Like how we had Kemp, Gonzo, Hanley, and Crawford going berserk in the 2nd half of last season. Not even Puig and all his b.s. could drag them down. Will they get to August without having called Seager up is the real question...
The second I hit send, Rollins was walking up and answered with the single. then he just doubled... YOU'RE WELCOME
I would say not exactly brought the team down, but when he comes up to the plate in RBI situations, quite a bit, too- he's just not up to snuff, and it's been so for a while. The topped roller/chopper to someone on the IF is getting monotonously inept, and incredible as it sounds, this guy who looks like Hercules rampant, can't seem to actually reach the stands...y'know like the other guys (so less buff) on the team who do with fair regularity. I just don't get it, but he seems to be an advertisement for "warning track power"...probably because he is a slashing line drive hitter, presumably. I hope that's why. His K last night was as half hearted a swing as I've ever seen him take I think. Looked totally unfocused. When you look at a guy like Kike Hernandez, who has the same numbers as Puig in way less games, you wonder where the "superstar" went...he's pretty average these days. below, in fact. Maybe waiting to erupt? No one is "turning on him", but if that's what you see night after night, it is what it is. If you notice CK has more Ls than Ws, it's observation, not treason. You can't deny your own eyes. In the OF though, Puig is almost as good as it gets.
Translation: If other guys on the team play well, or even just up to their own standards, another collapse by Puig won't matter. Meaning Puig can go into the tank just like he did last August and they'll still roll out the ball @ Dodger Stadium in October. Especially if Seager gets the call ( and they deal for an arm)...a legit lineup with Puig in the 9-spot could easily be drawn up at that point. Pederson Olivera/Turner Seager Gonzalez Kendrick Grandal SVS/Ethier/Crawford pitcher Puig
While I'm not going to disagree that he needs to hit better with RISP, and the homerun drought is definitely concerning, he has been one of the best (if not the best) Dodger player the last 3 years. Slow start this year, but hopefully now that he's healthy and getting back to playing everyday, he'll be able to get into a groove.
I don't agree with "collapse". He had a .862 OPS and 147 wRC+ which was higher than Kemp, Hanley, and Gonzalez. Just because you're not hitting home runs doesn't mean you can't still be productive.
I don't think any player who is out there every day can collapse, and not eventually hurt the team...impossible not to eventually, even if by the law of averages. Last year, when I early on jumped on AJ, I was told by many, "when a catcher doesn't hit, it can be covered up by the team"... Well, before season's end, the cry for his head to roll was pretty unanimous. And they went and got a top tier guy to replace him. You can't hide on a bb team on a 9 man lineup. If you're collapsed ( not saying Puig is), you're done.
I liked it because I think you're loyalty is admirable. I salute that in anyone. But Agon, although minus drama, flamboyance and somewhat robotic, including his stellar 1b play, is our best position guy for that period of time.
Aside from never wanting to have Puig running down Adrian on the basepaths, I was against dropping Puig to the middle of the order because he's really not done well in the high leverage situations when you need to cash in runs with 2 outs, so why go through with it? To train him so to speak? Maybe. You may want to cover your eyes if you're a big Puig-guy...his high leverage line this year is .184 avg/.262 obp/.342 slg. Now, that's from a 27 game sample size, however, those numbers are not all that different from his career line in high leverage situations. He's a career .222/.320/.374 guy in these situations. My man short circuits. It's OK. He's young, but as big a Puig fan as anybody may be ( including myself), the name across the front of the jersey obviously comes 1st. All in all, the results make me feel like he needs to hit either really high in the lineup, or really low..like 7-9 low. Preferably 8th or 9th. That of course would have to coincide with Seager's/Olivera's promotions, but you get the point. If it's late in the game and we're down, but lucky enough to have say Joc, Kendrick, and Adrian coming up to bat ( our best and most clutch hitters)..you do not want Puig following those 3 in high leverage situations. Teams like STL will just pitch around and target him. Thus, I have to say I'm on board with yesterday's lineup that had Puig hitting 6th. That's close enough to the bottom until the cavalry arrives. Just gradually move him down the order...he'll have to respect it if his guy Olivera and Seager are part of the reason that he falls in the order. Maybe it'll spur an improved work ethic from him going forward.
I completely agree with you on this one and personally didn't see the minor leaguers and much value. Of course I'm also ready for Olivera since Callaspo is of such limited value himself.
The Uribe deal has made less sense since it happened, unless Thomas and Jaime become something. What's weird is that the moment the Uribe deal happened, we thought we had Alex Guerrero as a backup 3B and Turner as an everyday 3B. Instead, they don't trust Guerrero at all at 3B and Turner can't play everyday for some reason so it gives a lot of playing time to a backup 3B, which would have been a great role for Uribe.
An interesting take, I agree that Puig's production has fallen off dramatically and his lack of baseball IQ aren't helping him either. It would seem a shame to use such a talent so low in the lineup but in light of such shitty 'high leverage' performance what choices do you have? Bat him #6 or #7 until he shows he can be placed in the #2 or #3 spot again?? He's still better than auto out AJ but not by as much as he used to be.
juan wanted a chance to start wasn't going to get that here so we kinda did him a favor by shipping him to atl and he's done well there, particularly the past 7 days 6hr 14rbi .305/.364/.500 for the season, 3/5 .333 for the past week but it'll all become moot when olivera arrives just curious what that means for turner edit: almost forgot, collaps0 sucks ocelot testes
I honestly think they just did it to get something, anything for Uribe instead of just DFA'ing him or letting him rot on the bench.
