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A.J. Ellis spoke to MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” on a number of subjects Thursday. Check it out …
— Jon Weisman
Tag: A.J. Ellis (Page 4 of 9)
By Jon Weisman
A.J. Ellis has long established himself as one of the most likeable players on the Dodgers — just ask Clayton Kershaw. But the Dodgers didn’t decide to tender Ellis a contract for 2015 based solely on personality.
… for Dan Haren, A.J. Ellis and Dee Gordon.
— Jon Weisman
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By Jon Weisman
Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis spoke to AM 570’s DodgerTalk with David Vasseigh and Kevin Kennedy for nearly 30 minutes Wednesday on a variety of subjects encompassing the 2014 season. If you click the link, the interview begins at approximately the 13-minute mark.
Though Ellis, like everyone else, realizes that ultimately the Dodgers didn’t get the job done, one subject that Ellis touched on is how much grief Clayton Kershaw received after his second playoff defeat in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, wondering how much of that grief was deserved.
Yasiel Puig had a .356 BABIP despite declining from 2013. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
Were they feeling lucky?
The Dodgers had a team batting average on balls in play of .318, which was third in the Majors but the franchise’s highest in 84 seasons, since the Brooklyn Robins had a .321 BABIP in 1930.
In general, the Dodgers’ BABIP has trended upward in recent years, thanks in part no doubt to strikeouts becoming a larger percentage of outs. It was a different story, for example, in the 1960s, when the Dodgers’ BABIP bottomed out at .266 in 1967 and .268 in 1968.
The oddity is that several prominent Dodgers underperformed their recent or career BABIP marks in 2014 …
For more photos from Monday, visit LA Photog Blog.
Dodgers at Cardinals, 2:07 p.m.
Dodgers
Dee Gordon, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P
–
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Matt Holliday, LF
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Matt Adams, 1B
Yadier Molina, C
Jon Jay, CF
Kolten Wong, 2B
Shelby Miller, P
Dodgers
Dee Gordon, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P
–
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Matt Holliday, LF
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Matt Adams, 1B
Yadier Molina, C
Jon Jay, CF
Kolten Wong, 2B
Shelby Miller, P
By Jon Weisman
Yasiel Puig, who has a .774 OPS in the National League Division Series but has struck out in eight of his past nine at-bats, has been replaced in the Dodger starting lineup by Andre Ethier.
Ethier will bat sixth, while left fielder Carl Crawford moves up to the No. 2 spot behind Dee Gordon.
Since August 29, Ethier has made one start in a game that had meaning for the Dodgers, going 0 for 2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch September 7 against Arizona. In his final 46 plate appearances of the regular season, Ethier went 12 for 39 with a .413 on-base percentage and .436 slugging percentage, then went 1 for 2 in Game 1 of the NLDS.
* * *
A few pieces related to starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw to pass along.
While A.J. Cassavell breaks down the risks of pitching on three days’ rest at MLB.com, Russell A. Carleton at Baseball Prospectus notes that the Cardinals do not own Clayton Kershaw.
… When we look at Kershaw’s performance against the Cardinals, we see that his BABIP is quite high at .343. I know that during the postseason everyone likes to pretend that games are won and lost based on magical fairy dust, grit, and character. But frankly, a lot of what drives a baseball game is dumb luck. That’s not comfortable for people to hear, but the sooner that you accept that, the sooner we can have a real conversation about baseball. …
Clayton Kershaw has gotten very unlucky over the last four years against the St. Louis Cardinals, and luck is not a character trait. Luck just kinda happens. If you made bets on a series of coin flips and won seven in a row, that would be an unlikely event (though possible). Yes, you still have the money you just won in your pocket, but it’s not because you have a special skill for calling coin flips or because you are a morally righteous person. You caught a run of good luck. Congrats. Don’t expect it to last. …
For more Saturday photos, visit LA Photog Blog.
Cardinals at Dodgers, 6:37 p.m.
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Jon Jay, CF
Matt Holliday, LF
Matt Adams, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Yadier Molina, C
Kolten Wong, 2B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Lance Lynn, P
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Jon Jay, CF
Matt Holliday, LF
Matt Adams, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Yadier Molina, C
Kolten Wong, 2B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Lance Lynn, P
Dodgers
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Zack Greinke, P
By Jon Weisman
As odd as it might be in October, A.J. Ellis is in his best physical shape of the year.
