If the current five members of the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ starting rotation can find a way to battle and stay effective for about another four to six weeks, veteran help may be arriving to provide some much needed vigor and support. However, if one or more of the present starters takes a turn for the worse, the club may have to turn to the farm as an alternative in the interim.
Continue reading “Dodgers Injury Notes: McCarthy, Ryu Nearing Rehab Starts”
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Continue reading “Stripling, Dodgers Strive for Redemption Against Padres”
All that pressure got you down
Has your head spinning all around
Feel the rhythm, check the ride
Come on along and have a real good timeLe Freak – Chic
Remember last Monday? When the Dodgers scored 15 runs, Kershaw threw seven innings of shutout ball allowing only one hit, and all was right with the world? Here we are a mere week later, and all those good feelings have gone away. Coming off losing three of four to the Giants, one of which included Ross Stripling being pulled from his no-hitter in the 7th to see the lead gone in two pitches, one can only think that the Dodgers season is doomed, done, over. Time to pack it in, forget that there are 155 games left to go.
Continue reading “Ahhhhhhh…….Freak Out! (le Freak, c’est Chic)”
(Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
If setup man Chris Hatcher would have successfully shutdown the Giants in the eighth inning of Friday night’s game, and Kenley Jansen enter the ninth to strikeout the side in trademark fashion, the Dodgers’ decision to remove rookie Ross Stripling amidst a no-hit bid through 7-1/3 innings would be considerably less controversial.
Instead, baseball writers and pundits across the country thrived on the outcome, composing articles with hypothetical finishes until the wee hours of the morning, ultimately questioning manager Dave Roberts‘ decision to not let Stripling finish what he started.
Continue reading “Dodgers Bullpen: Two Games Do Not a Season Make”
(Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports)
After being probably the biggest question mark encompassing most of the Dodgers’ spring camp, manager Dave Roberts finally named the fifth starter in the pitching rotation Friday afternoon, announcing that 26-year old righty Ross Stripling will take the hill on April 8 against the Giants.
Continue reading “Ross Stripling Earns Dodgers’ Fifth Rotation Spot”
(Photo Credit: mlb.com)
During the final days leading up to the beginning of the 2016 Cactus League season, very few questions remained regarding how exactly the Dodgers’ 25-man roster would be constructed to start the regular season. Today, however, with each passing hour, some of the best Dodger bloggers in the business are finding it difficult to keep up with every single developing story that affects the team’s prospective roster.
Continue reading “Who Earns Fifth Spot in Dodgers Starting Rotation?”
(Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports)
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””
Although the starting pitching rotation for the 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers is still very much in doubt, the same cannot be said for their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Truth be told, after a brief analysis of available starting pitchers on the farm, nine different hurlers have a legitimate shot at vying for a rotation spot in OKC. Let’s take a look at all nine pitchers, listing their ages come Opening Day, number of option years remaining, and where they may begin their respective 2016 campaigns.
Needless to say, that’s a very crowded yet talented list. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi may decide to simplify things by moving a few to the bullpen, or more likely, use several as trade pieces in a package for a much needed impact starter at the big league level.
Carlos Frias may command a spot on the 25-man roster, perhaps filling the role that Juan Nicasio held last season as long man or spot starter. Frias made 17 appearances including 13 starts for the Dodgers last season, hurling 77.2 innings to a tune of a 4.06 ERA.
Both Mike Bolsinger and Joe Wieland are also considered MLB-ready, and barring any trade or the need to begin the season in the Dodgers rotation, will certainly fill starting roles for OKC.
After a hot start, Bolsinger ended up contributing 109 innings over 21 starts in the bigs, compiling a 6-6 record with a 3.63 ERA and a 8.1 K/9.
Wieland made two unsuccessful starts for the Dodgers in 2015, but put up relatively consistent numbers for OKC. He threw 113 innings over 21 starts and posted a 4.59 ERA.
Former first-round draft pick Zach Lee had a nightmare of a debut for the Dodgers, but put up solid numbers in Triple-A. Lee hurled 113 innings over 19 starts sporting a 2.70 ERA. He also likely fills a starting slot for Oklahoma City.
Having had Tommy John surgery and sitting out all of 2014, Ross Stripling returned and pitched 67 innings over 13 starts for the Tulsa Drillers last season. He was added to the 40-man in November to protect him from Rule 5 status. Stripling isn’t overpowering, but features a nasty arsenal of breaking pitches much like Bolsinger. Stripling has never thrown at the Triple-A level, and may begin the year at Tulsa just to make room for others at OKC.
Although two completely different pitchers, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas find themselves in similar situations. Cotton had been a starter, and was given an opportunity to relieve late last season, while Montas has proven himself as a reliever but projects as a hard-throwing starter.
Cotton, who probably has the best changeup in the Dodgers system, projects better as a starter due to the lack of velocity on his fastball (90-91 MPH). His breaking pitches are his best weapons, leading him to a 10.7 K/9 in almost 100 innings of work last year.
Whether an honest evaluation, or an attempt to make him look attractive to other teams as a trade piece, Andrew Friedman continues to hype the talent of Montas. Friedman believes that his fastball-slider combo is among the best in the minors and often touts his triple-digit fastball. If able to maintain his command as a starter, there’s no doubt Montas will climb to the top of the Triple-A rotation quickly.
Perhaps the two most talented starters among the entire group are José De León and Julio Urias. Although both have ascended through the Dodgers’ system rapidly, neither is on the 40-man roster.
In terms of control, fastball velocity, mental maturity and overall talent, De León is fully developed physically and ready to go. If there’s still a crowded house come Opening Day, he may begin the season at Tulsa, but should make the jump to Triple-A quickly and be ready for a fall call-up when rosters expand in September.
Urias, the prized-possession of the farm, most likely needs one additional season on an innings count due to the fact that he’s still developing physically. He may be promoted to the 40-man at some point depending on the movement of other players, but like De León, should get a taste come September.
Based on no players being moved, and no service needed at the MLB level (assuming the Dodgers sign somebody like Kenta Maeda and one other free agent pitcher), we see things shaping up like this:
Of course, all this could change with an injury or any type of trade. Although the logjam could create some minor headaches for the managers and directors on the farm, it’s certainly a good problem to have — especially when the big league squad needs all the help it can get.
(Photo Credit: MLB.com)
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