Tag: Los Angeles Dodgers

Coaching is killing a dynasty before it starts for the Dodgers

When looking for the ingredients to build a championship team, what comes to mind? Of course, talented players would help, but even the biggest talent pool won’t win a title without a coach who can put everything together. It’s no secret the coach’s primary job is to put the players in the best possible position to win games. Part of that process is understanding all of the analytics (fancy word for statistics) and translating the data into something the players can use against the opponents. Sometimes, the coach, or manager in this case, can get too engulfed in the numbers, and it ultimately comes back to hurt the team on the field.

This is the reality the Los Angeles Dodgers have sitting on their laps as of today. If someone was to say the Dodgers have the deepest and most talented roster in Major League Baseball, there probably wouldn’t be much pushback. The problem is they have a manager whose decisions regarding the pitching staff leaves a team loaded with talent coming up short of their championship goals, with the exception of 2020. The latest blunders from L.A. head man Dave Roberts resulted in his squad being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves, with the final blow coming in the form of a 4-2 loss in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series Saturday night in Atlanta. With the win, the Braves move on to face the Houston Astros in the World Series, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night in Houston. As for the Dodgers, they head into an offseason left to wonder what could have been once again.

While Atlanta was the team that ultimately knocked L.A. out of the playoffs, the battle with the San Francisco Giants set the tone for a move the Dodgers wouldn’t be able to overcome in the long run. In Game 5 of the NL Division series, Roberts decided to go with the opener, an analytic-driven strategy where a pitcher from the bullpen starts the game instead of a normal starter. The starting pitcher would have been Julio Urias, who was a 20-game winner during the regular season, won Game 2 of the series and would have been on a normal rotation. Instead, Roberts used two bullpen guys, and Urias didn’t see the mound until the third inning. While that move was perplexing, the choice that really put L.A.’s pitching staff in a bind going forward was bringing ace Max Scherzer in to close out the game. Everything worked out for the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS, but the moves caused Scherzer to come out early in Game 2, and miss his scheduled Game 6 start because his arm was still fatigued. In the NLCS, Roberts had two “bullpen games,” using eight pitchers in Game 1 (the first one) and nine in Game 3 (Game 5 was the other bullpen game). With a starting rotation already without Trevor Bauer (legal issues) and Clayton Kershaw (arm trouble), the last thing L.A. needed was to strain an already-short starting rotation even more with bad decisions.

As horrible as that sounds, the history of Roberts overworking the pitching staff goes back a few years. In 2017, the Dodgers probably should have defeated the Astros, sign-stealing scandal not withstanding, but the skipper continued to let analytics drive his decision-making, and the pitchers didn’t have much left when Game 7 came around. In 2018, L.A. was down 2-1 in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox, and Rich Hill (now with the New York Mets) was pitching a gem in Game 4, to the tune of allowing just one hit over 6 1/3 innings. Back in the day, numbers like that says Hill would stay in until his arm falls off, but in the analytics world, stats say it’s time to pull him due to the vaunted third time through the batting order. So Roberts decided to pull Hill, and the bullpen would get shelled for nine runs in the final three innings. The Dodgers lost Game 4 9-6, and would lose the series in five games. In 2019, it was the eventual-champion Washington Nationals who would take advantage of curious usage of the bullpen by Roberts.

Over the years, the Dodgers have developed a roster with an embarrassment of riches. The batting lineup is beyond potent when healthy, and the pitching staff is loaded with electric arms. They have both big pockets to sign high-priced free agents, and a farm system popping with talented prospects. All of the bookmarks of a dynasty are in place, but coaching can kill any vision of that before it starts. This is what’s happening in L.A., because the decisions made by Roberts between the lines (the front office is probably complicit in what drives this line of thinking) have turned the Dodgers into an organization that has underachieved. Even in 2020, the pitching staff moves seemed over-the-top, but they just happened to work out. Nine times out of 10, they have not, and even though the big picture has L.A. being a successful organization over the past few seasons, one can’t help but think there’s a lot of meat left on the bone. If the Dodgers want to salvage what could be a run of titles, their best chance is probably with someone other than Roberts as the manager. If the decision is to keep him, get ready for more disappointment in the City of Angels.