That helps account for the smashing game he had in Friday’s National League Division Series opener.
Ellis singled in the second and third innings, pounded a two-run homer in the sixth that at the time seemed to put the game away, and then even started the Dodgers’ near-comeback in the ninth with his fourth hit of the game.
The night gave Ellis a .450 on-base percentage and .722 slugging percentage in 41 career postseason plate appearances.
Don Mattingly discussed the 33-year-old catcher’s season before tonight’s game …
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By Jon Weisman
Over in the far-off reaches of the American League, the Detroit Tigers bullpen has been absolutely battered. In both his playoff games, Detroit manager Brad Ausmus has been ripped for removing a pitcher too soon.
Neither of those occasions came with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. Neither of them came in an inning that began after Clayton Kershaw had retired 16 of his last 17 batters with eight strikeouts, using only 74 pitches over that stretch and 81 in the game to that point.
I’m sympathetic to the argument that by the time nemesis Matt Carpenter came to bat in the seventh inning of Friday’s loss to the Cardinals, 21 pitches later, Kershaw was on thin ice. But I’m having trouble believing that anytime before that, Don Mattingly would have received less criticism for turning the final seven, eight or nine outs of the game to middle relief that has been darkly questioned all year long.
That’s not at all to say the bullpen would have failed, though the walk and home run surrendered by Pedro Baez to his first two batters was not reassuring — and J.P. Howell, who would have faced John Jay with the bases loaded in the seventh if many had had their way, allowed a leadoff single to Jay in the ninth.
It’s simply that between 1) a Kershaw that was allowing singles but also striking batters out, or 2) a fresh Howell or Baez, not only is the choice basically a tossup, but choosing the bullpen is betting against the player that has come through more often than any other pitcher in the game.
Put more bluntly: Imagine the reaction if Clayton Kershaw was in the dugout, having thrown 102 pitches on eight days’ rest, if and when the Dodgers lost their lead.
No one knows better than Kershaw that he didn’t come through. But if you think that he was destined to fail, or if you think he can’t win in the playoffs, or if you don’t think he can come back in his next start from the rare adversity that strikes, I don’t know what pitcher you’ve been watching all this time.
As for the struggles of the 2014 bullpen itself …
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Dodgers at Braves, 9:10 a.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Miguel Rojas, SS
Drew Butera, C
Roberto Hernandez, P
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Miguel Rojas, SS
Drew Butera, C
Roberto Hernandez, P
By Jon Weisman
A.J. Ellis has a guest piece for ESPN.com today in which he details the preparation Clayton Kershaw makes before a start. Here’s an excerpt:
Interleague play usually takes away the most valuable tool of setting any game plan: data on head-to-head matchups. In the recent Freeway Series with the Angels, Kersh and I both fell victim to this trap. Kershaw hadn’t faced the Angels since 2011, and had a limited history with the majority of the Halos. It’s no secret across baseball that Kersh loves to pound right-handed hitters inside. His combination of angle, deception and command make it extremely hard to square up an executed fastball on the inside corner.
The trouble is the Angels have a bunch of great hitters who feast on pitches on the inner half. So in our pregame meeting, we decided to scrap Kersh’s strength and try to work the outer half of the plate toward those hitters’ statistical weaknesses. Three innings and three earned runs later, we both realized we compromised our typical game plan in favor of the numbers our computer spewed out regarding hitters’ results versus left-handed pitchers who probably do not own two Cy Young Awards or pitch with the will and ferocity Kersh does.
Realizing the error of our ways, we went back to what Kersh does well, and he cruised the rest of the way. After giving up seven hits and striking out just one batter in his first three innings because of our dumb game plan, Kersh allowed no hits and struck out six in his final four frames. Lesson learned
There’s more, including a discussion of Zack Greinke’s approach to preparation.
Because when it’s right, it’s right …
— Jon Weisman
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By Jon Weisman
Today’s game didn’t exactly slow the downhill-rolling boulder that is Clayton Kershaw’s National League Most Valuable Player candidacy.
