Is This the 2017 Big Blue Again?

Posted By on September 20, 2018

I like contrarians.  They keep us thinking.  Sometimes we end up supporting a player more vociferously than may be called for.  Think Bums and Joc, Mark and Grandal, MJ and Toles, and of course me and Wood. Most of us have been frustrated with how this season has unfolded and have made some disparaging comments regarding FAZ or Doc, or players such as Joc, Wood, Puig, Dozier, CT3, and lately Kemp.  But these last two games are very reminiscent of 2017.  Good starting pitching, good relief pitching, timely hitting, overcoming defensive lapses, and knowing the game is never over for the Dodger hitters. 

Puig has just come off as NL Player of the Week with his unworldly weekend against the Cardinals.  CT3 comes up with a walk-off HR against arguably one of the top 5 relievers in the NL, Adam Ottavino to win Game 2 in this series.  Ottavino is someone I hope FAZ targets as a FA, but that is for another story for another time.  And then in Game 3 of the series, Brian Dozier, who has had a huge problem getting on base, hits a game tying double to score Kike’.  A night after being robbed for the 4th time, and not being in the lineup, again, Yasiel comes to bat for Dozier and hits a pinch hit 3-run HR to eventually win the game off of Scott Oberg, another good Rockies reliever.  It is kind of curious how the Rockies spent $100MM+ on relievers over the Winter, but it is two relatively unknowns, Ottavino and Oberg, that makes their bullpen strong this year.

Buehler is showing that he is quietly and quickly becoming the staff Ace and gets 12 K’s in 6.0 IP.  He struck out Arenado 3 times, twice with runners in scoring position in the 1st and 3rd, and again to leadoff the 6th.  His tough 1st inning jacked his pitch count up, or he might have gone more.  However, right now, the bullpen can get the job done.  I believe Doc is growing as well as we fans.  Baez comes in to pitch to 1 batter?  When has that happened?  But when the revelation AKA Caleb Ferguson is available, why not go to him.  And then follow up with Maeda (who is getting more and more comfortable in his new role) and Alexander, before turning over the keys to the Blue Ferrari to Kenley, who hopefully is getting back to being dominant at the right time.

I have made it known that I am not a Manny Machado advocate.  I have had some BIG arguments with my two sons on him.  I think the Dodgers can spend $300MM better than on him.  Corey Seager is my favorite player, and until he proves that he cannot play SS, that position should be his when he returns.  Yes, Seager may be able to play 2B, but if he is moved, don’t count on Seager staying when it is his turn to go FA.  Seager is the type of player that a team builds around, not one that gets moved because of a new shiny toy.  If there is a choice between Seager and Machado, I am in the Seager corner 100 times out of 100.  That being said, I hope Machado goes off and all of the Machado advocates remind me how much better the team can be with Machado AND Seager.  I am not counting on it, but I am hopeful for some humble pie.

I plan on also becoming a DBack fan this weekend, and hoping for a sweep over the Rockies, while the Dodgers continue their march to the NL West Division crown with a sweep of their own against the Pads.  Hopefully this race will be all over when Mark gets back from Paradise.

I do not know what next week brings much less than next year, but I am enjoying the ride in the refurbished 2017 version of the Dodgers.  They are starting to get that swag back.  The dugout is jumping.  The team is having fun at the right time.  Maybe this is the year, that well-oiled machine wins Game 7, and I can tell the Giants fans to stick it as I wear my LOS ANGELES DODGERS WS gear around the Sacramento area.

GO BLUE – Beat the Padres.

This article has 67 Comments

  1. Well said AC. I’m about to eat some humble pie because after the Cardinal sweep of us I thought we were dead. I agree with your comments about Machado and the thinking we could spend $30 million on multiple pieces. He has underwhelmed my expectations, but I would love to see him go on a tear and lead us to the promised land.

    On the verge of six straight NL West championships….no let downs and lets ride this through October. Go Dodgers!

  3. Ferguson has been a wonderful surprise.
    *
    The emotions on the Dodger bench have really grown lately. It’s good to see Machado, Kemp, Puig, etc. all expressing their enthusiasm for their teammates.
    *
    I am hopeful that a pairing of Machado and Seager will be possible for next season and beyond.
    *
    The team seems to be jelling at the right time.
    *
    I’ll go to my grave bewildered at Doc’s lineups but if it presents us with another championship or three I’ll go peacefully into that good night.

