Tim Federowicz has been sent down to Albuquerque to make room for the return from the disabled list of Mark Ellis.
The Dodgers are 6-13 since Ellis’ last start for the team.
Ted Lilly is expected to come off the disabled list this week. He will either take the spot in the starting rotation of today’s starter, Matt Magill, or will go to the bullpen. Javy Guerra is probably heading back to Albuquerque soon, if not to make room for Lilly then for Scott Elbert, whose return is also fairly imminent.
Things look bleak again for the Dodgers after a short respite, but Chris Capuano’s appearance Saturday was briefly encouraging, even if there’s a hint of health concern again for the lefty, according to The Associated Press.
… Capuano said he told Mattingly after his last at-bat in the eighth inning to be prepared to pull him out of the game because he had lingering problems with a strained calf.
“It wasn’t affecting pitch execution out there,” Capuano said. “It just feels a little tired. I’ve got an extra day before the next start. With treatment and stuff we should be able to get that ready.” …
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Scott Van Slyke, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Nick Punto, SS
Matt Magill, P
Anonymous
Glad to see SVS in the line-up again. He should have been here weeks ago. He must have wondered home many HRs he had to hit to get another start. One step forward, one step back. Should not have sent Fedex down and kept Hernandez.
Anonymous
Federowicz may not be the next Roy Campanella, but Hernández isn’t even Rod Barajas or Dioner Navarro. Perhaps not that meaningful in its own right, but as a symptom of Colletti’s inability to cut deadwood.
Jon Weisman
This may be true, but the martyring of Tim Federowicz is a bit more than I can bear.
Anonymous
I think Fedex is capable of playing twice a week with no cataclysmic dropoff from A.J., but Hernández can’t do it even once.
Anonymous
Fedex has something like .400 OPS.
Anonymous
In the bigs, tiny sample size.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Well that’s almost double what Ramon is putting up.
Honestly FedEx isn’t even the big issue, it’s just that on a team doing so bad with so much dead weight it’s strange not to get some of the more rotten apples. But of course FedEx has options, and hey maybe some more of the bottom feeders are cut loose this week with guys coming off the DL.
Jon Weisman
There’s a post below this one, by the way.
Jon Weisman
“The start of the Dodger game will be delayed indefinitely. The contest is expected to start between 2 and 3 PM ET. ” – Dodgers
Anonymous
No matter how many stupid things one does or how poorly one does them, profits and wins hide them. No matter how many good smart things one does or how well they are done, deficits and losses hide them.
If AJ and Fedex were going to split time at catcher, then Fedex should stay, otherwise, give him his starts in AAA.
At some point the Dodgers will bring up a group of young players that hopefully will stay aroung awhile. Seager, Fedex, Pederson, Puig, Lee. While we are waiting, trade some outfield strength for a third baseman.
foul tip
With exceptions like Kershaw’s sustained brilliance, good glimpses of Greinke when he’s not being assaulted by thugs, Ryu’s generally strong showing, A-Gon’s consistency, Crawford’s comeback, and maybe others that don’t come to mind immediately, this trainwreck so far appears to be a team effort that has yielded screwups at the worst possible times.
You’d hope sheer regression to the mean would get a team with this much talent back to at least near .500 fairly soon. You’d hope.
The Atlanta series is the first time I’ve seen the team on TV this year. It’s tough to read much into little nuances from screen shots, but the body language of several Dodgers wasn’t good–which might not mean much except that they are frustrated/disgusted/tired of losing, etc.
But if that degenerates into sniping at each other, it’s likely to build and make righting the ship even tougher. Haven’t seen anything to make me think that’s happening, but it’s always a possibility made more likely when sorry results are delivered in the face of Great Expectations, maybe overblown ones.
Mattingly has his issues. But he can’t hit, pitch, or field. Still, he may need to clamp down a bit despite his rep as a player”s manager. Example: yesterday he and Jansen seemed at odds over continued cutters, with Mattingly wanting a slider mixed in. Didn’t happen, and a cutter of however many in a row was last seen clearing the OF fence. With it went any realistic Dodger chances of winning that game.
Question: if a team’s manager wants a certain pitch in a situation, why didn’t it happen?
Maybe that’s micromanaging. But most managers overmanage/micromanage. Donnie may feel, like a lot of control freak managers/coaches do in all sports, that if he’s going to go down, it’s going to be because he took control of everything he could and it didn’t work well enough, rather than just being sort of passive.
End, this episode of Dodger Ramblings.
Anonymous
I think your “foul tip” was pretty fair!
Anonymous
Did Mattingly openly express his desire for fewer cutters to Jansen? I saw no sign of that.
foul tip
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130519&content_id=47980760¬ebook_id=47983450&vkey=notebook_la&c_id=la
Story says FedEx called for a slider instead of another cutter. But Jansen didn’t want to throw one. He also didn’t like another call for a FB away, wanting to come inside. (Dude, hitter was timing your cutters better with each one he saw–you weren’t exactly fooling him.)
When story said FedEx called slider, I thought that meant Mattingly did and FedEx relayed it. So maybe DM didn’t openly call for one, to offer a different look to a batter who’d never faced him before.
But this story goes on: “But you can’t go to the mound and say, ‘Kenley, throw what he says,'” Mattingly said. “The pitcher has the game in his hands.”
Oh? If in a decisive moment in a game a manager can’t tell his pitcher what pitch to throw? On which planet? He is the manager, after all. Sure, a manager isn’t going to try to call every pitch. But it’s highly likely managers make this kind of call often, especially with a young pitcher.
And if DM felt strongly enough about it to offer this kind of critique post-game, why not make that call right in the moment instead of Saturday night post-game quarterbacking?
