Dodgers News: Don Mattingly Says Alex Guerrero Isn’t In The Doghouse
Between Alex Guerrero swinging a hot bat that led to a larger role and Justin Turner picking up where he left off in 2014, the Los Angeles Dodgers very quickly found themselves with a logjam at third base this season.
While it in part led to Juan Uribe being packaged to the Atlanta Braves as he fell to third on the depth chart at the hot corner in Los Angeles, the trade hasn’t exactly coincided with more playing time for Guerrero at the infield position.
Since the Uribe trade on May 27, Guerrero has started just nine of 18 games played; none of the nine starts have at come third base. Turner has instead received the bulk of them, with Alberto Callspo spelling him for an occasional day of rest.
When asked if the decreased playing time is a result of Guerrero being in Dodgers manager Don Mattingly’s ‘doghouse,’ he denied that to be the case. “No, not at all,” Mattingly said recently. “He’s doing a tremendous job for us off the bench. We like what he’s been able to do.”
The fifth-year manager pointed to the Dodgers’ focus on sending out a strong defensive team as further reason Guerrero is primarily being used as a pinch-hitter. “We want to make sure we play the best possible defense we can possibly play,” he said. “But Alex is going to be a part of our club.”
Guerrero was seen getting additional work at third base in left field over the weekend, and pinch-hit in each of the first two games with the San Francisco Giants thus far. He’s 0-for-2 with one strikeout in the at-bats.
In 29 games as a starter heading into play Sunday, Guerrero is batting .267/.296/.525 with six home runs and 16 RBIs. That’s compared to .350/.381/.850 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 21 games as a pinch-hitter.
With six starts in the month of June, Guerrero’s role as a pinch-hitter may be further cemented by Hector Olivera’s presumed arrival and Carl Crawford’s eventual return from the disabled list. There’s also of course the possibility Guerrero suffers the same fate as Uribe, who Mattingly also once said has a role with the club, in the Dodgers’ effort to address their pitching need.
[divide]Justin Turner Explains Why There Isn’t A Difference With Him Batting Third
He needs to be traded…………as soon as Olivera gets there……………he has no where to play
If anybody needs to go, it is not
Players determine the offense…the guys assembled by this front office have no speed. Rollins is a total bust….the only consistent hitter in the lineup has been Turner. Guerrero is not hitting right now, as a matter of fact his batting average has dropped over 70 points in the last 30 days. He has been doing great as a pinch hitter, but NOT as a starter….if you do not believe me check the box scores of the games he has started, and don’t give me that he needs to start every day stuff…..He has no position! He is at best the 3rd best 3rd baseman on the team and maybe the 5th OF. We all know the BP sucks, and that is the front offices baby to fix.You have A Gone, Ethier, Grandal, Pederson all in some sort of down turn with their at bats. You better check your stats lady cause they are all wrong. Guerrero has been under .250 hitting this whole month..he is a lousy fielder, that’s why he is not playing regularly…..live with it..
I agree that Guerrero needs to be given a fair shot, he does well off the bench but should play third more. You have guys like Sandoval in Boston and Chase Headley in NY who aren’t stars defensively on 3rd or cant hit either but get a starting role day in and day out. Alex Guerrero would easily be a 5 or 3 hitter on the A’s, Rays or Braves. By Mattingly saying the defense is stronger than offense you are saying that your pitchers need to work harder and smarter because run support wont be there. It just baffles me that a $6 million dollar player with more RBI’s in less at bats than most isn’t rewarded for his skill. Forget defense while the DL list shortens, throw as much firepower on the starting lineup and relieve the stress of our healthy pitchers until guys like Baez, Beachy and Paco Rodriguez return.
Michael, please review Turners stats, his numbers actually lie. He’s only effective against right handed pitchers. Batting for 5 for 32 against lefties. Guerrero on the other hand, who is batting a respectable .250 given the LACK OF playing time is batting .286 against LH and .281 against RH. And how is Rollins a bust, you do not know baseball. He is there for his veteran presence and to provide that calming effect in moments where a team needs a leader, his glove is ok.
His glove is good at times and bad at others….he has 6 errors. His not getting on base has forced them to use a power hitting rookie in the leadoff spot. Turners numbers do not lie…the Dodgers see more RHP than lefty’s, excuse me I want the guy in there every day. The whole team except Turner is un a slump. I know more baseball than you. I have been watching the Dodgers play since I was 5 and that was 62 years ago. Guerrero has been rated by scouts who know the game a hell of a lot better than you do as less than average as a SS, barely adequate as a 3rd baseman, and just average as a 2B. The Dodger brass does not even think he is good enough to start, so what makes you think you know more than they do? You are a fan, and that is your opinion…great…..The big guys in charge do not agree.,…….and sorry I have not seen Rollins lead anything except being a rally killer extraordinaire….
He needs to be traded…………as soon as Olivera gets there……………he has no where to play
You better read the article in yesterday’s Dodgers Digest, about Olivera! In Olivera’s biggest season, he hit 18 HRs! He did not play in 2012 ,2013 season. He played in 90 games in 2014, and he was a DH in 61 games! He didn’t play in 2012 , 2013, because he had thrombosis in a bicep. And in the few minor league games, that he has played for the Dodgers this year, he has commited 4 errors, one at third, and three at second base! I don’t understand why the front office signed him to this long expensive contract. He is 30 years old, and has had a blood disorder, that has caused him to miss two seasons! The only reason, I see for this signing, is to keep him from the other teams, in this division!
DM sounds a lot like my congressman – when he saying EXACTLY the OPPOSITE of what he really thinks. It speaks volumes that this is even a question. Why WOULDN’T you play your best-hitting players every day, especially when scoring runs is such a problem. Several other commenters have questioned why DM doesn’t try manufacturing runs, playing small-ball, so to speak. I agree – we want to see somebody DO something other than sit and wait for the 3-run homer. DM would probably be more useful in the lineup, rather than in the dugout. I’d bet he could out-hit JR…IMHO
Actually what needs to happen is Don Mattingly needs to be fired. Simple as that.
I Second that fire his truck ass