  4. The Dodgers have announced that second baseman Chase Utley has been named the winner of the 13th annual Roy Campanella Award given to the Dodger player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher. The award, which was voted upon by Dodger uniformed personnel, will be presented to Chase by Campanella’s daughter, Joni Campanella Roan, and his grandson, J.T. Campanella, during pregame ceremonies Saturday night.
    .
    This is the 2nd time winning the award for Chase (2016). Voted on by uniformed personnel!!! Shows the absolute respect that Chase has from his teammates (and coaches).

  5. What a win last night. I went to bed at the top of the 7th because I had to get up at 4AM and I had paused MLB so I watched Puig blast as I got ready.
    –
    If he can focus like has has been, he’s right there with Mike Trout.
    –
    I’m on a layover in Houston. It’s 5’oclock somewhere but I’m drinking Starbucks. Maybe later…. This is a 7.5 hour flight! Yikes. Maybe I should have upgraded to first class for $1,456? Nah!

    1. Splurge a little. Any flight over three hours is worthy of an upgrade to Business or First (at least to me).

      1. A lot more leg room 1st class, but the sound of partying was happening from the cheaper seats. On the return flight they didn’t have enough steak meals so I made it a point I was going to make this an issue and demand money back from the way-over priced seats upon landing. They came up with the steak and an extra bottle of bubbly but I’d rather they didn’t and allowed my fuss to get me some cash back. I always take the cheap seats since. Paradise? Maybe, but Waikiki is closer to Disneyland than paradise. Driving around there is maddening and I advise not to. There’s other parts of the island that is worth it though. It’s almost better to go about on a budget there. “Haole, you like beef” (white boy, do you want to fight me?) “Why for you wanna turn it off” (if it’s not with just me it’s we’ll all rat-pack you) but that’s usually afforded to college preppies only. Stay away from Samoan funerals. I’m sure you can handle yourself, but……….

    2. Here’s an approximate inner monologue of thoughts as Yasiel Puig stepped to the plate last night:

      “Oh wow, Doc is putting Puig in here”
      “That’s kinda strange. Dozier just had a good at-bat”
      “All we need is a fly ball. Is Puig really the right call?”
      “He looks pretty focussed.”
      “Hmmm. Strike one. This might’ve been a mistake”
      “Nice swing. Definitely will get the run in. Oh man that ball is carrying. Hot damn he’s strong.”
      “What an at-bat!”
      “Must log in to LADT and make fun of people making fun of Roberts!”

  6. At this time of year, especially with way the team is playing, it sure sucks to have a day off! At least for us fans. I’m sure the players welcome it.
    Someone pointed out on the last thread that Ferguson is now 7-2??? Holy lord, what a find! AC, you mentioned the love affairs some of us have with certain players. Count me on the Ferguson bandwagon (I”m still of the belief he goes back to the rotation next season and becomes a fantastic mid rotation starter for the next 10 years for us). Also, count me to be leading the Jeren Kendall bandwagon, but that’s a conversation for next season.

    Rockies are also off today. The only games that matter to us today are the Braves game (for home field in the NLDS although I think we’d beat them in a 5 game series even if all 5 games were in Atl), AND the Indians game, as Cleveland is the only AL playoff team who’s record is around ours! If we do face them in the World Series, there’s a chance we’d have home field but we need them to lose a few.

    1. Great takes Bobby, I remember Caleb’s 1st game he got hit but you went on record saying he had good stuff and you liked the way he battled. He needs another pitch to be a starter but hitters have a lot of problems with his fastball movement. His breaking ball is just average and he needs another pitch like a hard slider.
      –
      I like Kendall too, tantalizing potential. He could be another Blackmon (sans beard) a mix of power, speed and defense that needs to cut down the K’s and put the ball in play. His defense is already ML ready.
      –
      Doc will still make some head scratching lineups but his in game moves have been stellar for about a week and the players are buying in. There will be some interesting decisions on the post season roster but they will go with the vets over guys with no post season experience. I give Baez the last spot in the bullpen and Freese and/or Dozier the final bench spots. 3 lefties with Caleb, Alexander and Wood?
      –
      While SD comes to town AZ is lining up Greinke, Corbin and Godwin to take on Col, and the Rocks have not hit this entire road trip. Rocks not only 2.5 back but 1.5 behind Cards for final wild card. There are a lot of reasons to take 6 of the final 9 for home field and get above 90 wins and a sweep of the Pads is a good place to start. They deserve the off day to reflect, relax and enjoy!

