Roger Arrieta
Author: Emilio Lacques-Zapien
As the Dodgers make their move into September after wrapping up a tough road trip and five-game road losing streak, they are hanging onto first place by just a thread over the Giants in the National League West. Nonetheless, the team is still, technically, barely…in first place for the moment. To be fair, the Dodgers have managed to survive several detrimental long-term injuries again this year to pitchers Ryu and McCarthy, cold streaks from starters Rollins, Puig and Pederson, and a lackluster bullpen and back end of the rotation.
Much of the team’s success (or survival) this year has been accredited to heralded stars like Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, and the “Red Rose/Red Nose In The Concrete” aka Justin Turner. But the unsung hero of the Dodgers so far this year is the guy who takes on the daily grind and responsibility of managing the entire beleaguered pitching staff while also playing a crucial role in the everyday lineup: starting catcher Yasmani Grandal aka “Yaz.”
When the Dodgers traded Matt Kemp to the Padres this off season, thousands of Dodgers fans across the world threw their hands up in the air, raising tons of question marks about what L.A. was really getting back in return for the home-grown, two-time all-star. Many figured that Kemp would make his third all-star appearance of his career this season, after having a monumental second half in 2014 capped off by hitting the biggest home run of the Dodgers brief playoff appearance against the Cardinals. San Diego believed they were getting back the big power right-handed bat they’d been desperately lacking for years. Well, so far, Kemp is hitting .267 with 15 home runs and just a .314 OBP, the lowest of his career aside from 2010 and his rookie season.*
Many skeptics felt that while the prospect of having rookie Joc Pederson (aka “Yung Joc”) take over in center field this season was exciting for the defense, newcomers Grandal, Rollins, and Yung Joc would not be able match the firepower lost by losing sluggers Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez. Although he had a great defensive season, Grandal only hit .225 in 2014,* Pederson is a rookie, and Rollins is in the twilight of his long career.
Even though Yaz and Kemp play very different positions, we can still draw useful comparisons. Grandal has matched Kemp offensively in almost every major category this year. He made his first All-Star appearance of his career, and has provided a strong defensive presence behind the dish along with a switch hitting, power bat for the Dodgers lineup. In 2015, Yasmani is hitting .275 with 15 home runs and a .383 OBP.* Kemp’s Wins Above Replacement-also known simply as WAR, is just 0.9 this year, while Grandal’s is 2.7.* Sure, Kemp has significantly more RBI than Grandal, but Matt has a terrible OBP (.314)* and bats in the middle of the Padres order each game, while Yaz shares at bats with veteran catcher Ellis, in the bottom half of the Dodgers lineup. Also, the major league catcher has always been considered more of a defensive position. Most clubs are forced to settle for going with a strong defensive backstop, and taking any added pop as an extra bonus. Yaz has greatly exceeded these expectations with the bat, and he was the second catcher up behind rival Buster Posey on the National League All-Star Team.
In addition, with Pederson replacing Kemp as one of the three Dodgers starting outfielders, the team’s speed and athleticism experienced a major upgrade. Kemp is considered one of the worst defensive outfielders in baseball at tender age of…30. His 2014 fielding percentage was a weak .950, along with an ugly -22.4 UZR and -26.5 Def. In contrast, Grandal’s Def. is currently at 2.3,* and he is considered one of the best pitch-framers in all of baseball, which also positively impacts the pitching staff. When comparing their overall hitting value based on OPS, Kemp is currently at .737 while Yaz is at an impressive .853, more than .100 higher.* Essentially, the Dodgers traded away an atrocious defensive player with questionable durability, streaky hitting, and an enormous salary, for a younger, cost-controlled catcher with great defense who is entering his prime.
In an interview with Alanna Rizzo of SportsNet L.A., Grandal reminisced about a short but significant conversation he had with A.J. Ellis last season. Grandal was playing first base for the Padres, and Ellis reached base. A.J. muttered out of the blue, “Hey, so how would you feel about playing in L.A. next year?” Yasmani said he was confused by the question, because he figured that Ellis was aware that Grandal is the younger catcher and still in his prime, and that playing for the Dodgers could result in him taking A.J.’s starting spot behind the dish. It turns out that Ellis really is that selfless, and their short talk that day was a foreshadow for what was to come.
Ellis has become a crucial leader and veteran presence for the Dodgers clubhouse, a mentor for the younger rising star Grandal, and personal catcher/best friend to ace Clayton Kershaw. The two have become a solidified platoon, as Ellis has accepted and embraced his new role. Having Ellis working closely with Grandal each day while handling a somewhat volatile Dodgers pitching staff has proven to be a tremendous lift for Yasmani’s growth and the team’s overall chemistry. Both Ellis and Yaz have received high praise from their pitchers and teammates for their tenacity and work ethic.
The Yaz-Manian Dodger was once just a kid from La Habana, Cuba. He went to high school and college in Miami, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the 2010 amateur draft. Although Yaz is 26 now, he still wears braces, and I believe he will continue to get better and mature with the Dodgers. I thought it was also a nice move when considering team dynamics, as the Dodgers had recently loaded up on Cuban talent with guys like Yasiel Puig, Alex Guerrero and Erisbel Arruebarrena. There are always a lot of underlying clubhouse and personality intricacies behind the scenes of a large team, and I feel that it’s important for the Latino and especially Latino migrant players to be surrounded by other guys that have a shared culture and language. The fact that Grandal is a bilingual catcher could also have a positive effect communication-wise on the Dodgers mostly Latino bullpen as well…(Yes, that last sentence could be a stretch, but the Dodgers bullpen could use any glimmer of hope at this point.)
The Padres felt Grandal was worth trading away for Matt Kemp, but only one of them was an All-Star in 2015. Yaz-mania is catching on in Dodger land, and I’m excited to see how he progresses and how he performs in the postseason…if they make it.
*All statistics are referenced from www.fangraphs.com and www.baseballreference.com.