Time to catch up in the world of sports, BOFA style

It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks for me (nothing bad), but through it all, I’ve been able to keep up with the happenings in the world of sports. A lot has transpired since the last time I wrote, and to get everything on one article is a daunting task. Luckily, I think I have found a way to do just that, by doing a brief rundown of the events that have been in the forefront of the 24/7 news cycle. So without further or do, let’s discuss these events evoking different emotions, the Breath of Fresh Air way.

Mindset matters, or does it?: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is widely projected to be the first player taken in the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, made news when he said he didn’t need football to feel worthy in an interview with Sports Illustrated. Lawrence also said he doesn’t play with a “huge chip” on his shoulders. Of course, leave it up to the Twitter cesspool and hot take media to dissect these comments and try to find where this could be a negative in picking Lawrence as a franchise cornerstone.

This “story” isn’t any different from most of the other ones that come out when NFL Draft time gets close, which are the ones designed to knit-pick and drudge up a perceived issue that can be looked at as some sort of a red flag. First, the hypocrisy of people strikes again, because all I keep hearing is we want people to be honest and authentic about their outlook on life and the sport they play. Here’s a player who is doing that, and look at how he’s being picked apart. It’s totally ridiculous seeing how people change up when they get exactly what they think they’re looking for. Secondly, can someone explain to me what is wrong with Lawrence’s comments? A player can be successful without being maniacal about the work ethic, and not everyone has that type of drive displayed by Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, etc. Lawrence has won at the highest level in both high school and college. It may take a little bit with the Jaguars, but I can definitely see him being a part of something special on a well-rounded team. Remember this. Even though the razor-sharp focus of Jordan, Brady and Bryant are celebrated, they didn’t win their titles alone either.

Buffets served up by Chef Curry: On the NBA front, nothing has captivated the masses as much as the recent hot streak Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry went on. Before cooling off in a 118-114 loss to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night, Curry had scored 30 or more in the 11 games prior. This included four games over 40 points and a 53-point explosion against the Denver Nuggets on April 12. This was a streak that hasn’t really been seen before in league history, and the fact Curry was hovering around 50% from three-point territory during the streak makes it that much more impressive. In fact, the stretch was so impressive, some said the sharpshooter should be right in the middle of MVP talk.

As hot as Curry was, I’m sorry for disappointing everyone (not really), but Curry shouldn’t be in the running for the league-MVP. I admit what he did in that 11-game period is nothing short of phenomenal, but even with this, the Warriors are still tied for ninth in the Western Conference standings. Also, an recent stretch shouldn’t erase what players have done all season on teams that are much more successful than Golden State is. Therefore, if you want to tell me Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid or even Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul are at the front of this list, I’ll definitely listen. Even though Curry has won the award twice, I don’t think this is the year for him to add a third. By the way, all of that MVP talk was mighty quiet the day after losing to the Wizards.

Greed continues to drive motives: While this might not be huge news in America, this sent shockwaves throughout the rest of the world. For context, the world’s most popular sport (by far) is soccer, so that earthquake of emotion we heard in the states was the uproar of fans, players and coaches when it was announced 12 of Europe’s most valuable franchises wanted to start a super league between them. The 12 teams included six from the English Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur), three from LaLiga (Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid) and three from Serie A (AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus). The proposal from the so-called “rebel teams” was met with disdain at the least, the league died almost as soon as it started.

