To borrow from Frankie Five Angels re. Hyman Roth......I respect the Dodger rotation, but I don't trust the Dodger rotation.
Roberts adds Toles to LA's NLDS roster by Carlos Collazo | MLB.com — 58 minutes ago SAN DIEGO -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Thursday that rookie outfielder Andrew Toles would be on the postseason roster. With just 46 Major League games under his belt, Toles has impressed Roberts in all areas of the game, while hitting .311/.363/.505 after starting the season at Class A Advanced. "He's done nothing to disappoint," Roberts said before the Dodgers' 9-3 win over the Padres at Petco Park. "He's been great: offensively, defensively, running the bases. But I still want him getting out there, and see his name on a Major League lineup." With just 114 Major League plate appearances, Roberts said that he still wanted a bigger sample of the 24-year-old outfielder. Toles wasn't in the starting lineup Thursday in Los Angeles' final game against the Padres, but Roberts said that decision was predetermined and had nothing to do with a left hamstring cramp Toles sustained in the ninth inning Wednesday night. On Thursday, Toles pinch-ran in the seventh and hit an RBI single in the ninth. "I asked him afterward and he said it was just a cramp," Roberts said. "He said to not read into anything. He's not in the lineup because I wanted to get other guys in there tonight." Roberts has a handful of outfielders that he is trying to mix and match to get at-bats before the postseason begins, with Yasiel Puig, Rob Segedin and Joc Pederson starting Thursday. Roberts has said he's trying to get Andre Ethier -- who's played just 13 games, all in September -- going, but he also has Enrique Hernandez, Josh Reddick and Howie Kendrick to try and find time for in the last four games. Los Angeles won't be able to play all of them when the postseason begins, but after mustering the same amount of fWAR as Kendrick (1.2) in a third of the playing time, Toles has managed to win a spot. And Roberts is hoping that the Nationals test him at some point in the outfield, to further justify his inclusion on the postseason roster. "The word's starting to get out [on Toles]," Roberts said. "And I'm sure the Nationals will have some accurate information, but I hope they keep running on him. Because this kid can throw."
I'm bored so my guess: Starters: Kershaw, Hill, Maeda, Urias Pen: Jansen, Blanton, Baez, Dayton, Avilan, Wood, McCarthy Lineup: Utley, Seager, Turner, Gonzalez, Grandal, Reddick, Joc, Toles Bench: Puig, Kendrick, Ruiz 3 spots left. Give one to Culberson, one more RHP, and either another reliever or position player
Pitchers: Kershaw Hill Maeda Urias McCarthy Wood Baez Dayton Blanton Jansen Infielders: Seager Turner Gonzalez Utley Culberson Catchers: Grandal Ruiz Outfielders: Pederson Reddick Toles Puig Kendrick Starters vs. RHP Toles LF Pederson CF Reddick RF Turner 3B Seager SS Utley 2B Gonzalez 1B Grandal C Starters vs LHP Toles LF Pederson CF Puig RF Turner 3B Seager SS Utley 2B maybe Kendrick Gonzalez 1B Grandal C That leaves 3 spots left for guys on the bubble. NO KIKE. Joc should never leave his post in CF. Puig and Toles will be the emergency CFers. We have plenty of corner OFers. Seager should never leave his post at SS. Culberson is the emergency utility infielder. I would rather give a roster spot to Barnes than Kike.
It's gotta be Avilan at this point. Since his recall, he has been nails. Liberatore has got to be hurt, I'd bench him for the rest of the season.
So.... Toles has been getting lots of playing time, while Kendrick is getting moved around the field and is currently in a long slump where he hasn't played LF since the 25th. He has 5 multi hit games in his last 38 with only 4 2B's while Toles has been consistently one of the better hitters on the team AND a supremely better OF'er. Gotta think that at this point, Toles is getting the starts in LF against RH pitching.
As this week has played out, my answers changing a bit The remaining spots on the pitching staff go to Urias, McCarthy (subject to his relief appearance today), Stripling, and Wood... to go with the 7 pitching locks Back up position players (assuming Toles as a starter): Howie, Puig, Ruiz, Enrique, Ethier and Charlie Might sub out one of BMac and Strip or position player for a third lefty (Avilan) but more ive read, I think they go 11 man pitching staff
I would love to see them use McCarthy in a one inning role. Try it today and in game 162. He could be a weapon to shorten every game with Dayton, Blanton and Jansen taking the last 3 innings. His newly reformed power stuff would absolutely play up in the pen if he could continue to locate. You are talking about a lock down pen already with Wood, Dayton, Blanton and Jansen. Putting in another guy with mid 90's heat and potentially touching 96-97 with his cutter could go a great way of re-enacting what has worked so great for the Royals over the last two seasons.
Also, I was listening to the Padres broadcast on my drive, did Wood really hit 96? The play by play guy said he uncorked a 96 MPH fastball on the black.
Yeah we agree, I like our SP rotation at this point better than most others except perhaps the Cubs Ours is rather hodgepodge after Kershaw but from that hodgepodge we pull some pretty decent performances
No it was definitely Wood as I raised an eyebrow when he said it, I thought that it must have been a mis-read.
Revised Roster My 24 Kershaw, Hill, Maeda, Urias, McCarthy, Wood, Avilan, Baez, Dayton, Blanton, Jansen (11) Seager, Turner, Utley, Gonzalez, Culberson Grandal, Ruiz Pederson, Toles, Reddick, Puig, Ethier, Kendrick The 25th spot can go to another position player not named Kike or another arm.
revising my roster likely will again prior to the lds... rotation kersh, hill, maeda, stripling pen kenley, blanton, dayton, baez, urias, jdl, wood, liberatore, avilan position players yasmani, agon, chase, corey, turner, howie, joc, josh, puig, toles, ethier, ruiz, kiké/segedin, culberson