Sanlmar, are you impressed with the Dodgers yet?

[Dan Druff]

Dodgers now 47-26, with the 2nd best record in baseball, and closing in on the best.

Offense is killing it. Cody Bellinger looking like a legit superstar -- at least so far,

Lineup so potent that Puig is batting 8th despite 13 HR.

Justin Turner hitting near .400 when he's healthy enough to play.

One super ace (Kershaw), two good-this-year guys whose upside has always been praised (McCarthy and Wood), one pitcher who can be good again if he stays healthy (Hill), and then a 5th spot which doesn't matter much because they are winning so much in the other 4 spots. And if Urias gets healthy and works things out in the minors, watch out.

One of the best closers in baseball.

Yes, it helps that the NL has so many bad teams this year, but this is really an excellent team. And they're doing it all without your least favorite player (Adrian Gonzalez).

The only reason this team may not win 100 games will be having to face the Rockies and Dbacks fairly often, but they still might.

Dodgers have also won almost 3/4 of their games at home.

Ready to give them credit yet?

[tyde]

last World Series Championship

1988

/thread

[tyde]

SF Giants

3 rings in the last 6 years

any questions ?

[lewfather]

DIDN'T READ BUT

Win a world series and we'll talk business.

[tyde]

DIDN'T READ BUT

Win a world series and we'll talk business.

exactly

[Dan Druff]

SF Giants

3 rings in the last 6 years

any questions ?

Yes, a few.

1) How does it feel for your team to be in last place behind the awful Padres?

2) How does it feel that your team's last "World Championship" came during an 87-win season which included 3 losing months?

Bottom line is that it's not 2014 anymore.

The Dodgers (who were a better team in 2014 than the Giants anyway) are excellent now, and the Giants are terrible.

[tyde]

how about the Dodgers AND you go fuck yourselves

win a ring and then you can talk shit

lol 30 years

[Henry]

DIDN'T READ BUT

Win a world series and we'll talk business.

[Jayjami]

Dodgers now 47-26, with the 2nd best record in baseball, and closing in on the best.

Offense is killing it. Cody Bellinger looking like a legit superstar -- at least so far,

Lineup so potent that Puig is batting 8th despite 13 HR.

Justin Turner hitting near .400 when he's healthy enough to play.

One super ace (Kershaw), two good-this-year guys whose upside has always been praised (McCarthy and Wood), one pitcher who can be good again if he stays healthy (Hill), and then a 5th spot which doesn't matter much because they are winning so much in the other 4 spots. And if Urias gets healthy and works things out in the minors, watch out.

One of the best closers in baseball.

Yes, it helps that the NL has so many bad teams this year, but this is really an excellent team. And they're doing it all without your least favorite player (Adrian Gonzalez).

The only reason this team may not win 100 games will be having to face the Rockies and Dbacks fairly often, but they still might.

Dodgers have also won almost 3/4 of their games at home.

Ready to give them credit yet?

The Dodgers are going nowhere in the playoffs unless they get a proven number 2 starter behind Kershaw. It has been the same for the past five years. Their overall starting pitching is good enough to beat average teams, but not good enough for playoff teams like the Nationals and the Cubs. Do you have confidence that Alex Wood can carry us in the playoffs? I don't.

BTW, going to Blue Heaven tonight to see another Dodger victory. The Mets look just awful.

[Texter]

Dodgers now 47-26, with the 2nd best record in baseball, and closing in on the best.

Offense is killing it. Cody Bellinger looking like a legit superstar -- at least so far,

Lineup so potent that Puig is batting 8th despite 13 HR.

Justin Turner hitting near .400 when he's healthy enough to play.

One super ace (Kershaw), two good-this-year guys whose upside has always been praised (McCarthy and Wood), one pitcher who can be good again if he stays healthy (Hill), and then a 5th spot which doesn't matter much because they are winning so much in the other 4 spots. And if Urias gets healthy and works things out in the minors, watch out.

One of the best closers in baseball.

Yes, it helps that the NL has so many bad teams this year, but this is really an excellent team. And they're doing it all without your least favorite player (Adrian Gonzalez).

The only reason this team may not win 100 games will be having to face the Rockies and Dbacks fairly often, but they still might.

