Dodgers: Dave Roberts Reveals the Reason Matt Beaty Doesn’t Start
For whatever reason, the Dodgers can’t seem to rid themselves of the injury bug. The recent wave of injuries has led the Dodgers outfield depth crippled. Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor are both sidelined with their own issues which leaves the team with only two quality outfielders in Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock. Albeit a reduced Pollock as he returns from a hamstring injury.
The Dodgers also have Luke Raley on the roster as well as Gavin Lux who has been seeing time in the outfield but has limited experience. There’s also Matt Beaty who has seemed to be forgotten by the coaching staff, since returning from the minors. During a pregame press conference, Dave Roberts revealed the reason why Beaty hasn’t seen much time out on the field.
“I like Matt Beaty on the bench… I don’t see him as a defender, I see him as a really – taking a great at bat against a right hander.”
While Doc didn’t necessarily say he was a bad defender, it really seems that way. If that is the case, it doesn’t make much sense as the team is sacrificing defense with the placing of Lux in center field. He only has a handful of appearances there this season and not one in center field. There’s also Luke Raley who is an outfielder by trade, but he’s no gold glover.
The biggest concern for Los Angeles should be offense as they have found themselves lacking in that department white a bit this season. He’s hit .316 with 1 home run and 5 RBI over his last 30 appearances. it’s fair to wonder if he could have produced more with an increase of playing time.
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This shouldn’t even be a topic with the ridiculous amount of talent we have offensively but unfortunately it’s important especially right now as we speak watching them struggle to cash in runs vs COL
Based upon today’s offensive showing Dodgers don’t deserve to win the division and Robert’s reasoning about Beaty not starting, even if it was occasionally is absolutely ludicrous! Dodgers are chasing against LH Freeland and look awful doing so Great to finally hear Rick Monday on the TV broadcast and he pointed out the lack of being selective for Dodger’s approach today and they once again look flat after having 3 hits early and nothing else offensively so far through 6 innings.
ONce again Roberts playing the shift will beat the Dodgers as it did Buehler yesterday. WHEN he learn that with a runner on first base and less than 2 outs the defense is you play for a double play. The Rockies good hitters hit the ball hits and will hit that big gab that Roberts Defense gives them. That’s is BUsh League play….. need to shake some sense Roberts …. give me Kevin Kennedy for Manager.
hell yes,cant believe how as a player roberts was a small ball type and now he waits for the 3 run homer
Give us anybody, I have been a Dodger fan since 1950 and Roberts is by far the worst manager they have ever had.
After 7 innings the offense is now non existent and if the hitters don’t improve on their approach with hitting breaking pitches and change ups their season will end on October 6th inthat one and done game. I honestly can’t believe the hitters look so bad today. I see no playing with any sense of urgency at all. And I’ve said before that it’s this pitiful offense that could eventually send them home.
Fire Roberts immediately. He does not deserve to be manager. We need a new manager for next season.
I hope the ownership sees that Roberts needs to go!!
We need a manager who can be a BOSS and not a cheerleader and play small ball and kill those shifts!!!
Colorado was killing Scherzer with little hits to the opposite field!!!!! Guys, WTF!!!!
That’s the best response I’ve ever seen.
I’m sure Roberts, crosses his fingers every time before game time and throughout the game, so that the Gnats will loose. And his team doesn’t even have to want to show up or play.
Extra innings now… look out…
Hope burns eternal. Muncy hits a 2 run HR in 10th. Can they pull this game out? WSS.
After reading your first earlier comments. but knowing that LA pulled off the win (AND SF lost), I was curious if you’d ‘update’ your take today.
Muncy was the hero at end, but he has been ICE cold for a while, and JT not much better.
BUT, we’re only a game again! GO LA
Game back again…
Before the 10th I would have said that our offensive struggles rest squarely with lack of production from JT, Max and Mookie. In the end Max and Betts got it done today, but JT still struggles. Thanks to Seager and Trea we’re hanging tough but they are not enough even if Lux and Smith continue to rake. The top half of the lineup must produce or we’re lost…can’t blame Roberts for that. BTW, agree completely that we,ve goth to incorporate some small ball to get opponents out of their shift. Appears Scherzer doesn’t practice bunting too much!