  7. I know Machado is a good ballplayer, but I am not so high on him after watching him since he has become a Dodger. I think the small ballpark in Baltimore helped him with impressive numbers but our stadium is not so easy to hit homeruns in. He hasn’t hit so well when he has been with us, but he still may have a career year. What bothers me most about him is that he doesn’t appear to play all out, especially running to first base. The other night he hit into a double play and it looked like he gave up right out of the box. Not good. Not sure about signing him, especially for the big numbers he will demand.

    1. I believe all of the following to be true:

      1. Manny Machado is an immensely talented ballplayer. In terms of tools, he’s on the level of Bryce Harper & Nolan Arenado and maybe a slight step behind Mike Trout & Mookie Betts (mostly due to lack of speed).

      2. Manny Machado has superstar charisma, on par with Alex Rodriguez in his prime, Aaron Judge, & Jose Altuve.

      3. Manny Machado can play both 3B and SS at a very high level. I think he is probably “better” as a 3B, but he prefers to play SS and is probably more dangerous there as a kind of outlier at the position.

      4. Corey Seager, when healthy, is close to as good as Machado. We haven’t seen a large body of work yet but all signs point to Seager being at least an All-Star level player and possibly more. And just using the eyeball test, Machado doesn’t look like a major upgrade from Seager, so assuming Machado is very good, Seager must be as well.

      5. Rumor is not research and gossip is not scholarship but Machado isn’t without his detractors. From some questionable on-field behaviors to some strongly voiced opinions on where he’d like to play, it’s possible he isn’t a top tier character guy. What I mean is he may be just fine and no problem at all, but he may not be that glue guy that you’d like to see in a team leader, especially one getting $300 million. I’m thinking here of your Kershaws and your Turners: guys you have no doubt about whatsoever. If we add a big piece, he has to fit into the winning culture we already have established.

    2. Agreed, I pointed that out awhile ago and he consistently does not hustle down the line. When he does he can really motor and sooner or later it will cost the team. All the talent in the world but a bit of entitled attitude as well. I agree with AC, Seager over Manny and spend the $$ elsewhere instead.

  8. The Dodgers did what they needed to do against Colorado, now just win each of the last 3 series, and they should win the division.
    Nothing that Roberts has done in the last 2 series makes me feel any better about him as a manager, I think he is a poor game day manager, and I feel the Dodgers win despite Roberts, not because of him.
    Puig right there with Mike Trout, your funny Mark.

    1. I agree about Roberts. Does some strange things and some of them even work out. However, I do not like the way he uses his pitchers or the lineups he puts out there.

    2. If things were to click with Puig he could surpass Trout. Mighty big click which I’d put money against. But the size click as of late I’m very happy with and I believe it will have some legs to it. I want to see more of Puig with Dodgers. He’s gonna get better further up the road. HOF? Very possibly.

      1. Due to the way Puig sprung onto the league and made it look easy is part of the problem people have with Puig. It created unrealistic expectations. He made it look so easy that it seemed like he was a sure fire Hall of Famer. What he had in ability he lacked in maturity, experience, conditioning, preparation and mental toughness. Now that he has the more of the latter it is still unrealistic to expect anywhere near what he did his rookie season. He’s not as fast for one. He’s not going to beat out 10 infield hits a season nor is he going to press it and blow out his hammy again. Too bad he didn’t take care of those legs earlier. He was faster, but he’s now a better base stealer. He was more of a gap to gap line drive hitter then, but he and Ward have worked on him launching the ball. He’s a different ball player now. The Dodgers have a guy who will probably hit .270-.290 , steal 15 bases a year, hit 25-30 HR’s depending on the number of AB’s he gets, and play stellar defense with a couple bone head plays a year. It should be good enough. I do think he will get over this lefty thing.

  9. AC

    Another good post!

    Our starting pitching is the big difference this year, like you said.

    We haven’t been able to line up three really good starters for the post season, since Ryu last pitched in the postseason, against the Cardinals.

    And that is the biggest difference I see right now, with this team.

    And I am not trying to take away from the way both Hill and Wood pitched, in the World Series last year, because they both were dominate, although Wood was the most dominant, in that series, last year.

    I bet we all thought the same thing, when Dozier hit Kike in, last night.

    Although I am really glad we swept this series, I am also wondering if the Rockies were really that tough of a competition, because they have looked so weak to me, from game one.

    Look at the desperation that Arenado displayed in this series, he actually made two errors in the same game, and he hasn’t done that, for a good few years.

    I also know we seem to lose focus against the lesser teams, so I am like you AC, I have no idea how the rest of the season will go.

