Yesterday Mark made a good argument as to why the Dodgers might want to stand pat. Today I would like to make an argument as to why the Dodgers should consider another move or two. I understand the thought that with how the Dodgers are built right now they can compete and win the NL West. I understand why many believe the team should stay as is and let the team get healthy. I agree they can win, but I am not sure of it. One thing this blog has helped me with is to look at the team objectively. I am almost always positive in believing the Dodgers will win, but sometimes they frustrate me and I need to vent. This is not one of those times. With 2-3 days before the trade deadline, I wanted to look at the present structure objectively.
I know there is a rumor that the Dodgers are interested in Chris Archer (yes, AGAIN). I am not so sure that Archer is being considered more for the playoff run than for the next three plus years. The Pads were also rumored to be involved. Mark commented that the Dodgers interest was for driving up the price on Archer. Of course that is what a lot of us said about Machado. The Pads are more interested in Noah Syndergaard than Archer, so if there is any price driving, then it is the Pads doing the driving. FAZ will not be swayed and overpay, so it will either be another team (Yankees? Brewers?) or more likely no trade.
The reason I want FAZ to make sure they have a solid bullpen vs. a potential bullpen is because the championship window is closing. The Braves and Phillies arrived a year early and should be the top favorites for 2019. That is why I wanted FAZ to go all in for Sale 2 years ago (meaning Julio Urias would have been included) and wanted them to do an overpay for Gerrit Cole this past winter. It would not have been a significant overpay considering what the Stros gave up.
The Phillies have gone on record saying they will not be outbid on major FA (Machado or Harper). Their rotation is pretty solid led by Nola and Arrieta, with Eflin a good #3. They will probably sign a FA #4 pitcher and then Enyel De Los Santos, or Cole Irvin, or Mark Leiter Jr., or Velasquez will be a #5.
The Braves already have Foltynewicz, Newcomb, and Fried in the rotation and have 6 pitchers in the top 100 prospects; 2 of which are top 10 LHP. Somebody will offer a couple of good lottery picks for Teheran. They already have a slew of young studs in Albies, Swanson, Acuna, Camargo, with a superstar in Freeman, an All Star in Markakis, and a quality CF in Inciarte. They have the money and prospect collateral to get All-Stars in LF and catcher. With their young pitchers, I figure they will go all in for Grandal.
The Cubs will spend for pitching and with their non-pitching roster, they should be a threat in 2019.
But the biggest threat will come from the team in San Diego. They have 4 of the top position prospects:
#2 Overall – #1 SS – Fernando Tatis Jr.
#11 Overall – #1 LHP – Mackenzie Gore
#21 Overall – #1 Catcher – Francisco Mejia
#23 Overall – #1 2B – Luis Urias
They have four other pitchers in the top 100 prospects including 2 other top ten LHP prospects. Plus Joey Lucchesi already on in the rotation.
The Dodgers have 4 top 100 prospects, 1 of whom is a pitcher (Dustin May). Their only top 10 position prospects are 2 catchers (Ruiz #3 and Smith #5), and one OF (Verdugo #7). It might be difficult to have 2 1st string catchers on the 25 man at the same time.
The Pads are rumored to have offered 2 of Mejia/Urias/Quantrill as the lead prospects in a package for Thor. Just a rumor, but certainly something to think about. Maybe not 2019, but by 2020, the Pads are going to be the favorites in the NL West.
My fear is that IF the Dodgers do not get there in 2018, it may be a while.
- Another year of wear and tear on Kershaw.
- Ryu will be a free agent.
- There will still be questions on Wood, Stripling, Buehler, and Hill (blisters).
- Are Ferguson and Santana starters or relievers?
- May and White are at least 2 years away.
- I think Banuelos will be a consideration for the rotation in 2019.
- Alvarez appears headed to the bullpen.
- The bullpen is suspect now.
- Nobody knows how well Seager will return.
- Who is going to play 2B?
- Barnes becomes the starting catcher.
