Should Rich Hill be allowed to take the Hill on Friday?
Have to admit I don’t quite get that Rich Hill is the scheduled pitcher on Friday. Rich Hill has not pitched since July 7th, and Friday will be August 12th. Who goes a whole month without pitching and doesn’t throw a rehab game before pitching in a major league game again?
The man has been scheduled to start three different times and each time has been unable to take the mound. At least with a rehab game he can prove that his blisters are behind him before they send him out to the mound. What happens if he pitches one inning and re-opens either of the two blisters that have kept him sidelined for over a month?
If he can take the mound, how many innings can you really expect from someone who hasn’t pitched in a month?
Well, I’m sure the Dodgers know what they are doing, just seems odd to me.
Corey Seager leading all rookie SS in OPS in HISTORY
We already know how special Corey Seager is, but just in case how about one more leaderboard to drive the point home. In the history of baseball, Corey Seager has the highest Rookie OPS for shortstops.
And for good measure OPS+.
| Player | OPS | OPS+ | Year | Age | Tm | PA |
| Corey Seager | 0.889 | 139 | 2016 | 22 | LAD | 474 |
| Nomar Garciaparra (RoY-1st) | 0.875 | 123 | 1997 | 23 | BOS | 734 |
| Joe Sewell | 0.856 | 116 | 1921 | 22 | CLE | 683 |
| Alex Cintron | 0.848 | 112 | 2003 | 24 | ARI | 487 |
| Troy Tulowitzki (RoY-2nd) | 0.838 | 109 | 2007 | 22 | COL | 682 |
| Mike Aviles (RoY-4th) | 0.833 | 121 | 2008 | 27 | KCR | 441 |
| Hanley Ramirez (RoY-1st) | 0.833 | 116 | 2006 | 22 | FLA | 700 |
| Specs Toporcer | 0.825 | 116 | 1922 | 23 | STL | 391 |
| Jung Ho Kang | 0.816 | 124 | 2015 | 28 | PIT | 467 |
| Derek Jeter (RoY-1st) | 0.800 | 101 | 1996 | 22 | NYY | 654 |
| Tom Tresh (RoY-1st) | 0.800 | 116 | 1962 | 23 | NYY | 712 |
Cory Seager jumps into top 10 for home runs in a season by a Shortstop twenty-two and younger
Once again Corey Seager showed off his power, blasting two home runs last night. Corey had already broken the LAD record for most home runs by a LAD SS, most doubles by a LAD rookie, most home runs by a LAD rookie infielder non-catcher edition so we need to look for other horizons.
Since Corey Seager is only twenty-two years old, I thought it would be interesting to see how he stacks up against other twenty-two-year-old shortstops. As expected, he stacks up very well.
The full list is here, but below were are only going to show shortstops who hit at least 20 home runs. He is currently 10th on the list, but two more home runs will vault him into a tie with Alex Rodriquez for 6th. His current OPS of .889 would place him 3rd on this list.
| Player | HR | Year | Age | Tm | PA | OPS | HR/AB |
| Alex Rodriguez | 42 | 1998 | 22 | SEA | 748 | 0.919 | 17.81 |
| Alex Rodriguez | 36 | 1996 | 20 | SEA | 677 | 1.045 | 18.81 |
| Cal Ripken | 28 | 1982 | 21 | BAL | 655 | 0.792 | 23.39 |
| Cal Ripken | 27 | 1983 | 22 | BAL | 726 | 0.888 | 26.89 |
| Troy Tulowitzki | 24 | 2007 | 22 | COL | 682 | 0.838 | 28.42 |
| Alex Rodriguez | 23 | 1997 | 21 | SEA | 638 | 0.846 | 27.74 |
| Carlos Correa | 22 | 2015 | 20 | HOU | 432 | 0.857 | 19.64 |
| Ron Hansen | 22 | 1960 | 22 | BAL | 606 | 0.781 | 27.55 |
| Vern Stephens | 22 | 1943 | 22 | SLB | 571 | 0.839 | 25.95 |
| Corey Seager | 21 | 2016 | 22 | LAD | 474 | 0.889 | 22.57 |
Alex Rodriquez who is going to retire at the end of the week (08/12/16) owns this leaderboard appearing it on three times. Carlos Correa has a chance to get on here three times but this will be Corey’s only appearance since he’s already 22. Corey has a good chance to move into the top three putting his name above HOF Cal Ripken and just below Alex Rodriquez. That is some nice company to be sandwiched in between.
