GAME THREAD DODGERS/CARDINALS

Which they didnt trade.
Havent benched.
Havent sent to the minors.
Havent platooned.

Coaches have a plan for the players and teams.
Thats why they do things that seem weird to us.
Plans are usually on terms.
Puig has shown so much promise and then delivered so greatly on that.
It wasnt a fluke. It wasnt that the pitchers hadnt figured him out.
That was proved by his second year.
What we do know is that the previous coaching staff messed with his game greatly. They took something great and tried to mold it into their image.
They also messed with his mojo by attempting to change his enjoyment of the game.
Conforming into a mold is good for many but for some it doesnt work. It breaks them.
Then he also got injures to boot.
And has new pressure of being great and having to live up to that great first seasons while he recovers from injury recovers his form recovers his swing and recovers his mojo.

But he has improves in many small new ways that will be huge when he recovers what he has lost.
Without losing his desire to make big plays defensively.

The plan is that puig needs to be a big part of this team or the team will have a huge hole on offense and defense if he is jetissoned.
The best option to replace him was Jayson Hayward defensively.
The FO did great by not going hard after him.
Same with greinke and with others rumored to be dodgers this season who are sucking.

Its better to help Puig slowly recover his skill than to trade urias or deleon for someone or spend max money on a rf who may not be the answer.
Thats how you end up with a CC makinh tons of money and being worthless once his one or two skills fade.

 

Thats fine.
Imo corey ahould bat 3rd.
That is where the best player hits.
2nd is where you can play around a bit.
Its a great spot for a multiskilled player that can be used to set up others.
7 is good too because of the lack of pressure.
You dont see me advocating for puig to bat 3 or 4 or 5.
Imo i would have seager joc and agon in that order.
If we had a true leadoff man then utley would be real nice hitting 2.
Just like ethier and russ martin played there sometimes in the past.
But for our situation getting puig going as a 2 for a bit may be just the thing needed. He can be places in the 5 or 6 hole later on. And if he doesnt improve even hitting second then there is alwaya Trayce.
He used to steal bases before.
But know he hits homeruns.

 

Exactly.
Turner and agon could use being dropped a spot in the order.
Their issues are age and injury.
Puig issue is neither.
Giving him a new look and a chance to use his speed in front of our better players may be a good spur for both he and the offense in general.

Chase
Puig
Corey
Joc
Agon
Trayce
Turner
Grandal

 

problem is we don't have ideal players for either the leadoff or 2 spot
but if corey is hitting 3rd that #2 might get better pitches to hit
that's not gonna happen with a struggling turner there
here's what i'd go with for now...

chase
joc
corey
adrian
trayce
turner
grandal
puig

if turner gets hot, move him up to #5
puig stays at #8 until he proves he derserves a higher slot
not perfect and not the ideal righty/lefty balance but you could flip/flop joc and trayce
idk

 

There is no such thing as old thinking.
At least in this idea that old thinking means bad thinking.
I love the tools now available to help evaluate players but the moment you use them to discredit the old ways of evaluating you doing it wrong.

It is not november yet.
Baseball is all about the long game.
The 2 spot is usefull for developing players. Its not to stash away mediocre ones like in the example someone else gave.
Its a spot to complement your leadoff guy with what he is missing and to give the 3 and 4 hitters something to drive in.
He can run and can also be used to move Utley over. You want Seager to sacrifice?

Puig is a developing prospect who has shown definite ability to produce.
He isnt Manny winding down his career.
He is supremely talented and earns his keep in the field and works hard.
Its just a matter of time.
You need to put him in a position to succeed to rebuild his true confidence so he neednt rely as much on false bravado to pump himself up.
Its probably why Turner gets so many tries in the heart of the order. Imo he has had his fair turn and now needs to play less and from the back. His issues are from his surgery.
Puig looks recovered physically but his hitting form is not there yet.
He may well do it from the back of the lineup as well. But the team definately needs to work on doing something to make the lineup dynamic.
While i love Jocs obp numbers i dont he works that great within our current makeup of having slow guys up front.
You need one guy who has above average wheels to allow the manager to manufacture runs.

Imo Corey is the best player in the lineup. He should bat 3 for the next 10 years.
And Joc should bat right behind him at 4 or at worst 5.
We agree that they are the best we have. Now and in the future.
But how recently were folks ready to give up on Joc?
Management messed with his form and it took him a while to get back to form.
But many said he sucked and should be dropped.
Folks wanted more CC.
But with time if a player is good he will turn it around.

 

If puig cant produce in the 2 spot then you drop him back again or you reassign him.
But then you know more. You have more data so you can make field a better team down the stretch.

Puig may never be what folks think he must be.
But if he can hit around .275 .365 .460 while kicking ass in the of with that great arm then you have a special player.
Even if that means just 16 or 18 homeruns and 35 doubles.
Would make for a real good number 2 or 6 hitter in this lineup.
If Corey can hit 25 to 30 while batting near .300 with great obp thats awesome for a 3.
And if Joc can belt 30 to 40 hr even if he hits .275 its great at 4.
And if we can get a great power hitter who hits .255 then thats good too hitting 5th.

Sometimes looking for perfection discounts a good fit.

 

But you arent the manager.
Neither am i.
So just like you take the players skillset and mindset into the argument you also take the managers skillset and mindset into account.
What would/could realistically be done or will be done?
Our manager is old school by the book type.
Sure he is well versed in modern tools or else this FO probably wouldnt have hired him.
What would dave roberts do?