May 2015 – Page 4 – Dodger Thoughts

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For images from Wednesday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Just as the Dodger bullpen is poised to welcome back Kenley Jansen, the team has had to place Pedro Baez on the disabled list with a right pectoral strain.

For now, Daniel Coulombe has come back to the Dodgers from Oklahoma City, while Jansen’s return, originally scheduled for Saturday, could be moved up to Friday as circumstances warrant. Jansen aced his final rehab assignment with two strikeouts in a perfect inning for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Don Mattingly, who had been ejected from the game earlier after a call against the Dodgers was not overturned by replay, was watching on television from his office, and said today he wondered if something was amiss with Baez when he saw him throw consecutive changeups to Dee Gordon. Baez had struck out his three previous batters.

On the next pitch, Baez threw his slowest fastball of the game (admittedly, still 94 mph, but down from 99 mph six pitches earlier), and Gordon smacked it for a double, and next thing you knew, Yasmani Grandal was calling for Stan Conte.

Mattingly wasn’t happy to lose Baez, even with Jansen serving as a de facto replacement, but he did acknowledge that the mid-May rest could be a silver lining over the long haul of the season.

“With so many guys throwing mid-to-high 90s, stuff happens,” Mattingly said.

As for the replay controversy, Mattingly said the team received a phone call from MLB admitting that Giancarlo Stanton’s catch of Howie Kendrick’s sinking liner in the bottom of the fourth should have been overturned, but the Dodger manager pledged he was moving on.

“I’m over replay,” he said, smiling. “I’m not gonna get upset about replay anymore. I’m done complaining.”

It’s a great night for baseball

By Jon Weisman

On May 14, 2015

In Thinking out loud

By Jon Weisman

My dad, who introduced me to baseball, turns 80 today.

It’s not that, without his influence, I might not have discovered baseball or fallen in love with it. And in some ways, I’m a different kind of fan than he is. I’m more single-mindedly devoted to the Dodgers, more sabermetrically oriented.

And yet, it’s impossible for me to separate my baseball upbringing and baseball life from my dad, who took me to my first games, who first showed me the Baseball Encyclopedia and Street & Smith’s, who bought my first All-Star Baseball and Strat-o-Matic games and my Sporting News subscription, who introduced me to “Strange but True Baseball Stories” and “The Kid from Tomkinsville,” who allowed me to make my deal with the devil for what he called a lifetime pass to the Dodgers in 1982.

I still recall riding in the back of our ’76 Plymouth van with a new pack of baseball cards, one of them a historical Walter Johnson card, and I was sure I could catch him in ignorance by asking how many strikeouts Johnson had in his career. When my dad shot back at me “3,509,” that moment, as much as any other in my life, might have shaped me as a baseball fan. It wasn’t just a game. It was a history. It was a lifetime devotion that would never stop repaying your investment.

All this from a Cubs fan who has been waiting 70 years to return to Wrigley Field for a World Series game, like the one he went to at age 10 in 1945.

By happy accident, something I couldn’t have planned even if I tried, my daughter’s school choir is singing the National Anthem before tonight’s game. On his 80th birthday. So months ago, my dad and my extended family made plans to celebrate his birthday here at Dodger Stadium tonight. It’s been something I’ve been looking forward to for months, a confluence of events so great but so unlikely, almost as unlikely as … mid-May thunderstorms in drought-stricken Southern California.

Sigh …

I’m still optimistic we’ll get everything in, even if there are delays. We’re celebrating a life today, and what is life without delays? As much of a fan as he is, I know my dad is more excited to see all of us together and see his granddaughter singing — even singin’ in the rain — than the game itself.

So yes, it’s a great night for baseball.

In case you missed it: Turner’s transformation

By Jon Weisman

On May 13, 2015

In In case you missed it, Offense, Pregame

Justin Turner has a .918 OPS in 383 plate appearances as a Dodger. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

For images from Tuesday, visit LA Photog Blog.