Dodgers have also won almost 3/4 of their games at home.

Ready to give them credit yet?

The Dodgers are going nowhere in the playoffs unless they get a proven number 2 starter behind Kershaw. It has been the same for the past five years. Their overall starting pitching is good enough to beat average teams, but not good enough for playoff teams like the Nationals and the Cubs. Do you have confidence that Alex Wood can carry us in the playoffs? I don't.

BTW, going to Blue Heaven tonight to see another Dodger victory. The Mets look just awful.

Greinke was pretty legit, and the Dodgers still didn't get it done

[Sanlmar]

Can someone please help me with I/GS? Innings per game start.

Dodgers provide very little opportunity for betting so I haven't given them a whole lot of focus. Yet, I have prolly seen more games than anyone else on the east coast with MLB channel.


Impressions:
The bullpen is effective. Jansen is lights out, of course.

Starting pitching is hard to get a fix on. Wood is good. The rest is a bunch of moveable parts. Dodgers have mastered the unintended consequence of the 10 day DL. Shuttle them back and forth to AAA.

5 innings per start is like some kind of new norm. But we are talking playoffs. There is a whiff of bailing wire and glue here. I need some numbers. I/GS

Is Kershaw/Wood a playoff tandem?
Is Kershaw gonna lead the league in innings pitched? He may have to. 110 a game? I have a hunch this isn't sustainable this year. (I am more dismissive than most when using pitchers' previous year stats. It gives you a general feel for the guy but each year is unique.) I have a powerful feeling he is going to labor through some physical issue we will never know about.

What do the value guys do at the deadline? Do they show any intent to go for broke or is another playoff berth enough to fill the seats? Winning the World Series comes at a cost. Dodgers haven't been willing to pay the price recently. Teams wax and wane. Giants & Royals are unwinding - this is natural and healthy. Time to polish their rings. Dodgers seemed happy with a consistent mediocrity in a weak division.


The NL West is fantastic. It's going to be an epic run to the finish amongst the 3 teams. Maybe historic. Dodgers may have to fight thru the Wildcard bracket.

My criticism of Dodgers historically was their strength of schedule and joke of a division. It's like the Patriots' regular romp of AFC East. Except Belichick positions his team for playoff tourney. Dodgers NEVER had a tourney team. Not sure they have one now.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

Can someone please help me with I/GS? Innings per game start.

I don't know specifics, but I have both wood/Kershaw on my fantasy teams and they rarely let wood go more than 6...im sure when he had that minor shoulder scare that they freaked the fuck out because dude has been lights out this year...Kershaw is Kershaw...he'll get his 100-110 pitches...he does worry me...ill be honest I havent paid close attention to him in previous years, but he's gotten fucking whacked around twice since i traded for him...just doesn't seem like vintage kershaw...was watching the game last night and think hill set some sorta record by pitching 5 or less innings in his first 9 starts of the year...

[gut]

I remember being a big fan of Wood (*giggling*) a few years ago on some thread when Druff was calling him a fail pitcher. Kid was already a legit 3-4 guy with the Braves, now his control has improved and his velocity has gone up. He's feasting on the corners. 1.90 era might not be sustainable, but most of his numbers dont scream heavy regression. He's a legit 2.50 era guy now, not bad for a #2.

With the Dodgers depth I don't see them losing the division/stuck in a wildcard game. That Rockies rotation is a lot of smoke-n-mirrors success so far, AZ is more of a threat IMO, but their depth can't compare to LA.

I know Sanlmar disagrees with this (or maybe he doesnt and just needles Druff with it) but I think Friedman is doing a great job as GM. Get that lottery ticket into the playoffs and then see what happens. Don't overspend on fading stars. Have 10+ average or better starters to get through the grind of 162. Smart usage of their giant wallet.

[gut]

might as well do the blast from the past in this thread.

[Sanlmar]

C'mon Gut - lottery ticket.

Druff was big on using the term variance to plug the hole that was lack of understanding. I always thought it was an interesting insight into his world view.

It was like that Stevie Wonder song "Superstition"..... when you believe in things you don't understand. Instead, when things happen that you don't understand.

We've been through the luckbox lottery ticket view of baseball playoffs before.

