Return on Investment – Risk vs. Reward

November 7, 2017

Many have posited (including me) that the depth the Dodgers have generated were critical in their march to 104 wins. I have also written that the depth needs to be pruned at times so that the organization will continue to grow by clearing the way for new prospects or ML 25 man roster help.  That is why I had no problem with sending Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes, and Frankie Montas…

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2017-2018 Hot Stove

November 4, 2017

One of the positives about getting to the WS and extending it to 7 games, is that there is only 5 weeks before the Winter Meetings in Orlando.  We are going to have to pack in a lot of thought and suggestions about the restructuring of a 104 win team into a WS champion.  We are all so much smarter than Friedman and Zaidi sitting in front of a computer…

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Just Wait Until Next Year…

November 2, 2017

I hate saying that! It was a bitter loss… one that I am not likely to get over… ever! Early in Game 7 I blamed Roberts for leaving Yu Momma in for more than 3 seconds, and maybe that had an effect on the Dodgers psyche, but when you only score 1 run and are 1-13 with RISP, you can’t win.  End of story! Justin Turner hit .160 in the…

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Loyalty Rewarded in a 2017 NL Pennant

October 21, 2017

As I am sitting in my Friday office chair at Starbucks, waiting for my two former Giant clients and our regular Friday coffee business/baseball chat, I just cannot stop smiling.  A lot of the regulars came up and congratulated me knowing how faithfully I have worn my Dodgers jerseys win or lose.  Today it is Kershaw, on back to back days.  It’s been raining all night in NorCal, so I…

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Don’t Go Down With The Ship, Doc!

October 19, 2017

Early in the year, Chase Utley was mired in  a horrible slump and fans started calling for him to retire.  Dave Roberts had faith in him and after hitting .122 in April, he bounced back by hitting .314 in May, and he has been serviceable since then.  He plays great defense, is a wonderful teammate and at 39 years of age, he just looks to be over-matched at the plate…

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Just Win This Game!

October 16, 2017

The Dodgers are up 2-0 on the Cubs but it has been a tough series.  Except for 2 or 3 key plays it could just as easily be 0-2.  But that is the difference in this team… they are better, deeper and more experienced.  Think about this, last year the Dodgers relied on Adrian Gonzalez, Andrew Toles, Josh Reddick, Yasmani Grandal and Chase Utley to step up in the playoffs. …

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Nothing is as Constant as Change

October 4, 2017

As we await to find out who the Dodgers play in the first round of the playoffs, I think it’s appropriate that we look ahead and see what types of changes could be on the horizon for the Dodgers in 2018. Changes in Players Of course, we do know that Andre Ethier’s contract us up and unless he wants to sign a “Chase Utley” type contract, his Dodgers career is…

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The Big Blue Dodger Machine

August 26, 2017

I still like the name “The Big Blue Wrecking Crew” but that was another time and another team.  We can’t use the same name again – there are rules against such things.  The 1988 Dodgers were comprised of “The Stunt Men” who include Mickey Hatcher, so that was a fitting moniker too. I thought of other names like “The Blue Juggernaut.”  But, the way this team is built with a…

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It Won’t be Verlander

July 29, 2017

The Dodgers will not be trading for Justin Verlander, partly because of  a detail in the CBA that would penalize them immensely for an inflated payroll.  Here is what was reported by  MLB Trade Rumors: MLB’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement contains a previously unknown detail that could potentially affect teams that spend heavily, Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper writes. In addition to the luxury tax, the CBA includes two surcharge thresholds that could…

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I Am No Kool-Aid Drinker

July 25, 2017

I am an unabashed and unapologetic supporter of FAZ.  They have built a tremendous team and know how to utilize a full 40 man roster to their advantage because they have the depth to do so.  I also believe that a winning TEAM is greater than the sum of the individual players.  Clayton Kershaw is special.  There is no question of that.  But he is one of 40, and I…

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