Dodgers lose in 13

Posted on May 10, 2009 by Jill Painter

The San Francisco Giants scored a pair of runs in the 13th inning against Guillermo Mota and won 7-5.

Brooklyn Dodger

I’ve been thinking it for a few weeks, but now I am more convinced than ever that Guillermo Mota has to go. He’s not even a shadow of the pitcher the Dodgers traded away in 2004.

If the Dodgers were to bring up another pitcher, I’m not sure who that would be. The other alternative would be to bring back DeWitt to strengthen the bench. They’re currently carrying 13 pitchers, which is probably excessive, especially since there are some days off going forward.

Mota’s salary is $2.35 million, part of which has already been paid. If, for example, DeWitt was recalled, the additional salary wouldn’t add much, since DeWitt would not be making much more than the minimum.
ToyCannon

Dodgers sans Manny: 1-3; lead cut to 4 1/2 to Jints. The Vero Beach Curse Lives!
max_power

Letting Mota go back out for the 10th has been the dumbest move by Joe so far this season.
Brooklyn Dodger

Actually, Mota went back out for the 13th. Torre probably allowed him to go out because he likely has limited confidence in Brent Leach, the only remaining non-starting pitcher left in the pen at the time.

I was thinking in the 8th inning that given the importance of the game (a swing of two games in the standings, 4.5 vs. 6.5), and because Broxton hadn’t been used much lately, and also because tomorrow is a day off, Torre should have considered bringing Broxton into the game in the 8th inning for a two inning save. Turns out he pitched two innings anyway.

I’ve mentioned this before, and Torre has also addressed it. Rafael Furcal is swinging too hard, and swinging at high pitches out of the strike zone. His job is to get on base, plain and simple. He needs to settle down, swing at strikes, and make contact. If he gets some extra base hits, that’s fine. But base hits, of any variety, are all that’s required. I’m sure Torre, Mattingly, etc. have spoken with Furcal. Time that it sunk in.
max_power

10th, 13th whatever. This whole game was a cluster you know what. Mota shouldn’t be on the roster let alone left to pinch in a close game in which he had already loaded the bases and lost the lead once. You can’t blame Mota, he did what he has been doing for a while now…being horrible. Mota going back in after he blew the lead was dumb. After the 12th I would have had more confidence in a Monkey then Mota for the 13th.
BlueCrew88

Mota needs to be used MINIMALLY, as he just plain SUCKS. McDonald is our long reliever, and Joe brought him into an inning where the pitcher was due to hit in the bottom half. Granted, you are playing to win in your half of the inning, but don’t bring in a guy who has proven himself to be stellar in relief AND who can go multiple innings if needed (McDonald) if you’re going to pull him after 1 IP. THAT was a waste of resources. Mota should have been brought in for the 1 IP & been pinch-hit for in the bottom half. If we fail to score, then bring in McDonald for multiple innings of relief – he’s certainly a better option than Mota is. This loss is Joe Torre’s fault for poor use of the pen.
Brooklyn Dodger

I didn’t fully agree with Torre’s use of the pen, but I’m not willing to place the blame directly on him. Although I thought Broxton should have been used in the 8th, the use of Cory Wade is defensible, since that’s his job, and he has been successful in the past. In fact, if Torre was going to use Wade, it might have been better to allow him to open the 8th, rather than come in after Belisario gave up the opening hit (which, if I remember correctly, was a ground ball with with eyes).

I too thought they should have used McDonald for another inning, but I also understand why he was removed. McDonald has had problems, and Torre probably wants to ease him into his role in the pen until he gets himself more firmly established. As for Mota, I wish he could have been avoided completely. I have more trust in the untested Brent Leach.

I imagine that Dodger management would like to see McDonald step up and become a consistent force out of the bullpen. If that were the case Mota would become unnecessary, and Torre could manage with the knowledge that he has only a 12-man pitching staff, and McDonald would have had to remain in the game.
Brooklyn Dodger

It occurs to me that the Dodgers will have to make a decision on their pitching staff in the not too distant future (maybe weeks), when Kuroda returns. They’re definitely not going to carry 14 pitchers, so someone will have to go. If they determine that two lefthanders are a necessity in the bullpen, then it will have to be righthander. Maybe Mota????? If Kuo should also come back, it will definitely be a righthander (along with Leach, who would likely be sent back to AA).

Of course, a trade or other player move is always a possibility. After all, they did save some money with the Ramirez suspension ($2.7 million this year, and $1.37 million each of the next three years). And s I noted previously, I would like to see the return to a 12-man staff to make room for another bat off the bench, which to me at least, has become a bit thin since the move to a 13-man staff.
phillydodger

In his post game comments Mota said the press only wants to talk relievers after they have a rough outing and that he would pitch better if he was used more. And of course, he still will not address his 50 game suspension from 2007.
All this points to a pretty immature guy and a rather ineffective reliever.

True, how can he be used with a 13 man pitching staff. Twelve is alot, but 13 for better part of a month?

