If the
Anaheim Angels can have their own 1B thread, then so can the Dodgers.
Unfortunately, I'm making this thread for the opposite reason.
The combined totals for all players playing first base this season are .335/.442 (OBP/SLG)
The Angels' first basemen are hitting a combined .345/.523 on the season which is about 20% better than the average hitter.
Dodgers first basemen are hitting just .290/.352 which is 34% worse than the league average hitter.
That's totally unacceptable.
The main culprits are James Loney (.303/.344) and Juan Rivera (.268/.379) who have combined to produce 20 runs less than the average hitter. Then, there is defense. Loney is usually considered a good defender and UZR has him at +5 runs this season. Rivera is a terrible outfielder and UZR has him at -6 runs. All told, the duo has cost the Dodgers about 11 runs this season.
Meanwhile Jerry Sands has been crushing the ball in AAA. He's hitting .377/.540 in Albuquerque which is 33% better than the average hitter in that league. That includes a terrible April where he hit just .330/.359. Sands changed his swing and has been blasting the ball ever since.
ZiPS projects Sands to hit .310/.420 for the rest of the season. At the same time Loney is projected for .320/.370 and Rivera for .310/.390.
None of these options are ideal, but with every win possibly being the difference between the post season and going home after the 162nd game the Dodgers should take a hint from the Baltimore Orioles who called up prospect Manny Machado to play 3B. LA knows what it will get out of Loney and Rivera - nothing. Sands is unlikely to hit significantly worse, but provides the possibility for hitting significantly better. LA needs to take that chance.
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