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In addition to missing the first three months of the season because of a fractured tibia, Dodgers’ outfielder Andre Ethier‘s absence is also having secondary effects on the substance of the squad — most specifically, determining which player fills his vacated spot on the 25-man roster.
Continue reading “Is Alex Guerrero in Line for a 25-Man Roster Spot?”
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For those of you not familiar with Dodgers’ pitching prospect Ross Stripling, you probably will be soon. He was actually on the doorstep of the big league rotation when a damaged UCL during spring training in 2014 required him to have Tommy John Surgery, wiping out his entire season. He would bounce back in 2015, though, and after a very successful spring camp this year, finds himself on the fringes of the Dodgers’ 25-man roster once again.
Continue reading “Dodgers Q&A: Ross Stripling Chooses “Batman””
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The injury department became much worse for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday afternoon when a follow-up CT scan of outfielder Andre Ethier‘s right leg revealed a fractured tibia.
Ethier is expected to spend up to 14 weeks on the disabled list. No surgery will be needed.
Continue reading “Dodgers’ Ethier Facing 10-14 Week Absence After Breaking Tibia”
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When we initially took a glance at pitching prospect Yadier Alvarez back in December, he didn’t have much of a track record in terms of organized baseball, and it remained somewhat of a mystery the exact type of skill set he would bring along with him to the farm. Moreover, due to visa issues at the time, nobody within the Dodgers‘ organization had a firm idea as to when he would arrive stateside.
Continue reading “Yadier Alvarez Impresses Dodgers Scouts Early”
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When the Los Angeles Dodgers signed right-handed reliever Louis Coleman to a one-year, $725,000 deal last month, it didn’t create much buzz among the fan base, much less indicate any type of significant upgrade in the bullpen. However, after a careful analysis of the possible roles he could play in the 2016 Dodgers bullpen, Coleman may be considered a lock for the 25-man roster come Opening Day.
Continue reading “Dodgers Bullpen: Making a Case for Louis Coleman”
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(Editor’s note: A more recent update regarding Andre Ethier’s injury was compiled on March 22)
Dodgers fans watching Friday’s Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks endured a bit of a scare in the fourth inning, as fan favorite Andre Ethier fouled a ball off his right leg and was eventually carted to the clubhouse.
Ethier was facing Arizona starter Zack Godley when he ripped a foul off the inside of his right shin. He fell to the ground and wavered with pain until trainer Neil Rampe and manager Dave Roberts arrived at his side.
Ethier was able to finish the at-bat and draw a walk, but was replaced by pinch-runner Rico Noel, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a throwing error by Arizona catcher Welington Castillo.
Upon exiting the game, he limped noticeably to the Dodgers’ dugout, and ultimately needed the assistance of a golf cart to make it to the center field clubhouse.
Later Friday evening, X-rays taken on Ethier’s leg came back negative, but he’ll remain day-to-day with a severe bruise.
Upon observing the incident and seeing Ethier carted off the field, Roberts was immediately concerned.
“Just to see him work every day and how he prepares himself is pretty impressive, really,” Roberts told Doug Padilla of ESPN. “And he plays the game the right way. Just seeing him work every day I have grown to appreciate what kind of player he is. Obviously, again, I’m hopeful that there is no fracture or anything like that. We’ll see what happens.”
Ethier hit leadoff on Friday for the second time in three days for the Dodgers, and may be considered one of several options to bat first when the regular season begins on April 4. In more than 1,400 career regular season games since debuting with the Dodgers in 2006, he’s hit out of every spot in the order except leadoff.
Ethier ended up going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored on Friday. So far this spring he’s hit safely in nine of his 10 games, going 10-for-23 (.435) with a .652 OBP and a .517 slugging percentage. He also has one home run, a triple and four walks to his credit. In his two games batting leadoff, he is 2 for 4 with two walks.
The 34-year old outfielder hit .294 in 2015, the best clip since his 2008 season, and collected 54 RBIs and 13 home runs, both his highest since 2012.
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After discussing the early progress of Japanese righty Kenta Maeda on Wednesday, today we’ll stay with the starting rotation, but change course a bit and have a quick peek at Dodgers’ left-hander Scott Kazmir.
Based on his first several outings of spring camp, the initial evaluations have not been good. Seeing a decrease in velocity and lack of consistent control, Kazmir may be creating feelings of apprehension among the Dodgers’ fan base, if only in the early stages of spring training.