- Machado and Harper will undoubtedly sign big contracts with a team that is in a position to win. The Dodgers have too many questions to be considered a favorite and will probably not be in a position to outbid the Phillies or NYY or Braves or Cubs.
- It is being rumored up in NorCal that the Giants will be going all in on Harper. They lose nearly $33M in Pence and McCutcheon contracts. They can probably move Samardzija and pay half of what he is owed ($9M). Even three quarters will help.
- The LAD farm is good for depth, but not great for All Stars.
- The organization looks for and develops more utility players than solid position players. That is why there is a question on who will play 2B.
- The number 1 pick in the 2017 draft is closing in on being a bust. His best value may be as a trade candidate. The number 2 (Morgan Cooper) has not yet thrown a pitch as a professional. Their #3 (Connor Wong) is their #4 rated catcher. Their #4 (Marinan) was traded for Dylan Floro. Their #5 (Ottesen) and #6 (Montgomerie) were drafted as relievers. Their #7 (Pop) and #8 (Bannon) were included in the trade for Machado, their #9 (Strain) was drafted as a reliever, and their best of the top ten picks right now is #10 (Reks), a non-power hitting corner OF, and already at AA.
- The organization does not have any starting pitching prospects from the 2017 draft (unless Cooper’s shoulder heals up and develops). They still have 2 that are starting; Max Gamboa (18th round), and Brett De Geus (33rd round). They may not stay there, but they are starting because of the lack of healthy starters in the organization. The rest of their pitching prospects were drafted as relievers: Ottesen, Montgomerie, Strain, Jackson, Kasowski, Witt, Willemin, Hoyt, Hemmerich, Ruibal, and Washington.
- They did not sign their #1 this year, their #2 is coming off TJ surgery, but their #3 and #4 have started out as starters (in the lowest of rookie leagues). Will they stay as starters? But I do not think that John Rooney or Braydon Fisher are going to challenge any of the top 1st round pitchers. Thus, their best draft pick in 2018 is the #68 overall pick coming off TJ surgery. Seeing how careful they are with Buehler, how long before Grove will be allowed to pitch without restriction?
There are certainly positives to hold onto:
- Kershaw/Hill/Buehler/Urias/Wood/Stripling/Maeda/Ferguson/Santana – If healthy this will be a formidable starting rotation. Maybe even dominant. But it is a BIG IF, because they haven’t yet.
- That puts four in the bullpen, and I am a big fan of Jesen Therrien for #5. With Jansen and Alexander, Fields/Cingrani/Chargois/Hudson/Stewart/Sborz/Broussard, the bullpen could be good. If Kasowski develops, he will also be in the mix.
- Seager will be back. JT will be healthy. Bellinger, CT3, and Puig (if still with the team) should return to their 2017 levels.
- Kemp could repeat his AS 2018 year.
- Verdugo could become yet another LAD ROY.
- They will sign a free agent or two, and I would think that they will look very long at AJ Pollock and DJ LeMahieu. I think Machado and Harper will be too costly. It’s also possible if NYY signs Harper, Giancarlo Stanton becomes available and there is a match with the Dodgers.
- Smith could make the transition to ML catcher by 2019 (doubtful, but hopeful). Swihart couldn’t do it. Neither could Mejia, Sisco, or Kelly…yet. It takes a while for most catchers.
I want the team to go for it in 2018 because they can win the pennant with a good bullpen. They will not be as good as Houston, Boston, or NYY, but they only have to beat one of them 4 out of 7. In 2019 it gets much harder in the NL.
Yesterday, I suggested a Joc for Chad Green trade with the NYY. I am sure that FAZ can find teams willing to take one of the OF. If not, outside of the top 11, there really is not an irreplaceable prospect. I would exclude Kendall and Alvarez in that statement for the right return. That window only stays open for so long.
Dodger Chatter: Edwin Uceta’s Career Start
Right-hander Edwin Uceta had a six-inning no-hitter going on Saturday against the Lake County Captains of the Midwest League. The 6’0”/155-pound native of Villa Los Almacigos in the Dominican Republic had a career night in registering his third win of the season. He lost the no-no in the seventh inning.