Marlins at Dodgers, 4:50 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Alex Guerrero, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Kiké Hernandez, SS
Carlos Frias, P

By Jon Weisman

When you’re 22-10 overall and have won 25 of your past 29 home games, you tend to generate a lot of stories. Here are a few …

Justin Turner reinvented himself as a hitter after former Mets teammate Marlon Byrd suggested he reverse his past approach and “move his contact point more out in front,” Turner tells Eno Sarris of Fangraphs.
Clayton Kershaw talked to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports about luck and execution. Not surprisingly, Kershaw believes his problem has been the latter.
We’ve talked already about how powerful the Dodger offense has been relative to franchise history. Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs does the work to show that in MLB history, the team is on pace to do something unprecedented.

…The Dodgers, without their pitchers, stand with a wRC+ of 142. The Royals are still in second, at 116. A few things about this. First, the highest team wRC+ marks since 1950, leaving pitchers out:

It’s the Dodgers, and it’s the Dodgers by a landslide. The Dodgers, obviously, have played only a partial season. The Dodgers, probably obviously, won’t finish this season as high as 142. They’ll come back to the pack, and I have to imagine the probability is they won’t be No. 1 on this list come season’s end. But, who’s to say? What’s happened is what’s happened, and it hasn’t all been a fluke. And besides, this isn’t a projection post. This is a post intended to review what has taken place. The Dodgers have basically hit like a lineup full of All-Stars. Not uncommon to see for a few games in a row. Far less common to see for several weeks.
Thirty years ago today, in the midst of an American League MVP season, Don Mattingly capped a Yankee comeback from an 8-1 deficit with a three-run walkoff homer in the ninth inning, as Chris Landers recollects at Cut4.
Carson Cistulli of Fangraphs on today’s starter, Carlos Frias:

… Frias, a relative unknown before joining the Dodgers bullpen last year — and still something other than a household name — has recorded both an expected FIP and average fastball velocity both more than 1.5 standard deviations better than the respective means produced by the league’s starters. He also throws strikes at a rate roughly one standard deviation better than those same starters. What this particular game represents is an opportunity to observe Frias en route to excellence. It is, in short, an emergent need that requires the attention of the reader …

Old-Timers Game: The 1970s infield reunited

By Jon Weisman

On May 13, 2015

In Uncategorized

By Jon Weisman

Cey. Russell. Lopes. Garvey.

Not since the final game of the 1981 World Series has the legendary infield been in the same lineup together. That changes at Saturday’s Old-Timers Game at Dodger Stadium, when Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey reunite on the Orel Hershiser-managed home team.

There’s going to be a great turnout for the Old-Timers festivities, which begin at 4 p.m. with introductions honoring the 50th anniversary of the 1965 World Series championship team and the 60th anniversary of the 1955 World Series titlists. Among those scheduled for salutes are Sandy Koufax, Tommy Lasorda, Don Newcombe, Tommy Davis, “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Al Ferrara, Wes Parker, Ron Fairly, Wally Moon, Roger Craig, Ron Perranoski, Ed Roebuck, Jeff Torborg and Dick Traceweski, along with Manny Mota and Charlie Hough.

Though there could be some trades before gametime, here are the current rosters for the two teams playing in the game itself, which also welcomes back MLB Ambassador of Inclusion and onetime Dodger Billy Bean:

Team Orel
Infielders/catchers: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Ron Cey, Steve Sax, Steve Yeager
Outfielders: Pedro Guerrero, Mickey Hatcher, Jerry Hairston, Mike Marshall, Billy Bean
Pitchers: Orel Hershiser, Darren Dreifort, Chan Ho Park

Team Nomar
Infielders/catchers: Maury Wills, Eric Karros, Nomar Garciaparra, Tim Wallach, Derrel Thomas, Todd Zeile
Outfielders: Shawn Green, Ken Landreaux, Rick Monday, Steve Finley
Pitchers: Fernando Valenzuela, Tommy John, Rick Honeycutt

After the Old-Timers Game, the Dodgers play the Rockies at 6:10 p.m. (with a 1965 World Series replica ring being given to the first 40,000 fans in attendance.) Don’t miss this great day of baseball.