Homegrown home runs
Eric Stephen put together the definitive look at the 300 home run club including anyone who ever played for the Dodgers that has hit 300 home runs and how many home runs they hit as Dodgers compared to their career.
What I liked about the list that Eric put together was quickly scanning the homegrown Dodgers who are on the list.
- Paul Konerko 439 / 4
- Adrian Beltre 429 / 147
- Mike Piazza 427 / 177
- Duke Snider 407 / 389
- Frank Howard 382 / 123
- Gil Hodges 370 / 361
- Ron Cey 316 / 228
That is a list that can make a grown man cry. Konerko was traded for a closer that didn’t help the Dodgers into the postseason as they only won 83 games. 1998 was not the best year for the Dodgers, trading Piazza and Konerko within weeks of each other. By my count, the Dodgers traded away over 800 home runs. They did get 122 back from Sheffield so I guess I’ll round ball it at 650 home runs.
Beltre left as a free agent possibly the worse decision among many by the Depodesta regime, and of course the Piazza deal, which brought us back a 300 home run hitter in Gary Sheffield. Check that, a 500 home run hitter in Gary Sheffield. Damn
One can only wonder what Frank Howard would have done with the Dodgers. He would have never had Ted Williams move his game to the next level but he’d surely have hit many a bomb for at the Ravine to the delight of Dodger fans. But the cost might have been the 1965 Championship.
I was a little surprised to see that Ron Cey hit so many home runs after he left the Dodgers. If I had seen this list in 1990 I wouldn’t have been surprised but time had left me thinking that Cey only had a few productive years with the Cubs when the reality is quite different.
Duke and Gil did all their damage for the Dodgers, mostly for Brooklyn but each left their mark in Los Angeles.
That list has two current HOF in Duke Snider and Mike Piazza. One HOF to be in Adrian Beltre. Vinny has long lamented about Gil Hodges not being in the HOF. Gil would generate as much fame as being the manager of the 1969 World Champion Mets as he ever garnered in his long Dodger playing career.
Adrian Gonzalez becomes 140th player to hit at least 300 home runs
And that leaderboard is simply too large to post.
Rambling time
So how many 1st basemen have hit 300 home runs? 32 players – still too large what can I do to cherry pick this down to a decent number?
How about, how many left handed 1st baseman have hit 300 home runs? – Woo Hoo only Fifteen
Working with this group, left hand hitting 1st baseman who have hit 300 home runs. Yikes, the last player to do this was Prince Fielder in 2015 at the age of 31. At the age of 32 Prince had neck surgery and besides he’s really a DH at this point. Hmm, next is Mo Vaughn. Yikes, Mo hit his 300th home run on April 3rd, 2002 at the age of 34. Mo would only hit 28 more home runs before retiring. Yuck Ryan Howard is on this list. Ryan Howard did it back in 2012 at age 32 and has been one of the worst hitting 1st basemen since just about then.
I’m actually more curious about how many people have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34.
That would be 93 players. A much more notable achievement than simply being one of 140 to hit at least 300 home runs.
Lets keep breaking it down. How many 1st baseman have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34?
Twenty-seven 1st baseman have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34.
Keep breaking it down. How many left-handed hitting 1st baseman have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34?
Thirteen 1st baseman have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34.
But if you really want Adrian Gonzalez to stand out you have to ask this question. How many players of Mexican descent have hit 300 home runs by the age of 34?
I think the answer is one. Adrian Gonzalez. No real way to search this was simply an eyeball test. You can search for players born in a particular country and no one born in Mexico has ever hit 300 home runs, but Adrian is of Mexican descent so I’m sticking with my story.
