adam Liberatore has thrown just 5 2/3 innings for Oklahoma City, and with Grant Dayton due back later this week and Alex Wood looking like a rotation fixture, having another left-handed option (especially when Romo is a righty-only reliever) makes a ton of sense. Having a guy like Brett Eibner on this roster was more of a luxury than necessity.
Kenta Maeda is slated to start on Thursday against the Giants.
Until Julio Urias takes the ball in his place and Maeda starts on Friday.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) April 23, 2017
There is no doubt Kenta Maeda has been bad this season. That’s what happens when one’s command/control goes to hell. Giving him an extra day of rest might be worthwhile. What’s even more worthwhile is the fact the Dodgers are going to stop wasting Julio Urias‘ precious innings in Triple-A.
Roberts encouraged Maeda to not rely so much on four seam fastball. No decision on next start, he might get pushed back a day.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) April 23, 2017
Before last night’s start, Maeda had a roughly 55 percent fastball usage rate (4- and 2-seamer). That was up from almost 43 percent last season. His slider usage rate decreased by almost half. So, naturally, he threw 30 fastballs and 32 sliders last night. Still, perhaps Maeda has gotten inside his own head in the name of velocity. I might look at this more in depth later this week.
Franklin Gutierrez is getting closer to coming back, right?
Franklin Gutierrez got hit in the elbow during a simulated at-bat at Camelback Ranch.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) April 23, 2017
That’s just perfect. The severity isn’t known, but I’m sure if it were really bad, we’d have heard something by now.
Don't expect to see Trayce Thompson back with the Dodgers just yet. He's a combined 0-for-32 between the majors and AAA.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) April 23, 2017
Damn. Trayce Thompson has a ton of talent, but it’s clear he’s not back to full strength after fracturing two vertebrae in his back last season.