‘Wild Child, I will take that’: Vin Scully on Satchel Paige

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2015

In History

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Of Satchel Paige, Whitey Herzog and holes in fences … in the words of Vin Scully from Tuesday’s broadcast.

— Jon Weisman

Andre Ethier’s monster comeback hits new level: 5 for 5

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2015

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

In a Dodger season already overflowing with incredible stories, Andre Ethier is big-fonting his own headlines.

Continuing his rebound from career lows offensively in 2012, Ethier went 5 for 5 in the Dodgers’ 11-1 victory tonight over Miami.

Ethier pushed his 2015 OPS to 1.021 and has six consecutive hits dating back to Monday. Ethier holds the Los Angeles Dodger record (and is tied for the all-time franchise mark) with 10 consecutive hits in August 2012.

“It’s a good feeling,” Ethier said. “You’re doing what you want to do — every at-bat, you want to get a hit. But more importantly, it’s just keeping this thing going and building off that momentum from last night.”

"Andre's swinging the bat really well. He's totally healthy at this point, and it's probably been a while since that happened." – Mattingly

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) May 13, 2015

Although Ethier had one of five hits off old friend Dan Haren in the first two innings, they were still trailing 1-0 on Giancarlo Stanton’s out-of-Dodger Stadium home run. However, the next two Dodger hits were solo homers by Howie Kendrick and Ethier in the third and fourth innings to give Los Angeles the lead. (Haren might have been adversely affected by a first-inning Kendrick shot that struck his arm.)

Then, in the fifth and sixth innings, the Dodgers unloaded for nine runs on 10 hits, giving them more than double their already impressive season-long run production.

In all, the Dodgers had a season-high 21 hits. Kendrick’s 4-for-5 night put his at .871. Alex Guerrero, who Mattingly said has turned third base into a three-person rotation with Juan Uribe and Justin Turner, had a double and two singles and is OPSing 1.177.

The Dodgers are 15-2 at home — the best home start in franchise history — and have already clinched their 10th consecutive home series victory, a Los Angeles record.

“Everyone wants to go out there and play well and contribute, and no one’s trying too hard to do too much,” Ethier said. “Someone steps up every night, and that’s just a key thing. … No matter what, whether you succeed or you don’t succeed, everyone’s going to pull for each other.”

As Dodger bats shout, Mike Bolsinger quietly stakes his claim

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2015

In Pitching, Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

A funny thing happened in between Giancarlo Stanton flying one to the moon and the Dodgers playing among their stars.

Mike Bolsinger appears to have grabbed the No. 5 slot in the Dodger starting rotation.

Despite allowing the sixth homer out of Dodger Stadium in the ballpark’s 54-season history, Bolsinger surrendered but one run over 5 2/3 innings for the second time this season, scattering four Miami singles that together didn’t add up to the 478 feet of Stanton’s blastmatic blast.

Bolsinger on Stanton: "You have to laugh a little bit. That's the hardest ball anyone's hit off me … since the last one he hit off me."

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) May 13, 2015

By keeping the Marlins’ offense in park after Stanton’s homer long enough for the Dodgers to rev up a season-high 21 hits and an 11-1 lead through eight innings, Bolsinger maintained his 1.59 ERA, hours after manager Don Mattingly indicated in his pregame chat that the Dodgers were moving past shuffle time with the back of their starting rotation.

Together in four starts this season, Bolsinger and Carlos Frias are averaging six innings per outing, with a 1.88 ERA and 7.1 K/9. Frias faces Miami in Wednesday’s 4:50 p.m. series finale.

The 5.11 on the Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

On May 12, 2015

In Offense, Pregame, Status report, Transactions

For more images from Monday, visit LA Photog Blog.

By Jon Weisman

Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Mike Bolsinger, P
Note: Chris Heisey was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Mike Bolsinger on the active roster.

So, how would you like to face the above pitcher on your average day?

We’ll award points for averaging 8 2/3 innings per game, but otherwise, this guy is really getting pounded.

