We have enjoyed Bobby Miller for most of the 2023 season. He has 17 starts and 8 of them have been quality starts. June and July were learning months. His biggest weakness was letting his emotions get the better of him. He has made a concerted effort to curb those emotions.
There have been 3 Bobby Miller’s this year.
Bobby Miller 1 was his first 4 starts. He accumulated 23.0 IP and had an ERA of 0.78. His FIP was 2.17 so he was dealing his first 4 games. The batting metrics for those games – .150/.218/.213/.431.
Bobby Miller 2 was his next 4 games. He had 21.0 IP but his ERA was 8.57. He did have a bit of bad luck (not much) with a FIP of 5.36. The batting metrics for those games – .310/.381/.517/.899.
Bobby Miller 3 was post All Star Game. He has 9 starts and has thrown 50.2 IP. He has a 3.20 ERA and 3.65 FIP. The batting metrics are – .225/.275/.372/.646.
Doc Roberts was quoted as saying: “He’s put himself right there, in front of the conversation, as far as starting a playoff game. He’s earning it.” Come on Doc. He’s earning it? The 2 veterans in the rotation, Clayton Kershaw has a very sore shoulder, and Lance Lynn can’t keep the ball in the yard. No Doc, he is already a playoff starter. He is looking like he is earning Game 1 starter.
Last night the Dodgers may have found their Game 2 starter…Ryan Pepiot. Pepiot flirted with a perfect game. He retired the first 20 batters he faced. He made a great pitch to Josh Bell, but Bell reached out grounded it into CF for a clean hit. Pepiot did not pout after the hit. He struck out Jazz Chisholm to end the inning and his night.
Pepiot was dominant all night. He faced 22 batters in 7.0 IP throwing 84 pitches: 60 for strikes (71.4%). He only had 3 K, so he was pitching to soft contact all night. In almost every dominantly pitched game, there are some special defensive gems to support the pitcher. Here are back to back web gems from Miggy Rojas and Amed Rosario in the 4th.
Here are the back-to-back web gems by Miguel Rojas and Amed Rosario.pic.twitter.com/6XcSiCOk5Y
— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 8, 2023
Amed Rosario made another outstanding defensive play in the 7th.
Amed Rosario Hops pic.twitter.com/XgsM4HFz5v
— Mad Choriyama (@MadChoriyama) September 8, 2023
I know it is a small sample size, but Ryan Pepiot has allowed 2 earned on 9 hits, with 2 walks and 17 strikeouts in 21 innings in 2023, with an ERA of 0.86. He is not a “Johnny Come Lately” coming out of nowhere. Remember he was scheduled to be in the starting rotation before the injury in ST.
Caleb Ferguson and Evan Phillips were just as dominant, although Ferguson gave up a single because it hit 2nd base and bounced away from Rojas. Doc needed to get Ferguson and Phillips some work. Ferguson had not pitched since September 1, and Phillips had not pitched since September 2.
On the night that Ryan Pepiot pitched a gem, the LAD bats broke out. They scored 10 runs on 16 hits. The big bats came from a couple of players who have been lashed out against by many fans: Chris Taylor and Miggy Rojas. CT3 had 3 hits and 5 RBI including his 15th HR and 13th double.
Besides his outstanding defense, Rojas had 3 hits including a triple (1).
Amed Rosario had 2 hits and 2 RBIs. He is looking like a GG fielder at 2B compared to his dismal SS defense. The Dodgers may have turned another career around. Just in time for his FA.
Then there was the historical hit of the night. Freddie Freeman hit his record breaking LA Dodger record for doubles with his 52nd. This tied the Dodgers franchise record by Johnny Frederick. Of course it went with a little hilarity.
The most Larry Walker play ever! #Dodgers
— Howard Cole (@Howard_Cole) September 8, 2023
The Dodgers avoided a sweep in the 2nd consecutive series. They are off to Washington to take on the Nationals. But there is a situation that may put a crimp in the Dodgers sails:
Mookie Betts did indeed leave the stadium on crutches, as @IsaacAzout said, and went through an x-ray. I'm told it was more precautionary, but still something to monitor.
Betts fouled a ball off his foot in his last at bat of the game.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) September 8, 2023
But it wasn’t just the MLB Dodgers pitchers that had good nights.
OKC had Alec Gamboa as a 2.0 scoreless and hitless IP opener for Kyle Hurt. Hurt followed with 5.0 scoreless IP with 1 hit. He allowed a BB and 6 K.
Amongst insane talent, Kyle Hurt has, IMO, had the best year of any pitching prospect in the system & that's saying something. He was crazy tonight good going 5 scoreless, striking out 6. FB Touched 97.8, cutter 89.4, change approached 90. ERA 3.09, 145 Ks in 88.1 innings. pic.twitter.com/Mkgrk2F4rO
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) September 8, 2023
The third youngster pitching for OKC, Michael Grove, pitched 1 inning in his rehab start. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, but he struck out 3 batters.
Michael Grove struck out three in a rehab inning for Oklahoma City #Dodgers
Although he allowed three hits and two runs, Grove averaged 95 mph on his fastball and generated six whiffs within the single frame pic.twitter.com/mYGk6p8uV8
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) September 8, 2023
Then there was River Ryan in AA:
River Ryan, my No. 9 #Dodgers prospect, was excellent for Double-A Tulsa:
5.0 IP
1 H
0 R
2 BB
5 K
10 whiffs
66 P / 42 SRyan hit 99 mph on his fastball tonight and has a 3.33 ERA in 24 games this season pic.twitter.com/RsLlTb9ZoM
— Bruce Kuntz (@Bnicklaus7) September 8, 2023
Ricky Vanasco is turning into a viable future relief option followed. He was one of three pitchers who followed River Ryan:
Ricky Vanasco went scoreless again, which is his 16th scoreless outing in his last 17 appearances. Dude has been automatic & has also been explosive. He had 2 Ks tonight & has 22 Ks in 14 innings since the beginning of August. #dodgers pic.twitter.com/EnZtmpIIXW
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) September 8, 2023
A third pitcher, Great Lakes RHP Jerming Rosario, pitched five outstanding innings for the second consecutive strong start.