The 20-year-old Uceta was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 2, 2016. In the Dominican Summer League in 2016 he posted a 1.72 ERA along with a 0.73 WHIP. In 31.1 innings he struck out 28 and walked but three.
He came stateside for the 2017 season starting for the Ogden Raptors of the rookie level Pioneer League. In 14 starts he pitched 56 innings striking out 62 and walking 14. He had a rather unsightly ERA of 6.57 but did have a number of encouraging starts and was instrumental in the Raptors success in their championship play-off run.
Uceta, a bit surprisingly, began the 2018 season with the Loons and has been the mainstay of a rather weak Loons starting rotation.
He recently made it onto the MLB Pipeline Top 30 for the Dodgers moving to middle of the pack at No. 15. His success during the current campaign is credited to the Dodgers development staff for helping make his delivery much more direct to the plate. Also, Loons pitching coach Bobby Cuellar, was his pitching coach with the Raptors during the 2017 season and works very closely with the young right-hander for a second season.
MLB Pipeline notes that Uceta has a change up not usually as well developed for a pitcher of his age.
“Uceta stands out most for his precocious feel for a changeup that can be a plus pitch at its best. He throws it with deceptive arm speed and sets it up with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 95 mph. His curveball has gotten more consistent in 2018, giving him an average third pitch to round out his repertoire.”
On the season Uceta has made 19 starts and has a 3.46 ERA. He has struck out 99 in 93.2 innings and walked 27. During his last 10 starts he has an ERA of 2.36 dropping to 1.72 over his last five appearances. In July he has walked 44 and walked 8.
During his last six starts Uceta has gone into the sixth inning four times with two seven-inning appearances. One of those appearances was on Saturday night where he struck out a career high 11 Lake County Captains. He threw a season high 90 pitches, 61 of them strikes. He did tire during the seventh inning and gave up a pair of home runs to the hard hitting Captains who now lead the league with 90 home runs on the season.
Uceta was picked up by 19-year-old Melvin Jimenez who pitched the final two innings of the game won 9-2 by the Loons. Jimenez gave up one hit with one walk while striking out three. In his last 17 innings over eight appearances he has given up but one earned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out 24.
Offensively outfielder Drew Avans had three hits and a walk while shortstop Deacon Liput and third baseman Luke Heyer had two hits each with one of Heyer’s a home run. Liput has 10 hits in his last four games.
Defensively the Loons played errorless ball and turned two double plays.
Of interest the Loons got a taste of major league baseball as closer Andrew Miller of the Indians appeared in a rehab assignment. They touched up Miller for three hits and four runs with the big blow being first baseman Brock Carpenter’s triple.
Bryce Harper:
https://twitter.com/jorgecastillo/status/1023401834654904320
Nice job AC. I’m not a MiLB watcher but your write-up highlights the “thinning” MiLB prospects in the system and underscores, at least to me, the utter incompetence of not signing your overall #1 pick the draft. The Dodgers have to keep the “pipeline” full so they can continue to graduate players to the big leagues or use as trade chips for a pennant run.
I really thought last year with 104 wins was the year they would win it all. I’m really leery of our SP in a playoff series with SP going 5 innings and then turning it over to a suspect BP. Can you imagine going to the BP up by 1 run in the 6th inning of a playoff game and having to turn the game over to Hudson, Floro or Chargois?
Should be an interesting couple of days…..hoping the FO doesn’t bring us a Granderson, Latos, Jim Johnson type of transaction.
T-Shirt Weather Lineup: Taylor 6, Machado 5, Kemp 7, Hernandez 8, Muncy 3, Grandal 2, Puig 9, Forsythe 4, Stripling 1.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) July 29, 2018
So Forsythe gets another start….I guess they had to with a LHP starting for the Braves, but please jettison him by Tuesday…….please!
They must have Forsythe in for his glove? He’s batting .183 vs LHP and .231 vs RHP this year.
