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Bob_Cobb_1996

I think you are correct about the level of starting pitching against us. It has been very good. However, I think the advanced scouting has been off. It seems when one guy is "off," most of the other guys are "off." That may be an issue with them being crossed up from the scouting reports. Also, it could be an issue with over coaching as opposed to just letting guy go out and use a more natural approach.


greycubed

Basically Dodger periods are synced up and we need to get someone in who is on a different cycle.


EyeFit4274

šŸ˜†


Crumbmuffins

If thereā€™s one thing that has stood out to me from the off season interviews after last year was Muncy saying he felt (presumably the rest of the team too but he only spoke for himself) they had so much data from scouts heā€™d over think his at bats and not do what came naturally. Iā€™m all for analytics in baseball I LOVE that stuff, but maybe the Org relies so heavy on it theyā€™ve gone full circle and are screwing themselves over.


SourpatchRae

I think this is interesting because thereā€™s a lot of strategy in how they are approaching our team. You canā€™t tell me they didnā€™t intentionally walk Sho and Will in the (8th?) inning. They also had a strategy to either walk Pages or hope he was aggressive enough to strike at a ball (he was). Mookie and Freddie got a mix of balls and strike because of their recent slumps. It makes me wonder what coaching our offense is getting before these games for the pitches that are coming at them. How much time do they have time to prepare? Or is it our offense should go out and be great?


Astropolitika

This is a good insight.


Odd-Purpose-3148

I think your argument is definitely part of the issues, not necessarily the only one. For much of the year we have been working with half a line-up. We'll right the ship soon enough, but in the meantime I'm not sure I can continue to stomach seeing a man on 2nd and no outs result in no runs scored. It feels hella bad.


probablysmellsmydog

I think the Dodgers need to reevaluate how to score runs when the offense is struggling to string together hits. I agree with another comment, when Lux hits that lead off double, more needs to be done to make sure he gets moved over, and subsequently the next batter needs to make sure he brings him in with a sac fly. Itā€™s fundamental baseball. Also flip the script with Ohtani and Freeman. Give Freddie the chance to drive in runs because heā€™s the one getting it done right now.


jefe008

Agree with swapping Ohtani and Freddy. But they like Ohtani second bc heā€™s got more speed than Freddy. I think we will groove when Max comes back. I think we need to figure out the OF, bc I think Outman gives us a better shot than CT3. I also with Pages would shorten up once in a while. This team is missing its top pitching and yet we are still winning games. We would all like to win 75%, it thatā€™s just not sustainable. I wish we did, once in a while, play some small ball or situational ball, but I know our FO is all about analytics and analytics say to rarely ever sacrifice an out for 90 feet. Letā€™s just hope we get everyone healthy by August


Vee_Zer0

Last night's pitcher averages 97mph on his fastball. Last night he ramped it up to average 98.5. It's not a coincidence.


PhoeniXaDc

Skenes' arm might actually fly off in the direction of the batter if he pushes his fastball any harder today


Backlogger78

Yeah, look at Dustin May. No way Skeneā€™s doesnā€™t get injured keeping up that velo


beardko

They want some of that Japanese market share


teamscufff

Thatā€™s good tho! If weā€™re getting playoff intensity thrown at us this early in the season than is only going to help us when it really matters


Vee_Zer0

It definitely can be good! Though this happened to us last year too.


UrCreepyUncle

No way Lux should've been stranded at 2B after his leadoff double in the 7th. Wtf is rojas doing not bunting him over to 3rd? I dunno how many times we have to see it. Same with an extra inning game earlier this year at home where the other team went up a run. In our half with the free runner at 2nd fucking CT3 is up there swinging through 3 straight pitches instead of bunting the runner over. With the bottom of the lineup not producing at all, and being down by 1 or 2 late you HAVE to play small ball. You can take your chances with 1-5 swinging away but Lux, Pages, Rojas, CT, KikƩ, Barnes and Vargas should be playing small ball in these situations


signmeupdude

Can Rojas bunt? Thats the problem. Nobody every bunts anymore so coaches and players arent confident in their ability to get it done. In that AB, Miggy was clearly making an effort to get the ball to the right side of the field. He just happened to chop it back to the pitcher but you could tell he was trying to go the other way. So he was trying to be situationally responsible but yeah bunting is such an important skill that teams dont practice in real game scenarios enough. Then come playoff time they dont have that super important skill practiced.


UrCreepyUncle

Ya I know that was his idea.. Getting it to the right side. I still think the higher percentage play is to bunt. I know they still do it albeit in batting practice, but it SHOULD be a basic skill anyone who steps up to the plate should be able to do.


micros101

But itā€™s not these days for most batters across the league.


torpedobonzer

Bunt ainā€™t giving you a good launch angle. Pffft.