2nd Great start in a row for Jerming Rosario, where, in both starts, he went 5 innings scoreless. In those 2 outings he has had 15 Ks, just 1 walk! Wow! Well done Jerming! #dodgers pic.twitter.com/wl55zdpw4f
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) September 8, 2023
Casey Porter was just a bit off on this. Rosario did allow a run in this one. It was a solo HR in the 3rd. Rosario is really starting to show why some of us consider him a prospect.
One other MiLB feat that occurred last night. Jorbit Vivas hit for the cycle for OKC.
Jorbit Vivas leads off the ninth inning with a triple to complete the cycle!!! 🚴 pic.twitter.com/fBgcr9vudc
— Oklahoma City Dodgers (@okc_dodgers) September 8, 2023
The Dodgers will throw a 3rd rookie SP tonight against the Nats. We also might get a look at Gavin Stone before this weekend series is over.
The Dodgers are going to need their rookies to be impactful and fearless for the playoffs. The experience they are getting is invaluable for 2024 and beyond, but they are going to need to pitch at an elite level for 2023 to make a statement for the season.
Miller #1 and Pepiot #2 for the playoffs. That is not out of the line thinking.
The kids have arrived, and there are more following.
Dodgers young pitchers look crazy 👀
Already here:
Bobby Miller
Emmet Sheehan
Ryan Pepiot
Gavin StoneSoon to add:
Nick Frasso
River Ryan
Kyle Hurt
Landon KnackLooking ahead:
Payton Martin
Jesus Tillero
Maddux Bruns
Peter Heubeck
Ronan KoppFriedman Wpic.twitter.com/fgHSTeXrvH
— sky (@GonsolinRBW) September 8, 2023
I am most excited about Payton Martin and Jesus Tillero in the looking ahead column.
Fun game to watch. Great defense last night. Rosario, Rojas. Bad news, Mookie left the stadium on crutches. He will be evaluated on Friday in DC. Happened when he fouled a ball off of his foot. X-Rays were negative.
We slug we win.
x-rays negative. Hopefully just a bruise. Rub some dirt on it and get back in there.
We have an abundance of pitching. Trade some for the next Arenado at third.
Washington. They suck. 2-8. Can we win this series please..
Hurt looks like Clemens. Ryan looks like Lincecum. What’s the story with Tillero?
Great column.
“From a Pythagorean W-L perspective, the Padres should be 77-63 instead of 66-74. It’s going to go down as one of the “unluckiest” seasons in MLB history.”
Pythagorean? Can that perspective be trusted? I don’t think so. Besides, I heard Pythagoras slipped on a semicircle, fell on his superior gemullus and henceforth suffered from metempsychosis.
Conclusion: run differential don’t mean s***. And the Padres prove it.
No real surprise
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/09/walker-buehler-wont-return-this-year.html
Mookie should be OK. Hope he sits out until he is 100% healthy. Division is on ice, no need to play on a sore foot.
The Roberto Clemente Award nominees have been announced. One from each MLB team is nominated. This year’s Dodgers nominee is Chris Taylor. You can read about his accomplishments here:
https://www.mlb.com/community/roberto-clemente-award/dodgers
At the bottom of his resume for the award, there is a button that will take you to the ballot to vote.
The Dodgers have had three winners. The most recent winner was Justin Turner last year. Previously Clayton Kershaw (2012) and Steve Garvey (1981) have been recipients of this extremely special award. Probably my favorite post season award.
Magic Number is 10. Hopefully in 3 hours it’s 9 if the Cubs can beat Az
Hey guys, just a reminder that the Dodgers have zero ZERO chance of winning the world series this year with no pitching and now without Mookie.
time for football season.
The Dodger payroll should be lean next year if/with Kershaw, Muncy, Bauer, Urias, gone. Ballpark $90MM+ gone.
Most will say Muncy should be brought back but what if they can trade for a younger less expensive 3rd baseman? His lefty bat might cost $50MM annually to replace if Othani is signed.
The Dodgers could sign Ohtani and still stay under the CBT if Miller, Sheehan, Stone, Pepiot, and Grove is the rotation. Maybe the rest of this year will make that rotation less worrisome.
Make KC an offer they can’t refuse for Witt Jr.
Fantastic article Jeff. Watching the game. Certainly tired of Muncy’s ineptness at 3B. Whoa 😮! Huge HR by Max. I’ll be quiet.
Wouldn’t it be something to have the Dodgers take Kershaw, Lynn, Pepiot, and Miller into the playoffs and they win it all?
Glad to hear Buehler is not going to pitch this year. He’s so competitive that chances are he might have reinjured his arm and they could have had another May situation.
It’d be great if Playoff CT3 starts to wake up
Hear me out. Next year:
C–Smith/Barnes/[Feduccia]
1B–Freemughan
2B–Taylor
SS–Lux
3B–Vargas
LF–DeLuca
CF–Outman
RF–Betts
DH–Muncy
No new contracts required. Hope that Pages & Vivas develop into midyear options at LF/2B, our two weakest positions.
Consider bringing back Rosario or Heyward. Rojas main bench piece. Keekay & Peralta probably gone.
Add a veteran top of rotation SP to replace Kershaw. Maybe spring for a closer. Ride the young arms hard.