I know it’s a leftie starter but why not try Joc in CF and put Kike at 2B and Logan on the bench today? Logan K’d 3 times yesterday and it’s time to see if Joc can handle LHP. Grandal is in today but if I’m an opposing manager and starting a leftie means I will usually get Barnes and Forsythe plus sit Joc I would do that. Muncy the only LH hitter in the lineup today.
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Hopefully this is just until JT comes back or showcasing Logan for a move, either way almost decision time.
Nice take, AC, but I don’t agree that the championship window is closing. You’re expecting all these kids from SD to come up and become good to great players. Sure they have a minor league all star team, but if you bring those 10 top 100 prospects to SD, some of them will become great (like a Seager/Bellinger), some will become solid (Wood, Strip, Taylor, Puig), and some will just become guys on a roster, or guys who are traded.
We have a lot of proven young major league players. Will those Padre pitchers be better than Wood and Strip? Wood and Strip are good #3 and #4 starters. Not all top prospects become aces. Some become good solid members of a staff. Will the Padres have the resources to get a key free agent? They already wasted their money on Hosmer.
The Dodgers will have a lot of dead weight money coming off the books, and can start flexing their financial muscles again next season. Of course, for us to continue this championship window, it’s imperative that Manny Machado be resigned. We can’t let a top 10 MLB player, a 26 year old star asset, get away. Keep him with Seager and Bellinger, and all the sudden you have a middle of the lineup featuring 3 all stars 26 and under. Nobody can beat that. That trio will keep our championship window alive.
The Dodgers do need an ace, but we have the ability to go get one for next year, while keeping our nucleus intact. I don’t see how the Cubs are in any better position than we are. Their young players are as good as ours, their farm is now ranked in the very bottom, and their last 2 big free agents (Heyward, Yu) were a huge waste of money. Their pitching staff is old and very suspect. We have bette young pitching than they do (Buehler, Strip, Wood). I’d say their window is closing faster than ours.
The key again is keeping Machado. That’s an impact asset that needs to be here. We can afford it. Who cares if Philly ‘won’t be outbid”. Getting him here now and hopefully getting to October should have a huge influence in him and his wife wanting to be in LA for the next 8-10 years. We may not have impact can’t miss guys coming up in the next 2 years, but we have plenty of guys that will be successful, and with our finances and the depth of our farm we can acquire impact players. I think this run can keep going for a while.
Have to agree with your takes here. There are several off season questions like Manny, Grandal (QO or extension) Kershaw’s opt out, Wood and Puig in arbitration, C and 2B positions, OF logjam etc. Mostly nice problems to have at this point and out of luxury tax penalty hell with some nice prospects in the pipeline. They are set up to contend for the near term future.
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Meanwhile the team currently is in 1st place and could sweep today to go 7-3 on a tough road trip with quality teams. I think the biggest current need is a controllable bullpen piece that can set up Jansen and getting consistent production from 2B, plus getting JT back healthy. Anything from Urias, Ryu, Cingrani and Fields should be considered a bonus but not something that can be depended on.
AC if he remains healthy Kershaw will opt out don’t forget. Chances are we won’t get into a bidding war nor should we. Somebody would be hamstrung to add 40 million new payroll while Dodgers would be adding only 5-10 million new but should they? I have been saying all along Our farm is nothing special but with Seager, bellinger, Verdugo, Buehler, urias, Pederson, Taylor, we have some great young players to build around. We need some shrewd international moves, trade mlb ready player(s) for youth, and find a jewel from faz blue light specials. I’m confident faz can retool to keep us current. Our biggest need next year appears to be at catcher. I think we must sign machado and if Kershaw opts out there is the money.
I think it will be the number of years that will persuade Kershaw, and I do not think it will take $40M. But then again I am not his agent. I think he would like to retire as a Dodger as much as the Dodgers and Dodger fans want him to. 5 years and two one year team options with achievable vesting benchmarks might get it done.
