August 3rd, 2020 at 11:00 am 
by Jayann Kellogg Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager has had a great start to the 2020 season. After going through elbow and hip surgeries in 2018, he is now fully healthy and on the list of heavy hitters on the Dodgers’ roster with a .361 batting average, three home runs, three doubles, and a 1.119 OPS after nine games. He has looked great up to bat and on defense as the Dodgers everyday shortstop but has once again been bitten by the injury bug.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
During Friday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seager fouled a ball off his right calf and was removed from the game in the sixth inning after experiencing a cramp in his left quad. He was not in the lineup on Sunday for the series finale at Chase Field.
“There’s a little bit of a quad; I think left quad, just a little dehydration he felt last night,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Took him out of the game, precautionary, and today (Sunday); just wanted to give it that extra day and see where we’re at. He’s going to be down today. I don’t see him available today, so day-to-day.”
Roberts did say, however, that his two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and 2016 NL Rookie of the Year shortstop would probably be his designated hitter in Monday’s three-game series opener against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
During Seager’s absence on Sunday, Dodgers outfielder / first baseman Cody Bellinger hit his first home run of the season and made a spectacular over-the-shoulder running catch in deep centerfield to end the game.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
During his postgame Zoom media conference, Roberts expressed that he never doubted that Bellinger would snap out of his mini-slump.
“He’s started to take some aggressive swings,” said Roberts. “As long as he stays in the strike zone, he’s fine. Yesterday, a day [off] to kind of collect himself. He’s excited to be back in there, and he will be in there until the off-day.”
That day off paid off BIG time.
Let’s play ball!
* * * * * *
Posted in 
Last night Cody tried to bunt to beat the shift. I wish more players would try that even once a game, just to keep the other team guessing.It’s also good practice for the ITB.
Couldn’t agree more, Amanda.
I have long felt (and I’m old) that every major leaguer should be an accomplished bunter and never understood why there isn’t more coaching/practice in this area.
Although bunting isn’t the easiest thing to do (especially against a 100-MPH fastball or wicked breaking ball), it has to be – or at least should be – a little easier than hitting one with a full swing.
Like you, it is my opinion that if a good hitter drops down a few successful bunts to beat the shift, opposing teams may be a bit more reluctant to employ a shift against them.
That being said, and as Orel said during last night’s broadcast after Belli’s failed bunt attempt, if a hitter does not have success with bunting, they will probably be less willing to try it again; which (again in my opinion) defeats the whole purpose of bunting in the first place.
Thanks for chiming in. Please don’t be a stranger around these parts. You are definitely among friends here.
Ron, my posts or replied don’t show up anymore. Have I been banned for some reason? Normally I use the bohemian…. email address.
Nope, you’re good. We had some minor issues with the site and had to do some updating to fix them. Let me know if you have any future problems posting comments, and thank you for your continuing support.