Or perhaps you’ve already figured out this ruse — the above stats represent the cumulative performance this year of Dodger opposing pitchers, who have been getting pounded at a rate at which even Charlie Brown might cast a saucy eyebrow.

Through games of 5/11, a 5.11 ERA by opponents. Not to mention a home run every 5.5 innings. It’s pretty remarkable. With the season 20 percent complete, Dodger position players have a .364 on-base percentage and .504 slugging percentage.

The Dodgers’ overall .479 slugging percentage this season puts them on pace to top a 62-year-old franchise record of .474.

Walkoff wallop: Scott Van Slyke delayed but not denied

By Jon Weisman

On May 11, 2015

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Last week was peculiar for Scott Van Slyke. Hitting .394 with a .462 on-base percentage and .606 slugging percentage through May 2, Van Slyke went 0 for 10 with five strikeouts from May 3-6, then didn’t get into either of the games over the weekend at Coors Field, where he somewhat predictably had a .985 OPS in 25 plate appearances last year.

Tonight, Van Slyke was in the lineup against Miami, not only facing a right-hander, but for the first time in his career starting in the No. 8 slot. The big outfielder made the most of it.

First, Van Slyke doubled in the fifth inning and appeared to score the Dodgers’ second run on Jimmy Rollins’ deep liner to right, only to be thwarted when Joc Pederson was doubled off first base following Giancarlo Stanton’s great catch and bullet throw.

Van Slyke then made what appeared to be the pivotal play of the game for the Dodgers, catching Adeiny Hechavarria’s bases-loaded liner with one out in the seventh inning and throwing out Christian Yelich at home to perserve a 1-1 tie.

In the bottom of that same inning, Van Slyke singled, went to second on a Yelich error and this time came around to score for real, on a redemptive single to center by Pederson.

Then, after Yelich stunned Dodger reliever Yimi Garcia with a two-run homer in the ninth — the first runs allowed by Dodger relievers at home in their last 38 1/3 innings — Van Slyke came through again.

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The come-from-behind, 5-3 walkoff victory gave the Dodgers a 21-10 record — 14-2 at home — and a season-high five-game lead in the National League West. Already, it’s the Dodgers’ fourth walkoff victory at home in 2015, and in all four of those games they were either trailing at one point or never led.

* * *

It would be wrong to let this game go by without tipping our cap to this play by old friend Dee Gordon.

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Rested Dodger bullpen raises interesting questions

By Jon Weisman

On May 11, 2015

In Bullpen, Pregame

In 10 games this month, Sergio Santos and the Dodger bullpen have allowed 32 baserunners in 28 1/3 innings. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Scott Van Slyke, LF
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Thanks to Friday’s shortened game, Saturday’s rainout and their overall efficiency, Dodger relievers enter the upcoming seven-game homestand having thrown only 42 pitches combined since Thursday and 165 in the past week.

Yimi Garcia’s nine pitches Sunday are his only action in the past seven days. Chris Hatcher is on six days’ rest. Paco Rodriguez hasn’t entered a game since a six-pitch outing five days ago.

Sergio Santos has been one of the hardest-working men in the bullpen for the past week — he was the only Dodger pitcher on the roadtrip to work back-to-back days. Yet even Santos has only thrown 41 pitches — 22 on Wednesday and 19 on Thursday.

He doesn’t seem too worried he is growing stale.

“For the most part, that just usually doesn’t last,” Santos said this afternoon. “You take your lumps when you get them, and you take your days off as you get those as well. It’s really about staying even-keeled and being ready.”

Like the other relievers, he has to find the balance between staying sharp and not overdoing his workout.

“So I’ve had three days off,” he said, “so what I’ll do today is I’ll play catch, and then I’ll probably throw a light 10-to-12-pitch bullpen, just something so I can get downhill. I can flip a couple sliders, throw some changeups and just get that work in. It’s more for the muscle memory. … and if I get to pitch tonight, I’ll still be fine.”

Another factor in the low workload is that the Dodgers have been carrying eight relievers. Ideally, according to Don Mattingly, that would go down to seven.

