Dodgers: Dodgers Way Mailbag Questions Volume Four

About every other week Dodgers Way takes questions for our mailbag article.  This week was the first mailbag since the Dodgers started the regular season.

With the Dodgers off to a slow 2-6 start, it was assumed that most of the questions we received would be hot takes.  Despite the slow start the questions we received were all interesting questions and no hot takes.  If you would like to be a part of the next mailbag just send us your questions on facebook, or on twitter.

The Dodgers are currently playing just good enough to lose.  Whether they lose a low scoring game or a game like Saturday evening where they lost 7-5, the Dodgers are consistently losing.  I think the Dodgers are going to start playing like a 90+ win team fairly soon, they have too much talent to lose more than 70 games this season.  Last September was an awful stretch, but the playoffs proved that was just a bad stretch of games.  Similarily, last summer the Dodgers won 43 of 50 games in one stretch, and that is just an impossible pace to keep up.  When the dust is settled on this regular season it’s safe to pen the Dodgers in for 92-94 wins.

More from LA Dodgers News

• Former Astro seemingly takes uncalled for shot at Cody Bellinger after Cubs deal
• Dodgers’ 2023 lineup without Trea Turner isn’t as impressive as it should be
• Recapping who Dodgers gained and lost in Rule 5 Draft
• Dodgers ironically sign former all-star to potentially replace Cody Bellinger
• Padres-Xander Bogaerts contract feels like Manny Machado desperation

Matt Kemp is still a Dodger because the Dodgers have about 20 million reasons to keep him.  Given the amount of money he is owed this season and next season, the Dodgers might as well give him a shot and see if he could make his contract more palatable.  They are hoping he plays well and entices another team to trade for him and eat some of his owed money.  While Kemp is currently struggling, the same can be said for just about every hitter in the Dodgers lineup.

There is no doubt that Andrew Toles is a better defender and base runner than Kemp, but due to Kemp’s contract, the Dodgers are going to try to get some use out of him.  If Kemp and Toles had the same kind of salary committment there is no doubt that Toles would be the starting left fielder right now.  Toles needs to start strong in Triple-A and press the issue for the Dodgers to promote him.

My favorite Dodger of all-time is Clayton Kershaw.  Call it recency bias since I am under thirty years old, but for me the answer is easy and it’s Kershaw.  I just love the way that Clayton competes every time out and never makes excuses.  He could throw a complete game shutout and still find something wrong with his start.

Next: Despite the weight loss, Kemp is stil the same player

Kershaw is one of the hardest working players in baseball and is always on the field working out during his non-pitching days.  Outside of baseball, Kershaw is a great role model off the field.  He does a lot of charity work and is the last athlete you would ever see on the news for the wrong reasons.  He is also one of the best starting pitchers in baseball history so every time you watch him pitch you are watching a future hall of famer.