What was equally frustrating was the D’s approach at the plate from the ninth inning on. Lots of pop fly home run swings. I understand the home team guys always try to win it with one swing, but this can’t be the “Mattingly Way.”

Finally, the team is now 1-3, in the post-Manny era – with all three losses being quite winable games. Particularly frustrating was losing two of three at home to the (hated) second place Giants, a free-swinging team with very little offense.

I know the old refrain about having to have a short term memory in baseball to not allow failure carry over to the next game. Here’s hoping vets like Hudson and Casey can steady the ship and guide this team the next two months and that Furcal just settles down and avoids the home run swings.

Finally, what can be said about Pierre? Right now he is doing a great job in LF… better than anyone expected.
karmabad

Is it just me or is this blog now just stating the obvious since Tony’s been gone? “Dodger lose in 13″…insightful.
Denton True

karmabad,

This blog has gone from one that I checked every day, often more than once, to one that I’ve pretty much given up on. The Daily News clearly doesn’t care about it. It’s very disappointing. I still appreciate the viewpoints from other Dodgers fans. Luckily I can get that and more at the LA Times Dodger blog. However, I really miss having the “inside” scoop from a journalist with access.
phillydodger

Hopefully Jill can right the ship, as the blog is sinking faster than Torre’s bullpen.

Most teams carry 12 pitchers. Some even carry 11. Joe has 13 and still will beat two, maybe three to death (Broxton, Belisario and Wade).

I know he is a HOF manager, but his bullpen decisions are truly exasperating. Still feel like he overmanages and out thinks himself a lot.

Why carry Leach if you are not going to use him? Why carry Mota at all, esp now that he claims that he is not getting enough work? I say go with 12 and bring up Mitch Jones as our thumper off the bench. Doesn’t have to field or catch, just hit extra-base hits!
rjthrelkeld

If Mitch Jones can’t hit .200 at LV then there’s no way he should even be allowed to pay his way into Dodger Stadium, let alone play in Dodger Stadium. Is this what we got rid of Delwyn for? To carry Brent Leach and a journeyman minor leaguer? All we’re asking for is foresight and players who don’t use PEDs. When did that become too much?
lizardking

hi gang… longtime Dodger fan here… enjoyed watching the “Moon shots” at Colisseum in late 50s as a kid… enjoyed everything “blue” and hoped to pass it on to my son born in 1988… who would’ve thought LAD would “crash” and he’d grow up watching a team that went nowhere each year?

still, we hung on and were surprised last year, ecstatic this year.. then Manny had to go away for awhile… but the Dodgers are MORE than Manny Ramirez… he’s a BIG part, sure, but the TEAM BA isn’t ONLY because of Manny…

I still think LAD can take it all because they can stay right at the top until Manny returns and then pull out to a 8-10 game lead…

but they need PITCHING… they’ve lost 3 games since Manny left and I see it as a problem with mid-relievers..

MOTA SUCKS! he blew the game against the Nationals on Thursday and again yesterday…

I mean, on Thurs night against the Nats the Dodgers scored 9 runs without Manny (6 before Mota showed up, as I recall) and that should be enough to win, you’d think… and yesterday Mota comes in and essentially serves the win to the Giants on a platter all by himself…

we’d be better off bringing in someone slated to start in a few days and put the Giants away (especially with Mon (today) off…

oh well..

the Dodgers always seem to have great hitting w/o pitching or great pitching w/o hitting…

they have a chance for a 100 win season…

let’s get one or two GOOD 4-5 inning guys and make history again!
Brooklyn Dodger

As I see it, the current Dodger bench consists of Ausmus, Castro, Loretta and Paul, all righthanded hitters, except Paul. Last I looked, most pitchers are righthanded. If anyone should be called up to replace the 13th pitcher, it’s the lefty hitting Blake DeWitt, currently hitting .360 with a .448 OBP. Admittedly, this is in hitter friendly (to say the least) ABQ. Mitch Jones is surely a “thumper” (10 HRs so far), but in the big leagues he would become our designated strikeout guy off the bench. The righthanded hitting Jones is currently hitting .237 with a .286 OBP, and 25 K’s in 97 ABs. And while they’re at it, maybe the Dodgers should consider calling up Valentino Pascucci, another 30-something thumper with a lot of strikeouts. At least he has a respectable average and OBP (.271/.393), albeit only 3 HRs.

And I agree with phillydoger when he says “Why carry Leach if you are not going to use him?” It’s a waste of a roster spot to carry a player who is only going to be used in garbage situations.

And while DeWitt may benefit by playing everyday in ABQ, I also believe he could benefit in a role off the Dodger bench, filling in on occasion all around the infield. And as I noted above, he is a lefthanded hitter, something the Dodgers could use coming off the bench.
BruinFBBB

The bench is fine. Even the bullpen is fine. The real problem is that our starters need to get deeper into games. That is what keeps Mota off the field, unless the Dodgers are losing…

People love to crawl out of the woodwork when things slip a little bit, but where was everyone during the streak? Complaining is fun, but that is a tough way to live life…
Brooklyn Dodger

Bruin,

I don’t get the impression that we have a lot of complainers coming out of the woodwork. Certainly, I know that I’m not a complainer. No doubt our starters, for the most part, need to get deeper into games. However, if keeping Mota off the field is the objective, then he has no business being on the team. I’ve thought about Mota being a candidate to leave for a long while, and I may have even mentioned it once or twice in the past. However, because he has been used more extensively as of late, his presence becomes a larger issue. I suspect that if he wasn’t making $2.35 million, he might have already been gone.

