July 2021 Game Thread

[Namaste]

In 35 innings with the Dodgers this year Vesia has a 4.30 xFIP

He’s no Dylan Floro (3.94 xFIP in 57 innings)

[lou]

You’ll never convince me Floro is the 17th best reliever in the league. He’s a quality middle reliever, that’s it. You bring in Kenley Jansen, you bring in Aaron Loup. You don’t let Mattingly attempt to manipulate Cabrera and Sixto’s inning count in the bullpen, I see that as a recipe for disaster. Either they’ll be ineffective out of the pen or they’ll be misused and end up injured again.

Just stop being cheap. You can bring those guys in for less than $15 mil, it’s not going to break the bank.

Floro is good, he's a top 3 reliever in a good bullpen. So is Bender. Bleier and Thompson are probably good mid-bullpen guys. So you got at least 4, with at least a 2 SP surplus from Luzardo/Hernandez/Sixto/Cabera.

Agree on Loup/other lefty, not on anyone else. They can throw Pop, Bass (he's likely not this bad again), Holloway, Okert, or whoever as the 8th arm.

I also think it's not very hard to tell Don you can use Sixto and Cabrera twice a week for 1 inning appearances in April (i.e., a normal reliever), scale that up to 2 innings in May, and 2-3 in June and early July, and depending on how everyone is doing, do they get starter spots after. being stretched out during the all star break. This is roughly (I actually pulled up the schedule here):

March/April - 9 innings
May - 16+ innings
June - 20+ innings
July (pre all star) - 15+ innings
July (post all star) - 10+ innings (2 starts)
August - 25+ innings (5 starts)
September - 30+ innings (6 starts)
=125+ IP

This is a perfect roadmap for Sixto and Cabrera for me. Those guys shouldn't be throwing 150 innings, absent a long playoff run. The misuse IS letting them start for the full year, with the idea they'll make it to the end. This is how you protect them. If the Twins can do this with Johan Santana, certainly Sixto and Cabrera can be handled this way.

They should stop being cheap but it's just bats, bats, bats. They can get a reliever at the deadline if needed.

[lou]

In 35 innings with the Dodgers this year Vesia has a 4.30 xFIP

He’s no Dylan Floro (3.94 xFIP in 57 innings)

1.4 WAR for Floro in 57 IP
.3 for Vesia in 35 IP

I mean, they really did great here for this season.

I do wonder with the glut of right handers and Eder getting hurt (and at time of trade not having Luzardo) if trading their one good lefty bullpen prospect was a smart idea, but you can't argue with what's happening.

[Lee Stone]

I believe that Jeff Lindgren, Antonio Velez (lefty) and perhaps others in the minors who don't walk anybody will be ready to contribute to the pen next season. As I pointed out in the minor league discussion, the two have barely given up a run since July.

I find it hard to believe that anyone feels confident when Floro enters a game, but I guess that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

[lou]

I believe that Jeff Lindgren, Antonio Velez (lefty) and perhaps others in the minors who don't walk anybody will be ready to contribute to the pen next season. As I pointed out in the minor league discussion, the two have barely given up a run since July.

Can't imagine they break camp on 26 man roster. You might be right, but they need a guy like Aaron Loup..... or Alex Vesia (i.e. a lefty Bender).... opening day to match with Bleier.

Okert has been sort of good though, but I think they need an upgrade. I feel if Okert makes the team, it's because they opt to carry 5 righties / 3 lefties, and Okert beats out someone like Bass or Pop for the last spot (or they keep at least 1 of Sixto/Cabrera in minors which they very well might).

[Nick]

Floro is good, he's a top 3 reliever in a good bullpen. So is Bender. Bleier and Thompson are probably good mid-bullpen guys. So you got at least 4, with at least a 2 SP surplus from Luzardo/Hernandez/Sixto/Cabera.

Agree on Loup/other lefty, not on anyone else. They can throw Pop, Bass (he's likely not this bad again), Holloway, Okert, or whoever as the 8th arm.

