Before I start talking about Opening Day, I want to talk about something that makes baseball so special. To me, it was never so evident as in the Freeway Series, although I saw flashes of it through the spring: Watching the youngsters and seeing the pure joy they experience is the best part of this game. Last year, it was Miguel Vargas, Bobby Miller, and James Outman (well, Bobby is…
So, here we are back at .500 (7 – 7), and predictably people are losing their minds. They only have one mind (well, some have half of one, but that is something I will leave alone), so that is sad. Here is the stuff we hear after losses and fourteen games: “Just like Grove, I’ve always thought of Jackson as a trade chip and nothing more.” – What a comment…
We are going to take a look back at all the former owners of the Dodgers. Not in depth, but just a glimpse at the evolvement of the team. Most of them, you know at least something about; others, not so much. Ferdinand Abell and Charles Byrne were the two main owners that formed the 1883 team that would one day become the Dodgers. Abell was a casino owner, putting…
When I read stuff like the Dodgers don’t have the pitching to win or that Tyler Anderson should not even be on the team, or that Muncy and Bellinger should go to OKC, and it is past time for the Dodgers to make changes, I just shake my head and call the perps out. At best, it is a nonsensical, knee-jerk reaction. At worst, whoever said it, might need to…
I thought I would go back and see who had the best individual seasons in the history of the team. Won’t do all of the categories. That would be an incredibly long post. So I will try to stick to the main stats. WAR This is a relatively new way to gauge a player’s worth. WAR, or wins above replacement. Gives you an idea of how many wins a player…
Gibson, Hatcher, Dempsey, Samuel, and Valenzuela all became free agents in November, but on the 8th of November, Claire signed FA outfielder Darryl Strawberry. He signed Kevin Gross and Brett Butler. Traded Vizcaino to the Cubs for Greg Smith. Then he sent Brooks to the Mets for Greg Hansell and Bob Ojeda. They also re-signed Samuel, Valenzuela and Hatcher. They traded Holmes to the Brewers for a minor leaguer and did the same with Poole.
This is a follow up to the best that have ever played in my estimation. Some I never saw. Others I saw many times. It will consist of the starting 8, a pitching staff of 12 and the bench players. Not an easy thing to do. Starters 1st Base Easiest pick for me. Gil Hodges. 370 lifetime homers as a Dodger First to win the Gold Glove when they were…
If you want a sure fire way to start an argument, just pick the best players ever for your team. Everyone has their own ideas of who are the greatest players in a team’s history. And the Dodgers have a long and colorful past. 67 years in Brooklyn as a part of MLB, and 62 in LA. So, choosing the best ever is a hard task. In this case, I…
One thing I have learned is that AF is tight lipped more than anyone in MLB, and so are his co-working baseball personnel. So for someone like Jim Bowden to intimate that he has spoken with Dodgers personnel who have advised him that AF has been engaged in talks with Rockies GM, Jeff Bridich, about Nolan Arenado, I have my doubts. He did not stop there. He said that Nolan…
As I write this right about now, even the Haters have been forced to shut up. The Dodgers have been the best team in MLB over the past 5-years. They have a Top 3 Farm Systems and Major League Depth that is the envy of every other team. Many other team executives complain that “it’s just not fair” how the Dodgers operate their franchise.