November 12, 2016
I had hoped to continue working on The Trump Files — because with each passing day the writing fodder seems to grow-and-grow. But yesterday, the Dodgers traded one of my favorite Dodgers, Howie Kendrick, and I felt that I had better get this missive out to Andy before anything else got weird.
Before Andy Friedman joined the Dodgers (or was he already here?) — I wrote an essay entitled \”Fire McGwire,\” and, the Dodgers actually listened to me and unloaded him. He wound up in San Diego and they had a pretty miserable year.
The problem with McGwire (as I saw it) — was that he had the Boyz in Blue swinging for the seats! There was no going with the pitch; no bunting; and, no poking the ball to the opposite field. The Dodgers replaced him with a fellow named Turner Ward.
I am not about to go and research Turner Ward\’s baseball bio — but I see that most of the aforementioned problems that I ascribed to McGwire — have NOT gone away: the Dodgers really, really, really suck with their bats when Runners are In Scoring Position!
Admittedly, I am both an arm chair former Little Leaguer, and, arm chair manager. As a Little Leaguer, I may have gotten one accidental hit (amidst myriad strikeouts and the always-sought-after-walk. I was also a liability at shortstop, invariably breaking for second on the double play ball I should have handled. I was a bit better tucked away in center, where I made a few pretty good catches but never managed to hit the cut-off man — with my throws to the plate and/or between the plate and 3rd base. So, yeah — I am not a fount of baseball skill.
What I am, however, is a pretty good observer and critic. And when the Dodgers are incapable of advancing RISP — I\’m not looking at the pitchers, the age of players, the relief squad or the manager: I\’m looking at the goddamned hitting coach! And our current hitting coach is a fellow named Turner Ward.
Hell! I\’ve watched players who have come in from other organizations actually get shittier at the plate when they join the Dodgers. Chase Utley and Howie to mention Two. When you\’ve got speedsters like Tolles and Yasiel — you\’ve got to teach them how to lay down the bunt — this shouldn\’t take longer than a few weeks!
So, Andy — for-the-second-time-in-2-years (and before you trade someone else I love) — I am asking you to find someone who can actually coach hitting. I know that pitching is important — but so is knocking-the-snot-out-of-the-ball, er, I meant to say: laying down a squeeze (that\’s a Trumpism by-the-way)…from one winner to another…