The roller coaster season that is the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers has reached the quarterway part – probably equivalent to the first big stomach in your throat inducing drop and has you a little worried about what is to come.
For the majority of Dodgers fans, they aren’t so much worried about the rest of the season, but they are looking forward apprehensively to the end part and if what happens now could carry over into October.
It’s the same old song – the offense is inconsistent. The Dodgers suffered a sweep by the Reds in Cincinnati, and two loses at home before that, where they scored a total of 11 runs in that group of loses, being shut out once and only plating one run twice.
It’s crazy that a team with this many hyper-talented players is prone to prolonged slumps like that but they are. Fans have to just hope that a slump doesn’t come along again in mid-October. But can’t really do anything about that until then.
As some of you may know I am an East Coast Dodger fan and as such have to watch the New York feeds when the Dodgers play either the Mets or the Yankees. In the first game of the doubleheader against the Mets on Tuesday, the SNY crew was being a little snarky about the Dodgers giving Will Smith a ten year extension.
I get it. He’ll be close to 40 when his contract is up and catchers don’t necessarily age as well as other positions. But let’s talk about the season that the backstop is putting together so far.
His current slash line is .296/.360/.516/.876 with nine homers and 14 doubles. If he continues at that rate (while fully understanding that a lot of the season is left) he would have his best offensive season so far. Plus, one can never underestimate the ability to handle an ever changing carousel of pitchers while they cycle through injuries.
MLB scheduling is really dumb. The Dodgers were in Cincinnati and New York, then headed back to L.A. for a three game series against the Colorado Rockies, then back to Pittsburgh and New York again. Who did this I just want to talk.
Happy birthday to Dave Roberts, to whom we really don’t give enough credit for what he does throughout the season. Yes we have plenty to question in the postseasons but his day to day operations and dealing the with various dynamics of this team are second to none.
Case in point his handling of Yohan Ramírez. The reliever was in the game in Cincinnati and had already hit two batters and after the last one had the bases loaded with two outs. Reds manager David Bell wanted to maybe throw a chair, but Doc went out to the mound, embraced Ramírez in a hug. Yohan promptly got the next batter out on one pitch.
Speaking of the bullpen, yes it’s been rough lately between Ramírez and Elieser Hernandez getting some time that they most certainly would not have if half the Dodgers relievers were not on the IL. But this too will pass. On Friday, Evan Philips was reinstated from the IL. One up (and one of the most important) and more to go.
One last thought. The Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees are the hottest/best teams in baseball currently. If history continues to repeat itself, they won’t be the two teams in the World Series. The Dodgers are almost underdogs and maybe they could help them come the postseason.
Think Blue Planning Committee 
My happy surprises for the season so far. Stone showing why he was highly rated by pitching so well and changing his pitch selection. Paxton showing grit and very good pitching. Pages emerging we will see if he can pull out of the dry spell.
I am hoping Vargas gets more at bats otherwise what was the point of bringing him up? We have the Mendoza line at :200 will we name .100 as the Taylor line? Painful and frustrating to watch….
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Inconsistency has been part of this team for several years. No player magnifies that more than Max Muncy. Muncy, who right now is hurt, and most likely will not be back for quite a while, is the epitome of a streak hitter. When he is going well, he is as dangerous as they come. When he isn’t, the strikeouts pile up quicker than dead bodies in a Rambo movie. Max is safe from blame for the last several weeks. Mookie, Shohei and Freddie, have all seen their BA and production drop over the last month. Mookie, who had 6 homers in the first week, has had only two since. Ohtani still swings way too often at the first pitch he sees in the first inning. Yet what is strange is that he is hitting .382 on first pitches. In the last two weeks, the 700-million-dollar man is hitting .200 with just 1 homer and 6 driven in. He is better at home than on the road. Betts is doing a little better hitting .267 in the last two weeks. But he has no homers and just two driven in. This from a guy who drove in 107 runs, a record for a leadoff hitter last year. Freeman has hit .277 in the last two weeks, but he has a good day, then a bad one. This from one of the most consistent performers over the last two seasons. Freddie has also said he just does not feel comfortable at the plate right now. His performance proves that.
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Stone looking good so far today. Mookie and Freddie go yard and Rojas drives in a run and is hitting in the .280’s now. Ohtani with 2 K’s in three at bats. Monday commented that he has been pulling off of the ball.
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