    I do think we make the post season, and win the west.

    But I think that is more about both the Rockies and the Dbacks, because although I know they are not officially eliminated yet, they look to be pretty dead, to me.

    I just know from experience, that the Padres, the Dbacks, and the Giants, are not going to make it easy for us, so we better not lose our focus.

    And although I am glad we will probably be playing the Braves, I still wonder what we will do against good pitching, or a pitcher having a really good game, where HRs usually don’t reign.

    And as Vin has always said, the Dodgers don’t do anything easy, and this last series, looked way to easy to me, so I am not expecting, more of the same.

    I don’t feel strong either way about Machado, but he sure hasn’t been what JD Martinez was to the D-Backs, last year.

    And to tell you the truth, I have read more comments from people about Machado, that feel he has been more underwhelming then anything else, when it comes to this team.

    And because of all of that, and Corey, I don’t see this front office being the highest bidder, when it comes to Machado.

    Think about it, do we still win the West, without Machado this year?

    If you have to think about that, that is the answer.

  10. I stuck a fork in this team twice this season. After these last 7 intense games, I hate having an off day. Everyone contributed these past 7 games. Joc, Taylor, Puig. Even Dozier had a big hit last night. Machado had a big 3 hit game in St. Louis and got things started the other night with his double off the wall. His defense is an upgrade over Seager and I don’t have a problem with Seager’s defense. Imagine last night’s lineup with Seager and Puig instead of Kike and Dozier. I think people expected a juiced up version of Manny Ramirez but got Manny Machado. An All-Star infielder who has switched leagues in the middle of a pennant race. I would love to see him bust it down the line like Chase Utley too, but to tell you the truth what has surprised me is his ability to steal bases. I too was disappointed last night when Machado was too aggressive going after a change up and dribbled into a DP especially after JT worked such a good AB. Let’s not forget the protection he’s giving Turner. Protection that wasn’t there prior to the trade.
    `
    AC and I were loud critics of not acquiring a good relief pitcher. However if Wood can settle into his new role, I think they will be just fine. A healthy Cingrani would be nice too. Let’s say I’m gaining confidence. Once rosters are condensed I hope I feel as confident. Ferguson and Floro have been the unsung heroes.
    ~
    You could feel they were going to get to Anderson eventually last night. 6 of the first 9 hitters including Buehler has hit the ball over 95 MPH. I too think Buehler will be either the Ace or 1B next season. If Buehler progresses then Clayton doesn’t need to be the horse anymore. Clayton can go 6 with occasionally going 7 and throw to a 2.5 ERA.
    `
    We have felt that they turned the corner a couple times before this season. Only to see them lose series to teams like the Reds, Marlins, and Mets. They have been good against SD this year though. They must get at least 2 this next series and maintain their momentum. They have passed Atlanta for the 2 seed. The Giants have put Belt on the DL now so they continue to weaken, but AZ and SF would love to wreck things for us.

    1. Hawkeye

      After sitting all last week, Kemp has had two important RBIs, in these last couple games.

      Just like what would Puig have done, with three more at bats, last night, what would Kemp have done, that entire week he sat.

      Gray had not finished four innings, in his previous three starts, because he has pitched so badly lately.

      And because of that, most any hitter, would have hit Gray in that game, just like everyone did!

      I don’t think Machado is providing much protection for Turner.

      If was a pitcher, I would rather pitch to Machado everyday, over Turner, especially when runners are in scoring position.

      I think Muncy would provide more protection for Turner, this year.

      And I don’t really feel strongly either way about Machado, that is just the truth.

  11. I am still an advocate of the Dodgers signing Machado, unless there is a better alternative out there. I don’t know if he will go on a tear this year, but I am confident that if he re-signs he will become more and more comfortable, and we will see the Machado we expected. As for whether Seager would want to re-sign with the Dodgers if he’s moved off of SS, I’m not going to worry about that. He’s not eligible for free agency until 2022, and as we all know, a lot can happen between now and then. And if they’re both healthy, and performing as expected, I would not want to be an opposing pitcher facing the Dodgers next year, and in years to come.
    –
    It’s good see Puig performing as he has. I don’t know if anyone has ever noticed, but you never see me including him in projected deals. If I ever have, I must have qualified it by asking for a lot in return.
    –
    I am still undecided about Kershaw. If he doesn’t opt out, then he’ll be back for the next 2 years, at I believe, about $35 million per year (correct me if I’m wrong). If he does opt out, then I would be very reluctant to offer him that kind of money over an extended period. He may well adapt over time to his drop in velocity, but I’m not sure it’s worth it for the Dodgers to bet on that for an extended period of time, especially given that he will be 31 next year, and the Dodgers may well be able strengthen themselves in myriad ways with that extra money.