FlapXenoJackson

Did you see CT3s bunt on the squeeze recently? He was lucky it wasnā€™t a disaster. If the pitcher had caught that ball as he should have, it would have been an easy double play. Even Ohtaniā€™s recent bunt should have been an easy out. An average throw and he would have been out. Statistics show the bunt isnā€™t effective tool anymore. Example: Man on first nobody out. Bunt the runner over and give up an out or let the next three batters swing away. Statistics show that youā€™re more likely to score if you let the next three batters swing away. Your chances to win drop if you move the runner over and take the out. Plus around 30% of all bunts result in an out and fail to move the runner over. https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/1639658-explaining-why-the-bunt-is-foolish-in-todays-mlb.amp.html


UrCreepyUncle

I agree with all the analytics and following the numbers and I get why the bunt is looked down on.. As a whole. But I think in these situations with these hitters... You're not running the leagues average 7-8-9 hitters out there to hopefully push a run across, it's the leagues worst and most unproductive 7-8-9. If it was the CT or KikƩ from a few years ago.. Swing away. But it isn't. Also it being late and down only a run warrants doing everything possible, even the unconventional play, to scratch a run across. Sure if it's early swing away. It's all situational and Dave needs to read the room. To your other point... If CT tries to get a run home, what are the chances of him popping up to the infield or striking out? Way more likely than him not getting a bunt down. And look what happens when he did, made a non athlete have to field his position and he flubbed it. Im not here to say bunting should be used in every scenario, but it needs to be used in these situations where the team isn't scoring, can't string 2 hits together abs it's close late.


Few-Acadia-4860

Offense has been ASS since Muncy's been out


GameMusic

This is a big part wonder what the pitch per at bat stats would say with muncy and without


Backlogger78

The Dodgers need to adjust to the approach these teams are taking against them because this is the exact approach the wild card team will take against them in the playoffs. If they canā€™t find ways to win today, they wonā€™t in the playoffs either.


atducker

The Dodgers lost 11 in a row in 2017 and still had one of the most dominant playoff teams in Dodger history. I'm not super worried at this point since it's early. It's just tough to watch sometimes and even easier to over analyze when things are going wrong. The Dodgers lead all of baseball in runs scored for around the first quarter of the season even with a few bumps along the way. I think they'll get back there before too long but who can really say?


Backlogger78

Iā€™m worried because the teams they seem to be struggling with are the mid tier teams that might end up winning a wild card spot. The way they are losing some of these games are exactly how they lose in the playoffs. We are literally seeing history repeat itself.


atducker

October is a crap shoot. There's no reason to worry right now. Only one team can win it all each year and I just cross my fingers that it's us a few times this decade. I think that's all we can do.


Backlogger78

I disagree, this is exactly what happens in October, they need to find ways to overcome these wild card-esque teams that put it all on the table for the Dodgers.


atducker

They've mostly won the series against bad teams this year give or take a few. In May they played 8 full series and beat the Braves, Marlins, Giants, Reds and Mets. We lost a series to the Padres, D-backs and Reds. They won the two series on the margins of the month as well against the D-backs and Rockies. That five game losing streak has put a lot of fans in a bad head space it feels like and a 0-1 loss doesn't help either but all in all it's not been that bad. They were 17-10. Room for improvement for sure but for me not panic.


acatnamedhercules

šŸšØšŸšØreasonable take alert. I agree


Embarrassed-Sand2956

This is a good point. While itā€™s obvious things with the offense havenā€™t been gelling, they still have time to work it out. It may be easy to feel impatient watching it happen when we know they could be and expect better. I also feel like they will begin to turn it aroundā€¦


atducker

I'm cautiously optimistic that we haven't seen this team's best baseball yet.


Embarrassed-Sand2956

Same!!


GoofyGoober0064

Sorry bud but its 2024 and Justin Turner aint coming out of the dugout. 2017 means jack shit as much as the last 3 years have


Bush4857

Totally agree. Obviously the Dodgers have weak spots right now, but there is 0 reason to worry about October when it's the beginning of June. I'd be shocked if the team wasn't different come trade deadline time, so until we even know what the October roster is gunna look like, I don't see any reason to be concerned about it right now.


pzycho

I think we were two degrees away from this sub not losing their minds. If it were two degrees warmer, Teo hits a 3-run go ahead homer off Chapman. That ball goes out 95% of the time based on velocity and launch. Both Teo and Chapman thought it was gone for sure. Oh well.


pray4trey

Missing fastballs early in the count, we have had some key mistakes fielding the baseball in certain instances that end up biting us hard (pages error vs. Colorado) we donā€™t respond after opposing runs are scored with our next set of @bats, waiting for magical 8th innings is not a healthy strategy. When weā€™re behind we donā€™t put as many balls in play either I think. All of that nestled in with the fact that other teams play us looking to show that theyā€™re worth watching. Guys want to have big games against us. Baseball gods are usually on your side when youā€™re aggressive. If these Ks can turn into balls in play at the very least Iā€™m not asking for hits just more consistent contact throughout the lineup I think we start to catch a groove.


