The 2015 Starting Rotation - 2 Cy Young Winners and a Bunch of Injuries

[Villain]

The guys who will hopefully get the most innings:

• Clayton Kershaw (L) - Nothing to say here.
• Zack Greinke - Basically playing in a contract year. If he's healthy, he's opting out.
• Hyun-Jin Ryu (L) - He's hurt, but most expect him to only miss one spot. We'll see.
• Brandon McCarthy - Leads MLB in Twitter.
• Brett Anderson (L) - His issue never been skill-related. Instead, a series of injuries.

The guys who will most likely make the most trips between the LA Dodgers and the OKC Dodgers:

• Zach Lee - Seems like we've been waiting for him to make it to the Show for 10 years.
• Mike Bolsinger - Has the same birthday as me!
• Joe Wieland - The often-overlooked second player in the Matt Kemp / Yasmani Grandal trade.
• Carlos Frias - He still has a ton of upside
• Brandon Beachy - Rehabbing from Tommy John. His existence could be huge in late summer.

The guys who are in the organization who might get a chance to start, but hopefully don't:

• Chad Gaudin - He's a creep
• Freddy Garcia - He's old
• Scott Baker - I don't see the point in having a guy like Baker make MLB starts if you have Lee, Bolising, Weiland, and Frias in AAA and ready to go.

The guy who I want to get traded for, but won't:

• Johnny Cueto - Trading for him means that it won't cost a draft pick to sign him this winter. Also, bring Chapman in that same trade. Please.

 

[LASports96]

I like this area of our team.

 

[Villain]

Easily the strongest part of the team, 2nd in projections to only the Nationals - who have 5 "ace" pitchers.

 

[lasportzphan]

I like this area of our team.

MVPuig - This goes without saying as there is not a part of any Dodger team you do not like.

I think depth has been added to the rotation but the verdict is still not in as it relates to "quality depth. Anderson & McCarthy have each had "iffy" initial outings. Still early, but combine that with their history of injuries and I don't know how you can come to any conclusions and say they are a strength? They are not a weakness yet, nor a strength. More of an unknown.

Ryu has elevated my worry a bit with arm injuries over the past two seasons. However, he has pitched well in the playoffs when called upon so if he needs to be coddled until the postseason, by all means. But this is a weakness to me - coddling a starter and stressing the bullpen or forced to dig into the farm to start in Ryu's place - nearly a disaster last night.

What is the deal with Zach Lee? It has felt like we've been waiting on him for years. Usually not a promising sign in itself - waiting for a guy.

Outside of Greinke and Kershaw, nothing is a lock in my opinion. So, a good rotation with some major unknowns and a lot of depth options to pull the trigger on if the initial options do not work.

 

[Villain]

Lee had a really bad year in AAA ABQ last year, but that place is known for ruining pitchers. He's looking to bounce back now that the Dodgers AAA team is in Oklahoma. He did a good job last week, and had a solid spring.

Chris Heisey homers twice in Triple-A Oklahoma City win - True Blue LA

Behind Heisey, Oklahoma City beat the Round Rock Express (Rangers) 8-2 on Saturday night. Zach Lee did well in his season debut, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in six innings, with six strikeouts to pick up the win. Lee retired 17 of his final 18 batters faced in the win.

 

[Villain]

Mike Bolsinger wins PCL Pitcher of the Week - True Blue LA

I think MVPuig already posted it in another thread, but it's looking more likely than not that Bolsinger or Lee will start in San Francisco on Thursday. We'll know for sure if the answer is Zach Lee by Wednesday because that's his next scheduled day to start. If he skips that start, I'll be watching his Twitter to see if he says anything about being excited for his MLB debut.

 

[LASports96]

Mike Bolsinger wins PCL Pitcher of the Week - True Blue LA

I think MVPuig already posted it in another thread, but it's looking more likely than not that Bolsinger or Lee will start in San Francisco on Thursday. We'll know for sure if the answer is Zach Lee by Wednesday because that's his next scheduled day to start. If he skips that start, I'll be watching his Twitter to see if he says anything about being excited for his MLB debut.

I'd be shocked if it wasn't Bolsinger. Already been stated, but yeah I'd love Lee to finally make his debut, but Bolsinger is pitching so well I'm fine either way.

 

[lasportzphan]

I'd be shocked if it wasn't Bolsinger. Already been stated, but yeah I'd love Lee to finally make his debut, but Bolsinger is pitching so well I'm fine either way.

ESPN lists Greinke.

 

[LASports96]

ESPN lists Greinke.

Not happening.

 

[Villain]

ESPN lists Greinke.

ESPN is wrong.

And yeah, I'd prefer Bolinger over Lee. I'm rooting hard for Lee to live up to his former proscpect hype. Hopefully he makes a big league impact for the Dodgers some time.