    1. By the time Seager is a free-agent, JT’s contract will be done. So, I agree. Let’s worry about that then. I think it would crush Puig if he were ever traded by the Dodgers. It’s amazing how easy his swing has looked the last week. Balanced, short to the ball, and effortless. I think the Dodgers try to add a couple of years on to Clayton’s current deal where those last two or three years drop in salary from the next two seasons.

  12. Just noticed that Beltre hit his 475 homer last night and I shook my head. What a bad move it was when we lost him.

    1. I wonder if Beltre comes back for one more and tries to get to 500. It would have been fun to see him back in a Dodgers uniform. Too bad he nixed the deal. That may mean he’s retiring. He’s been vocal about finishing his career with Texas. As for milestones, Kemp sits at 999 RBI’s now.

  13. So, forget about records and stats for a minute, where does this year’s team stand in relation to last season’s? What are the major differences, positive or negative, between that squad and this one. I’ll let others chime in, but I’m inclined to think we’re more similar than different.

  15. Turner was starting to get walked by other teams. It isn’t happening now. Kemp was struggling, Grandal wasn’t any sort of protection. Bellinger was struggling when the trade was made. Having Machado behind Turner has definitely allowed JT to see more pitches. Maybe by reputation alone. I agree with you that JT is a better hitter, but there is no doubt that Machado on the lineup card has made a difference for JT.
    ~
    I hope Kemp keeps having clutch hits whether they be flares or dingers. Kemp needed the rest. It’s very possible that having to work so hard to lose 40 lbs has left him a bit out of gas. I will give Kemp props for his season and more importantly his attitude. The 2013 version of Kemp would have been belly-aching and tearing down his teammates. This version is genuinely happy for teammates and his teammates are for him as well. What was being said about him in SD and ATL was heard loud and clear.

  16. I’ll play devil’s advocate for a moment on the bullpen referendum. I think we all agree that the bullpen scares the bejeesus out of us heading into October but how much of that is alarmism and how much is justified?
    *
    For the sake of this exercise, I’m assuming we carry four starting pitchers [Kershaw, Buehler, Hill, Ryu] and eight relievers.
    *
    At the top, Jansen is a shaky proposition. But maybe we can turn this into a positive. Last year we leaned WAY too hard on him [I’m convinced Roberts had a two-inning save locked in for him in Game Two when he removed Hill after four innings pitched]. Even not as best he’s an above-average closer and, if deployed wisely, shouldn’t be a weakness this offseason. Fingers crossed on him.
    *
    Next, Maeda looks better than ever. We have to be careful not to overuse him but he tends to keep his pitch count low so a few multi-inning appearances per series would take care of 6-10 high-leverage innings right there.
    *
    Alexander, Floro, Ferguson have all looked very good at times but let’s be honest: they are still raw. Counting on them late in games makes me nervous just typing it but you go to war with the army you have, not the one you want. These three could decide our fate this postseason. They need a cool nickname.
    *
    That leaves three. And only one is a sure thing. Russ Stripling. Is it just me or does it feel like he could be a pivotal figure [again] this postseason. He could be a tandem starter, an emergency closer, a Brian Holton glue guy, a dessert topping, a floor wax . . .
    *
    Two battles remain: Baez vs. the Baseball Gods [he’s probably safely in] & Wood vs. Rosscup/Cingrani/The Field
    *
    Conclusion: Dave Roberts will rightly be hailed as a genius if he wins a ring with this group. In my opinion, we’re going to need outstanding & deep starting pitching, consistent offense, and no-mistakes defense. And maybe a little bit of luck.

    1. Agree with all, and how could they leave Wood out for an unproven but good Rosscup or an oft injured Cingrani? They don’t need 4 lefties and Baez can still bring the heat if the situation calls for it. So Wood and Baez for the final 2 spots the way I see it. The bench cut down will be more painful, either Utley, Freese or Dozier left off and Verdugo.

      1. Freese is a lock. Verdugo is a longshot. Utley/dozier might be a toss-up. Could depend on the matchup. Atl has mostly rhps, right? Slight advantage Utley? Tough tough call. I’d go with dozier but Utley might be a talisman. As a lh bat, I’d take verdugo over Utley. He could surprise. Thank god no farmer though.