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I have no doubt that FAZ will continue to get players as depth to keep the Dodgers relevant. That is what they do best. They are unsurpassed in putting together a 40 man. But you cannot continue to pick at the end of the draft and expect to pull out Aces or perennial All Stars.
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I share your hope that the Dodgers will be able to re-sign Machado. It will be up to Machado if he wants to play in LA and not in his preferred east coast. I think playing in LA gives LAD a very realistic chance, but they certainly will not be the favorites. I have to believe that Corey Seager is going to be in the discussion. Not just between FAZ and Seager, but between Machado and Seager. Machado wants very badly to be the best SS in the game. Will Seager be willing to move to 2nd or 3rd to accommodate Machado? Certainly money is critical, but ego is also a huge driving force.
The Dodgers have everything they need in house for the next 5 years and that gives them time to plan for the next 5 years. Who are these guys?
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C Smith, Ruiz, Barnes
1B Muncy, Bellinger
2B Taylor, Lux
3B Turner, Seager
SS Machado, Seager, Taylor
LF Pederson, Toles, Verdugo
CF Peters, Pederson, Verdugo, Toles
RF Puig, Verdugo, Peters
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San Diego will be getting better and better but regardless, the Dodgers will have too many players in their primes for San Diego to be favored.
Someone in yesterday’s thread brought up the ridiculous comments by the Braves announcers re. our batting practice outfits. I just heard/saw those comments.
1) Braves announcers can go F themselves
2) Kike’s response was brilliant. This reminds me of that monkey ears things we did a few years ago when some moron team said we were monkeying around.
Bring back the bubble machine. It was fun.
Rudy, Puig is playing great and has been since May 1. It is because of what the Dodgers should be able to get back from including him in a trade, his unconstrained desire to catch any ball he can get to that endangers other players, and because he is a free agent after 2019 that cause me to want to move on with him.
How many players has he actually killed?
It’s so hard to predict what FAZ has up their sleeves. Tuesday afternoon can’t come soon enough.
I like Archer’s personality more than I like his pitching but will gladly accept both for the Dodgers.
he is known as a really good dude. I do think if we got him, it’s because we feel Honeycutt could tweak something and harness all that talent.
Terrible call by the ump. Pitcher bunts foul and grandal runs into him. I’d be pissed if that were me.
Strip is our worst starter right now except maybe Buehler who can’t pitch out of the pen. I would take strip out of the rotation when Ryun comes back.
Patience, Grasshopper.
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In two more starts, Strip and Buehler might be our best!
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It’s a game up ups and downs. Ross looks bad now.
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Buehler is just coming back…
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Like Clayton, Ross is too predictable.
2nd half Stripling looks like 2nd half Wood looked last year.
Strip’s curve is not breaking as much right now. It’s easy to hit. Take him out and let him rest and reset for a bit
Thumbs up!
Strip is pitching his way into the BP mix. 88 pitches through 4 IP. I’ve seen enough the last couple of starts that leads me to believe he has “hit the wall.” The discussion will shift to Strip going to the BP and not Maeda or Buehler.
That might be our trade deadline acquisition for a BP arm.
Let’s not forget, that as bad as Ross has been today, he still has a 2.69 ERA which is better than…
Miolas
Greinke
Lester
Corbin
Arrietta
… et al
Ross Stripling’s first 19 appearances (8 starts) this season — 1.65 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, .229 BA against
Past 8 (all starts) — 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, .283 BA against
… and the Dodgers still cannot jump out of a boat and hit water!
Are they going to let this clown throw a perfect game or what? He is not Koufax or Glavine!!
Very interesting post by AC. Is the window closing?
1 – The Dodgers’ starting pitchers will be the same next year except Ryu (leaving0, unless Kershaw opts out and the Dodgers don’t resign him. I personally believe that Kershaw will be wearing the Blue next year, whether he decides not to opt out or not. We don’t know if Kershaw will ever be the perennial Cy Young candidate or not. If not, Dodgers’s starting pitching will be good but not great – unless Buehler takes Kershaw’s place as ace. Urias is a wild card here – we have no idea whether he will ever be anything or not.
