Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Will the person in charge please stop turning up Earth\u2019s thermostat. It\u2019s warm enough now.<\/p>\n
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By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n There\u2019s a problem in the Dodgers\u2019 offense. Yes, they are near the top in most offensive categories, but, well, let\u2019s see if you can spot it.<\/p>\n Batting average\/OB%\/SLG% by lineup position<\/p>\n Batting first: .275\/.378\/.522 One of those lines is not like the other. The No. 2 spot in the lineup has been horrible. And it\u2019s not just one person, it\u2019s anyone they try there. A look at each player who has batted in the No. 2 spot this season:<\/p>\n Santiago Espinal, 1 for 1 Wow. Everyone who has spent any time in the No. 2 spot is hitting worse than their overall numbers. <\/p>\n Last season, the No. 2 position hit .259\/.324\/.418, which was mainly Betts.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s break out the four players who have the most appearances in the No. 2 spot this season and see how well they hit in other positions:<\/p>\n Andy Pages Kyle Tucker So hit Pages sixth and Tucker seventh?<\/p>\n Freddie Freeman<\/p>\n Batting second: .213\/.276\/.263, 87 So Freeman should bat third.<\/p>\n Mookie Betts<\/p>\n Batting second: .149\/.196\/.234, 51 Betts at cleanup? Should the Dodgers lineup be:<\/p>\n Shohei Ohtani Of course, here we are talking about making changes to the team that is fourth in the majors in runs scored per game (5.15).<\/p>\n But why does everyone fall apart in the No. 2 spot? Do the pitchers relax a bit after facing Ohtani and pitch better because of it? Do they concentrate more? Is it just the randomness of baseball? We\u2019ll never know. But right now, the No. 2 spot is a weakness.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: Of course, right after I write this, Pages goes five for eight with a double and a homer in the No. 2 spot. The randomness of baseball!<\/p>\n Where doesn\u2019t it hurt?<\/p>\n We knew that Shohei Ohtani\u2018s left knee was still bothering him, but it turns out his right biceps is bothering him, too. <\/p>\n \u201cMy biceps is not 100%,\u201d Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton while speaking to reporters. \u201cJust [a] similar issue with the knee. Do we consider pushing this? It is still July. So, I think the conversation would be a little different if we\u2019re in August or September.\u201d<\/p>\n And the longer Ohtani sits, the more likely he will have to be built back up as a starter. Don\u2019t expect him to come back and pitch seven innings right away.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, he\u2019s a starting pitcher, and then, when you start missing three, four, five weeks of that build-up,\u201d Dave Roberts said, \u201cthen you\u2019ve got to kind of start up again.\u201d<\/p>\n Phil \u2018The Vulture\u2019 Regan dies<\/p>\n Phil Regan, who had one great and one good season as a relief pitcher with the Dodgers, died earlier this month at 89.<\/p>\n In 1966 with the Dodgers, Regan pitched in 65 games and went 14-1, with a 1.62 ERA and a league-leading 21 saves. It was that season where he earned his nickname, \u201cThe Vulture.\u201d<\/p>\n On Aug. 1, 1966, Sandy Koufax was facing the Pittsburgh Pirates and left after seven innings with the score tied, 1-1. Regan relieved him, and the Dodgers scored four runs to win the game. Afterward, Koufax said to Regan, \u201cYou\u2019re getting to be a real scavenger. A vulture, that\u2019s what you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Regan went 6-9 with a 2.99 ERA and six saves with the Dodgers in 1967. He pitched in five games for them in 1968, going 2-0 with 3.52 ERA, before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with Jim Hickman for Jim Ellis and Ted Savage.