The former prep football center was the equivalent of an NFL Punt, Pass & Kick winner today, leading the Dodgers to a 5-1 victory at Milwaukee that helped push them to a season-high 4 1/2-game lead in the NL West.
Kershaw walked leadoff batter Carlos Gomez today, the first walk the big lefty had allowed in the first inning all season. But as omens go, it wasn’t much.
Lowering his 2014 ERA to 1.78, Kershaw allowed one run on eight baserunners in eight innings with six strikeouts — and was his own best friend today. Not only did he reach base thrice (hit by a pitch, walk and RBI single), he also picked off Carlos Gomez in the fourth and made, as you can revisit in the video above, one of the great diving plays you’ll ever see a pitcher make, thwarting a Milwaukee squeeze bunt attempt.
Laundry detergent companies, the endorsement ball’s in your court.
Kershaw won his 11th straight decision, the longest winning streak for a Dodger pitcher since Orel Hershiser in 1985. Since the start of June, Kershaw has a 1.16 ERA with 117 strikeouts against only 12 walks and 62 hits in 101 innings, averaging 7.8 innings per start.
The Dodgers whittled away at the Brewers with single runs in the third, fifth and seven innings before busting loose for two in the eighth, thanks in no small part to A.J. Ellis’ first home run of 2014 and Miguel Rojas’ career-high third hit of the game.
Adrian Gonzalez had two doubles, a sacrifice fly and two RBI, and is 9 for 14 with three doubles, two homers and three walks in his past four games. The Dodgers reached base 18 times in all today.
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By Jon Weisman
A.J. Ellis and Andre Ethier were a combined 8 for 66 (with eight walks) since the All-Star Break, but they provided the final key at-bats in the Dodgers’ 5-4 walkoff victory Tuesday over the Angels.
After Ellis’ perfectly executed hit-and-run single moved Juan Uribe to third with one out in the bottom of the ninth and the score tied, Ethier hit a chopper to third that Angels third baseman David Freese barehanded but was unable to throw home accurately enough to nab Uribe at the plate, giving the Dodgers their third walkoff victory of the homestand after only two in their previous 49 home games.
Both at-bats culminated on 3-2 pitches.
Uribe was hardly a bit player in this game. His three-run homer in the second inning brought the Dodgers back from an early 2-0 deficit.
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Clayton Kershaw struggled early, allowing eight hits to the first 12 batters he faced and matching his career high for a game with four doubles allowed before he retired a batter in the third inning. But Kershaw flipped the switch, and retired 14 of the final 16 batters he faced, exiting with a 4-3 lead.
Kershaw has 16 quality starts in 18 appearances in 2014 and has allowed more than three runs only once — the seven-run debacle in Arizona in mid-May. He has not allowed more than 10 baserunners in his past 22 starts, dating back to 2013.
Matt Kemp’s hustle brought home the Dodgers fourth run — he reached first and third on an error with a stolen base in between, and scored on a Scott Van Slyke sacrifice fly. But Albert Pujols’ eighth-inning homer — the first allowed by Brian Wilson in the past 106 at-bats against him — tied the game.
A.J. Ellis is back in the starting lineup for the Dodgers tonight. He’s also on tap for a bobblehead giveaway, September 7 against the Diamondbacks. Here’s your quick peek.
— Jon Weisman
For highlights from Friday’s game, visit LA Photog Blog.
Cubs at Dodgers, 6:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Matt Kemp, RF
Scott Van Slyke, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Carl Crawford, LF
Drew Butera, C
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
Dee Gordon, 2B
Justin Turner, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Matt Kemp, RF
Scott Van Slyke, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Carl Crawford, LF
Drew Butera, C
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
By Jon Weisman
Paco Rodriguez is at Dodger Stadium today, having been called up to take the roster spot of Paul Maholm, who is heading to the disabled list with a torn right ACL.
Three other Dodgers — Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and A.J. Ellis — are resting or nursing injuries and taking a break from the starting lineup.
Among other things, Justin Turner is making his first start at first base since May 30, 2013 with the Mets — although he did play innings 9-20 there on June 8 the same year.
Rodriguez pitched an inning for Albuquerque on Friday, retiring all three batters he faced on grounders. He allowed five runs on 12 baserunners in six innings for the Isotopes in July.
