Dodgers at Reds, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: FS-O, SPNLA
LHP Rich Hill (0-1, 4.20 ERA) was pushed back from the Padres’ series in order to face the lefty-dominant Reds for this reason: lefties are hitting .445 OPS against him while righties are at 1.069 OPS. The Reds give the ball to RHP Anthony DeSclafani (2-1, 4.17 ERA), whose first two outings in May were strong but whose last start was short (4 innings) and unpleasant (eight hits, four runs).
The Dodgers’ management and catchers seem to be frustrated by Kenley Jansen’s insistence on throwing a cutter which isn’t as effective as it once was while his slider has been very effective indeed.
Jansen, 31, has already surrendered as many runs this season as he did in 2017, when he used his signature cutter 85 percent of the time to great success. He is using it just as often in 2019, but the pitch is no longer as dominant.
[snip]
This season, hitters have slugged better than .500 against it, more than two hundred points greater than in 2017. Yet after Tuesday’s save, he had thrown the cutter roughly 300 times this season, and he had thrown the slider only 22 times. Hitters had swung at it 13 times and missed it six times. They had not registered a hit against it.
[snip]
“Kenley obviously knows what he wants to do,” Roberts said. “He can be stubborn at times. He can be convicted at times. We’ve gotta work things out, as far as what we’re trying to do to get Kenley and the catchers on the same page.”
That page, Roberts allowed, covers how best to attack hitters.
“I think that, right now, he can do some different things,” Roberts said.
Which team’s uniforms are the best? MLB polled 85 players and got a tie at the top: the Dodgers and Yankees each received 10 votes.
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1947 At Forbes Field, Hank Greenberg asks Jackie Robinson if the Dodger infielder was hurt in a collision with him at first base earlier in the game and then tells the embattled Brooklyn rookie, “Stick in there. You’re doing fine. Keep your chin up.” Jackie will remark to the writers a few days later that his “diamond hero” is Hank Greenberg, knowing that the Pirates’ first baseman, who due to the bigotry endured as a Jew, can appreciate his difficulty of facing racial injustice every day as the first black player in the major leagues this century.
- 1978 Pinch-hitting for Davey Lopes in the Los Angeles 10-1 rout of the Pirates, Lee Lacy goes deep in the bottom of the eighth inning off Will McEnaney at Dodger Stadium. The utility player becomes the first player in major league history to homer in three consecutive at-bats as a pinch hitter.
- 1992 Using only 21 dates, the Blue Jays reach the one-million mark in attendance sooner than any team in major league history. The 1991 Blue Jays and the 1981 Dodgers shared the previous record.
Lineup when available.
Today’s Dodger lineup at Reds:
Pederson LF
Muncy 1B
Turner 3B
Bellinger RF
Seager SS
Verdugo CF
Hernández 2B
Barnes C
Hill P #Dodgers | @Biofreeze pic.twitter.com/YuWqCtibcD— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 17, 2019
Thought Corey had that one.
NPUT
Freese had only one GIDP before tonight; he now has three.
This is about 3 or 4 games in a row that Joc gets pinch hit for in the 6th or 7th when a lefty reliever comes in. I don’t know if it is a chance to get Taylor in the game when there is a string of righty pitchers that puts him on the bench or if Doc and Friedman just refuse to let Joc hit against a lefty. Can’t make Joc happy. Doesn’t make me happy. The next time Taylor hits will probably be against a righty so what’s the point?
He did get to swing against the lefty in the fifth, no?
sí
Defense in this particular game comes to mind, but in general this is the way that Doc plays it. Uses his whole roster in just about every game seeking the edge.
Pederson now has 14 homers and 10 singles among his 27 hits.
50% of his hits are home runs. Hopefully he gets 100+ hits this year.
Wondering what was being chanted the other night with Machado up. Joe Davis didn’t mention it. https://twitter.com/jphoornstra/status/1129152130193940480?s=21
Seager back? (back, back!)
He says channeling Chris Berman.
https://twitter.com/tvern16/status/1129532424499580928
Five shutouts in their last nine games. If not unprecedented, it’s pretty darned amazing.
May 7, 9-0 over the Braves
May 10, 5-0 over the Nats
May 12, 6-0 over the Nats
May 15, 2-0 over the Padres
May 17, 6-0 over the Reds
Oh, and on May 9 they GOT shut out by the Nats.
Somewhere in there was Buehler’s 7 inning shutout that the relievers spoiled.
Breaking – Justin Turner has just one shin. https://twitter.com/THEREAL_DV/status/1129563557568405504?s=20
Dodgers retain best record in NL, but Minute Maids (leading Sawx 3-1 in eighth) and Twinkies (soon to start in Seattle) will have to lose for them to have MLB’s best record. Rox losing close one to Fillies in sixth, Gnats and Snakes just starting, Bucs and Pads about to start.
Was not sure the lead was big enough for a Kelly inning, but it worked out.
Fortunately, so did Votto.
Woo-HOO!!!
Kelly looks totally out of synch again.
Well, that’s one way to keep your average above .400.
Belli feeling Joc breathing down his neck.
Seems to hit one after Joc hits one.
For the moment, though, he can’t quite keep up with Yelich.
I think Hill could have pitched another, but Doc is consistently conservative.
“If we have all these guys in the bullpen we might as well use them.”
Yeah, let’s get Kelly up.
Tomko is not available?
Probably see him in the ninth if the score holds.
I was joking, Doc!
Freese putting the DP freeze on men on base.
