The Dodgers are one of the top organizations every year in terms of the amount of transactions they make, and this year they have been even busier than usual. Although this does allow them to use their depth to fill holes at certain spots on a daily basis, it also makes it much more difficult for their rookies and/or fringe players to get comfortable.
They do a great job in the Minors at preaching process over results, and, having seen it with my own eyes, I can tell you that approach is super successful. But, then, the approach flips when they begin to incorporate these same guys into the MLB level.Â
The Dodgers send guys up & down so much that it forces their rookies and/or fringe players into a mindset that is 100% results based. Results matter, especially at the MLB level, but, it’s the exact opposite of the environment prospects grow up with in the system.Â
The veterans have the luxury to think “process” and work through all of their ebbs and flows, but the rookies and/or fringe players don’t,
Which, is exactly backwards, in my opinion.Â
Here are some examples
James Outman and Miguel Vargas have been given good runway this year, which is good, but many thought Outman wouldn’t even make the opening day roster.Â
That is, until he went crazy in ST & early parts of the year.
And, although his WRC+ is hovering around 100, it still has a feel of looking over his shoulder for the next veteran reclamation like Kole Calhoun or David Dahl to make the final cut.
Miguel Vargas has been given everything he needs in terms of runway and time to figure things out, so no arguments in his case, because the Dodgers clearly invested in him and are trying to give it time to mature. Â
But, he’s definitely the exception, not the norm.Â
Take Nick Robertson for instance…
The only time he got to pitch on back to back days was on June 16 and June 17 & on June 17th he pitched with Jason Heyward playing 1st base. And, if you remember, he got 2 ground balls that would have been outs with an everyday 1st baseman playing 1st base. But, instead, he ended up giving up 2 infield hits that led to 3 runs.
After that he didn’t pitch for 8 more days, but still put up a 0 in his next outing.
To that point, he had outings where he had given up 0, then 3 because an outfielder was playing 1st base, put up a 0, then got brought in with the bases loaded at Colorado, then sent down.
While he showed really good stuff, he was put in bad situations, then not given time to work through it and get back on the high side.Â
Michael Busch has played in back to back games at the MLB level this year only 5 times, and, combined in those games, he’s 8 for 27. Jonny DeLuca is 2 for his last 5 with an OPS during that time of .971, but those 5 at bats have been stretched over 7 games.Â
Bryan Hudson has dominated AAA this year to the tune of a 1.83 ERA with 57 Ks in 34.1 innings, but only got 1 outing at the MLB level, and Justin Bruihl has gone scoreless in 4 outings in a row at the MLB level, but those last 4 outings stretch back to May 29th.
And, in that time, he’s been optioned and/or sent to OKC 4 times.Â
Michael Grove has struggled as a starter, but looked very good in his 1 outing in relief, which is a big time position of need. But, then he hasn’t pitched in relief since and has, instead, started a game and is the possible starter tonight. I understand that versatility is one of the aspects of his game that will keep him on an MLB roster, but put him in the pen and let’s see if he can help in that role.Â
Emmet Sheehan is off to a good start posting an ERA of just 1.86 and a WHIP of just 0.88 and Bobby Miller has been dominant at times, and has been great in all but 2 outings. But, despite that promise, all the chatter around the water cooler is that the Dodgers need as many as 2 starters from the trade market.Â
Let me ask then, who would those starters replace? Sheehan and Miller, or one of the Vets?
I think it’s pretty safe to say that, despite the great stuff that both Sheehan and Miller have shown, it would be them that got replaced.Â
So, in a year that was supposed to have a large flavor of youth, what has actually happened is that there have been more questions created than answers. The Dodgers love their veterans, and for good reason, Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and the like have won them a lot of games. But, so have all of the prospects like Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Will Smith and the like.Â
Become a subscriber to our Dodgers Daily YouTube page and follow us on Twitter @dodger_daily, on Instagram @dodger.daily, or on TikTok @dodgers_daily.
Also, please consider donating to our GoFundMe to help Dodgers Daily keep growing. To do so, click this link https://gofund.me/db54a295. This site will always be free to its viewers, but it does take time and money to run, so any sized donation would be greatly appreciated.
