GAME THREAD ROCKIES/DODGERS

Kikè definitely will be on the playoff roster. And he definitely isn’t horrible.

 

.315 OBP
.439 SLG
96 wRC+

That is horrible, no?

There was plenty to compliment Kike on prior to this season. He reduced his K% in consecutive years and doubled his BB%. He had clearly improved in tangible ways, on top of his already proven track record of hitting LHP (lifetime 120 wRC+ vs. LHP, as opposed to 86 vs. RHP).

In a respectable amount of ABs, he put up a 3.3 WAR in 2018 and was 18 points above league average offensively.

Problem is, the Dodgers were quick to try him as an every day player because of this, allowing him to face RHP often...and that likely destroyed him. He had a long sample size of being an excellent platoon player+utility man (albeit an inconsistent one) and they went against their own wisdom.

Was it worth a shot? Perhaps. Like I said, he put up a 3.3 WAR in 460ish PA in 2018 and with his K's and BB's trending in the right direction, it was worth seeing if he was playable every day. He wasn't.
And he has not mentally recovered, it seems. Numbers do not lie. He has been putrid.

Taylor is a better Kike than Kike is and with the emergence of more guys who make contact off the bench, I'd say he's earned pine.

To add...
do not forget...
.190/.283/.324/67 wRC+ in 2016.
.215/.308/.421/92 wRC+ in 2017.

Now, did he still play solid defense and hit 3 HR in the NLCS? Yes. Is he capable, athletic, and pretty good when managed properly? Sometimes.

But there are more deserving players than a factually below average hitter.

Like I said, emergency infielder perhaps. Defense matters. But Taylor, Beaty, Freese, Lux, and others should be/will eat his lunch in the post. He belongs in cameltoe ranch taxi squad territory.

 

I think Lux would have to earn it but if he does he’ll get a spot I’d guess.

 

That's how I saw it.

Credit him for finishing the game and saving the pen arms after most of them were used on Sunday. Wasn't pretty, but he did his job.

 

Using Maeda's turn as a template, I guess Buehler was pretty good then.
Funny, I thought he flat out sucked, though. Got the job done, with the LAD juggernaut in full swing.
Pretty much a run a inning isn't fodder for complimenting any pitcher, imo.
But that's just me.
I see the bar being lowered more and more these days. Like "don't piss on my head and tell me it's raining ".
Guess that's what it's come to though.
As far as Lux goes, he definitely has the makings of a varsity athlete. And movie star. Happy for him, love that serious, no nonsense approach to field demeanor, like Beaty has, too. No dancing monkey bullshit.
But crazy me, shouldn't he have to have more than one nice game under his belt to replace someone just now ?

 

I'd really like to see a May/Hill tandem start in the post.
May's highest and best use is as a starter.
He can go 5 strong and Hill can piggyback him for 3.

Hard throwing righty, soft tossing lefty, and then match ups for the 9th.

Urias/Gonsolin would be a good one, too.

I actually prefer those tandem starters to Kershaw and Buehler but I know we live in reality and our top 3 starters are set.

 

I'd say his last 3 months of kiké is more what we seen and what we know him to be rather than his first 3 months which were horrible since july in over 100 pa 391obp/531slug/922ops and 140wrc+. It would be foolish to leave off one of our hottest hitters from the playoff roster. I'd rather roll the dice on kiké. Hes proven he can play in October. Unless ofcourse Lux goes on a godly tear than I would consider it. But I wouldnt hold kikés April-June stats against him hes been very good in his role his whole Dodgers career.

 

It’s posts like this that make VRP one of our top contributors.

 

Actually found it to be a pretty interesting take from him. Last year he thought Lux was " just a 50 grade spec ".
At least he gives Lux a shot now..or he finds the kid handsome. One of the two..or both.

 

According to VRP: "He's a 50 grade spec unless he's better than 50 grade then he's above a 50 grade spec I'd guess."

 

Kid had better be a shoo-in @ 2B for the rest of the way, don't give a damn who else comes along. Give him a ton of ABs in October and let him suck and learn and then maybe next year he'll mature into the fall guy they need..maybe. Hold Lux out of post action this year and we'll more than likely have to deal with the wet behind the ears stuff for certain next year. He needs a lot of work in September and October, and immediately..for our own sanity. His make up is A1, he can handle the results, whatever they are. They keep talking about the farm and the future of this core, well, get the shit started..or keep it rolling. Whatever

And Verdugo's yet to finish a season strong outside of 2015/A-ball, so he needs to get back and start working as well. Don't need him laboring/hurt and struggling to finish yet another season of upper echelon ball. Whatever his deal is every year physically..figure it out

 

Lmaoooo

This is why I need that restraining order

 

No hello first?

 

Couple turds to start, but hopefully everything lines up for some challenges soon. No injuries, late scratches, whatever