Sad thing is, he'll probably help the team the most through a trade.

 

[lasportzphan]

ESPN is wrong.

And yeah, I'd prefer Bolinger over Lee. I'm rooting hard for Lee to live up to his former proscpect hype. Hopefully he makes a big league impact for the Dodgers some time.

Sad thing is, he'll probably help the team the most through a trade.

You are correct, sir! They are wrong. Which means, we really need Kershaw's A game tonight.

 

[Villain]

Dodgers Digest / Brandon McCarthy Pitched Through Pain Last Night

Petriello and I share a pet-peeve of players who insist on playing through injury. So stupid, almost never ends well. There's no reason to do it in the first month of a 4-year, guaranteed contract.

Anyways, Bolsinger was awesome in San Francisco and Baker is making his Dodgers debut right now. Ryu is making progress but it seems like he's still a few weeks away. Hopefully he'll be able to join the club before June.

I really love the fact that I'm not that worried about McCarthy if he needs a DL stint. Bolsinger and Lee both seem like adequate temporary replacement and we're getting other encouraging news:

Dodgers' Brandon Beachy getting closer to return - LA Times

Brandon Beachy already is throwing bullpen sessions. Beachy, signed as a free agent in February as he recovered from his second Tommy John surgery, said he has had no setbacks in his rehabilitation program.

"Everything is good," Beachy said Sunday. "I'm really happy."

The Dodgers hope he might be able to help as soon as June, which would be 15 months after his last Tommy John surgery.

Anderson has been disappointing so far, but given his one-year deal and the Dodgers' finances, he could be on a very short leash if he continues to struggle. Especially if Ryu and Beachy are both healthy and ready to go in June.

 

[LASports96]

I'm really not worried about our rotation if McCarthy's injury isn't too serious. If McCarthy's injury is serious then a question mark arises but the thing is even so I don't think we'd be screwed, we have a lot of assets both in house and assets to use for potential trades as well.

FWIW I think Anderson has been ok too, he got really BABIP'd hard in SanFran.

 

[lasportzphan]

I'm really not worried about our rotation if McCarthy's injury isn't too serious. If McCarthy's injury is serious then a question mark arises but the thing is even so I don't think we'd be screwed, we have a lot of assets both in house and assets to use for potential trades as well.

FWIW I think Anderson has been ok too, he got really BABIP'd hard in SanFran.

If we could buy really low on Cole Hamels right now, I'd entertain the thought. He needs a change of scenery.

 

[LASports96]

If we could buy really low on Cole Hamels right now, I'd entertain the thought. He needs a change of scenery.

lol fat chance, Phillies GM is so stubborn.

If you want to talk big trade options, I think Johnny Cueto is a name more so we will keep our eye on.

 

[Villain]

lol fat chance, Phillies GM is so stubborn.

If you want to talk big trade options, I think Johnny Cueto is a name more so we will keep our eye on.

I've had my eye on that Chapman+Cueto trade all winter. Gimme, gimme, gimme!

 

[Villain]

Brandon McCarthy diagnosed with torn ulnar collateral ligament | HardballTalk

So there it is. He'll probably have Tommy John. See you next year, Brandon.

Moving forward, the most likely replacements appear to be Scott Baker, Joe Wieland, Zach Lee, Carlos Frias, and Mike Bolsinger. In the next month or so, there will also be Brandon Beachy and Hyun-jin Ryu.

The Dodgers haven't announced what they'll do next. Scott Baker is still on the 25-man roster so it could be him. They'll probably call up Chris Heisey or a utility infielder next. The Bullpen already has a ton of arms in it right now.

 

[LASports96]

I can't wait for all the future tellers to come on here and the internet and talk shit about how they seen a guy with 0 past elbow issues was going to come down with Tommy John Surgery. Can't wait.

It's obviously a big blow. But I have confidence in the Front Office to make the right moves if need be to get us through this with minimal hitches. Again, this really sucks, I like McCarthy a lot.

 

[lasportzphan]

I can't wait for all the future tellers to come on here and the internet and talk shit about how they seen a guy with 0 past elbow issues was going to come down with Tommy John Surgery. Can't wait.

It's obviously a big blow. But I have confidence in the Front Office to make the right moves if need be to get us through this with minimal hitches. Again, this really sucks, I like McCarthy a lot.

Mvpuig - it's a big blow. But it's not shocking.... If the entire mechanics or body is not working in unison more stress on the arm.

 

[Villain]

Mvpuig - it's a big blow. But it's not shocking.... If the entire mechanics or body is not working in unison more stress on the arm.

You are literally making this up out of your ass. There is not a single shred of truth to what you just said.