JpJ951

Just last night the team took, at least, a half dozen hittable pitches where the bat never left the shoulders. Easy to look good when your mistakes are left alone. Wish they would change their approach and mash the mistakes, or at least attempt to, consistently. I think their approach at the plate contributes to random pitchers finding success against us as well as the opposition being hyped up.


Apositivebalance

Theyā€™re definitely focused on discipline at the plate. They donā€™t have any control of what the ump calls. Last night we have some absolutely atrocious calls against us when the count was full. It was gross.


JpJ951

How is watching pitches down the middle while swinging at stuff outside the zone discipline though? Bad calls do happen, and happened to us a lot last night. But they happen to other teams as well. Not an excuse for letting meatballs over the plate go by without even attempting a swing.


HyPeRxColoRz

This sub is so fucking spoiled and entitled it's ridiculous. We're a whopping 14 games above .500 with a run differential of +85, both of which are the 4th best in all of baseball. I realize people want us to be #1, but that's simply not how baseball works. At the end of the day, overwhelming success is overwhelming success no matter which way you slice it. As long as we're going into playoffs as one of the top two seeds (if the season ended today we'd have the #2 seed) then that's all we can ask for. Come October what our guys did in May/June isn't going to mean jack shit. I swear, reading through this sub you'd think we were 3rd in the division and struggling to stay above .500.


chrisumafp

Lineup depth has been a problem for us. How our lineup was built 2017-2020 is different than 2021-2024 2017-2020 was built through homegrown prospects in Joc, Seager, Bellinger, Puig and reclamation projects in JT, CT3 and Muncy. We had a lot more depth, but less top end talent. 2021-2024 was built through outside acquisitions with Betts, Ohtani and Freeman. We have more top end talent, but less depth. Something has gone on with our position player development. We havenā€™t had a position player that was able to stick at the major league level since Will Smith. No reclamation projects since Muncy either. Reality is to have depth in the bottom 3 you canā€™t always acquire them via free agency or trade. You have to have your prospects pan out at the major league level. We had more depth because our farm actually produced players that can produce at the big league level or our player development would fix hitters. To have depth you need to have cost controlled/cheap contracts that are out performing how much they get paid.


j1vetvrkey

>shown in recent days Itā€™s been like this for years with RISP brahthah


Bush4857

what if I told you that the past 5 years the dodgers have been one of the the best teams in baseball with RISP?


j1vetvrkey

Since 2017, in the postseason, we have finished top 5 in BA with RISP only 2 of the last 7 years. That was 5th in 2018 and 3rd in 2020, other than that we have been one of the worst teams in baseball with RISP when it matters ofc šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø


vivatonical

What you donā€™t account for is the fact that the Dodgers get RISP at a higher rate than other teams, which of course means more opportunities to drive runners in, but also equal opportunities to fail. So itā€™s the same energy as Cy Young having a pitching award named after him- despite the fact that heā€™s also technically the most losing-est pitcher of all time


j1vetvrkey

Very nice- now write a paragraph on how leaving RISP on base during the postseason has resulted in us losing in terrible fashion to division rivals two years in a rowā€¦ because our issue is getting people on base too many times? Lmaooo come on man


vivatonical

ā€¦bruh tf you on, Iā€™d rather have a team that gives themselves opportunities to score runs by putting runners on consistently, are you saying youā€™d rather have a team that doesnā€™t get runners on at all? Bc a team that goes 1-2 with RISP in a season has a .500 AVG but that doesnā€™t mean that theyā€™re a better hitting team with RISP than a team that goes 50-100 in a season. One team managed two situations with RISP and the other team managed 100. Same shit as ppl saying that Lebron doesnā€™t belong in the GOAT conversation bc heā€™s 4-6 in the Finals. Homeboy took 10 teams to the Finals and had 10 chances to win. Iā€™d take consistency and the chance to win every season. Look at the Gnats- sure they have their 3 in 5, but outside of that theyā€™ve been mediocre or missed the playoffs entirely. The Dodgers have been consistently excellent with a chance to win in the postseason every year. ^thereā€™s your damn paragraph professor Dumbass Doomer


j1vetvrkey

If I am a dumbass doomer for providing actual stats showing how trash we have been over the last number of postseasons then you are just an imbecile. Some of you forget I am a Dodgers fan too, wtf? I am just providing the stats, you choosing to focus on regular season stats and ignore what happens in October is on you. šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚ based on the skim I took of the second paragraph I just know you were the type of mf that celebrated when the Lakers won the in season tourneyā€¦ just to get embarrassed immediatelyā€¦ when it matters!!! But lemme guess? You just happy they made it? šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚ Oh yeah and we just left the bases loaded again šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚


Bush4857

I said nothing about the postseason in my comment


j1vetvrkey

Ahh, so you agree with my point then? As I was saying, Itā€™s been like this for years when it matters. Thatā€™s October.


