Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is not happy.
The Dodgers dropped their series opener to the Los Angeles Angels by a score of 7-4 on Monday night. Save for two late homers from Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy, the Dodgers weren’t ever really in the game.
More news: Dodgers’ Kiké Hernandez Could Return This Season After All, Says Dave Roberts
This loss, compounded with some bad recent losses to the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals in which leads were given up late, has the Dodgers only one game ahead of the rival San Diego Padres in the suddenly hotly-contested NL West.
After the loss, Roberts was considerably more candid — and far less positive than he normally is. Given the circumstances, it’s understandable given the Dodgers have blown a very comfortable division lead gradually over the last few months.
“There definitely has to be some urgency. I don’t think anyone is blind to the fact that the standings are the standings. It’s gotten a lot more interesting. So we’ve got to go out there and play good baseball. I definitely feel that our guys are starting to feel that urgency. It’s been long enough of middling baseball — as far as overall team wins and losses.”
More news: Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Wants to Pitch for Next 8 Years of Contract, Says Andrew Friedman
To be fair to Los Angeles, the team is working in a host of players that had previously been injured for long stretches.
The starting pitching has been far from the problem over the last 10 days, and with the returns of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, one can see the outline of what could be a devastating four-man group in a postseason series (when also featuring Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
At the same time, there’s a visible lack of energy. The offense is also struggling immensely right now in clutch situations. Freddie Freeman still seems hobbled by his ankle. Mookie Betts is in the midst of working his way out of a career-worst slump. Will Smith is in the midst of his first slump of the season.
When then throwing in the inconsistency of Teoscar Hernandez, the inability to hit save for a few moments from Michael Conforto, and the general lack of production from the bottom of the order, it’s not overly surprising to see Los Angeles clutching onto a slim division lead.
At this point, whether it’s bringing up a fresh prospect or getting the likes of Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim fully healthy, a spark has to come from somewhere. Otherwise, the Padres are in prime position to make this a real race for the remainder of the regular season.
More news: Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Discusses Sticking With Michael Conforto Throughout Down Year
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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13 Responses
We NEED to sweep the Padres to show them who’s boss!
We’re 17 games over 500. We were 8-0 on April 3rd, which means we’re 9 games over 500 for the last 4 months. So we’re having a post WS season so far. It’s not a slump, it’s our season
Roberts shakedown of Ohtani’s trying to steal third base the other night may have some merit, but I see the real problem and primary concern with the losing of leads and games to be Betts and Conforto. These two are consistently losing rallies and losing games for the dodgers with their awful at bats. It seems that they have lost more games for the dodgers single-handedly than almost anyone else. Betts looks like he’s somewhere else when he’s at the plate, and Conforto looks like he’s a San Francisco plant, put there to sabotage. It’s disappointing and aggravating as a fan to see Betts walking up to the plate, and being able to tell from his body language that he’s coming up to make an out.
Yesterday a no-name shortstop named Neto outplaying megabucks Mookie, and any of the high prospects in the minors are better than the Statcasts worse major league hitter named Conforto.
As an addition to my original comment above, may I propose that Ohtani’s trying to steal third base on his own may be a reaction to having Betts batting behind him, and perhaps he’s trying to get himself in the best position to score because he knows that Betts isn’t going to be of any help in that process. And that he knows Roberts isn’t really calling out Betts and has been soft peddling it with him and providing him with excuses. Looking to the play-offs, Betts has shown before he can tank during that time, and while aggravating, it would not be surprising to see him tank again.
18-20 since the midpoint of the season. And now Roberts says they need to have urgency? Seriously?? Pathetic response. Padres are winning this division and LA needs to wake the eff up or won’t even make the playoffs. It’s shocking to even think that. One team got decidedly better at the deadline, one team didn’t improve the one huge area of concern, relief pitching. Stewart has proven clearly that he was NOT the answer. And the usually reliable Banda and Vesia have been mediocre at best lately. Tired from overuse possibly, but they’re looking like this year’s version of Craig Kimbrel. Pathetic.
Call it the “Dog Days of August”, but the Brewers and Padres are not feeling it. Lack of energy and focus or feeling sorry for yourself are no excuse for lackluster play. Roberts says sense of urgency is needed but throwing in the white towel early doesn’ t help in their efforts to win. It is up to the players to wake up and take charge to defend your title. Everybody is playing hurt , even the opponents so what? Time to suck it up.
Stop kidding yourself. This team is playing like extremely poorly. We are now a wild card team. It’s not looking good.
Ok Friedman and Roberts leave a hot hitting Ryan Ward in AAA and continue to play horrible Conforto. The guy has to buy a hit. So many nights he goes O fer. He has hit below the Mendoza line for 3/4 of the season. No other team would let a player hitting that bad to stay on the roster. Release Conforto and bring up Ward to see if he can spark the bottom of the line up. I strongly believe he is much better than Conforto or Dean. I guess the Dodgers will just let Ryan Ward rot with the AAA Comets. I bet the Padres would sure use him. I cannot see Conforto in the playoff roster line up if the Dodgers even make it that far.
Sense of urgency? That should have been Robert’s response more than a month ago because they’ve been in a funk for that long. Forget the “injuries” excuses, this team lacks last year’s intangible of “chemistry”, and sorry to say Conforto, Teo, Betts, pitching decisions, mediocre call-ups, and trades have not helped the situation. That’s just a start, and I see far too many problems with this team that are likely to go unresolved since Roberts seems to have no clue about lighting some sparks with lineup changes, pitching decisions, and maybe playing small ball once in a while in tight games. Let’s hope that the “Friar’s Pill” is one we’re not going to have to swallow this year.
Today’s 2nd game against the Angels was the last straw to take with Conforto batting. Management needs to admit he hasn’t worked out at all and FINALLY give someone else a chance. Anyone would be a plus compared to Conforto and his extended chances. The Dodgers have been suffering with a lineup that’s short 1 batter whenever Conforto is playing. It’s way way past due to sit or let Conforto go.
Urgency? The irony of saying that as we are now on the brink of getting swept by the Angels for the second time this season. Our boys are absolutely done. Put a fork in them. 18 – 21 since the midpoint. Padres caught them and are tied for first place. Over 50 year fan, but this has been one of the biggest disappointing regular seasons ever. This line up, with this salary, plagued by injuries, underperforming, completely ignorant moves at the deadline, and Roberts has no answers. Blasphemy to say it, but I hope they don’t make the playoffs just so they’ll wake the hell up and realize that whatever they’re doing isn’t working. They’re awful and don’t care.
Have been a diehard Dodgers fan for over 70 years and no matter how this season’s team fares, I’ll always be rooting for them. But here’s my take for what should be done for the remainder of this season:
1) move Betts to RF, move Teoscar to LF, and keep Pages in CF for a more offensive/defensive OF.
2) when Kim returns, play him full time at 2nd (and not only against RHP). He’s a spark (batting/defense/speed) and energizes the team’s chemistry).
3) let Rojas/Freeland man SS (and bring up Noah Miller when roster expands).
4) bat Betts leadoff now that he’s hitting like expected and bat Ohtani second, followed by Freeman, Smith, Muncy, Pages, then Teoscar (strikes out too often for batting higher in lineup), and keep this order no matter if it’s a righty or lefty pitching. Rojas/Freeland bats eighth and Kim ninth.
5) bench or release Conforto.
We need a stabilized lineup, not one that changes from game to game.