Anonymous
I thought the following made the situation a little more clear:
“You want him to pitch to his conviction, but he pitched right into
[Gattis’] strength,” Mattingly said. “[Catcher Tim Federowicz] called a
slider, he didn’t want to throw it. He called for a fastball away, he
wanted to come inside. For me, [Federowicz] has to go out and make sure.
If he says, ‘I can get this guy inside,’ that’s his conviction.
“But make him beat you in the big part of the park. If you go away,
and he goes to center field or right-center, it’s easier to take than
going to the guy’s strength. He gave up a home run and basically gave up
the game.”
Mattingly said pitchers are given scouting reports before series
start, pitch suggestions can be sent from the dugout and catchers can go
out to the mound.
“But you can’t go to the mound and say, ‘Kenley, throw what he says,'” Mattingly said. “The pitcher has the game in his hands.”
Jansen explained that Gattis was crowding the plate and he wanted to move him back.
foul tip
Mike, sorry to step on your toes somewhat by posting from the same story.
Didn’t see that you beat me by a minute or so…;])
Anonymous
All right Adrian!!
KT
Good job Matty and Adrian!!
Anonymous
Wish there could’ve been more, but at least there was 1 run with this minimalist production known as the 2013 Dodger offense.
Anonymous
C;mon, Matt — you had him on the ropes! DON’T give it to the bullpen!!!!!!
KT
10 out of 23…good ratio AJ!!
Anonymous
Take note, Don — AJ can throw them out . . . so why resort to “defensive indifference” and just gift wrap a base? (It’s one thing with a runner at 3rd, but most often there’s just the one on 1st.)
KT
OH I Vigorously second this
Anonymous
Yes!
Now let them call the game before the lead disappears or the bullpen comes in . . . or is that being redundant?
KT
Good game Matt
Anonymous
As a whole, it seems the starting pitchers have been more consistently good than either the batters or bullpen.
KT
Rain on the way but maybe not soon enough
Anonymous
I know they won’t but call it right here, right now!
Anonymous
Whew — c’mon, get him!
Anonymous
Fasten your belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride . . . just like this whole year!
KT
YES!! great pitch
Anonymous
Yes! Now let’s get the DP!
Anonymous
It gives me GREAT pleasure to say “Good job, bullpen!” (now 3 more innings!)
Anonymous
If the Guggenheim Group puts the Dodger offense on milk cartons, maybe they can find it!
foul tip
Aaaarrrrrghhhh….
KT
Nice Kenley…now let’s score an insurance run guys
foul tip
All better now, for now.
KT
dp time
Jeffrey Thomas III
Do we currently have even one dependable relief pitcher?
Anonymous
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. Thus, our bullpen. Eventually, this team finds a way to lose.
Anonymous
Getting five hits in two games is quite remarkable. I guess McGwire is not the answer.
J. Hughes
This has to be one of the worst bullpens the Dodgers have had in a long time. Not a single reliable guy down there. This is pathetic
foul tip
Hope they sent Kershaw on ahead so maybe he doesn’t get contaminated by this garbage.
Anonymous
About the time that the Lakers were 17-25, Kobe promised that the team would make the playoffs, which it did, if barely.
Now that the Dodgers are 17-25, I wonder if Magic will promise that the Dodgers will make the playoffs.
Anonymous
Not surprised that the pen is the weakest link, just thought that it and the others would be stronger.
Linkmeister
Oh fer cryin’ out loud. I left with a lead, and I come back to this? There goes my rosy scenario from yesterday.
Anonymous
The bullpen’s ineptitude is glaring lately, but the lack of a potent offense — heck, a COMPETENT offense would be huge steps forward — has been seen throughout the year . . . 5 hits in TWO GAMES? Expecting pitchers — starting OR relieving — to constantly be perfect because there may not be any more support?
If it wasn’t for the former Bostonians, the record would be even worse (yes, even factoring in Beckett!).
Anonymous
Some players need to leave….
Some new players need to arrive….
….
Overly simplistic? Certainly.
However, this season is going to go the way of the ’12 / ’13 Lakers if something isn’t done.
As of Middle/Late May…. I think the sample size is more than big enough.
The fat needs to be culled from this roster….. like, yesterday! :-)
…..
PS – Seeing Ted Lilly in the dugout gives me a physical response, and it isn’t good.
They should have never obliged him with an MLB appearance this year after refusing assignment.
They (Ned) caved…. probably to save his relationship with Lilly’s agent (and hence other players)
If there was a way to deny him contractually, I would have done it in a heartbeat. IMHO.
In short, despite all we’ve heard about what a gritty guy he is…. and, I usually am a sucker for that,
I think he’s a chump who’s just sat behind injury and poorly-timed surgeries / procedures in order to collect his money and extend his career for at least one more deal.
(Remember: To some, a bad appearance is worse than no appearance. Injury – essentially very few appearances over the last couple of years….. makes it that much tougher to ‘play your way’ out of the league) wink, wink. Just calling it as I see it boys!
Anonymous
Nobody is that ‘out of touch’ with their own body that they show up for spring training two years in a row….. just to end up on the DL before they break camp both times, with 1 surgery.
….
I’m just not buyin’
Anonymous
I was out all day. Put on the radio late this afternoon driving home, pretty shocked they were still playing. We were up 2-1, and Jansen gave up a single. Turned off the radio, thinking, “There goes the game.” And I wasn’t wrong. I can’t remember when I’ve felt so baffled by a team’s over all inability to either score or hold onto leads. Maybe back when I was a Mets fan. Well, once again, there’s no place to go but up.
Jon Weisman
NPUT