    2. Keep in mind that usually don’t carry as many pitchers as the regular season for a division series with the off-days built in. With two off days in the middle of a 5 game series they usually carry and extra bat or pinch-runner.

  17. More quality starters this year, is the big difference, and especially, Buehler.

    Because of Buehler’s veteran like presence, and his strong will, along with his electric stuff, I can see a team not hitting him, the second time they see him in a week, in a two week short series, unlike most major league pitchers.

    And I think Buehler is very capable of putting this team on his back.

    And we have a much better Ryu this year, too.

    My biggest concern is, what will this team do against good pitching.

    Will they be able to get key hits, instead of striking out, and trying to do to much.

    1. Agreed. This is also no time to be wondering who the hot bats are and who should play. I know we can sub guys in later but I wonder what studies show about how pinch-hitters perform after coming in mid-game.

    2. Since the All-Star break:
      Buehler-2.14 ERA
      Kershaw-2.17 ERA

      The starting pitching has kept the team in just about every game.

  18. Man! Just read thru all of the comments since I commented this am. This thread is full of some awesome posts. Everyone is correct, I love it!
    Anyone else here a huge fan of the way Max Muncy’s little bat flip after he crushes one? It’s my 2nd fave on the team, after Grandal’s bat drop on his left handed home runs.

    2. Bobby

      No doubt everyone on this site, should look at Muncy’s numbers, from month, to month!

      I don’t think anyone on this site, would be anything but impressed, with what Muncy has done.

      Sometimes less is more, like when Muncy drops his bat.

      Grandal’s timing, has been off lately, like the oppo to left, the other night.

      That use to be Puig’s problem at one time, too.

  19. I’m glad we have the night off. Gives us a chance to take a deep baseball breath and appreciate the improved foothold we obtained for our final push before the playoffs.

    2. I am not sure what she can bring but good PR. If she took the place of Todd Boehley, that would be fantastic. But whatever she does provide, I am betting that it will be positive. She is a winner, and she knows how to win. She does not back down to adversity, so hopefully the players can learn something about her character. I have always been a Billie Jean King fan.
      Besides her inner strength and competitiveness, she has always been a Dodgers fan and her brother, Randy Moffitt, was a Giants reliever for 10 years. How cool is that.

      1. I knew Elton John wrote Philadelphia Freedom for her, but I had no idea she sang, like it said, in that article.

        But she really sounds excited to join the team, so that is a good thing.

  22. 25 man roster
    Max Muncy
    Brian Dozier
    Manny Machado
    Justin Turner
    Yasmani Grandal
    Matt Kemp
    Cody Bellinger
    Yasiel Puig
    Austin Barnes
    David Freese
    Joc Pederson
    Kike Hernandez
    Chris Taylor
    Clayton Kershaw
    Walker Buehler
    Rich Hill
    Hyun Jin Ryu
    Kenley Jansen
    Caleb Ferguson
    Scott Alexander
    Dylan Floro
    Pedro Baez
    Ross Stripling
    Alex Wood
    Kenta Maeda

    1. Too bad I can’t bet on that because I think you nailed it!
      –
      The Baker Mayfield era may have begun in Cleveland tonight.

    1. worst part is how they basically decided to rebuild in 2017 then changed their minds and decided to go for it once more. the mariners are in a similar vicious cycle [but without the rings]. the giants could have 25 years of misery and they’d still be karmically ahead. the most interesting thing about that team is what they decide to do with bumgarner. they could pay him all the money and watch him deteriorate into a statue of himself, or they could trade him and get back 3-4 impact prospects. or they could be stupid and just let him walk. if i were them, i’d look to trade him this offseason to an AL team. assembling superteams requires an ace like a kluber/sale/verlander. maybe the yanks are the perfect fit for him, whether they fall short this postseason or not.

  26. Question? When a team wins The World Series (any team), what is the criteria for getting a ring? Does anyone who was on the team during the year get one?

    1. The players vote on who gets rings and how much playoff share money those who were on the team at some point receive.

    2. Generally, anyone who was on the ML roster at any point in time is almost always assured of a ring and some share. So expect Zach Neal and Wilmer Font to get a ring if (once) the Dodgers win the WS.

  29. I’ll try and sneak this in while M.T. is trying to figure how to get poi off his fingers…
    Is it just me or is it trying to compare Puig to Mike Trout…
    “If he can focus like has has been, he’s right there with Mike Trout.”
    This quote has me contemplating sobriety!!!

Comments are closed.