2 – Dodgers have a glut of OF and a possible problem at 2B. We don’t know if Seager will be able to play SS again after TJ surgery. There is a very good chance that he will not be able to play SS – there is even a chance that he won’t be able to do anything other than DH. Here is a link to a cohort study from PubMed (a clearinghouse of medical studies run by the National Institutes of Health) on the subject.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29601208
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Big question marks include possible regression by Muncy and Kemp, Seager’s heath, and whether Bellinger ever returns to 2017 form. Also, will the Braintrust spend the big $$ on the likes of Manny Machado?
3 – SF is not going to compete for the near future. Arizona has several guys who are either arb eligible or are free agents – most notably Corbin and Pollock, with Goldschmidt coming up in 2019. They won’t resign everyone and their farm system stinks. I’m not impressed with the Rox. The Pads have a great farm system but if 50% of their top prospects turn out to be anything that would be good. I think that the Dodgers are set up to compete for the post-season for the next 3 years anyway.
4 – Are the Dodgers set to compete for the World Series? That is a different question. The Phils and Braves are poised to be good for a while. Maybe the Pads too – it’s too soon too tell. I don’t see any other teams on the NL horizon, but the AL is troubling. Houston and NY are poised to be good for a long time.
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In short, it’s really hard to tell if a championship window is closing.
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And who can guess what the Braintrust will do to keep it open? I doubt the expenditure of big $$ for long term contracts for free agents like Machado, but they have surprised us before. I think that it is more likely that it will try to turn sow’s ears into silk purses (see Taylor and Muncy) and to continue to nibble around the edges with marginal MLB starters (bullpen conversions) and multiple utility players. But – the Braintrust is unpredictable.
It is very tough to build a great farm system when you finish atop your division every year, so you have to try and find diamonds in the rough (Turner, Taylor, Morrow, Muncy, et al). FAZ does that very well.
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We have NEVER seen them ink players to big FA contracts but… they have never been in the position to do that. During ALL OF FAZ’s tenure, they have been saddled with dead money (OK, some of it was on them, but it was because…. nevermind).
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Those days are gone. They can afford to sign both Machado and extend Kershaw. They can afford to trade for JT Realmuto as well.
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Kemp could get hurt, but I don’t see regression… yet.
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Pederson, Puig and Toles – Only one will be in LA next year!
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Grandal will get the QA and ATL or Houston will sign him-the Dodgers will get another pick.
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How about this lineup next year:
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1. Verdugo RF
2. Seager 3B
3. Machado SS
4. Kemp LF
5. Muncy DH
6. Bellinger 1B
7. Turner 2B
8. Realmuto C
9. Taylor CF
Hmm, maybe taking unprofessional batting practice yesterday did hurt us after all?
Newcomb is not a star, but there is no denying he has good stuff. The former #15 pick overall is anything but a clown. I wouldn’t mind if he was a prospect in the Dodgers organization, or maybe even part of the 25-man, be it starting or as a part of the pen.
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Maybe this is just a bad stretch for Stripling. Perhaps the innings are catching up with him and he’s getting tired, or maybe the league is catching up to him. I don’t have any answers, but there certainly are questions.
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If anything, Stripling is making an argument for acquiring Archer. Can’t say I know a lot about Archer, but I did read that his FIP over the last several years has been consistently better than his ERA. Also, when considering his stats, I would keep in mind that he pitches in the AL East, home of several HR friendly ballparks.
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As for the Dodgers farm system, there is definitely a need for an infusion of more talent. They did sin the top international hitting prospect this year (Cartaya), and the signing period extends to June 15th of next year. So maybe there is more to come.
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Regarding the farm system, and I’ve raised this question before, I’ve always wondered why the Dodgers dudn’t make a serious bid for Vlad Jr. in 2015 when they went on their spending spree. I believe at the time the 16 year old was the top rated international prospect, and is now one of the top rated prospects in the game (might be #1).
