Wow Blake, you are on!! Let’s just hope Andrew Friedman reads your stuff. Let’s just hope you are his fav writer!! And to think, I was pissed when they traded Polluck for Kimbrel!
The Dodgers have a comparative wealth of starting pitching, but a paucity of bullpen talent? Why not just go with a double-rotation - pencil in a starter to go the first 4-6, and then a second, "b-team" starter to go the next 3-5, with a couple trusted "firemen" in reserve to put out emergencies? I know it's goofy as all heck, but I can't see how it would get worse results than the Dodgers are getting trying to run out a traditional "Starter-then-parade-of-1-inning-max-effort-guys" pitching set-up.
And it's not as if the Dodgers haven't tried this before! This is how they broke in Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin - and they've had above-average success using starters as high-quality relievers/above-average swingmen in the past (Stripling, Maeda, Urias, White, Wood, Price...even Tyler Anderson was supposed to be this before he won a full-time starting gig).
What happened between the regular season and the post season in '22?
The BP was freaking great before melting down (with much of the rest of the team following suit) when they faced the Padres in October. I was dismayed when our dependable relievers lost their mojo and it seriously has not returned this season either.
Wow Blake, you are on!! Let’s just hope Andrew Friedman reads your stuff. Let’s just hope you are his fav writer!! And to think, I was pissed when they traded Polluck for Kimbrel!
I'm still upset over that Pollock trade!
The Dodgers have a comparative wealth of starting pitching, but a paucity of bullpen talent? Why not just go with a double-rotation - pencil in a starter to go the first 4-6, and then a second, "b-team" starter to go the next 3-5, with a couple trusted "firemen" in reserve to put out emergencies? I know it's goofy as all heck, but I can't see how it would get worse results than the Dodgers are getting trying to run out a traditional "Starter-then-parade-of-1-inning-max-effort-guys" pitching set-up.
And it's not as if the Dodgers haven't tried this before! This is how they broke in Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin - and they've had above-average success using starters as high-quality relievers/above-average swingmen in the past (Stripling, Maeda, Urias, White, Wood, Price...even Tyler Anderson was supposed to be this before he won a full-time starting gig).
The pitch clock effect?
What happened between the regular season and the post season in '22?
The BP was freaking great before melting down (with much of the rest of the team following suit) when they faced the Padres in October. I was dismayed when our dependable relievers lost their mojo and it seriously has not returned this season either.
I'll call it the Kimbrel Curse for now.
I agree with everything in your post except I have zero trust in Andrew Friedman and/or Brandon Gomes.
Still fuming about losing my fantasy win for Gonsolin.
I feel your pain