Kazmir has made two “official” Cactus League starts so far, and the results have been dreadful. He’s tallied only 3-2/3 innings, surrendering 12 hits, two walks and seven earned runs, calculating to a 17.18 ERA and a 3.818 WHIP.
He was also able to work in a “B” game on Monday, facing a mix of White Sox major league and minor league hitters on the back fields at Camelback Ranch. Kazmir said his arm felt “great,” despite an ugly outcome.
Per Bill Shaikin of the LA Times:
“In the first inning, three of the first four batters got hits, and the Dodgers ended the inning because Kazmir had thrown enough pitches. In the second, two of the first three batters got hits, and the Dodgers ended that inning, too. In the third, Kazmir mostly abandoned his fastball, and he hit two batters on breaking pitches.”
Over the course of the first three weeks of spring training, his fastball has been measured at 84-88 MPH, after averaging over 93 MPH on his four-seamer in 2015.
“I’m not trying to overthrow. I’m still trying to build up arm strength,” Kazmir told Eric Stephen of True Blue LA. “That’s something that comes. You don’t try to let it go too much trying to get velocity. It’s about repeating delivery right now.”
He said he expects his velocity to increase as he builds arm strength over the next few weeks, and wants to continue to focus on sharpening his mechanics.
After the sim game on Monday, Kazmir told Stephen that developing a rhythm with his catchers is a point of emphasis for him during camp, and that he feels like he’s making progress.
“That’s what spring training is about, to have that relationship where he knows what I’m thinking and I know what he’s thinking. It’s at that point where we’re playing off each other, having a good rhythm, knowing how fast I like to work,” Kazmir said. “There are a lot of things in the pitcher-catcher relationship, and I feel like we ironed it out in the later innings.”
Despite the rough outings, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts isn’t concerned.
“With veterans you definitely give them a little bit more rope. With a guy that’s proven and he’s done it, time and time again,” Roberts said. “There’s definitely no concern right now, and he knows the adjustments he needs to make.”
Kazmir was signed to a three-year, $48 million contract in December, which also includes a player clause to opt out after only one season. The deal involves deferred money as well, consisting of three payments of $8 million each, spread out from 2019-2021.
At 20 years of age, Kazmir began his career in Tampa Bay with Andrew Friedman as his GM. Despite his young age, Kazmir quickly became one of the better left-handed starting pitchers in the American League, primarily relying on a mid-90s fastball coupled with an extremely effective slider.
Nagging injuries led to inconsistencies from 2008-2011, and eventually forced Kazmir out of MLB entirely. After logging endless hours of individual work and persevering through several independent and winter league seasons, Kazmir signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians before the 2013 season and eventually earned a spot in their big league rotation .
Since returning to the Majors, Kazmir, who turns 32 in January, has compiled a 3.54 ERA with a 8.1 K/9 and a 2.6 BB/9. In 2015, he was 7-11 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.208 WHIP in 31 starts between Oakland and Houston, recording 155 strikeouts and 59 walks in 183 innings of work.
Kazmir hopes to help the Dodgers fill the void left by All-Star hurler Zack Greinke, who left for Arizona and $206 million.
The Dodgers already have three starting pitchers, Brett Anderson, Hyun-jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy, set to begin the season on the disabled list. Frankie Montas, who may be utilized as a starter at some point in the future, is already on the 60-day disabled list after having rib resection surgery.
Alex Wood, who has had minor setbacks due to forearm soreness, is expected to start against the Royals on Thursday.
(Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press)
Without a doubt, the hottest topic among Dodgers fans everywhere this spring has been the state of the starting pitching rotation. While several injuries are already preventing numerous starters from being in uniform on Opening Day, the signing of Japanese righty Kenta Maeda this offseason is beginning to appear brilliant.
The rumor around baseball is that the irregularities in his physical examination drove down the price tag of his contract, as made apparent by the Dodgers and Maeda’s representation never officially releasing a statement. Regardless, if he stays healthy and resembles a little of what he’s shown so far this spring, the eight-year deal worth a guaranteed $25 million may begin to pay dividends early.
Upon joining the Dodgers in December, early expectations from team management and scouting pundits were that Maeda had the ceiling of a back end rotation guy — an innings eater type with the potential to fill the four or five slot. Now, with Brett Anderson out three to five months after back surgery, and Hyun-jin Ryu not expected back until at least May, any offerings resembling a No. 2 or even a No. 3 starter would truly be welcomed.