“It ties your hands a little bit when you go short a (position) player,” Mattingly said. “That’s an area that we have a few guys who have quite a bit of versatility, so it makes that easier, but still there are times .. you just make decisions differently. You might let a pitcher hit one more time, you may not pinch-hit in certain circumstances earlier in the game and just try to save your bullets.”

But with Kenley Jansen close to being activated (he has one more rehab outing scheduled for Wednesday) and 16 games in the next 17 days, it might be hard to make a bullpen cut.

“I think we always want to try to keep everybody rested and keep everybody fresh when they come out, give them the best chance to be successful,” Mattingly said. “Sometimes that happens; sometimes you go through a stretch where you’re into your bullpen a lot. Then there’s times when you’ve gotten good starting pitching, where your bullpen’s not getting that much use. You never know what’s going to happen over the next three or four days.

Don’t miss these great May giveaways

By Jon Weisman

On May 11, 2015

In Promotions

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There’s lots of good stuff to pick up at Dodger Stadium — and with 13 home games over the next 17 days, lots of opportunity, too.

— Jon Weisman

Dodgers’ finishing kick boots Rockies

By Jon Weisman

On May 10, 2015

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw had a snakebit fourth inning today and couldn’t get out of the sixth, but the Dodgers again asserted their late-inning strength to come away with a 9-5 victory at Colorado.

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After Kershaw allowed five runs in the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez’s bases-loaded double tied the game in the top of the fifth. Gonzalez had two doubles against lefty Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa.
Replacing Kershaw with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the sixth, Pedro Baez struck out Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki. In his past seven outings, Baez has a 0.00 ERA and stranded all eight inherited runners, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out nine in 7 1/3 innings.
Reserve utilityman Kiké Hernandez started the eighth inning with a single, and after an A.J. Ellis sacrifice, super-reserve utilityman Justin Turner (batting for Baez) hit his fifth homer in 52 at-bats this season. That started a four-run inning that was capped by Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly to short.
Rookie lefty Adam Liberatore retired all four batters he faced. Incredibly, Liberatore has now faced 27 batters in his MLB career and retired 26 of them.
Yimi Garcia finished things up by striking out the last two batters of the game. Garcia (0.63 ERA) has faced 52 batters this season, allowing four singles and four walks while striking out 23.

Joc Pederson had three of the Dodgers’ 10 walks, while Jimmy Rollins (who scored on the sac fly to short), Howie Kendrick and Chris Heisey also reached base three times apiece. With 14 doubles and 29 RBI, Gonzalez is tied for the National League lead in both categories.

The Dodgers (20-10) extended their NL West lead to a season-high 4 1/2 games.

Clayton Kershaw notches 1,500th career strikeout

By Jon Weisman

On May 10, 2015

In History

Clayton Kershaw, wearing No. 54, makes the first start of his big-league career, May 25, 2008. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

One month and 21 days after his 27th birthday. Clayton Kershaw struck out his 1,500th batter in the Major Leagues, nabbing Drew Stubbs on a called strike three with a curveball in the third inning of today’s game at Colorado.

Kershaw, who is also pursuing his 100th career victory today, struck out exactly 100 batters in his first big-league season in 2008, 185 in 2009 and more than 200 in each of the past five seasons. He entered today’s game with the highest strikeout rate in the Majors (11.9).

Above right is the list of MLB pitchers to reach 1,500 strikeouts in their age-27 year. Kershaw should easily end the year in the top 10 of this group, and has an outside shot at the top five.

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Snow doubt about it for Dodgers, Rockies

By Jon Weisman

On May 10, 2015

In Pregame

So the #Dodgers & #Rockies will attempt to play in this today. pic.twitter.com/F0RB4UqK7O

— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) May 10, 2015

Dodgers at Rockies, 1:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXVI: Kershawppy Mother’s Day!
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Chris Heisey, LF
Kiké Hernandez, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

The sense today is that the Dodgers will get their game in today against the Rockies, despite the snowfall that graced Denver overnight. Efforts to clear the field have been ongoing all morning, and the forecast is promising, if frigid, for the remainder of the day.

