Cody Bellinger Thinks He Should Be In The Dodgers Lineup Every Single Day
One thing that troubled me in 2018 was the platooning of Cody Bellinger. Even though I understand sitting him against some tough lefties – there were nights that Bellinger wasn’t in the lineup last season that baffled me. Moreover, it led to a lot of late-inning swaps when Bellinger was in the middle of a good stretch. It seemed to hamper his numbers.
Now, Bellinger tells Pedro Moura of The Athletic that he wants to be out there every single day. Like only Cody Bellinger can do, there were some great quotes.
Cody Bellinger felt “shitty” for much of it, but after 2018 he realized he played better than he thought. “I should be in the lineup every single day,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a question about that.” He plans to share that feeling with the Dodgers. https://t.co/OYu3wWjx3r
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) February 15, 2019
It’s good to hear Bellinger talk this way.
I should be in the lineup every single day,” Bellinger told The Athletic. “I don’t think there’s a question about that. Even when I’m not good, I’m still really good.”
Bellinger is right to a degree. He was incredibly productive last season. Although he appeared in all 162 games, many were in part-time duty. Still, he posted a 4.2 bWAR season for the second straight year.
Bellinger sounds set on doing whatever it takes to be penciled in the lineup on an everyday basis.
“I love center field. I love first,” he said. “I will play right. I will do that. Getting in the lineup is important. Because if I play consistently, whether it’s left field, center, right, first base, I know for a fact I would win a Gold Glove anywhere. And they know I’m a Gold Glove anywhere I go. I just need to be in the lineup every day.”
Within the article, we learn that Bellinger has been at Camelback Ranch for some time (early), working on his craft.
Rookie Year Bellinger Makes A Return?
Moreover, he addressed the weight he put on a year ago to bulk up. Now, he admits that may have been to his detriment.
“I thought that was important to people,” Bellinger said this week. “At the end of the day, it’s really not.”
Bellinger sounds confident at the current time. In our exclusive interview with Dodgers hitting strategist Brant Brown, he stated that rookie year Bellinger could be making a return in 2019.
And let’s be honest: nothing brings about a better time than Bellinger hitting bombs into the Los Angeles night. Nothing. Furthermore – if he’s doing that at a solid clip – he’s going to be in the lineup each night like he desires.
Jim Bowden: Dodgers Are Missing a Bat, Need Harper
Dear Bellinger
Please stop looking clueless when facing lefties and I am sure they would accommodate
You are not entitled you must earn it. I hope you do this year and you have learned
Thanks
Loyal Fan that cheers for the name in the front not the back
1988blues
Ps AF this is why you need professionals like Harper
Excellent commentary, 1988!!!!! Wail till the platooning begins!!!! Go Blue!!!!!
BLUE LOU! Bite your tongue, LOL We all hope, including PD Jr. that we don’t see this platooning much. But yes Cody must earn it and at least he shows he is serious by showing up to AZ early to work on his craft.
He’s going to! He’s going to hit a homer off some nasty LHP early in this regular season, I had that vision today. He’s going to shock everyone at that moment.
If only he was as good as he thinks he is. Agree totally with 1988blues. He needs to earn it!!!
ED, I can say he at least has begun to earn it by having showed up early at Camelback Ranch to work on things.
He *was* that good as a rookie, insanely dominating good!
We Dodger fans are so fortunate to be able to witness the growth of a kid like this. I totally agree with Cody wanting to be in the lineup every day. Nobody hits a home run every game or even gets a hit every game…..but he makes up for it in speed and defense. My hope is that Doc pencils Cody and Muncy in every day. Let them hit their stride and watch em run.
Don, I do hope Bellinger can play daily but not sold on Muncy or Verdugo….they are LH hitters of which we have a plethora of and many don’t believe Muncy will even come close to duplicating last year. He is a defensive liability if he’s anywhere other than 1st base. Verdugo SHOULD HAVE TO EARN HIS SPOT TOO. He certainly should not just be handed the RF job.
