Dodgers: Five ways to instantly improve the team

More Stolen Bases and Selective Bunting

This team is built on the concepts that the newest minds in baseball are embracing. Using statistics to a greater degree and finding value in players’ stats that aren’t necessarily going to show up in the newspaper. Where the Dodgers draw the line between traditional scouting and new analytics is only known by a select group and probably changes on a certain basis.

What is clear though, at the major league level, the team is not interested in stealing bases or sacrifice bunting in a regular manner. Many folks believe these two things promote giving away outs to the other team and hurt your chances of getting players on base. The issue is the Dodgers have had nights this year where they struggle to get one on in an inning; it’s hard to expect two to get on in a row. 

So when that runner does get on, looking at the Dodgers roster, there is a good chance they will have some speed. Cody Bellinger stole seven bases in Triple-A before he got called up. Chris Taylor had 100 career minor league stolen bases, Pederson has over 110, Toles with more than 120. We know Seager and Puig have wheels, so why not apply pressure?

Hit and run, slash, do something besides sit back for a big fly. Let the kids run! I can’t stand to watch Jon Lester throw another game against Los Angeles and not have the team take advantage of his yips; I’ll lose my mind.

As for the bunting, if you saw Yasmani Grandal’s bunt attempt a few nights ago, it was not pretty, and I do not encourage that. I cannot stress this enough — only let people bunt who know how to. Not breaking news, just often forgotten. But surely, the Dodgers have to have some players who are skill guys.

The team has eight sacrifice bunts this year, and weirdly enough Grandal is the only non-pitcher to have put one down despite what I just said, but that is not how it should be.

If LA gets into a tough match up with a runner on and the situation would benefit from the bunt, then I think that they should go with that a bit more. It certainly doesn’t mean the middle of the lineup has to sacrifice, but there are times this will work.