I will give the Braves manager credit for letting his guy try, even with 134 pitches. Doc probably pulls him after 7 IP. The last Braves no no was against the Dodgers in 1994 by another household name, Kent Mercker.
Don’t forget the great Mike Fiers no hit the Dodgers in 2015.
4th paragraph of my previous post. “sin” should be “sign”.
RIP nationals
why, are they officially selling pieces?
Forget pitching we need more offensive pieces
LOL
OK, CT3!
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We have them right where we want them. A quick 5-run homer and it’s all over!
Here we go Dodgers, here we go;
Here we go Dodgers, here we go…
That damn Kemp. He has never been any good!
Mark, you took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to say the same thing. No doubt that Kemp is a worthless bum and needs to be immediately DFA’d.
😉
Dodgers went 6-4 on a challenging 10-game road trip against three playoff contenders.
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Two of those losses can be attributed (one directly) to the 16 inning towel toss.
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I imagine Stripling is headed to either the pen or the DL for the foreseeable future.
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For a team with a top Farm System and billion dollar TV deal, the idea of the window closing is pretty laughable to me.
I am glad you find it funny. It makes my day.
AC,
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Stand up Comic.
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Master of Sarcasm.
Thank you, good night. (drops mic)
laughable was wrong word. Apologies for that.
AC
As Always, a really good job!
I think that went right over his head, and we know how big imagination he has, when it comes to that.
Hey, do any of you guys listen to Dave Vasseys podcast after the Dodger games on sportstalk LA? Wow, there are some real characters that call in. After the Tuesday game against the Phils that we lost in 16, this guy called in and was virtually sobbing and going on and on how Doc gave up the game and quit on his team and what a terrible manager he was. Kudos for JHair for cutting the dude off and saying in all the years he has known Doc, both as a player and a friend, Doc is the last guy who would quit at anything., Hairston had a great point. He said “I tell you what , if I am a position player, I take full responsibility for this loss. You mean we can’t score a run in 10 full innings? Are you kidding me?!? . This loss lies squarely on the offense”. He also mentioned that even though Hill was warming up, Doc was probably buying time in the 16th to see if we could score. He wasn’t planning on using Hill if he could. Hairston also said that sometimes you may have to lose a few battles over the season to win the war. So after all the piling on from the radio callers about how Doc should have used Hill, what happens? Hill pitches two days later and goes 7 scoreless innings with 8 k’s. Alot of times my son and I listen to some of these crackpots call in and just shake our heads about how spoiled our fan base has become. They think we should be winning 104 games every year. Ain’t gonna happen. I will quote Uncle Ned yet again. “Hey, the other guys get paid too”. Good point.
Second guessers are never wrong.
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They are legends in their own minds.
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Leave them alone.
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-sarcasm-
Yeah, I hear you Mark. The last year or two I have been watching Sportsnet, and they always rotate Colleti, JHair and Nomah, along with Orel. My baseball IG has gone up tremendously listening to Colleti talk about things from a GM point of view and JHair, Orel and Nomah from a players perspective. All 3 are very intelligent baseball guys. There are alot of behind the scenes things going on that us fans can’t see and don’t understand. Every move the manager or front office makes is carefully analyzed and reanalyzed. It’s like a huge chess game.
I love that show. I get it on I “heart” Radio!”
Braves got Brad Brach for $250K International bonus money. Interesting since the O’s do not do much if anything in the international market.
It is possible that Brach could be energized with a new team in the playoff hunt…
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or he could be what Jim Johnson was for the Dodgers.
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I must confess: I do not know what the Braves are getting. That they did not give up much speaks volumes.
Brach has been terrible. I was relieved to read that he went to Atlanta. I’m more interested in the two Texas relievers.
Sean Nuked Em
He was good… but sometimes I think they get together before a game and say: “Let’s forget our bats today.”