Bush4857

I'm saying there's serious revisionist history going on in this sub in general when it comes to the Dodgers and RISP


j1vetvrkey

Revisionist History šŸ˜‚ Do you stop watching in September? šŸ˜‚ We donā€™t hit well when it matters. Itā€™s horrific, the stat shows that


tatang2015

Same things happened with Fernando, Orel, and other good pitchers. Offense takes a snooze. The chemistry is too laid back.


Melethia

A nice take - thanks!


TioTapatio21

Iā€™m hoping with everyone bringing the heat when playing us will make the team mentally stronger and more prepared for when actual playoffs start. Theyā€™ll have already had the practice of everyone elseā€™s ā€œplayoff modeā€


fooflighter

This is a great perspective and I agree with you 100%. You see this happen in all sports and at all levels. The entire league knows the Dodgers are the litmus test for this season and are showing up for it. Great teams force mediocre teams to play ā€œupā€ and that extra incentive has been noticeable in our opponents pitching performances.


10xwannabe

I think you are making excuses. This team stinks (in Dodger standards). Sorry. It is not going to cut it. They had WS aspirations and the whole year it is one of the weakest offenses I have seen from top to bottom (Dodger standards). Sorry just is. Could they get hot in the playoffs and run the table. Yep. But no sugar coating is going to change the fact they are not playing great. I'm not such a homer to deny that. Never was a believer in the idea of buying a winner which is why I was the ONLY Dodger fan not on the "Dodgers are going to win it all". Looks like I am going to be right. Sadly so.


ramroramrez

Honestly the dodgers have set the bar so high that they have a 7 game lead in the devision. Top of the league in pitching and hitting, and thereā€™s a ton of knee jerk reactions to individual games. Itā€™s good to dissect these minor slumps lack of runs etc etc to make day to day adjustments, but there should be no worry or thought of things unraveling. Dodgers arenā€™t even in their final form. Miller coming back to the rotation is huge, muncy coming back and pages showing that heā€™s adjusting lengthens the lineup tremendously. Also if the dodgers want to put in a killer lineup, just bench lux and CT3 because Rojas and kike have been producing. Robertā€™s managing the big picture hoping lux and ct3 could turn it around and muncy going down made that back end of the lineup a huge hole. Honestly enjoy the journey. I had stopped watching baseball but this team brought back some intrigue. The different personalities, players, the young guys coming up. I like watching and keeping up with how pages is doing, Vargas too. Knack was fun to watch so are Yamamoto and Stone. Also Glasnow putting ace like performances. 1-4 is fun to watch against opposing pitchers. Treinen is must watch, he has nasty pitches, I donā€™t know why heā€™s not the closer


jsmessner

The Dodgers take too many middle-middle pitches trying to drive up the opposing pitchers pitch count. Itā€™s very frustrating to watch them take a fastball down the middle to then pop-up or strike out on something near the edges the next pitch or two.


Carolake1

If all it takes to beat the Dodgers is other teams just trying harder, that doesn't bode well for this team..


beggsy909

The top and the middle of the lineup will come around. Itā€™s the bottom half of the lineup that needs fixed. And our OF production is one of the worst in baseball. If I was in charge I would give Lux until the AS break. I would send Taylor down to work on his swing. I donā€™t think Pages is ready for the major leagues yet.


Tcrow110611

I think the batting order needs to be a fluid choice and not as stationary as it is. If 3-4-8 are hot, and 1-2-5 aren't, swap things around, nothing worse than having 2 on, 1 out and having a 3 week slumper walk up and GIDP against a AAA reliever. I understand we have a ton of utility players that get moved around, but that needs to be a weekly, if not more, change in the BO, make that 1st year pitcher terrified no matter where in the order he's at. Fans perspective, I'm sure they aren't sitting there wasting time and effort but it seems like it from time to time


yarzospatzflute

Good competition, but not everyone is struggling against these pitchers like we are. We're losing, consistently, to teams that lose most of their games. That's on us, and aside from the shitty game happening right now, it's not been because of our pitching.


chigginbutt

eh i feel this is on schedule for the dodgers to have a rough stretch. Obviously we are going to need another LHB with muncy potentially out for the long haul and outman being inconsistent. Agreed that freeman should bat after mookie like someone else said. Lux needs a solid bat behind him to move him over