I continue to read that Dodger Ownership/Management wants to get under the luxury tax threshold THIS year. That is certainly a laudable goal, and under normal circumstances I can see why that should always be the goal. But is 2018 the year to draw the line? Sometimes you need to spend money to make money. In home building, finishes are upgraded to get buyers to sign. Buyers are visual…bling…
This year’s MLB Winter Meetings will be held December 10-14 in Ontario, Florida. On the final day of the MLB’s Winter Meetings, the annual Rule 5 draft takes place. Players eligible for selection must meet the following criteria: Not on the MLB team’s 40 man roster. 5th Year after signing initial contract is signed at 18 or younger, or; 4th year after signing initial contract is signed at 19 or…
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…
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…
It was only a month ago that many fans and national pundits said the Dodgers were the biggest choke artists in the game The Diamondbacks and the Indians were the hottest teams in baseball and were everyone’s darlings, while the Nationals had the best 1-2 starting punch in baseball which should play well in a short series. The Dodgers dropped to 4th or 5th in the power polls, even though…
The Dodgers AA affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers in the Texas League, had a very successful season. They reached the Texas League Championship final game and lost a heartbreaker 1-0. Dennis Santana pitched an outstanding game in a pressure situation, and looks primed for 2018. There were some outstanding performances by individuals as well, and many look to be promoted to AAA for 2018 where they are one step away from…
The OKC Dodgers finished the 2017 AAA season with a 72-69 record, good enough for 2nd place in the PCL American North Division. However, they were 10.0 games behind the division champion Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers). The Sky Sox then lost to the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) in the American Divisional Series. The El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) beat the Reno Aces (Dbacks) in the Pacific Division championship series. The Memphis…
There has been a lot of discussion about the state of the Cuban players the Dodgers signed in 2015. It has been nearly two years since the Dodgers embarked on a $43,874,000 spending spree on 11 international players, but only three are Cuban. There were also five from the Dominican Republic, one from Venezuela, and one from Nicaragua. Eight of the players are still remain in the organization with 7…
Ryu gets tattooed and now there is a problem with the starting pitching? I do not consider Ryu anything more than a #7 on this team. I have no idea whether Ryu would have pitched better with regular rest or extended. Maybe his curve just does not work in Colorado. I have no delusions that Ryu will be anywhere close to the pitcher he was before his shoulder problems. …
We now know who comprises the 25 man roster. Is it what I would have chosen? Probably not, but I do understand the reasons for the selections. I was disappointed that Chris Taylor was not selected, but I understand why Kike’ was valued more as utility player. I understand that Taylor is an infielder that needs to learn OF. If Seager goes on the DL, it will not be Kike’…