The postponement of Saturday’s game was hardly ever in question and was made official two hours before gametime. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com talked to scheduled starting pitcher about it.

“I haven’t pitched in real cold weather in a long time,” Kershaw told Gurnick. “Probably the last time was my first game with Midland in 2007. Pitched against Brett.”

That would be Brett Anderson, who discussed this during his conference call after signing with the Dodgers, as noted here.

On April 5, 2007, the two faced each other in the Class-A Midwest League debut for each: Anderson with South Bend, Kershaw with visiting Great Lakes. Kershaw walked six in 2 1/3 innings, while Anderson allowed five runs (four unearned) and took a hard-luck loss. But the main thing Anderson remembers is that it was about 28 degrees and snowing.

“We were like, ‘What the hell did we get ourselves into? And a few years later, we were pitching in the big leagues at age 21,” Anderson said.

Anderson, in case you missed it, picked up his first complete game since 2011 by lasting five innings in the Dodgers’ rain-shortened 2-1 victory Friday over Colorado. It echoed the five-inning complete-game victory by Kershaw on June 8 last year.

Anderson also had the first complete game with one strikeout by a Dodger pitcher since Orel Hershiser gave up four solo homers but held San Francisco to a 1-for-27 day on balls in play with 16 groundouts during a 7-4 victory June 28, 1994.

Before Kershaw, the Dodgers hadn’t had a weather-shortened complete game since pitching coach Rick Honeycutt was credited with one on April 27, 1984. Honeycutt retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced in a 1-0 Dodger victory, decided by Steve Yeager’s second-inning home run.

In all, Dodger pitchers have had 12 complete games of less than eight innings since the team moved to Los Angeles. All have been on the road.

The Dodgers return to Colorado in only three weeks, for a three-game series beginning June 1. Saturday’s postponed game will probably be rescheduled as part of a doubleheader that week.

.@ClaytonKersh22 and his mom in the most '90s picture ever. Unreal hair. #MLBMoms pic.twitter.com/uFKe9iR3K6

— MLB (@MLB) May 10, 2015

Today, #Dodgers players and coaches are wearing these in support of Sherri Patton, who is battling breast cancer. pic.twitter.com/chxuQXuFoV

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 10, 2015

Alex Guerrero gets consecutive starts in left field

By Jon Weisman

On May 8, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40 p.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Justin Turner, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Alex Guerrero, LF
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

In the first nine games after Carl Crawford’s injury, the Dodgers alternated Alex Guerrero and Scott Van Slyke in left field for each starting lineup. (Van Slyke played right field against Madison Bumgarner in the first of those games).

In tonight’s game — that is, if tonight’s game gets played — Guerrero gets a second consecutive start in left field for the first time this season.

Guerrero (1.264 OPS) walked, was hit by a pitch and homered yesterday, curtailing a brief slump in which he went 1 for 14 with a walk. Van Slyke (.832 OPS), currently in an 0-for-12 stretch, would enjoy a game like that.

Mostly, though, it shows the challenges Don Mattingly faces in finding playing time for so many qualified hitters. No position player wants to sit at Coors Field, even in bad weather, and I do expect we’ll see our share of Van Slyke this weekend.

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Month: May 2015 (Page 4 of 6)

Baez goes to disabled list — Coulombe recalled with Jansen on tap

It’s a great night for baseball

In case you missed it: Turner’s transformation

Old-Timers Game: The 1970s infield reunited

‘Wild Child, I will take that’: Vin Scully on Satchel Paige

Andre Ethier’s monster comeback hits new level: 5 for 5

As Dodger bats shout, Mike Bolsinger quietly stakes his claim

The 5.11 on the Dodgers

Walkoff wallop: Scott Van Slyke delayed but not denied

Rested Dodger bullpen raises interesting questions

Don’t miss these great May giveaways

Dodgers’ finishing kick boots Rockies

Clayton Kershaw notches 1,500th career strikeout

Snow doubt about it for Dodgers, Rockies

Alex Guerrero gets consecutive starts in left field

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