This is a monumental moment because billionaire owners trying to put more billions in their pocket were taken to task by the remaining teams in their respective leagues and the fans (I think they’re still protesting in England). It’s exactly what needs to happen, because if we’re to listen to these owners, they’re the first ones to say how much they value the fans. This attempted move says money is what they value the most, and that in and of itself isn’t some sort of a secret, but it was the blatant attempt at the money grab that shocked people the most. Now these same owners are apologizing because the fans called them out for their BS, and I’m glad to see this league fall flat. This should serve as a lesson for these leagues over here to not let the money crowd the judgement to the point of fan alienation.

The Nets are going to be the Nets: As the NBA playoffs get closer, one of the looming questions for fans and media concerns how far the Brooklyn Nets can go this year and beyond. Depending on who is asked, that answer goes anywhere between multiple championships to spectacular crash and burn. Ever since guard James Harden was traded to the team to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in mid-January, we really don’t have many answers as to how this will work with the Nets. For all but seven games, Durant, Harden and Irving haven’t been available together since that trade, and even when they have, it’s not like they’ve been overly dominant.

Here’s what we do know. The offensive firepower the Nets posses is potentially historic. Anytime three of the most dynamic players in the league get together, there’s no doubt scoring will be the least of their worries. As devastating as they can be offensively, they are just as bad defensively, and it’s safe to say Brooklyn will be in a lot of 130-125 shootouts. History says teams win championships, not individuals, and teams that do multiple things well, not just one, are who come out on top. At some point, the Nets have to stop somebody on defense, because even the most potent scorers go cold every once in a while. Plus, the durability of both Durant and Irving (along with their respective mindsets) are questionable, and Harden’s history of fading away in the playoffs is also in the spotlight. If you ask me, I think this won’t result in multiple titles. In fact, the Nets will be lucky if they get one, and if I’m wrong, best believe I’ll be back to eat my slice of humble pie.

A new best rivalry in Major League Baseball?: There are rivalries between teams and individuals that captivate people going back years, and it’s no different in MLB. When we think about the best rivalries in baseball, the one between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox is the one that sticks out the most. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs can also strike some emotion between the team’s respective fan bases and cities. As the season gets ready to conclude the first month, a new one might be emerging as the best in the sport today, and it’s on the West Coast. I’m talking about the Los Angeles Dodgers and (wait for it) San Diego Padres.

Normally, it’s the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants who are known in as the best rivalry on the left coast, but the Padres have announced themselves as a player to be taken seriously. We know L.A. won the World Series last year, and they have dominated the National League West division for the last decade (although the Giants won three World Series titles in that span). Don’t tell San Diego that, because they’re coming for the throne. The Dodgers and Padres have played seven times already, and San Diego has won four of them, including three out of four in Dodger Stadium this past weekend. The teams will play 12 more times this season, and I’m trying to make sure I watch all of them. It’s chippy and spirited, and it’s a much-needed shot of adrenaline for a sport that can use a bunch of them.

A little entertainment news to close out: Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t talk about something outside of sports, and the topic of choice is the split between actress and songwriter Jennifer Lopez and former baseball player Alex Rodriguez. After being engaged to be married, the pair split up because of apparent trust issues J-Lo was having. In other words, there goes another power couple turning out to be not so powerful at the end, even though they are reportedly still friends (that’s a victory considering how most of these things end in a mess of drama).

Two thoughts come to mind in regards to this. One, I was actually surprised J-Lo and A-Rod wasn’t a couple before that time came. For whatever reason, I always felt they would end up together in some capacity. Two, with this breakup, people are acting like A-Rod is going down the drain, like he can’t sustain. Last time I checked, he’s a regular on ESPN and Fox Sports, appears on Shark Tank and just had a hand in purchasing the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Simply put, A-Rod will be okay. Don’t get me wrong…J-Lo is a beautiful woman, and I wouldn’t mind dating her, but if anyone can survive that breakup, it’s A-Rod.

Well, that’s what I’m breathing on for this article. I hope you enjoy this rundown of events as in my attempt to catch up with everyone else. I’ll make sure I stay on track better in the future.