So far in camp, Maeda seems to be adjusting to pitching in his new country nicely. Making his third Cactus League start Tuesday against the White Sox, he tossed 3-2/3 innings, allowing two runs (neither earned) while striking out three and walking two.
Overall this spring, Maeda has thrown 8-2/3 innings over three starts, allowing seven hits, four walks and no earned runs, having struck out eight batters.
His walk and hits total may seem a bit high, but Maeda says he’s still getting a feel for the strike zone.
“There were times when I threw pitches on the corner that I wanted strikes on but were called balls,” Maeda told Kyodo of The Japan Times.
“Had I got them, I would have had more strikeouts. I think I’m going to have to establish my reputation among the umpires as a pitcher with good control,” he added.
“I’m still throwing some fat pitches, but I was able to get some strikeouts, so it was a learning experience. Next time I want to do a good job while increasing my innings and pitch count and not walking batters.”
For those unable to watch Maeda throw on television or video, his pitching motion is almost identical to Hisashi Iwakuma of the Mariners. It’s almost reminiscent of the delivery of Dodger legend Hideo Nomo, minus the hip twist. Here’s an example of Maeda tossing a breaking pitch:
As for his repertoire of pitches, he’s no Zack Greinke, but he’s shown four different types of pitches this spring. His fastball has been clocked in the 90-91 MPH range, while his slowest curveball came in at 70 MPH. His changeup and slider are almost indistinguishable on the gun at 80-81 MPH, which will play especially well against right-handed batters.
Maeda is also rumored to be working on a “front door” slider, which he learned from fellow countryman Hiroki Kuroda — a pitch designed to break late and tail back inside towards right-handed hitters.
Battery mate A.J. Ellis has been impressed with what he’s seen from Maeda thus far in camp.
“He made big pitches when he had to,” Ellis told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “He did a great job. He’s fun to catch because he can do so many different things. His fastball up in the zone can really be enticing.”
In terms of culture, the language barrier and trying to live up to the fine careers of the Japanese legends who came before him, manager Dave Roberts said Maeda will have no problem adjusting.
“He’s going to fit in nicely,” Roberts said. “All we want is him to be himself. He can’t be Hideo or Kuroda or Kazuhisa.”
If spring training is any type of indication, Maeda will be just fine.
Further exploring the seemingly infinite amount of talent in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ farm system, we once again stumble across the bullpen, where the organization appears to be growing stronger with each passing season.
Last month, we took a look at the rapid advancement of hard-throwing righty Jacob Rhame. Today, we’ll take a quick glance at another youngster frequently mentioned around Camelback Ranch this spring — right-handed reliever Caleb Dirks.
Dirks was born in Arcadia, California and attended Woodcrest Christian School in Riverside — a stone’s throw away from LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga.
After high school, Dirks attended California Baptist University, culminating his senior season with a 4-1 record, a 2.85 ERA and PacWest Academic All-Conference honors.
His collegiate teammate, Trevor Oaks, was selected by the Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2014 draft; and as the later rounds passed, Dirks kept his fingers crossed hoping that he too would join Oaks with the Dodgers. His wish never came true, however; as he was ultimately chosen in the 15th round by the Atlanta Braves.
During his initial year in the Atlanta organization, Dirks began with the Danville Braves in rookie league, where he posted a 0.96 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP along with 16 strikeouts in just over nine innings of work.
Valuing his success in the bullpen, the Braves quickly promoted him to low Class-A Rome that same season. While in Rome, Dirks pitched 23 innings over 14 appearances with a 2.74 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
He returned to Rome to begin the 2015 campaign, and after only 10 appearances and an ERA of 1.80, was quickly ushered to the High-A Carolina Mudcats‘ bullpen. With the Mudcats, he pitched 16.2 innings over 11 appearances giving up only eight hits and no earned runs while striking out 18 batters.
Then came the trade.
On July 2 of last year, the Dodgers traded their 87th international bonus pool slot to the Braves for Dirks and minor league outfielder Jordan Paroubeck.
There was enough time remaining in the 2015 season for a quick stop with the Quakes and eventually a promotion to Double-A to finish the year with the Drillers.