As for the bench, I agree with you that it’s fine, at least in regard to the quality of the players. However, I also believe that having only four players on the bench leaves it a little short, especially since one of those players is the backup catcher. As we all know, backup catchers are seldom used anywhere in a game, except at the very end when there are no other alternatives. The Dodgers bench as currently constituted needs another lefthanded bat, if only for balance. Also, having a third infielder provides greater flexibility throughout the game.

I’ve also complained about Furcal’s recent penchant for swinging too hard, and for swinging too often at inorindately high pitches. And I would have done that if Manny were still in the lineup, much as I complained about Russell Martin swinging too hard earlier in the year.

Although the loss of Manny definitely hurts, I in no way believe that the Dodgers are in deep trouble. In fact, I see this as an opportunity for this team to grow in the face of adversity, and feel that in the end they could come out of it a better TEAM.
BruinFBBB

Wasn’t calling you a complainer BD; sorry if it came out that way. You always have some insightful things to say actually…

But the objective is to keep Mota off the field during close games. If he can prove himself during mop-up time (and play a vital role by not having to use someone else) then maybe he can earn his way into close games. This role becomes increasingly important considering how much the pen is used. (Torre knows of all of this; he is a pretty smart guy and only put Mota in when he had to).

My point is that starting pitching is my concern; I think the Dodgers will put up enough runs to give themselves a chance to win most games.
Buddy

Looks like MLB had pretty solid evidence against Ramirez. Take a look at this investigative report by Mark Fainaru-Wada.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4159870
Brooklyn Dodger

Bruin,

I was never really convinced that you were calling me a complainer. In that respect my comments didn’t come out too well. Too much work, and not enough sleep often clouds my brain.

I agree with you about the starting pitching. Billingsley is solid, and so for the most part is Wolf. Kershaw is what he is, a 21 year old, with the inconsistency that befits his years. Eric Stults is Tom Glavine, sans the command. He appears to have pitched a wonderful game on Saturday (I unfortunately missed it, because I was blacked out in NY, where FOX showed the Red Sox game), but he still has a ways to go before being considered reliable. Weaver has looked OK, but needs to show me more before I’m convinced. Assuming Kuroda comes back OK, I wouldn’t mind seeing Weaver take over Mota’s role in the pen.

I understand the need for a mop up guy. However, I would rather have another player on the bench in lieu of a 13th guy in the bullpen.
BruinFBBB

I think the pending road trip will shed a lot of light on the situation but I hope you’re right…
phillydodger

Not sure if “complainers” are coming out of the woodwork as much impassioned fans responding to losing three of four games at home, one after leading 6-0 and two to the dreaded Giants.

Agreed, the Dodgers will still only go as far as the pitching takes them. It was true before and after Manny in 2008 and even more so in the playoffs last year (remember Billingsly’s two meltdown games vs. Phillies?)

I understand with Wade and Kuo both being hurt early, Torre has been scrambling for a consistent 7th and 8th inning combination out of the pen. This will probably sort itself out when Kuroda returns and Weaver moves to the pen.

Mitch Jones does have a ton of K’s and low OBP, but he does have 10 HR. My thought is, while the team is getting consistent base hits from the bench, what they lack is a big bopper (aka Omeado Saenz) off the bench.

Should be interesting tonight with Park against his old club. Hope he gets overly emotional and gets knocked out early.
wrisp

Now theres the crackerjack inside detail reporting we were expecting once Tony Jackson was gone. Geez. Just fyi, we could get that from mlb scoreboard. Guess I can dump this site off my favorites.
ToyCannon

Dodgers now 1-4 sans Manny & are plain faced and falling fast, looking vacant, like an empty shell of themselves. Division lead is cut in half in less than a week to the dreaded Jints with no recovery in sight considering the upcoming schedule: Phills, Fish, Muts, the other LA team. By June 1 Dodgers should be 3 games out at the .500 mark. The Manny thing is bigger & worse than anybody thought.
BruinFBBB

Oh, well isn’t that cute?? The little toy cannon needs some attention…

There there, little one…here’s a big hug:

*hug*
Brooklyn Dodger

Toy Cannon = Snuffy. Ignore the troll.
Harpo JB

Quote:
“Guess I can dump this site off my favorites”

Please do, but before you make your welcome departure, kindly tell us how you survived in the days when newspapers just printed articles and columns that didn’t have an “audience participation” feature.
ToyCannon

That’s it get on the messenger. There is nothing I posted above that is not accurate.

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Dodgers lose in 13