Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Revealed Bobby Miller Had Velocity Drop During Rehab Start
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller pitched into the fourth inning and allowed four runs for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Saturday in the second of what will be at least three minor league rehab starts.
The Quakes’ play-by-play voice, Mike Lindskog, said during the broadcast that there was no visible working radar gun in Lake Elsinore. However, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday that Miller experienced “a little velocity drop” in his rehab start. Roberts does not believe the dip was caused by any kind of physical setback, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
Miller shrugged off the slight drop in his velocity. He attributed it to a lack of adrenaline.
“It could have just been an adrenaline thing. Not much adrenaline at all,” Miller told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “But I got my work. Wasn’t happy with it. But I came out feeling good.”
Miller pitched two scoreless innings and only needed to throw 34 pitches, but then allowed three runs in the third inning. He allowed a single and groundout to open the fourth but was pulled after throwing 65 pitches. He allowed five hits, including two doubles, and a walk. He didn’t strike out anyone.
He had control of his fastball but struggled with command of his offspeed.
“Fastball command was fine,” he said. “But if that’s the only pitch you got, it’s gonna be a little rough, just command of the off-speed, that was it.”
The most important thing, Roberts said, is that Miller came out of the outing feeling good.
“So for me, it’s a net positive,” Roberts said.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
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1. BOBBY MILLER SHOULD BE USED IN A TRADE. HE’S NOT MASTERED COMMAND OF HIS PITCHES, & SHOULDN’T BE COUNTED ON TO BE A MAJOR STARTING ARM IN THE DODGERS’ FUTURE. MICHAEL GROVE, MIGUEL VARGAS, & ANDY PAGES ARE OTHER TRADE BAITS POSSIBILITIES FOR ESTABLISHED MAJOR LEAGUERS, SOME LIKE THE NATIONALS, LANE THOMAS, WHO ARE SOLID MLB PLAYERS, AND JUST NOW COMING INTO THEIR OWN.
2. GAVIN LUX, THE ONCE PROSPECT, FAST-APPROACHING A SUSPECT, DOES NOT HAVE THE “IT” FACTOR. HE WILL NEVER BEEN A KEY STARTER, AND NEEDS A NEW TEAM ASAP. CHRIS TAYLOR IS A 6 YEAR UTILITY JOURNEYMAN PLAYER WHO CAN’T HIT HIS WEIGHT, AND WHO ALSO NEEDS TO RESUSCITATE HIS CAREER, BUT NOT IN LA. MAX MUNCY, AT 36, HITS 30+ HR’S, DRIVES IN 80-100 RBI’S, HITS 230 IF HE’S LUCKY, & DOESN’T HAVE A POSITION. HE MIGHT BE A PIECE IN A TRADE FOR NOLAB ARENADO, WHO WOULD LOVE PLAYING IN HIS HOMETOWN.
3. AS LONG AS ANDY PAGES CONTINUES TO “LEG KICK,” HE’S ‘LATE,’ AND WILL NEVER HIT THE HIGH HARD HEAT. IT’S BEEN PROVEN; CHAPMAN TODAY, AND OVER THE PAST WEEK IN CRUCIAL AB’S (EX: HI HEAT K WITH BAGS LOADED IN ROCKIE SERIES). HOWEVER, AT 23, HE COULD BE A SLEEPER FOR A TEAM LOOKING TO RESTRUCTURE, AND DEVELOP YOUNG HITTERS/PLAYERS, AND THUS BE PUT IN THE TRADE POOL TO GET LANE THOMAS & NOLAN ARENADO.
4.MIGHT BE BEST THE DODGERS HAVE A TOUGH RUN NOW. BUT WE DON’T SEE A WELL-KNIT, CONTIGUOUS, CONNECTED PLAYER GROUP, POSITIONED IN A WELL THOUGHT OUT LINE-UP WITH A SOLID, STRATEGIC APPROACH TO EACH GAME. IT’S GLARINGLY MISSING. “SCOUTMASTER DAVE ROBERTS” HAS TO TAKE THE CRITICISM FOR THIS. AT THE MOMENT, NO ONE CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT This DODGERS’ TEAM WILL BE 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONS. LOTS OF TALK, LOTS OF NAMES. LOTS OF INK & PUB, BUT NO SIGNS OF A COHESIVE TEAM, UNDERSTANDING ROLES, PLAYING STRATEGIC, FUNDAMENTAL BASEBALL TOGETHER, AND BEING RUN LIKE A WELL-TUNED ENGINE, BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO PLAY IN & WIN THE TOUGH, CHAMPIONSHIP RACES.
5. ON DODGER TALK TODAY, WE TOLD DAVID VASSEGH, WHO DOES A GREAT JOB REPORTING ON THE DODGERS, THAT WASHINGTON’S, LANE THOMAS, IS A YOUNG (27-28) ‘5 TOOL’ PLAYER, WHO HAS A RIDICULOUSLY INEXPENSIVE 1 YEAR (2024) CONTRACT, AND WE BELIEVE IS A FREE AGENT AFTER THIS YEAR. COMPARE HIM, AND HIS SALARY, TO DODGER SIGNEE, TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ, WHO’S GETTING 23,5 MIL/YEAR IN 2024, YET, LANE THOMAS HAD AS GOOD OR BETTER A YEAR,IN 2023 THAN HERNANDEZ. IF WE TOLD YOU WHAT THE NATIONALS ARE PAYING THOMAS, YOU’D BE SHOCKED! CHECK HIS STATS LAST YEAR. HE’S A DIAMOND EMERGING AS A STAR MLB PLAYER! EARLIER, THIS YEAR, IN THE APRIL WASHINGTON-DODGER SERIES, HE WAS INJURED, AND OUT FOR THE NEXT 6-8 WEEKS (SPRAINED MCL), HE’S NOW BACK, UTILIZING ALL OF HIS 5 TOOLS OVER THE PAST 8 GAMES, HITTING 313, & WOULD BE A REALLY SMART, OUTSTANDING PICKUP FOR THE DODGERS TO SOLIDIFY THEIR OFFENSE, SECURE THEIR CENTER FIELD POSITION FOR THE NEXT 7-10 YEARS, AND GET AN EMERGING STAR WHO CAN RUN, STEAL BASES, THROW & PLAY GREAT MLB DEFENSE!!.