After yesterday’s sturm und drang about Yasiel Puig and his status — not to mention the incorrect verb used by Ken Rosenthal since it’s hard to “storm off” if you aren’t at the location you ostensibly left angrily — today we’re back to baseball. Puig is apparently on his way to Oklahoma City to work on his swing, although the team has said nothing publicly yet. Here’s CBS Sports’ attempt to explain what went on.
Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM
Brandon McCarthy (2-1, 2.39 ERA) is coming off his worst start since his season began several weeks ago; he lasted only four innings against the Rays on the 27th of July. His opponent will be Jon Gray (7-4, 3.94 ERA), who’s made three starts against the Dodgers in his career, two this season, and has struck out 22 in 15 2/3 innings, but he is 0-2 with a 5.74 ERA.
The Dodgers announced they’ve optioned Puig, Stripling and Fields to OKC and activated new acquisitions Jesse Chavez and Josh Reddick. They’ve put their other new pitcher, Rich Hill, on their 15-day DL, but he’s eligible to be activated on Thursday, August 4.
Lineup:
Tonight’s Dodger lineup at Rockies:
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Reddick RF
González 1B
Grandal C
Pederson CF
Kendrick LF
McCarthy P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 2, 2016
NPUT
Dodgers send Yasiel Puig to minor leagues, leaving his future with team unclear
http://lat.ms/2ayGxkb
Jon tries to pour oil on the troubled Puig waters.
Just got home. McCarthy had 85 pitches and a rain delay in three innings? Ouch.
That was a really bad game. Dodgers hopefully will show more gumption tomorrow.
2 outs in the ninth. Bases empty. Number 8 hitter up. And you change your reliever for a better match up? That is a bit of over kill I think.
I feel a bit sorry for Puig. Thoughts?
Absolutely. Without knowing the whole story, it feels like he is being singled out or being set up as the sacrificial lamb for some reason.
I love watching Puig, and I’m surprised they didn’t keep him up for at least a platoon, but I have no way of knowing what goes on behind the scenes.
I’m a little annoyed we haven’t gotten more explanation from Zaidi et. al. If he’s still a pain to his teammates as he apparently was to Greinke and to SVS’s father then say something like “we’re sending him out in hopes he’ll mature a little.” If it’s just because he’s lost his stroke, they could be even more straightforward.
Were there really no teams that wanted him? I find that hard to believe. Not impossible, I guess, but it seems unlikely no other team thought “maybe a change of scenery is all he needs.”
I read somewhere (Trueblue, maybe?) that they feel his hamstring issues are in part due to his inconsistent training off the field. Also that he continued to be late to meetings. I guess we will see what transpires, but I will miss his ebullience when he gets a hit, and his bullets from right field. Having said that, there was that weird game recently where he wasn’t picking up the ball at all. I can see why he would frustrate the FO and Roberts.
On the radio during the rain delay the Dodger Talk guy said they’d wanted him to lose about 20 lbs in the offseason in hopes that would take the strain off the hamstrings, and he didn’t do it.
Just got home. Pretty lackluster showing on our part. Rockies, on the other hand…
Nice play to throw out CarGo at home.
Yippe. 7-2 now.
This is the worst drop off from one game to the next. Dodgers look absolutely lifeless tonight. This on the heels of winning 14-3.
Chavez has faced two batters and has given up a walk and a two run double. Can we send him back to Toronto? Jk
Maybe not joking. Chavez getting hit hard. Seems not to have much of a chance to get through this inning.
Not to Manitoba?
He might pitch alright for the Winnipeg Goldeyes.
Chavez has a very strong tattoo game going for him. Both arms have major tats on them.
Chavez coming in.
Need our pen to hold and our hitters to score some runs.
This looks like one of those nights, but at least the Fillies clubbed BadGums and the Gnats.
This is a fine kettle of fish.
I really do not believe that one run is going to win this game.
Okay, maybe three will.
79 pitches in 4th. I hope new guy Chavez is ready (since Stripling got sent down and Bolsinger is now a Blue Jay).
Gray pitching very well.
McCarthy at 72 pitches now through 3. Hope he has enough left for one more inning. Given how long the first inning was, going 4 would be an accomplishment.
13-8 final in Philly. Dodgers are 1.5 games back right now.
I know it has been said before but watching baseball games in Colorado is painful. Long innings, high pitch counts, etc.
Aaron Altherr ist großartig! His two-run single puts the Fillies up 10-8 in the eighth, and he has five RBI on the night.
The German national team is making its (Deutsch)mark on MLB.
Here’s hoping the Phils can finish off SF to win a wild one.
Oh boy! 13-8 Phils in the 9th! In a game MadBum started!
Long fly out with the bases loaded. Phew.
McCarthy at 33 pitches in the first inning.
And counting…
Unfortunate. It looks like the rain caused a few wild pitches by McCarthy. He walks the batter and then they stop for a rain delay.
I hate rain delays. Time for a glass of Torrontés, and a snack of manchego and rice crackers.
If that’s your snack for rain delays, I can only imagine what you have when the game is actually on.
Looks a little wet out there.
And now there’s some enlightenment as to why the team demoted Puig.
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I really like looking at this line-up, but still wonder why we did not keep Puig on the major league roster. That being said the OC Dodgers are playing the Iowa Cubs this weekend, so I will be able to see him play.
What I find astonishing is that the FO hasn’t yet spoken up about this situation.