Heading into the 2018 regular season, one of the biggest concerns for the Dodgers was finding a suitable setup arm for closer Kenley Jansen. Yet, when Jansen was struggling mightily for the first few weeks of the campaign, that worry shifted, as all the focus was on getting the All-Star righty’s mechanics fixed. Now that Kenley appears to be back on the right track, the focal point of the bullpen could fall back on the setup role.
It’s been a happy, yet rough week for the Dodgers. On Thursday, Clayton Kershaw tossed the first pitch to Yasmani Grandal, marking the official commencement of the 2018 season. Since then, we have seen some remarkable pitching performances, as well as some we wish could be erased, or redone.
Continue reading “Dodgers Roster: First Week Pitching Performance Evaluations”
For those fans who watched Monday night’s contest against Arizona to the bitter end, they saw a little bit of everything from the Dodgers—sketchy starting pitching, some stellar relief pitching, some timely hitting, and another unimpressive appearance from one of the best closer in baseball.
Continue reading “Dodgers News & Notes: Jansen, Turner, Quakes, Drillers & More”
We’re halfway through the third week of spring training and, so far, the Los Angeles Dodgers news from Camelback Ranch has been fairly tame. Norovirus swept through the clubhouse this past week, sending over two dozen Dodgers back to their bunks (and, presumably, their bathrooms) for a couple days before running its course.
Continue reading “With Tom Koehler Down, Who Will Own the Eighth Inning?”
With well over 60 players on the big league side of the Dodgers‘ spring camp, there are bound to be a few stories which surface regarding some of the club’s talent that’s flying completely under the radar.
Continue reading “Dodgers 2018 Bullpen: Making a Case for J.T. Chargois”
In case you missed it earlier in the week, on Tuesday we put together a concise profile surrounding righty reliever Shea Spitzbarth, and offered up a bit of insight as to what may be in store for the 23-year old in 2018. Along those same lines, we thought it would be worth mentioning a few other pitchers who will likely provide quality relief on the farm this year, and briefly discuss how exactly they may fit into the landscape of the organization.
Continue reading “Digging Deeper into the Dodgers’ Minor League Bullpen Depth”
Over the winter, the big league bullpen of the Dodgers has been one of the few areas of the roster which has been receiving a high amount of scrutiny. Aside from All-World closer Kenley Jansen, many of the roles are still undefined, as everyone will be jockeying for key spots during Cactus League play and the first few weeks of the regular season.
Continue reading “Dodgers Prospect Watch: Shea Spitzbarth Still Rising”
(Editor’s note: TBPC would like to welcome Ben Kirst to the site’s writing team. Despite spending most of his life in Western New York, Ben is a lifelong fan of the Dodgers, and his writing experience has included coverage of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, Canisius College hockey, University at Buffalo basketball and various D-3/high school sports. He managed, edited and wrote for Buffalo.com for seven years. He also contributed to USCHO.com for three years and The Dunkirk (N.Y.) Observer for another four. Hopefully, Ben will tolerate all of our antics here at TBPC and continue to contribute many insightful articles in the future. Feel free to give him a follow on Twitter @BK77.)
Continue reading “Old, New, Blue and Ryu: The Dodgers’ Over-30 Pitchers”
Many media outlets who cover the Dodgers have been spending quite a bit of time this winter discussing the components of the prospective 2018 bullpen, and we are no exception. For the most part, the group who will make up this season’s relief corp is defined, but which roles each pitcher will ultimately assume—sans Kenley Jansen—may take some time to develop. Last season, after a few years of searching, the club’s quest to find a quality eighth-inning arm was finally fulfilled when righty Brandon Morrow eventually settled into the part; however, that exact pursuit will begin anew when players begin reporting to spring training next month.
Continue reading “Dodgers 2018 Bullpen: Exploring Several Potential Eighth-Inning Relief Options”
Although the impending 25-man roster of the Dodgers promises to be one of the most well-rounded squads in the big leagues, many followers of the club believe there are still a few minor holes which need to be addressed before the beginning of the regular season. The starting rotation is solid, yet the perennial concern of not having a true No. 2 starter is still a popular discussion topic among fans. Add to the chatter the lack of quality depth beyond the first five starting pitchers, and the worries surrounding the rotation may actually be somewhat valid. Furthermore, many believe the team still has needs in the bullpen, as the search for a legitimate eighth-inning arm will once again recommence when pitchers and catchers report next month.
Continue reading “Dodgers 2018 Roster: Piecing Together a Functional Bullpen”
Think Blue Planning Committee 