One other notable item about Adrian Gonzalez. He has hit 90 home runs since being acquired by the Dodgers in 2012. The next closest is Matt Kemp at 54, Puig at 53, and Ethier at 50. That is something to crow about.
Finally,, Eric Stephen put together the definitive look at the 300 home run club including anyone whoever played for the Dodgers that has hit 300 home runs and how many home runs they hit as Dodgers compared to their career.
Rob n Robin Segedin Rock the Ravine
It must be some kind of emotional roller coaster to be the wife of a career minor league baseball player, pregnant, and not sure what the future holds for you one minute, and twenty-four hours later you’re the special guest of the Los Angeles Dodgers and watching your husband have as great a debut as anyone in LAD history.
As of this writing Rob Segedin already has four runs batted in, with two keys hits against one of the best pitchers in baseball. To be sure Segedin never faced anyone like David Price before, but unfazed he took Price off the center field wall with the bases loaded. Enjoying all of this was his very pregnant wife Robin.
Rob n Robin, how quaint.
The future for Rob Segedin is hazy, but for one day in August, he was a puig of fresh air. That little extra MLB check will surely put a smile on their faces because going from a minor league salary to the MLB minimum is just like winning a lottery ticket. Not to mention the free family health care for the rest of the year.
In a game where Brandon McCarthy lost his control, it takes a story like the Segedin’s to put the Dodgers back in control. I’m expecting them to win this game and end up one game back of the Giants.
What a bizarre year. Welcome to the LAD 2016.
Prospect Roundup – DeLeon/Alvarez/Rhame/Mieses Shine
On Saturday Jose DeLeon and Jacob Rhame combined for eight innings, two earned runs. DeLeon went the first six, giving up both earned runs, one walk, five k’s. Rhame went two scoreless innings, walking one, and striking out four. Rhame has been spotless since returning from his ped suspension.
On Friday night Yadier Alveraz pitched five scoreless innings, zero walks, seven strikeouts as he continued to dominate at the A ball level. Yadier is living upto the bonus he received last year and is quickly making a case for the best pitching prospect in the Dodger system that has yet to pitch in the major leagues.
Omar Estevez continued his hot hitting banging out three more hits on Friday, hitting .381 in his last ten games.
Yaseil Sierra was promoted to AA this week, and made his first appearance today for the Tulsa Drillers. Sierra was pinned with the loss, giving up one earned run in two innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. Since being moved to the bullpen Sierra has made eight appearances out of the bullpen and every appearance has been two innings.
Edwin Rios hit his third home run for Tulsa and now has 25 home runs on the season over three different levels.
Johan Mieses hit his 22nd home run and fourth for the week. Mieses just turned 21 last month and his been on a home run ladder. Mieses hit 3 HR in April, 4 HR in May, 5 HR in June, 6 HR in July, and will be trying to hit seven in August.
Corey Seager passes Eric Karros for most doubles by a LAD Rookie
With Corey Seager hitting his 31st double today, a bullet past DH playing 1st base David Ortiz, he broke the long-standing LAD rookie doubles record set by Eric Karros. This will put this particular leaderboard to bed until the end of the season.
Shawn Green holds the all-time LAD double record with 49 set in 2003. Green broke the long standing record of 47 set by Wes Parker in 1970. To date, 60 Dodgers have hit at least 30 doubles in a season. With 31 already as we head deeper into August, Corey is a long shot at breaking that record but he just needs to average 10 doubles per month. Not likely
| Player | 2B | Year | Age | |||
| Corey Seager | | | 31 | | | 2016 | | | 22 |
| Eric Karros (RoY-1st) | | | 30 | | | 1992 | | | 24 |
| Raul Mondesi (RoY-1st) | | | 27 | | | 1994 | | | 23 |
| Todd Hollandsworth (RoY-1st) | | | 26 | | | 1996 | | | 23 |
| Russell Martin (RoY – 9th) | | | 26 | | | 2006 | | | 23 |
| Mike Piazza (RoY-1st) | | | 24 | | | 1993 | | | 24 |
| Mariano Duncan (RoY-3rd) | | | 24 | | | 1985 | | | 22 |
| Steve Sax (RoY-1st) | | | 23 | | | 1982 | | | 22 |
| Yasiel Puig (RoY-2nd) | | | 21 | | | 2013 | | | 22 |
A.J. Ellis helps Dodgers to victory but still can’t find any Dodgers to drive him in
A.J. Ellis drove in the first Dodger run, and caught a shutout against the vaunted Red Sox offense, so he did his job on Saturday.