<\/p>\n Regan last pitched in the majors in 1972 with the Chicago White Sox, who released him in July. His career record was 96-81 with a 3.84 ERA and 92 saves.<\/p>\n He went on to become a longtime pitching coach for several teams and managed the Baltimore Orioles during the 1995 season.<\/p>\n He came out of retirement at 82 in 2019 to become interim pitching coach for the New York Mets, saying, \u201cWell, I love the game and I love what I\u2019m doing. I know I\u2019m 82 years old now, but I still enjoy it. I feel good. I\u2019m going to retire one of these days, or die, I dont know. One or the other.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheduling note<\/p>\n The next newsletter will be delayed until after the trade deadline so we can discuss what happened, or what didn\u2019t happen, and see what moves other postseason contenders made.<\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n Friday: Boston (*Ranger Suarez, 4-3, 3.02 ERA) at Dodgers (TBD), 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n Saturday: Boston (*Payton Tolle, 6-6, 3.32 ERA) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 11-6, 2.72 ERA), 6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n Sunday: Boston (*Jake Bennett, 6-4, 2.74 ERA) at Dodgers (Emmet Sheehan, 4-7, 4.95 ERA), 4:20 p.m., NBC, Peacock, AM 570, KTNQ 1020<\/p>\n All times Pacific<\/p>\n *-left-handed<\/p>\n In case you missed it<\/p>\n Dodgers\u2019 Andrew Friedman addresses Shohei Ohtani\u2019s knee injury and trade deadline approach<\/a><\/p>\n Dodgers Debate: Trade deadline madness<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Do we consider pushing this?\u2019 Shohei Ohtani\u2019s return to the mound remains unclear<\/a><\/p>\n Shaikin: The Dodgers\u2019 three-peat chance may never come again. Trade accordingly<\/a><\/p>\n Dusty Baker\u2019s peers expect him to become the first Black manager in the Hall of Fame<\/a><\/p>\n And finally<\/p>\n Vin Scully calls Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Watch and listen here.<\/a> <\/p>\n Until next time …<\/p>\n Have a comment or something you\u2019d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com.<\/a> To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. 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Second: .229\/.305\/.348
Third: .273\/.364\/.457
Fourth: .262\/.340\/.445
Fifth: .247\/.333\/.406
Sixth: .273\/.339\/.464
Seventh: .264\/.344\/.447
Eighth: .269\/.341\/.410
Ninth: .265\/.326\/.402<\/p>\n
Tommy Edman, 2 for 4
Andy Pages, .254\/.336\/.431, 238 plate appearances
Kyle Tucker, .238\/.330\/.333, 97
Freddie Freeman, .213\/.276\/.263, 87
Alex Call, 1 for 5
Miguel Rojas, 1 for 6
Mookie Betts, .149\/.196\/.234, 51
Dalton Rushing, 0 for 1
Will Smith, 0 for 8<\/p>\n
Batting second: .254\/.336\/.431, 238 plate appearances
Third: .167\/.200\/.167, 25
Fourth: .200\/.292\/.350, 24
Fifth: .222\/.300\/.500, 40
Sixth: .375\/.394\/.781, 33
Seventh: .271\/.329\/.414, 79
Eighth: .476\/.500\/.810, 22<\/p>\n
Batting second: .238\/.330\/.333, 97
First: .222\/300\/.556. 10
Third: .000\/.111\/.000, 9
Fourth: .263\/.391\/.395, 92
Fifth: .226\/.329\/.387, 73
Sixth: .225\/.297\/.326, 101
Seventh: .333\/.412\/.633, 34
Ninth: 0 for 1<\/p>\n
Third: .328\/.421\/.572, 273
Fourth: .288\/.342\/.452, 79
Fifth: .417\/.417\/.583, 12<\/p>\n
First: .125\/.125\/.500, 8
Third: .179\/.281\/.429, 32
Fourth: .261\/.326\/.436, 181
Fifth: .250\/.276\/.464, 29<\/p>\n
Tommy Edman
Freddie Freeman
Mookie Betts
Max Muncy
Andy Pages
Kyle Tucker
Teoscar Hern\u00e1ndez
Dalton Rushing<\/p>\n