The DeeP Freese.
Ha! Very clever.
Hill now has 10 Ks. His high as a Dodger is 11. Don’t know what his career high is.
Doc doing lots of talking with Hill in the dugout.
I would guess there is a disagreement over whether he stays in.
Doc slaps Hill around. Rodney Dangerfield gets more respect.
Even when Bellinger K’s, you can’t stop him.
Very good!
Rich might try standing in the batter box.
Either way, does he take a bat up to the plate?
Interesting that the pitcher hit the inside corner instead of more outside.
How far was Belli trying to hit that ball?
Kentucky.
It would have come close.
Why was Turner pulled? (No eyes, no ears).
Bruised in a previous at bat by a foul off his own bat.
Thanks.
Hernandez is striking out quite a bit more this season than last year. He has fanned in nine of his last 21 at bats.
2019: 41 Ks in 144 ABs (including tonight) — 28.5 percent
2018: 78 Ks in 402 ABs — 19.6 percent
However, this year may be closer to his norm.
In 2017, it was 26.9 percent.
In 2016, it was 29.6 percent
In 2015, his first year with the Dodgers, it was 22.8 percent
He’s also been hitting a lot of balls really hard but directly at fielders.
He is hitting more often against righties this year as well.
He could wind up platooning with Muncy when Pollock comes back.
Hard to get Muncy, who hits lefties pretty well, out of the lineup.
He would play both second and first.
Good point.
Back to the big splits that he seemed to have overcome last year.
Rich!
Votto playing cricket.
He’s not playing that well either so far.
From Wikipedia: Lucius Quinctius or Quintius Cincinnatus (c. 519 – c. 430 BC) was a Roman patrician, statesman, and military leader of the early Roman Republic who became a legendary figure of Roman virtue—particularly civic virtue—by the time of the Empire. Cincinnatus was a conservative opponent of the rights of the plebeians (the common citizens) who fell into poverty because of his son’s violent opposition to their desire for a written code of equitably-enforced laws. Despite his old age, he worked his own small farm until an invasion prompted his fellow citizens to call for his leadership. He came from his plow to assume complete control over the state but, upon achieving a swift victory, relinquished his power and its perquisites and returned to his farm. His success and immediate resignation of his near-absolute authority with the end of this crisis (traditionally dated to 458 BC) has often been cited as an example of outstanding leadership, service to the greater good, civic virtue, humility, and modesty. As a result, he has inspired a number of organizations and other entities, some named in his honor. In the United States, parallels are drawn between Cincinnatus and national hero George Washington, and, as such, the Society of the Cincinnati, the town of Cincinnatus, New York, and the city of Cincinnati, Ohio are named after him.
So, opposing the rights of commoners is a civic virtue?
I reads like he evolved over time.
The Society has a nice mansion on Massachusetts Ave here in DC that I had a chance to visit.
The Society was well endowed. When the Revolutionary and 1812 officers went back to the plow they benefited from war bounty and generous land grants.
I forget, do you live in the District?
Between there and Mexico.
According to weather.com, only a 15 percent chance of rain in Cincinnati the rest of the night.
A few Dodgers are wearing a single sleeve that could be mistaken for a tat.
Wearing a custom hat as well. Is this military day in Cincinnati?
Armed Forces Day is tomorrow. It’s marginally appropriate then.
Thus the single sleeve
Armed Forces weekend.
Turner is in to pain
He better be.
DeSclafani definitely has the gopher ball working.
I look away for five minutes..!
Muncy: “I want to play too”
BP.
In a bandbox.
That was a heck of a shot by Joc.
After being down 0-2, a really great AB.
Only three guys in all of MLB with more dingers.
Only one behind the team leader now.
Two more Reds righties this weekend, so…
Give him a couple more at bats against DeSclafani and he could move up.
Corey and Pete: Two of my favorite Seagers/Seegers.
Cody and Corey and Al, oh my!
Wow! They must have some scouting that says look for a first pitch fastball.
Belli two-bagger.
Seager not to be out done
Warning track power…
DBelinger
Joey Votto ain’t what he used to be.
An old gray mare?
Puig with the noticeable hairdo.
The Gnats’ home whites aren’t that bad, but their Friday Halloween costumes are far and away the most hideous threads in all of baseball.
Not an auspicious beginning.
Didn’t exactly make him work hard.
https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1129512632787058689?s=20
1. Joc Pederson (L) LF
2. Max Muncy (L) 1B
3. Justin Turner (R) 3B
4. Cody Bellinger (L) RF
5. Corey Seager (L) SS
6. Alex Verdugo (L) CF
7. Enrique Hernandez (R) 2B
8. Austin Barnes (R) C
9. Rich Hill (L) P
1. Nick Senzel (R) CF
2. Joey Votto (L) 1B
3. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
4. Yasiel Puig (R) RF
5. Jose Iglesias (R) SS
6. Kyle Farmer (R) 2B
7. Curt Casali (R) C
8. Jose Peraza (R) LF
9. Anthony DeSclafani (R) P
Will the wind be blowing out to left, or to right? https://twitter.com/jonweisman/status/1129491956357160960?s=20
I see sunshine.
Any more rain for tonight or was that it?
A few home runs would come off the books if they don’t play 5 or would they resume where play left off tomorrow?
I believe the game is suspended and played again where play left off when it is a tie that has already gone 5 innings. Otherwise, if less than 5 innings the game is canceled and in this case be part of a doubleheader either Saturday or Sunday.