clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

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

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

Detroit Tigers v Los Angeles Dodgers Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

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

The Swamp Donkey Burger
The Swamp Donkey Burger
Photo: Jacob Burch

Podcast links

Ways to listen

RSS feed

Episode link (time: 1:05:21)