The Dodge leave the Mile High city in the same spot as before (the dumper), with not much positive realized. Yasiel Puig comes up today to start a homestand (the timing is no mistake) with some minor league changes.
Matt Magill is sent back to Albuquerque...had a rough go of the games he started (way too many spot starts, Ned), and getting shelled on Sunday didn't help his cause. No hard feelings...so it goes...
Chris Capuano, who should be in Albuquerque, is not pitching for now. Good news! Stephen Fife returns...which we really hope is good news, too.
But will these moves make a difference? It's the sum of the parts we're talking about here...and each game this weekend showed the problems.
Problem 1: Brandon League is garbage.
Friday night's game was in the can...up by 2 going to the bottom of the ninth. No Donny - don't call--NO!
Shit. Well, let's recant Brandon's bottom of the 9th performance with some music. Take it away "Slim" Jim Koehler!
League strikes out Arenado. (Holy shit!)
LeMahieu gets a single. (Uh oh...here comes Todd Helton)
Wild pitch, LeMahieu to 2nd. (Of course)
TODD HELTON 2-RUN HOME RUN. Brandon, you are incapable of doing your job.
Young grounds out. (Too late)
Fowler lines out. (Doesn't matter)
I can't think of more fitting music for such a typical performance. But even more fitting is this headline from cbssports.com:
"Dodgers still confident in Brandon League."
WHY?
Problem 2: I don't know what happened to Zack Grienke post-injury.
I wouldn't be surprised if he too is still injured, but he looks god-awful. Lucky for him he didn't get the loss, but it's 4+ runs on each of his last 3 starts. I'd scratch Zack from his next start if we had anyone healthy...he tends to pitch better at home, but if the choice is "good" or "shit" I don't like that coin flip.
Problem 3: The Dodgers released a guy from Albuquerque who was hitting .339.
Don't know him...don't know the situation. But read that sentence again. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Just spinning the tires in the mud...wake me when it's over.
Showing posts with label Brandon League sucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brandon League sucks. Show all posts
Monday, June 3, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
FUBB
Those long time readers of the blog back in its old form (read: ME) remember this acronym. That stands for
Fucked
Up
By
Bullpen
Folks, it was a shit weekend in Atlanta for the Dodge, and while the hitting was all over the place (mostly not for a hit) this is all on Donny Yankees and the bullpen. Atlanta is a good team...don't think I expected the Dodgers to steamroll the Braves, but LA lost all 3 games; Atlanta was merely the beneficiary.
Our need for solid bullpen performances and a manager who knows how to manage pitchers becomes more evident by the day.
Friday
Bottom of the 6th, Dodgers lead 4-2
Ryu has thrown exactly 100 pitches. He didn't bat in the 6th, but that doesn't matter. The rulebook Joe left for Donny says, unless it's Kershaw, yank 'em.
Grrrrr gets an out, gives up a hit, Crawford commits an error. He is relieved.
Rodriguez throws a walk, gives up a 3 run zonk, throws a walk, then gets the remaining 2 outs.
It only got worse - Belisario gives up 2 runs thanks to a Crawford error and the usual pitching.
Donny, Carl, and the bullpen take the defeat.
Saturday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 1-0
Chris Capuano, he who is out of gas and should be in New Mexico, is pitching out of his mind. It's a rare treat, one that might (well, not really, but maybe) turn things around for him. Motoring through, he gets 1 out in the 8th and gives up a hit. He's not even at Donny's magical 100 pitches...and the recap says Cap tells Donny to be prepared to take him out because his calf is hurting. Why then? Why not after the inning? If you ARE going to take him out, why have him bat in the top of the 8th? We'll never know.
Jansen comes in, gives up a 2 run zonk, then for good measure, a solo home run.
Dodgers get 1 run on 2 hits. McSteroid, Donny, and Kenley take the defeat.
Sunday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 2-1
Matt Magill, through 5, is looking good. 1 run, 4 hits, 8 strike outs. But you knew it. I knew it. It was a matter of time until someone in the bullpen let the magic fly. For dramatics sake, it was crunch time...
Jansen, remaining in the game (stunning that Donny would keep a bullpen pitcher in multiple innings) loads the bases, complimented by an error in the infield. Let's see...bases loaded, 1 run game, no outs. Who do I turn to?
Here comes Mr. Helper!
League gives up a single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), a walk, and then thankfully a strike out.
I'm out of words.
Dodgers get 2 runs on 3 hits. McSteroid, Kenley and Mr. League take the defeat.
I'm out of mad Tommy pictures. I'm losing interest in this team, and the mismanagement therein. A team with "pinch hitters" who can even bat .100. Pitchers removed from the game when they're hot. Fielding from the North Valley Little League.
Ned and Donny. Always on the sunny side. Always optimistic. Always "seeing good things" and "improvements" after being swept by better teams.
Prove me wrong. I'd love to be wrong in this situation. But the way you're doing things...