I think we fell behind, bags packed, won 3, strip and team no energy, Forsythe in lineup, plus Newcombe was pretty good. My daughter was at the game so there’s that. Strip wants to be a starter and I don’t think he is particularly good out of the pen. I might trade him while he has value if a good deal is out there. He is a solid back of the rotation starter with versatility so he has good regular season value but I don’t think he is a post season player. He certainly did not do his job in the playoffs last year. I don’t know how long he is controllable so that might be a factor. Solid, versatile starters are not abundant so I would not be hasty. He is serviceable and healthy so he has value. Next years staff: Kershaw if here, Buehler, Maeda, hill, Wood. I suppose urias will start if he ever plays. Will stripling start over any of these guys? Maybe, but with the injuries to come, all 7 will start a lot.
Next year.
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C Smith and Barnes
1B Seager
2B Muncy or Taylor
3B Turner
SS Machado
LF Pederson
CF Bellinger or Taylor (Platoon?)
RF Puig or Verdugo or Toles
DH Kemp or Muncy
I think I would sell high on Kemp in the offseason.
I think just about everyone in the World knows that Matt Kemp is a Dodger… until his last breath… and there will be no takers!
Not sure Kemp will have any value then, either.
That is to many out fielder’s three have to go you pick them.
RAY IS ASKING FOR A POWER CACHER FOR A ACHER…..SOMETHING IS GETTING HOT?
Dustin May is being promoted to AA.
Can’t get any help from the clubs playing the teams chasing us tonight. Doc better not go to sleep with any of his lame lineups with a half game lead. The Brewers have been hot lately. I am going to the Alex Wood bobble head night game which is at the trade deadline before heading south to Ocean Beach in San Diego and a couple trips to Del Mar. Rudy, do you have any insight for the Stakes races next Sat and Sun? Bobby are you going to the $1 hot dog night or sold your tickets? Joey Chestnut will be there, they won’t let him sit in RF all you can eat anymore. He said he will only eat 20 or so tomorrow!
I’m actually going tomorrow to welcome Manny to LA. The sodium in those dogs got me last $1 Dodger night (when I hung out with Mark). I’ll be the idiot munching on a protein bar in the 3rd inning.
Vegas, I haven’t seen the entries yet.
Dodgers interested in Keone Kela. Is he worth it? He’s under control for 2 more years, so it’d definitely cost us a pretty penny
I would personally rather have his teammate Jose Leclerc who has 4 more years of team control. Kela is a closer, so his cost would be greater. If a closer is desired, maybe Sean Doolittle becomes available. He’s a rental , but he is having an unbelievable year. 3 walks 49 strikeouts in 37.1 innings; 0.536 WHIP. That is pretty dominant.
Bref says 3 unless I misread it
Roberto Osuna is available. What do you think?
The Dodgers backed off from Aroldis Chapman because of domestic violence allegations, so I would think that they would not be interested. I would not be in favor of someone like that in the locker room. But that is just me, and I have no idea if FAZ believes Osuna can help.
+1
Easy pass for me.
Really a great moment captured on Memphis Redbirds tweet when their Redbirds manager came out to the mound to take Dakota Hudson out of the game because he just got called up to St. Louis.
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https://twitter.com/search?q=memphis%20redbirds&src=typd
That was really cool.
What was going on in the Brave’s dugout with Ocuna being “petted”? The camera came back to whatever was happening a couple of times. Really looked strange!
Get kela. A closer is the single best addition we could make. Controllable fir three more years. Either bite the bullet and swap a stud catcher or assemble a package of Alvarez, another top ten, and Rios. Make it happen.
Alvarez, kendall, and Rios for keone kela. That’s my offer.
No way do we trade smith or Ruiz for a reliever. Zero chance.
Sounds like the Dodgers are in on Kela. I would prefer him or LeClerc over what is left. I’m not sure Osuna would be welcomed with open arms in the Dodgers dugout. It would surely create an unneeded controversy and who knows how Osuna will handle it.
Flat no to osuna. If we get a good reliever for spare parts and flawed prospects, we have to do it. Revising my offer to alvarez, Rios and wong. Go out and find a better offer and take it, rays.
How about toles to NYy for a reliever?