Let's keep it easy. Hit Wiki and review the teams who make the World Series finals. You will find a recurrence of the same names in bunches. Unbelievable luck?

The height of Druff's use of variance involved the Royals years and the rocks thrown back and forth with Searles. Yet there the Royals were back to back. Almost 2 rings in a row.

Meanwhile Kershaw was doing HIS big game thing in the playoffs - with zero bullpen by Dodgers choice.

The College World Series is playing. College baseball is a huge tournament game. Tournament approach is how teams are built.

[gut]

C'mon Gut - lottery ticket.

Druff was big on using the term variance to plug the hole that was lack of understanding. I always thought it was an interesting insight into his world view.

It was like that Stevie Wonder song "Superstition"..... when you believe in things you don't understand. Instead, when things happen that you don't understand.

We've been through the luckbox lottery ticket view of baseball playoffs before.

Let's keep it easy. Hit Wiki and review the teams who make the World Series finals. You will find a recurrence of the same names in bunches. Unbelievable luck?

The height of Druff's use of variance involved the Royals years and the rocks thrown back and forth with Searles. Yet there the Royals were back to back. Almost 2 rings in a row.

Meanwhile Kershaw was doing HIS big game thing in the playoffs - with zero bullpen by Dodgers choice.

The College World Series is playing. College baseball is a huge tournament game. Tournament approach is how teams are built.

Have you reviewed that and then compared it to other major sports? Baseball, despite having no forced parity in play (salary cap and etc) has now become the sport with the most parity. There hasn't been back-to-back champs since the Yankees in 98-99. There are some bunches recently (royals, giants winning 3 in 6 years) but overall if you can just make the playoffs (ideally as a division winner) youve got as good of a shot as anyone compared to the other major sports.

NHL should, in theory, have the most parity, but hey look only 3 teams have won the cup in the past 7 years, including the Pens b2b right now. Look at those three teams and its similar to the "lol-parity" style of the NBA. NBA=have 2 of the best 5 players in the game and/or 3 of the best 10, you'll probably win. NHL=have 2 of the best 7 forwards and a decent enough goalie.

The NFL has simply become a quarterbacks league, and while "any given sunday" is still true, it only results in super bowl wins maybe once a decade (00 ravens, broncos year before last). MLB is the most random, getting that lottery ticket is half the battle.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

C'mon Gut - lottery ticket.

Druff was big on using the term variance to plug the hole that was lack of understanding. I always thought it was an interesting insight into his world view.

It was like that Stevie Wonder song "Superstition"..... when you believe in things you don't understand. Instead, when things happen that you don't understand.

We've been through the luckbox lottery ticket view of baseball playoffs before.

Let's keep it easy. Hit Wiki and review the teams who make the World Series finals. You will find a recurrence of the same names in bunches. Unbelievable luck?

The height of Druff's use of variance involved the Royals years and the rocks thrown back and forth with Searles. Yet there the Royals were back to back. Almost 2 rings in a row.

Meanwhile Kershaw was doing HIS big game thing in the playoffs - with zero bullpen by Dodgers choice.

The College World Series is playing. College baseball is a huge tournament game. Tournament approach is how teams are built.

Have you reviewed that and then compared it to other major sports? Baseball, despite having no forced parity (salary cap and etc) in play has now become the sport with the most parity. There hasn't been back-to-back champs since the Yankees in 98-99. There are some bunches recently (royals, giants winning 3 in 6 years) but overall if you can just make the playoffs (ideally as a division winner) youve got as good of a shot as anyone compared to the other major sports.

NHL should, in theory, have the most parity, but hey look only 3 teams have won the cup in the past 7 years, including the Pens b2b right now. Look at those three teams and its similar to the "lol-parity" style of the NBA. NBA=have 2 of the best 5 players in the game and/or 3 of the best 10, you'll probably win. NHL=have 2 of the best 7 forwards and a decent enough goalie.

The NFL has simply become a quarterbacks league, and while "any given sunday" is still true, it only results in super bowl wins maybe once a decade (00 ravens, broncos year before last). MLB is the the most random, getting that lottery ticket is half the battle.

think with baseball as strange as it sounds the loooooooooong season leads to parity...you would figure more sample size the cream would rise to the top...but so many injuries it almost becomes a war of attrition...got a buddy whose dad is a been involved in pitching in a high capacity for decades...he said pitchers these days are throwing 95+ but aren't conditioning themselves right as far as building strength in the supporting muscles/tendons in their elbows...that's why you're seeing so many TJ surgeries...