Fucked
Up
By
Bullpen
Folks, it was a shit weekend in Atlanta for the Dodge, and while the hitting was all over the place (mostly not for a hit) this is all on Donny Yankees and the bullpen. Atlanta is a good team...don't think I expected the Dodgers to steamroll the Braves, but LA lost all 3 games; Atlanta was merely the beneficiary.
Our need for solid bullpen performances and a manager who knows how to manage pitchers becomes more evident by the day.
Friday
Bottom of the 6th, Dodgers lead 4-2
Ryu has thrown exactly 100 pitches. He didn't bat in the 6th, but that doesn't matter. The rulebook Joe left for Donny says, unless it's Kershaw, yank 'em.
Grrrrr gets an out, gives up a hit, Crawford commits an error. He is relieved.
Rodriguez throws a walk, gives up a 3 run zonk, throws a walk, then gets the remaining 2 outs.
It only got worse - Belisario gives up 2 runs thanks to a Crawford error and the usual pitching.
Donny, Carl, and the bullpen take the defeat.
Saturday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 1-0
Chris Capuano, he who is out of gas and should be in New Mexico, is pitching out of his mind. It's a rare treat, one that might (well, not really, but maybe) turn things around for him. Motoring through, he gets 1 out in the 8th and gives up a hit. He's not even at Donny's magical 100 pitches...and the recap says Cap tells Donny to be prepared to take him out because his calf is hurting. Why then? Why not after the inning? If you ARE going to take him out, why have him bat in the top of the 8th? We'll never know.
Jansen comes in, gives up a 2 run zonk, then for good measure, a solo home run.
Dodgers get 1 run on 2 hits. McSteroid, Donny, and Kenley take the defeat.
Sunday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 2-1
Matt Magill, through 5, is looking good. 1 run, 4 hits, 8 strike outs. But you knew it. I knew it. It was a matter of time until someone in the bullpen let the magic fly. For dramatics sake, it was crunch time...
Jansen, remaining in the game (stunning that Donny would keep a bullpen pitcher in multiple innings) loads the bases, complimented by an error in the infield. Let's see...bases loaded, 1 run game, no outs. Who do I turn to?
Here comes Mr. Helper!
League gives up a single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), a walk, and then thankfully a strike out.
I'm out of words.
Dodgers get 2 runs on 3 hits. McSteroid, Kenley and Mr. League take the defeat.
I'm out of mad Tommy pictures. I'm losing interest in this team, and the mismanagement therein. A team with "pinch hitters" who can even bat .100. Pitchers removed from the game when they're hot. Fielding from the North Valley Little League.
Ned and Donny. Always on the sunny side. Always optimistic. Always "seeing good things" and "improvements" after being swept by better teams.
Prove me wrong. I'd love to be wrong in this situation. But the way you're doing things...
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mild recovery
The Dodgers' bleeding finally ended in playing the Marlins (as is the case for most teams) but all is not well. Sunday's game proved all you need to know.
Cap started, and while he kept that explosive Marlins offense in check, he couldn't even make it to 80 pitches. Ugh.
Feeling comfortable with a 4 run lead, Donny Yankees puts in (sigh) Brandon League.
Check out this line
1 IP
2 R
3 H
ERA now 6.28
Brandon League sucks.
I am at a loss of words for why he is playing so bad, why he's allowed to play, and why he isn't in Albuquerque right now.
Years ago, when the Dodgers bullpen was truly horrible, Donovan Brandt and I used to say there had to be at least a 5 run lead for us to accept the bullpen's fate to end the game. Was the "5 run cushion" reached? If so, there are no worries. Apparently, this rule will have to be extended to League.
When Drew Boatman was writing on the blog he once said moments like this shouldn't be considered "saves" but more "thank Christ it's over." League wasn't awarded a "save" but he did his best to turn a 4 run lead into just that.
I have to end with this quote from CBS Sports on League, because it explains so much:
"(In his last 3 appearances) he is 0-2 with a 13.64 ERA over that span, but manager Don Mattingly said earlier this week that he will remain the team's closer."
Cap started, and while he kept that explosive Marlins offense in check, he couldn't even make it to 80 pitches. Ugh.
Feeling comfortable with a 4 run lead, Donny Yankees puts in (sigh) Brandon League.
Check out this line
1 IP
2 R
3 H
ERA now 6.28
Brandon League sucks.
I am at a loss of words for why he is playing so bad, why he's allowed to play, and why he isn't in Albuquerque right now.
Years ago, when the Dodgers bullpen was truly horrible, Donovan Brandt and I used to say there had to be at least a 5 run lead for us to accept the bullpen's fate to end the game. Was the "5 run cushion" reached? If so, there are no worries. Apparently, this rule will have to be extended to League.
When Drew Boatman was writing on the blog he once said moments like this shouldn't be considered "saves" but more "thank Christ it's over." League wasn't awarded a "save" but he did his best to turn a 4 run lead into just that.
I have to end with this quote from CBS Sports on League, because it explains so much:
"(In his last 3 appearances) he is 0-2 with a 13.64 ERA over that span, but manager Don Mattingly said earlier this week that he will remain the team's closer."
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