Editorials

Dodgers Nation Poll Results: Approval Ratings Rise for Starting Pitchers

Jacob Walters07/11/2018
0 2 minutes read

It’s time to take a look at how Dodger fans responded to our weekly twitter polls gauging their approval of the Dodgers’ performance. In our last update, positive opinions were on the rise as the Dodgers climbed the standings in the NL West. This week’s explosive success against the Pirates juxtaposed against the team’s blunders in Anaheim may have lead to stagnant ratings. The starting rotation, however, did see a bump in their approval.

Let’s analyze the results:

Dave Roberts

The soon to be All-Star skipper saw a very slight uptick in his approval rating. 77% of fans say they approve of the job Dave Roberts has done so far this season. That’s up from 75% two weeks ago.

It makes sense that as the Dodgers continue to win more games than they’re losing, opinions of Roberts will be more favorable. It’s still too early in his career to determine what kind of legacy Roberts will leave behind in LA.

The Offense

You would think the absolute drubbing the Dodgers’ bats handed to the Pirates would boost their approval. The only problem is that those same bats immediately cooled off once they crossed county lines to face the Angels. Dodgers squandered a few crucial moments with RISP. It is likely for that reason the majority of respondents are still rating the Dodgers’ offense with a solid B.

If the bats are able to find consistent production somewhere in between the two extremes of this last week, expect the percentage of A ratings to increase. This is an incredibly talented lineup that finally seems to be unleashing its full potential.

The Starters

Here we see the largest jump in approval from two weeks ago. F grades dropped from 8% to 1%. C ratings dropped as well, from 36% to 26%. Of course this means there was a dramatic increase in B and A grades. A few weeks ago  44% of fans gave the starters a B with only 12% offering A’s. You can see the jump in approval below:

Dodgers’ starters were phenomenal this week. Collectively they gave up a very limited amount of runs. Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill are dealing and look to be back for good (cross your fingers). The need to add a starter at the trade deadline is looking less desperate, but should by no means be forgotten.

The Bullpen

The Dodgers’ bullpen saw the largest dip in approval ratings this week. Their portion of B grades dropped from 51% to 36%. Accordingly, their C ratings jumped from 31% to 53%.

A blown save by Kenley Jansen against the Angels may explain the dip, though the Dodgers defense didn’t offer much help. Reliever J.T. Chargois was recalled from Triple-A OKC but has not been impressive. There is no question that the Dodgers should be shopping for some bullpen upgrades as they navigate the trade market this summer.

The Front Office

The Dodgers’ front office saw a slight uptick in approval this week. Their most recent transaction saw two relievers acquired from Cinncinati. It has been widely speculated that the Dodgers will be involved in some sort of blockbuster trade this summer, with most of that speculation focusing on Manny Machado.

Should the front office pull of a major trade like that expect their approval rating to make an extreme jump. Whether that jump will be up or down remains to be seen.

What do you think of these poll results? Where do you agree or disagree? Comment on our Facebook page or tweet us @DodgersNation.

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Jacob Walters07/11/2018
0 2 minutes read
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Jacob Walters

Jacob Walters is a Los Angeles native and has been a Dodgers fan his entire life. He hopes to one day see the Dodgers release a bobblehead of Chan Ho Park scissor kicking Tim Belcher.

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