Los Angeles, California. As we wake up today in Los Angeles the talk is about another sweep at Dodger Stadium. After a 4 game sweep of the Giants to start the second half of the season a sweep of the worst team in all of baseball this year, the Washington Nationals, would be a cake walk.
Who would have imagined we would be talking about a sweep by the Nationals over the Best team in the NL? Yes that is what the Dodgers are facing at high noon on the West Coast. A real Western shootout. Even Hollywood wouldn’t buy this script. No one would believe it.
We are, looking at something even more interesting here though. It is the Dodgers achilles heel, the bullpen. LA’s starters are strong and get them to a good place after 4 to 7 innings. But the big elephant in the room is that no one in baseball can complete a game. The starters of the new analytical, mathematical geniuses brand of baseball now are not allowed to do that for fear that their arms will somehow explode.
When you look at the enormous amount of pitchers on the DL, it is obviously not because of innings pitched. Relievers suffer from the same injuries as starters. I have always believed it is the combination of a few things other than what we are being told by MLB.
When I get close to todays’ pitchers, they look like hitters. That never was the case. They used to look more flexible. Today they spend too much time in the weight room unsupervised. They want to throw 100 mph and that takes building your body up with muscles. Legs, arm and upper body. Unfortunately this is something that baseball either doesn’t want to change or unfortunately can’t.
The bottom line is that this Dodger steamroller is beginning to show that it needs to bring the machine in for a tuneup. Going after the prize, Juan Soto, before the end of the trade deadline is not as important as going after relief pitchers that can finish what their brilliant starters can’t.
Maybe a sweep will open the eyes of the powers that be In this organization, to do what they need to do to win a championship, rather than make a big splash of a deal for someone that is very good but is not what they need.
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