After a self-imposed 24-hour cooling off period, the Astros sweep of the Dodgers over the Independence holiday weekend (July 4-6) is still painful to reflect upon. Being swept by any team at home is always difficult, but the way the Astros beat the Dodgers in every facet of the game was sobering: pitching, offense, defense, base running, fundamentals, and strategy.
It was ugly, but hopefully it was a slap-in-the-face wake-up call for the Dodgers hierarchy.
Dodgers fans (and Orel Hershiser) need to move on from the 2017 World Series cheating scandal and instead focus on how the Astros beat the Dodgers in every facet of the game:
- Executing offensive and defensive baseball fundamentals,
- Taking advantage of Dodgers failure to execute, and
- Trusting their top prospects to develop at the Major League level.
The Dodgers are a team loaded with veterans who should know how to properly execute the fundamentals of the game. But fans have witnessed pitchers failing to cover first base, or backing up throws from the outfield. Outfielders failing to make routine plays, then missing their cutoffs, or making throws that allow opposing base runners to take extra bases. Dodgers runners being overly aggressive and thrown out on the base paths.
Noticeably, the Astros have relied upon their farm system to continue their pursuit of championships. While the Dodgers recently promoted their top position prospect Dalton Rushing, he is used infrequently as they are putting him through their catcher’s apprenticeship program. When Max Muncy was injured, the team did not call up shortstop/third baseman Alex Freeland, their current number three prospect. Instead, they added light-hitting 26-year-old outfielder Esteury Ruiz.
Reportedly, the Dodgers are in the market for a left-handed hitting outfielder. Perhaps they should first consider left-handed power-hitting outfielder James Outman or Ryan Ward from their Triple-A team in Oklahoma City. Ward has yet to be added to the 40-man roster even though his slash line is .301/.387/.581/.968. The Astros would likely have Ward playing regularly if he was in their organization.
(OKC Comets)
The Dodgers organization has been known for playing the game the right way, for developing players through the farm system. But, the Astros have embarrassingly schooled the Dodgers.
In the immortal words of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully:
“Good is not good when better is expcted.”
Go Dodgers!
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