[gut]

Have you reviewed that and then compared it to other major sports? Baseball, despite having no forced parity (salary cap and etc) in play has now become the sport with the most parity. There hasn't been back-to-back champs since the Yankees in 98-99. There are some bunches recently (royals, giants winning 3 in 6 years) but overall if you can just make the playoffs (ideally as a division winner) youve got as good of a shot as anyone compared to the other major sports.

NHL should, in theory, have the most parity, but hey look only 3 teams have won the cup in the past 7 years, including the Pens b2b right now. Look at those three teams and its similar to the "lol-parity" style of the NBA. NBA=have 2 of the best 5 players in the game and/or 3 of the best 10, you'll probably win. NHL=have 2 of the best 7 forwards and a decent enough goalie.

The NFL has simply become a quarterbacks league, and while "any given sunday" is still true, it only results in super bowl wins maybe once a decade (00 ravens, broncos year before last). MLB is the the most random, getting that lottery ticket is half the battle.

think with baseball as strange as it sounds the loooooooooong season leads to parity...you would figure more sample size the cream would rise to the top...but so many injuries it almost becomes a war of attrition...got a buddy whose dad is a been involved in pitching in a high capacity for decades...he said pitchers these days are throwing 95+ but aren't conditioning themselves right as far as building strength in the supporting muscles/tendons in their elbows...that's why you're seeing so many TJ surgeries...

This ties into what you are saying, but also the fact that good athletic kids are now being "forced" at a young age to stick with only one sport, and play it all year. Your great pitchers from the last century, when they were kids, they played baseball in the summer only, then basketball/football/track/whatever else during the other seasons. Now you have 17 year olds pitching non-stop like 10 months a year. Not good for the 'bows.

[GambleBotsChafedPenis]

think with baseball as strange as it sounds the loooooooooong season leads to parity...you would figure more sample size the cream would rise to the top...but so many injuries it almost becomes a war of attrition...got a buddy whose dad is a been involved in pitching in a high capacity for decades...he said pitchers these days are throwing 95+ but aren't conditioning themselves right as far as building strength in the supporting muscles/tendons in their elbows...that's why you're seeing so many TJ surgeries...

This ties into what you are saying, but also the fact that good athletic kids are now being "forced" at a young age to stick with only one sport, and play it all year. Your great pitchers from the last century, when they were kids, they played baseball in the summer only, then basketball/football/track/whatever else during the other seasons. Now you have 17 year olds pitching non-stop like 10 months a year. Not good for the 'bows.

not gonna waste much space with this other than saying you couldn't be more right...

[ftpjesus]

Everybody arguing over Dodger Giants etc.. How about the fact that the NL West is by far the hardest and brutalist division in baseball this year.. Its a 3 headed monster with Colorado and the Dbacks along with Dodgers... I don't even think its a question the division is going to likely provide both WC and whats worse the 2 WCs may in fact have the 2nd and 3rd best records in the League and even baseball possibly and because of the playoff rules the WC winner is going to play the division winner meaning the top 3 teams will end up fighting to the death in short order so that quoting the Highlander "There can be only one".. How does this all end...

Looking at the Dodgers, Colorado and Dbacks.. The rule is it comes down to pitching given everything being the same overall.. (Currently Dbacks have the best ERA in Baseball @ 3.53 and yes its almost a deadheat with LA who is 3.54) Hate to say it but the Dbacks are going to likely be in the NLCS and maybe the World Series as one of the biggest surprises in baseball history.. Nobody saw this coming.. As I speak the Dbacks will have administered back to back beatdowns on Colorado in Colorado which is making a statement (considering the heart break of the only loss they had on their road trip they could've rolled over and gotten ready to go home).. The Dbacks now have series against Colorado at home where they've been brutal to beat coming up and they Play LA in LA just before the All Star Break.. I actually suspect the Dbacks will have the division lead by 2-3 games by the All Star Break (giving LA and Colorado enough credit that they too will continue on their insane win rate within a couple games).