Dodgers: The Emergence of Gavin Lux Allows for Injured Guys to Rest Up For October
The transition to a brand new position is difficult at any level of baseball. But getting it done on the biggest stage in the middle of a division race seems almost impossible. Yet here we are, over a week into the Dodgers playing Gavin Lux in the outfield and feeling great about it.
Lux’s combination of speed and willingness to put in the work has quickly made him a weapon for Dave Roberts. His recent shift to center field after the Dodgers lost Cody Bellinger to the injured list only further highlights his value.
But aside from his ability in the outfield and the production of his bat, Lux also helps Doc with something else. Roberts talked about the impact of his game prior to Saturday’s loss and what Lux has allowed the team to accomplish.
Most importantly, we’ve got to keep them healthy. Getting AJ [Pollock] out of games, managing [Chris Taylor’s] starts and things like that will be beneficial. Certainly, the way Gavin has played has made things a lot better for all of us.
The Dodgers are heading into October with a few injuries in the outfield that they are working through. Obviously there’s Belli and his rib, but AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor are still fresh off of injuries that limited them in September.
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Lux’s impact extends far beyond providing value with the glove and bat. He allows for guys like AJ and CT to get healthy for October, and allows for Doc to manage their starts and get them out of the field early.
Oh yeah, and he’s also hitting like a mad man in the month of September. What a time for him to come alive.
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If we can’t get it back to one today, could be time to shut down Scherzer, Bueller and Urias. Besides, we can win with any combination and still keep the pressure on forcing the GIants to pitch their starters. End of the day though, we gotta hit….
Rest? How often have we heard that word , in 2021?
Is baseball, where half the time you’re mostly sitting in the dugout, and the other half, you’re mostly motionless in the field, so taxing that these guys constantly need rest?
You ever go to work tired and not being 100%?
These players spend hours in BP, stretching, warm-ups etc before games. Similar to 100m dash where you only see 10 seconds of the race but don’t see the hours of prep before
eh, I’ve been a baseball fan for 55 years. Pitchers used to start 40 games a year, throw 150 pitches a game, and do it year after year. Star players never got days off, and played through all kinds of injuries. Look it up, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, these guys gave it their all every game, and in 15 years never missed as many games as literally every Dodger starter this year. All these rests don’t seem to prevent players from going on the injured list multiple times a season. Its a weak mind set.
They’re only going to need to rest up for one game. After that they can rest all winter. What’s the big deal?
Roberts the Clown manages this team like a pre-school daycare center. He is the primary reason we are not sitting comfortably atop the NL West. His lack of managing skills has resulted in numerous losses. He needs to be fires ASAP.
Concur, and Dodgers may very well be joining the Padres out of the Post Season after that WC game with the Cards on October 6th. That’s when Dodger season most likely ends because I cannot see them beating a very hot Cardinal team that has now won 15 straight. Not with the offense shown on Saturday.
#firedaveroberts
@Tim…do you ever actually play the game, as in outside with real bats & balls & other people? Not some video MLB game?
There is far far more that goes into playing…even more at the MLB level where even what seems like a trivial issue in a player will make the difference between a HOF career and working as a Walmart greeter.
oops,. meant @Jackson
Sorry grumpy but Tim is right. Little energy required ti play baseball except in short spurts. It’s why baseball players can play until they are 40/45. Real athletes can’t do that. Nobody needs rest except catchers or players recovering from injury.. Only in the last10 years have they suddenly required rest days
Baseball wears you down, often generating nagging injuries that affect a players timing at bat and in the field. It appears those players who have not been injured are tired. JT looks tired; all you have to do is look at CT3 and Pollock’s performance coming back recently to gauge what rest does for players. That said we’re in a pennant race and we need our best players out there every day, even if they have to run on adrenaline.
That aside, we are getting close to needing to accept a wildcard status and setting ourselves up for a run to the series without winning the NL West. We have an outstanding team that is just not quite as good as the Giants. Although I bet we can beat them head to head if utilize the rest of the season well. This is where managers earn their keep.
Roberts resting JT & Will Smith today. Scheduled day off you know. Does anyone still think the Dodgers are trying to win the Division?