For Rancho Cucamonga, Dirks appeared in 10 innings over nine games, recording a 0.90 ERA and a .998 WHIP while ringing up 18 strikeouts and allowing just one earned run. He closed out the season by posting a 1.35 ERA, a .975 WHIP, and fanning 17 batters in just under 14 innings of work in Tulsa.
Still only 22 years old, his quick success in the minors earned him a non-roster invite to the Dodgers’ 2016 spring training camp in Glendale.
Dirks doesn’t throw as hard as Rhame, but can still dial up his heater to about 94 MPH consistently. He compliments his fastball with a solid average slider and changeup. He patterns all his pitches off his fastball, and throws everything from the same arm slot. He uses his 6’4″, 225 lb. frame to create a very unorthodox, yet deceptive delivery, employing a hop-like motion as he pushes off the rubber. He keeps the ball hidden until the very last moment of the release point. His fastball doesn’t have a ton of movement, but his location points are strong, nonetheless.
While he pitches toward the back of the bullpen in the minors, his upside is more likely that of a middle reliever when he’s called up to the bigs.
Dirks fought through back issues early in camp, and although he didn’t officially appear in any Cactus League games, he was able to log some very valuable bullpen sessions and simulated situations, with the likes of special assistant Greg Maddux, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and bullpen coach Josh Bard watching him throw and offering feedback.
“I focused on trying to get ahead early in counts, and then with two strikes whether to go fastball up or to use my slider,” Dirks told Eric Stephen of True Blue LA. “For me the biggest thing is just getting ahead early and staying on the attack, not trying to be too fine around the zone, and not putting the hitters in hitters’ counts, because that’s when it can be difficult to pitch.”
Dirks was among the first wave of players cut and reassigned to minor league camp on Monday, but similar to any ambitious young hurler, found the spring experience to be invaluable. The opportunity to spend time with the big league coaching staff and veteran relievers like J.P. Howell, Kenley Jansen, Jamey Wright and Joe Blanton will prove to be extremely beneficial down the road.
Dirks will likely head to the Oklahoma City bullpen to begin the regular season, and depending on the health of the Dodgers’ relievers throughout the year, could conceivably see major league action at some point in 2016.
(Photo Credit: Tomo San/LA Dodgers)
When the MRI results came back and revealed a mild sprain of the left knee, many Dodgers fans were able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, after the dust settled and the possibility arose of prized shortstop Corey Seager missing the beginning of the regular season, a bit of minor panic surfaced once again.
Pain in the knee forced Seager to leave in the third inning of an 8-4 spring training loss to the Angels on Friday. He initially felt the pain in the outer part of his knee while rounding first base after hitting a single in the first inning. He was eventually replaced at short by Charlie Culberson.
Seager himself said that he feared the worst.
Depending on when he’s healthy enough to return to baseball activities, there may not be enough time before Opening Day to prepare him with the necessary number of swings and infield repetitions to be entirely ready.
When Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts was approached for comment, he said that he was still gathering information, but wouldn’t rule out Seager beginning the season on the disabled list.
On Saturday, we discussed how abundantly deep the Dodgers were at second base, and although there are a number of fine gloves defensively, the depth at shortstop pales in comparison offensively.
In terms of the depth chart, Enrique Hernandez is likely next in line to cover for Seager, followed by non-roster invitees Culberson, Elian Herrera and Brandon Hicks.
The possibility does exist of sliding Justin Turner over to short and having Rob Segedin provide cover at third until Seager is ready, but Turner himself has been rehabbing his own knee after surgery, and hopes to make his Cactus League debut Monday as designated hitter. All efforts with Turner will be getting him ready to play third.
When asked by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed that the injury is short term, and that the team wouldn’t need to do anything drastic in terms of shuffling players before Seager’s return.
“It’s nothing long term,” Friedman said. “As soon as he’s asymptomatic, he’ll be back. A week or two. There’s no tear, there’s no surgery, nothing more than treating and waiting until he’s asymptomatic and getting him back on the field. He was still feeling sore, but after we checked we’re confident it’s nothing that will linger long term.”
In five Cactus League games this year, Seager is hitting .231 (3-for-13) with a double.
After being called up from Triple-A Oklahoma last September, he slashed .337/.425/.561 in 27 games played for the Dodgers.
Seager is the preseason, consensus favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year honors.
(Photo Credit: John Locher/AP)
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