True Blue LA podcast episode 2211: Scoring is down in MLB, Trevor Bauer suspended

After a few weeks off, the podcast is back and we have a lot to catch up on from the season’s first month.

We start with the elephant in the room, or perhaps looming just outside the room now, as Trevor Bauer was suspended 324 games by Major League Baseball under the league’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The suspension would take Bauer through the start of the 2024 season, after his Dodgers contract is over. The pitcher is appealing the suspension, so that chapter isn’t quite closed just yet. In this episode, we talked about how Bauer’s suspension is different than the previous 15 suspensions in the seven-year history of the policy.

On the field, we look at why scoring is down across the league this season — hint: it’s the baseballs themselves, plus teams had approximately one billion relievers to use during the season’s first three-plus weeks — including what at the moment would be the lowest batting average in MLB history.

Even adjusting for the current depressed offensive environment, Dodgers pitching has thrived. That included Walker Buehler recording his first career shutout, and Clayton Kershaw breaking the franchise strikeout record that Don Sutton held for over 42 years.

Lots of trivia in the episode, including Sutton’s prowess and longevity and Kershaw’s most prominent strikeout victims.

Thanks as always to producer Brian Salvatore for his hard work behind the scenes and for his sage advice.

Dodgers rewind

Adonis Terry was a pitcher for Brooklyn in the first eight years of the franchise’s existence, including six years in the American Association and the club’s first two years in the National League.

As a 19-year-old rookie in 1884, Terry started over half (55) the games (109) for the Brooklyn Atlantics. At some point that season, he become the Dodgers all-time strikeout leader — it’s unknown if Sam Kimber, who pitched a complete game on May 1 in that season’s first game struck out anyone in the opener — and held the title until Nap Rucker broke his record in 1915.

Despite pitching only eight years for Brooklyn, he remains eighth all-time in innings pitched for the franchise, including 476 innings in that rookie season when he was 19. Terry not only had a 3.42 ERA, a 102 ERA+ on the mound for Brooklyn, but also played 207 games in the outfield and saw time at shortstop, first base, and even played one game at third base. Terry had a 92 OPS+ in his time with the team.

Terry, whose given name was William, also occasionally umpired during his playing career, totaling 10 games, including twice behind the plate as a 19-year-old rookie. After his playing days ended, Terry umpired 39 games in 1900 and two more in 1901.

Related reading

• Drag on the baseballs is up, from Rob Arthur at Baseball Prospectus
• MLB memo says only one baseball is in use in 2022, from Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris at The Athletic
• ESPN had a thorough summary of how MLB offense is down, including thoughts from various players who say the baseball is inconsistent.
• Dodgers April in review
• Clayton Kershaw sets Dodgers strikeout record

Photo: Jacob Burch

• Vin Scully in a video says “Congratulations, Mr. K” to Kershaw
• Nap Rucker’s Dodgers rewind, from episode 1935 (December 2019)
• New rules in effect May 2: fifteen days for pitchers on option or injured list, and a limit of five times a player can be optioned in-season
• Bauer suspended 324 games by MLB
• Bauer is suing his accuser from San Diego for defamation
• A third Bauer accuser came forward, from Ohio. Different than his other accuser from Ohio
• Summary of Bauer’s legal situation, from our Michael Elizondo
• Here’s the Swamp Donkey Burger mentioned by Jacob (and pictured to the right), at Buck Snort in Iowa.

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Episode link (time: 1:05:21)