I also think it's not very hard to tell Don you can use Sixto and Cabrera twice a week for 1 inning appearances in April (i.e., a normal reliever), scale that up to 2 innings in May, and 2-3 in June and early July, and depending on how everyone is doing, do they get starter spots after. being stretched out during the all star break. This is roughly (I actually pulled up the schedule here):

March/April - 9 innings
May - 16+ innings
June - 20+ innings
July (pre all star) - 15+ innings
July (post all star) - 10+ innings (2 starts)
August - 25+ innings (5 starts)
September - 30+ innings (6 starts)
=125+ IP

This is a perfect roadmap for Sixto and Cabrera for me. Those guys shouldn't be throwing 150 innings, absent a long playoff run. The misuse IS letting them start for the full year, with the idea they'll make it to the end. This is how you protect them. If the Twins can do this with Johan Santana, certainly Sixto and Cabrera can be handled this way.

They should stop being cheap but it's just bats, bats, bats. They can get a reliever at the deadline if needed.

I don't know, I think you want to protect them, you build them up with starts in AAA. 2 innings in April, 4 in May. 6 in June and then up with the big club. I just see bad things happening, if one of the guys has a bad outing, and then the FO comes to Mattingly, "don't forget you need to work Cabrera in for 2 innings at some point. Still try to win games!" Or vice versa. One of them has a dominant inning. "Well Don, don't use him for the next week. Still taking up a roster spot, though!"

[Lee Stone]

Trade for Pirates Reynolds, Stallings and Hayes. Marlins send Rogers or Cabrera, Meyer, Bleday, Burdick, Brigman, Nicolas, Salas and a catcher.

Game note: the worst three at bats I have ever seen to conclude a game. With a runner on third and no outs, Sanchez and Brinson fan at largely bad pitches without even a foul tip. Henry utterly helpless. All this against a pitcher that customarily strikes out nobody.

[Namaste]

Trade for Pirates Reynolds, Stallings and Hayes. Marlins send Rogers or Cabrera, Meyer, Bleday, Burdick, Brigman, Nicolas, Salas and a catcher.

Game note: the worst three at bats I have ever seen to conclude a game. With a runner on third and no outs, Sanchez and Brinson fan at largely bad pitches without even a foul tip. Henry utterly helpless. All this against a pitcher that customarily strikes out nobody.

I was at the game with my sons. It was such a letdown after the DLC lead off triple. I love Sanchez but every swing he made his last at bat was a Home Run Derby swing.

[Lee Stone]

What disappointed you most about the 2021 baseball season?

For me, it was when the top prospect made it known that he didn't give a shit about baseball by arriving at spring training weighing 245+ pounds,.

[Namaste]

Lee just ejaculated all over my Floro loving face as Floro blows the save to a guy hitting .187

[Nick]

Love to see Lewin come up big there. Sweet walk-off.

[Lee Stone]

Lee just ejaculated all over my Floro loving face as Floro blows the save to a guy hitting .187

Hardly. I just think hitters look very comfortable at the plate against Floro. His fastball isn't too quick and doesn't move much. Hitters have nothing to fear.

Another thought. When we acquired De La Cruz from Houston (arguably our best hitter!), he was playing beside CF Jose Siri on the Sugar Land Skeeters AAA team. Siri, now age 26, had similar and somewhat better numbers than De La Cruz. In addition to that, he's fast and plays CF and also has base stealing talent. Thing is ... we could have had Siri for nothing last winter when he signed as a minor league free agent with the Astros. A former MVP in the DWL, Siri was recently called up to the Astros big league team. In his first 20 at bats, he has nine hits, three of them homers. It would have been kind of neat to have three Dominican buds manning the Marlins OF. The moral of this story: Keep a close watch on the DWL.

[Lee Stone]

Watching Luzardo pitch is pure torture.

[Namaste]

The bottom of the 3rd and top of the 4th was about as fun as any other 15 minutes this season. Jazz almost hit one beyond the entire HR porch and then Sanchez caught a fly ball with one bare hand

[Nick]

Love that we’re carrying 4 catchers and Sandy Leon is playing.