DENVER — A phrase – and concept – the Dodgers’ decision-makers use often is “net sum.” When everything is “baked in” – another favorite buzzword – is the result a negative or positive?
The math seems obvious after Teoscar Hernandez’s defense in right field proved costly again Monday night. Wouldn’t the Dodgers be better off – net sum-wise – with Mookie Betts back in right field, Hernandez in left field (where he was also below average defensively last season but not as damaging), Michael Conforto and his 76 OPS-plus (100 is league average) on the bench and some combination of Miguel Rojas and Alex Freeland at shortstop?
“That’s a fair question,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that’s a fair question. But I don’t think we’re there yet.”
Part of the reason they are not there yet is Hernandez’s admitted preference for right field, certainly a topic of conversation when he chose to re-sign with the Dodgers for three years and $66 million last season.
“I do know that Teo feels more comfortable in right,” Roberts acknowledged. “I know the numbers don’t speak to it this year. I’m counting on him to improve play out there. I really am. I’ll leave it at that.”
But he didn’t.
“I just know that there’s been times when he’s played a formidable right field. I think he’s going to get to that. I really do,” Roberts said. “I think if you’re talking about the first-to-thirds that’s something we can be better at, closing in on the ball. But as far as left field versus right field – we’re just not there yet. But that’s a totally fair question.”
Part of the Dodgers’ reasoning when they moved Betts, a six-time Gold Glove right fielder, to shortstop this season was that it would be easier to find an outfielder on the free agent market who could produce offensively than it would be to find a shortstop who could contribute as much as they expected to get from Betts.
Their choice of Conforto was a bad one and they found themselves trying to replace him at the trade deadline. They were unable to acquire Steven Kwan from Cleveland, did trade for Alex Call – and are still looking for offense in left field. Moving Hernandez there would be a step forward.
The fact that Conforto has been a bust and Hernandez has had his own slump “absolutely does” make their defense more of an issue, Roberts acknowledged.
“That’s kind of the way the world works,” he said. “When guys aren’t performing, it gets noisy around them. That’s the way it always is. I understand that, too.”
The noise increased when the media was allowed into the post-game clubhouse on Monday and Betts was seen in Roberts’ office along with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
“Mookie pops into my office all the time,” Roberts said. “We were just talking about his swing. I wanted him to check in with me about where he’s at, certain checkpoints as we get through the season and that was a check-in. I hope too much wasn’t made of that. It was a check-in. Which I think is a good thing.”
Betts volunteered to move to right field for an inning during the three-game series in Anaheim last week. But Roberts explained that was “one moment in time.” Other maneuvers had put him in the position of sending Freeland out to play right field, so Hernandez could be saved to pinch-hit. Betts volunteered to move instead.
But Roberts said he has not discussed right field with Betts during any of their “check-ins.”
“I have not. We have not talked about right field at all,” Roberts said. “He was saying a lot of things when he was mired in his struggles that I didn’t want to hear, so I don’t know. He might have.
“But no, we haven’t talked about it.”
Roberts acknowledged that the Dodgers do not play their best defensive lineup on a game-to-game basis, nor do any other teams – “you still got to score.” Any changes would have to be measured by that “net-sum” standard.
“There’s got to be an alternative, right?” Roberts said. “Right now, the way Mookie is playing at short, not bouncing around, we feel very good about it.
“I know things kind of pop at certain times in the season. But given everything that we’re going through, we’ve gone through, we’re still finding ways to win a lot of ballgames. I think just in totality we can all do a better job. All of us. So I just refuse to pin it on one position, one person. … That’s just not what I do. But I do believe … if there’s ways to get better on the margins I think that way to look at it is completely fair and completely honest.”
DAY OFF
Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his 10th pitching start on Wednesday at Coors Field. His previous three starts have come on the day before an off day on the Dodgers’ schedule, giving him a built-in recovery day following his two-way efforts.
The Dodgers play a day game Thursday at Coors Field following the night game Wednesday. Roberts said he talked to Ohtani and will give him Thursday off.
“I talked to him a little bit on the bench today,” Roberts said after Tuesday’s game. “He’s going to leave it all out there tomorrow and he’ll be down on Thursday.”
Ohtani has not been in the starting lineup for just two games this season – when he left the team on paternity leave in April.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Shohei Ohtani, 0-0, 3.47 ERA) at Rockies (RHP Tanner Gordon, 3-5, 7.98 ERA), Wednesday, 5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM