While it’s probably entirely too early for team management to begin piecing together roster ideas for the upcoming season, it certainly doesn’t hurt when fans begin brainstorming about areas of the squad that could eventually fall under heavy scrutiny about four months from now.
Continue reading “Dodgers Roster: Putting Together A Working Outfield for 2017”
After concluding that his lower back problems wouldn’t respond to any additional rest, the Dodgers placed outfielder Trayce Thompson on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday, and in turn recalled utility man Zach Walters from Oklahoma City.
Continue reading “Trayce Thompson Lands on DL, Zach Walters Recalled”
“Oh, yeah, it’s rollercoaster time
Lovin’ you is really wild
Oh, it?s just a love rollercoaster
Step right up and get your tickets!”
~Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sometimes, I suppose, it’s easy for us to forget how lucky we are. We get bogged down in the day to day minutia and only focus on the bad things happening to us. This happens with sports fandom also. It’s so easy to focus on all the things that are going wrong with your team, that you don’t see all the amazing things that are happening in front of you.
“Cue the music out the driveway
Slow summer on a Friday
Here we go again, wild in the wind
Mama knows she’s gonna be late”
~David Nail
Last week was almost the tale of two different teams. But then again, the games were against the best team in the National League, and then the worst team in the National League. The Dodgers offense sputtered against the Chicago Cubs pitchers, except for the Cubs bullpen in Tuesday’s game, losing three of four against them, then came home to sweep the Braves.
Despite the very noticeable smile from Corey Seager after the Dodgers‘ 4-2 victory over the Braves on Friday night, the young shortstop seemed more concerned with the momentum of his team instead of any personal accolades with the lumber.
Continue reading “Seager, Thompson Leading Dodgers’ Offensive Charge”
When a team is succeeding and winning at a very high rate, very few statistical aspects of the game are carefully analyzed under a microscope, at least by the fans. Yet when the same squad is underachieving or playing below a set level of expectations, constant scrutiny tends to soar to incredible levels.
Continue reading “Better Outfield Option: Trayce Thompson or Carl Crawford?”
“Times have changed and times are strange
Here I come but I ain’t the same
Mama I’m Coming Home”
~Ozzy Osbourne
Part of the fun of doing a weekly baseball column is that so many things vary from week to week. Last week I was looking for optimistic things to write about. This week is a bit easier. The Dodgers‘ offensive and bullpen woes are still there, but a winning road trip capped off with win on Mother’s Day is always cause for celebration.
(Photo Credit: mlb.com)
After a seemingly endless seven years in the Chicago White Sox farm system, Dodgers’ rookie Trayce Thompson is finally living his dream as a starting outfielder, and if his early performances are any indication of the future, may conceivably stick to the big league, 25-man roster over the long haul.
With both Carl Crawford and Scott Van Slyke on the 15-day disabled list suffering back problems, Thompson was the easy choice for the starting nod in left field. Even when lefty-killer Enrique Hernandez is inserted into the outfield lineup to get his share of hacks, Thompson can be shifted to any of the three outfield spots, as his defense is undoubtedly the strongest point of his game.
Continue reading “Trayce Thompson Amidst Immense Career Chance”
Think Blue Planning Committee 