Yet, I have this fascination with the fact he can’t score.
Last time we looked Ellis had gone 83 at-bats without scoring and was in fifth place for going scoreless by at-bats for LAD positional players. With an additional 10 at-bats, Ellis has moved past fellow backstop Steve Yeager into fourth place and is now barking at the heels of Len Gabrielson.
Ellis has now gone three full months without scoring a run which is no big deal if you don’t play, but Ellis is now over 90 at-bats without scoring a run. That is hard to do, even for a slow-footed catcher batting eighth.
At this point, the only way Ellis is going to score is to drive himself in with a home run.
- Camilli – 105 at bats / 18 hits / 6 walks
- Mike Scioscia – 96 at bats / 20 hits / 8 walks
- Len Gabrielson -95 at bats / 20 hits / 4 walks
- A.J. Ellis – 93 at bats / 18 hits / 10 walks
- Steve Yeager-86 at bat / 17 hits / 3 walks
- John Hale-80 at bats / 10 hits / 12 walks
- Wally Moon-78 at bats / 15 hits / 3 walks
- Jeff Torborg-73 at bats / 10 hits / 7 walks
- Juan Samuel– 73 at bats / 19 hits / 2 walks
- Don LeJohn – 72 at bats / 18 hits / 4 walks
Rich Hill won’t take the mound tomorrow – Didn’t see that coming
Go figure, a 36-year-old pitcher who hasn’t thrown 100 innings since 2007 seems incapable of taking the mound. Fix one blister, find another blister.
When the blisters are finally fixed, in all likelihood something else will go wrong. I’m not trying to be a cynic but there is a reason why just a year ago Rich Hill had zero suitors headed into August of 2015. It is one thing to sign Hill to a contract and gamble on him last winter, it is another to trade for him on July 31st as your only get at the trade deadline when he has had trouble staying on the mound all year.
All the goodwill the Dodger front office acquired for getting ahead of the game and acquiring Bud Norris is dissipating rapidly. At this point, they can only hope that Brett Anderson can get through his next rehab game unscathed, and they will probably just slot him into the rotation. The odds that Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy can finish the year in the Dodger rotation seem long indeed.
On the surface, things look bleak, but once you parse out the rotation you can still find five arms. Will the arms be good enough long enough? I don’t know but it is crazy time.
Clayton Kershaw – down and out, may or may pitch again, may or may not pitch again after pitching again.
Kenta Maeda – still healthy, still barely going getting 17 outs per game
Scott Kazmir – still healthy, still barely adequate
Brandon McCarthy – came out of rehab breathing fire, but looks to have been doused. Last two starts only able to get 21 outs combined. May simply be running out of gas after haveing not pitched regularly since 2014.
Brett Anderson – currently healthy, currently in rehab. There is a chance that when Brett Anderson is able to take the mound for the Dodgers he will be their best pitcher. The good news is that his arm is fresh, the bad news is that anything could go wrong at any time.
Bud Norris – down and out
Ryu – down and out
Rich Hill – still waiting
Urias – inning cap so doubtful they will use him again
Brock Stewart – healthy enough, does quite well in innings that he doesn’t give up five runs. First start five runs in 2nd inning, second start five runs in 1st inning. Good news is that he has thrown seven shutout innings in those two starts. The bad news is that he’s given up thirteen runs in the other three innings.
Jose De Leon – currently healthy -as of yet, has not thrown a major league pitch
Ross Stripling – currently healthy – did a credible job as a starter and long relief pitcher. Now forced into rotation. Just worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning.
Not exactly the rotation of a team with postseason aspirations but it will be awesome if they can get there with this group.
Dodgers, Yesterday and Today 