And bla, bla, bla, pessimism. I want to see both Belli & Muncy thrive, but man, o, man the lack of faith, the pessimism, often undue criticism, and premature judgment on Muncy is stunning. If he was not occupying “Belli’s spot” at 1B, I doubt people,would be so critical of him. The general consensus seems to he “get the hell out of,Belli’s spot!”
And BTW, who would NOT want to play every day, and who would NOT benefit from doing so?
Can’t wait for Muncy to prove all you nay sayers wrong. But then again, he DID prove to be better than you give him credit for, both offensively, and defensively, time and time again. Your love for Belli is legit, but also at the root of a lot of undue criticism, IMO.
Great comment Don. Be sure to check back when I write up every Bellinger home run, as they pile up.
Be sure to write up about BOTH Belli and Muncy awesomeness, as I know you will do. 🙂
I agree with the posters that players Need to earn playing time. I guess I’m kinda old(50 yrs old.) but I’m Not a fan of analytics and IMO, the over-platooning that the Dodgers brain-trust does. Finally, I too cheer for “the name on the front of the jersey and not the back.”
hello Robin. My guess is you already know my feelings about the excessive platooning and obsessive compulsive use of analytics, which in the opinion of many, ended up costing the team in the 2018 WS.
More and more fans us Paul in getting away from analytics, and the platooning it leads to. Of course, I did read today that Roberts now want Belles to play in right field. Quote Belles : ” I love center. I love first. I will play right.” Notice the drop off in enthusiasm?
Interesting. Go Blue!!!!
PaulDodgerFan1965. Allow me to state this to you. IMO the only Dodgers I would have platooned based on 2018 stats are Pederson, he looks lost against lefties and perhaps Puig because of his reverse-splits. I don’t remember who the Dodgers were playing(regular season) but the opposing manager removed the LHP and put in a RHP. The announcer even mentioned that the manager was doing Puig a favor by removing the LHP.(Puig hit righties better than lefties in 2018). I know Puig, in a 3-game set against the Cardinals(in St.Louis), went off for 3 or 4 homeruns
Robin, yes indeed that Joc will be platooned and he knows it. I wonder if he even bothered to practice his approach and hitting in the off season with LHP.. My guess is he figures he won’t see much action if at all against them . But it doesn’t stop with just Joc. The whole team must do better against LHP, including the RHB too.
If the platoon lineups happen so little that I barely notice, I’ll be happy.
Unless he adjusts his swing and mindset to make ‘ contact ‘ more often, I have no choice but to platoon and bat him no higher than 6th. The homers come with contact on the ball and he misses an awful lot of good pitches that should be hit.
My fear is that he will struggle a little – bright minds believe otherwise though!
Platoon? What’s Bellinger talking about? He led the National League in games played in 2018, appearing in 162 of the Dodgers’ 163. Bellinger also had a team-high 632 plate appearances, including 210 against lefty pitching. Versus RHP: .278/.363/.518. Versus LHP: .226/.305/.376. Ample opportunities versus LHP and he didn’t come through.
Question for Dodger fans: Bellinger to the Mets for Noah Syndergaard. Would you do it?
NO! Noah is one pitch from a surgery table. Pitchers are so much more volatile than transcendent young everyday players. Always take the bat (especially when you have pitching depth). Note: this opinion is solely my own.
Bellinger is correct. Play him every day and he will be better than anyone else at the position – outfield or first base.
If he is back at 1st, he certainly is better than Muncy in any event. And you are correct if he’s in the OF as well.
Yes! Set it and forget it.
The more I read Evans’ article I’m thinking is Bellinger confident or cocky. I know its a fine-line. How about another Dodger, Walker Buehler. I’ve heard Orel Hershisher state the same thing about him.
Just a talented kid that knows how good he can be. I like his moxy! Give me this guy over a guy who will play scared (as long as this is genuine!)
verdugo was great in the minors but why wasn’t he put into a position when he was brought up……oh, another platoon player from the bench..wasn’t good enough to start?…..players shouldn’t be brought up to stay if they play only part time..see 2016, 17, 18….except in an emergency…….Bellinger is a starter……why jack him around…….this is why a player needs to get paid on productivity……this way they sink or swim