After A Long Journey, The Dodgers Return Home
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 7:50 AM PDT
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PrintOnce the Lights went down in San Francisco last night, ending the Dodgers' nine-game road trip, the Dodgers embarked on a trip home. Well, most of the Dodgers anyway. The club and Scott Elbert went their Separate Ways, with Elbert sent to Chattanooga as the Dodgers are ready to welcome back fresh-from-the-DL Cory Wade with Open Arms.
Hopefully, the return of Wade will bring some stability to the bullpen. Eventually, I believe Hong-Chih Kuo's stuff will allow him to return to the 8th inning role, but it may be some time before Joe Torre will Faithfully rely on the lefthander.
Last night's poor outing by Eric Stults may have accelerated the clamoring for a veteran starter. But, if given the choice between retreads Eric Milton, Jeff Weaver, or Shawn Estes, and the pitchers currently on the roster, I'd prefer if Only The Young were on the Dodgers. I don't care how many shutout innings the retread trio throws for Albuquerque; we already know what they are. However, since Doug Mientkiewicz can be moved to the 60-day DL to open a spot on the 40-man roster, it seems inevitable that probably Milton or Weaver will soon be on the big club.
James McDonald will take the hill tonight, in what may be an audtion to stay in the rotation, to tell the club "Don't Stop Believin' in me."
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Well, it’s a relief that the Wheel in the Sky will stop turning today for the Dodgers, and that they return home to the Ravene. It’s tough that the Dodgers had to lose 2 of their last 3, but anytime they get together with the Giants, there’s not going to be a whole lot of Lovin, Touchin, and Squeezin going on. At least now the Dodgers get to face the over-acheiving Padres. So, Any Way You Want It, I’m expecting Forever in (Dodger) Blue perfection this weekend series…
2009 LA Kings Hockey: thanks to Joe Sakic's snowblower, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE AV'S!!!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Apr 30, 2009 8:55 AM PDT reply actions
Why wouldn’t we care how the retreads are doing in one of the most friendly hitting environments in baseball. Milton biggest bugaboo has always been the home run ball. If he’s not giving up home runs in the PCL that is not something to be dismissed lightly. Would a ERA+ between 90-95 be so bad from the 5th spot in the rotation if he’s giving you 5-6 innings instead of 3-4?
Troncoso has shown enough to me that he needs to be sent to AAA pronto to work in the rotation.
Kershaw has pitched three games on the road and one incredible gem at home. I’m expecting another gem this Friday. Young pitchers struggling on the road is not news.
This little gem from Baseball HQ as we await Mr. Loney’s first home run:
Not only is James Loney (1B, LA) hitting .324, but he’s got elite supporting skills: a 95% ct%, 3.50 Eye, 16% bb%. Those yield a .312 xBA, but logic suggests that those skills can support a much higher BA. His anemic PX (60) and SX (37) hold down our expectations. But this extreme contact/plate control approach can pay dividends if the underlying LD% (28%) sustains. In fact, even if Loney doesn’t get back to double-digit HR, he can potentially win a batting title with this skill profile.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Except
Milton’s two shutout performances came on the road (Iowa and New Orleans), both of which are PITCHER friendly parks.
Do you mean pitching friendly relative to the PCL or Petco ish? No one is going to be pitching shutouts at the Isotopes home field, that is an unrealistic expectation. His fly ball rate and control are more what I’m interested in and his control has been excellent. I’m not saying he’s a real answer I just don’t like the fact he’s being dismissed because he’s not some 27 year old Dodger home grown whose own ceiling is low. At some point our pitchers besides Chad and Wolf need to throw some innings.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I agree
I wouldn’t get as worked up if Stults were sent down for Weaver/Milton as I would be if McDonald were to be bumped.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions
You know
They probably won’t keep McDonald in the rotation if he has another start like his previous ones though.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 30, 2009 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
Right
McDonald clearly has to improve to keep his spot.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Park factors
Here are the park factors for Milton’s last two starts courtesy of BBTF (with 1.0 being the neutral point; below that is pitcher slanted, above is hitter slanted). The measurements are Runs, Hits, Doubles and Home Runs:
IOWA: 0.97 0.99 1.15 0.95
NEW ORLEANS: 0.87 0.92 0.92 0.92
For comparison, this is his home park:
ALBUQUERQUE: 1.18 1.13 1.08 1.14
Basically, what he did on the road means jack shit in my opinion and doesn’t make Milton worthy of a call-up, PCL “player of the week” or anything else for that matter.
by silverwidow on Apr 30, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
McDonald and Stults are just as likely to put up a 90-95 ERA+, if not moreso, than Milton or Weaver. In the case of McDonald especially, there is enough upside potential to let him work it out.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Kershaw, Stults, and McDonald should get six starts during this home stand. By the end of the home stand I hope the innings problem is a moot point.
I would rather see Troncoso pitching in the AAA rotation and Weaver in the bullpen right now. They have the flexibility to make those moves without hurting the 40 man. Repko needs to be released and Hoffman promoted. I think we will need Troncoso pitching in our rotation this year and the sooner he gets stretched out the better.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I’m on board with the Troncoso plan.
Agreed about this homestand being the proving ground for J-Mac and Stults.
I was thinking about the 20 straight days…if the Dodgers go 10-10 (a 6-5 homestand) they will be 20-13. I’d take a 98-win pace.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions
We did to good on the road trip to accept a 6/5 home stand. We need to be better then a 98 game win pace for when the tough days show up. I don’t think I’d be happy with less then a 7/4 home stand against the teams we are playing. Now is not the time to get nonchalant. We need to crush the opposition, stomp on the Padres now to let them know where they are in the pecking order.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Apr 30, 2009 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
I should have clarified
I thought about 10-10 before the 20 games started.
I agree that a 7+ win homestand is in order. I’d like to start with taking the 3 of 4 we almost had in SD.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 30, 2009 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions
Amen to that, Deacon Phil!
2009 LA Kings Hockey: thanks to Joe Sakic's snowblower, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE AV'S!!!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Apr 30, 2009 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
True
We should take 3 out of 4 from the Pads. Unfortunately, we have to face Peavy/Young again. Tommorow will be the toughest matchup. If we win today and tommorow, then a sweep is in order.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 30, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Could you clarify
What do “ct%” and “Eye” represent?
Also,I don’t think there is any way his LD% is sustainable. Andre Ethier leda ll of MLB last year (among qualifiers) with a 26.6 LD% according to the Hardball Times, so Loney would have to lead the league basically.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 30, 2009 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Ct%: Contact rate
Batting eye (Eye)
(Walks / Strikeouts)
A measure of a player’s strike zone judgment, the raw ability to distinguish between balls and strikes. BENCHMARKS: The best hitters have eye ratios over 1.00 (indicating more walks than strikeouts) and are the most likely to be among a league’s .300 hitters. Ratios less than 0.50 represent batters who likely also have lower BA’s. (See Forecaster’s Toolbox for more.)
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
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