Looks like our guys will face St.Louis in the one-and-done. Hope the Cards burn up all that good Mojo out before they get to LA. If they bring it like they have been over the last few weeks, our guys will have their hands full.
I still think the Dodgers will win the division. But your point about St Louis is well taken. They have won 12 in a row. They are easily the hottest team in baseball. Nobody would want to play a one and done with them at this point. It’s unlikely they can maintain this level of play through the end of the season, but they could still be very hot when the postseason comes around. They could be a real spoiler. The Dodgers need to sweep AZ, and pretty much sweep the rest of the regular season. The Giants are looking more human lately. I expect the Rockies to take at least one of the three upcoming games from them.
Look at the Cards last 12 games. Cincy, Padres, Mets and Brewers. Non of them are tearing up the there division. Brewers are 3-7 in there last 10 with sub par pitching performances from their starters. Smoke and mirrors.
Roberts is following the GM hyper-analytics camp that says this guy can only do this and that guy can only hit lefties, etc. Playing the splits proves to be statistically right hopefully more than half the time but you end up ruining players by it.
Guess what- Joc Pederson hits lefties better than right handed pitching now. Why? Because he doesn’t play under super analytic-based robot GMs that no nothing about the game.
Good point. Pederson’s BA is 35 points higher against LHPs vs RHPs this year, although 14 of his 16 HRs are against RHPs. If you don’t limit people to preconceived roles, they will get in the work they need to improve in all areas. Pollack is hitting hitting around 295 against both RHPs and LHPs. There is no reason to platoon either Pederson or Pollack. But Pollack was right guy to keep. Now DR just needs to let him play all the time. Analytics can be self fulfilling prophecies that hinder overall success.
Joc is barely hitting LHP better but only because he is hitting equally bad against either hand.
Bullcrap roberts has his favorites and beatty isn’t one of them.He could have easily made difference and dodgers could have won a few close games.
Joc Pederson was hitting 279 vs lefties when he was with Cubs cause manager was playing him everyday but with Braves he has another dumb roberts as manager .
Roberts has his head up his ass. Apparently Beaty has done something to piss him off. Why else would you leave him out of the lineup. If we dont get there this season you can blame Roberts and his concept of vacation days for all the starters. 2 per game. Remember the days when you actually knew what the lineup was going to be. I guess when Bellinger comes back we will sit Lux. And by the way, does Mookie Seager Justin have clauses where they have to have a day off every 4 games or so? WTF
Momentum, Schmomentum. Good pitching, like the kind you find in the playoffs, stops good hitting every time. Unless, of course, your line up has a live bat in every slot……..ahem, like the Dodgers.They are healthy at long last and battle tested. Their starting pitching depth will make the difference if they get to a 4th,5th or 6th game of a playoff series. The bullpen is better than last year and Trea Turner is another game changer in a line up full of game changers. I’ll stick with the Dodgers to win it all again.
Doesn’t any sportswriter here proofread their articles: “white” instead of “quite” and Dave Roberts quote regarding Matt Beaty “I see him as a really-taking a great at bat against a right hander.” Typos can be expected but typos in a headline quote are unacceptable..
No.
Many great responses. I am of the opinion that Dave Roberts is not the best manager for this team.
Too many bad decisions and too many losses because of them
same BS reason Roberts had kept playing Belli even though he was 0 for the month. with our great pitching, scoring runs is more important in order to win games. Lux is an experiment and not reliable D either, but his bat is hot so keep him in the lineup. and start Beaty!
Do not put Belli back in when he returns. Lux is playing well. Pollick is back. Taylor returning soon.
We will win the Division.
Look Beatty is a liability in the field. So play the guys that can field, OR are hitting the cover off the ball, like Lux is at the moment.