Don’t Worry About a Thing…

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1. Interested in Reks, Scrubb, and Santana.

   Don’t know much about the first two but Santana’s 4/25 BB/K rate needs to improve. 62/326 for career.

2. Alex Verdugo is currently 5th in all of baseball with his .344 BA in 100 PA min. He is also 4th in Defensive Runs saved, behind Cain, Belly and Trout…. he is good.

   1. Although every prospect is an individual, the path that Verdugo took might be instructive as we look to plug holes in the future with guys from the minor leagues. Verdugo was pretty polished by the time he stuck full-time and we could see similar trajectories for Lux, Smith, Ruiz, etc. Winning a roster spot on this club is like getting hired by Google. Very competitive.

      OTOH, I think we might be more expansive on the pitching side. Often you don’t know what a guy has until the bright lights are on him. See Ferguson, Caleb.

      1. I think you’ve seen the problem with rushing “top” prospects into the league, while I may not agree with the Dodgers handling of verdugo the last couple years ( I thought he should of been an everyday starter in 2018) but you can tell when the Dodgers did for him to put him in the best possible position to succeed. You see prospects like Vlad Jr, Keiboom, Tucker, Eloy, etc who’ve been struggling mightily, the difference between those players and Alex was that Alex fine Tuned everything he needed to last year in AAA, when in reality he probably didnt need to, but since he did he is now one of the most polished hitters in all of MLB and he is only 22 !

3. The Dodgers are playing so well right now it’s scary-they are scary good. Now I can see a drop off with Hill and Maeda in the 4 and 5 spots and some shakiness in the bullpen but come on they are getting it done. My man Muncy is proving the doubters wrong, my choice for ROY (and people laughed at me) Verdugo is playing great and my best starter not in the rotation Urias will be back soon enough. This team has the look of a winner this season and I mean the Big Winner.

   One question to our dear leader: why the bashing of anyone who questions your exalted opinions? You sir seem to be a poor winner and either want to draw people out to argue with or drive them away. Who cares what they say on ‘the other site’? We all know where it is and no one comments much there anyway. Maybe your site is growing traffic but most of my favorite posters have cut way back, replaced by some knowledgeable but sometimes snarky posters who must be lots of fun at parties. My advise: Lighten up and enjoy the ride.

   1. I am light, bright and happy. In case you haven’t read the past posts, people take shots at me all the time and I’m fine with that, but I will rub their nose in it at times. If they can’t take it, they shouldn’t dish it out, because I will. It’s also not for just the people who comment on this blog: It’s for others who read here and comment elsewhere. Thank you for ranking my opinions as exalted. I don’t have that high of an opinion of myself, but thanks anyway. 😉

      I have been wrong about plenty – Andy LaRoche was my biggest blunder. Lastly, I do write with an “edge” which actually draws people out…maybe not everyone and if they don’t like it, they don’t have to come here. I write about stuff from any number of sites, so I guess I don’t understand why you have a problem if I mention another site….

      1. Fair points, and I can take it but rarely dish it out, preferring to keep things positive. I know you ‘stir the pot’ sometimes and that’s fine. As for the other site some of us have a history there too and it is pretty sad how negative that place has become. It’s like the Dodgers are in 3rd place playing .500 ball instead of cruising along in 1st picking up mojo day by day. I am glad that none of us, especially me run this team. And make no mistake I think you do know your shit and provide a forum for all of us so thanks.

         1. Maybe I been under a rock because i don’t know what is the other site,please help me Vegas.

            1. Ladodgerreport which Mark used to run, and he provides a link to back up top.

4. Not only was I wrong about Verdugo, he’s fast becoming my favorite player! Volver, volver! Even his walkup song is awesome. I love his hits, even the cheap ones because he makes contact and keeps it moving. He should be playing every day and batting leadoff. He can play all over the outfield and he runs the bases well. He hits lefties and righties and is pretty damn good with the glove. He’s like Jeter in the outfield as he does everything well, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

   1. Alex uses the whole field but is especially good right up the middle. He nicked the pitcher on the leg last night after hitting a guy on the hand the night before. I agree 59, he is a perfect leadoff guy but Doc doesn’t like to pressure rookies that much early.

      1. It’s just a matter of time. He has to hit there, IMHO.

         1. Nothing ever humble about your opinion. But, don’t change a thing.

      2. That single up the middle last night was beautiful. A perfect baseball swing and result. Great fundamentals on the kid.

      3. Verdugo doesn’t strike me as one who will wilt under pressure. Why doesn’t Doc have him hit leadoff for a week and see what happens. He’s certainly better than Joc and Taylor( a couple of .220 hitters) right now.

5. I found an older scouting report on Kyle Garlick. I guess he’s changed his stance around since then but the athletic hitting stuff doesn’t usually change much. Bat speed is the telling unteachable skill that I look at and Garlick has above average bat speed according to this report. Doesn’t make a lot of sense his not being on any recent prospect lists. He is having a very good start to this season. Needs to get his average up some to really impress. He has a lot of hits though.

   1. This organization seems to excel at finding diamonds in the rough: Turner, Taylor, Muncy.

      If we can hit on ONE of our under-the-radar homegrown guys like Garlick, Cody Thomas, Beaty, that would be awesome.

      I have learned my lesson with prospects: there are no can’t-misses [Guzman, Miller, Figueroa] and you should never give up on a guy [Farmer, Stripling, Stults].

      1. Good prospects are like having a great big savings account. Money in the bank. Usually for picking up more and better prospects.

6. Were you sharing a big spliff with him when he gave you the advice. One surprise after another.

7. No more expecting shut outs or no hitters when Kershaw pitches anymore. But hey, still a very good MLB pitcher. And if he can stay healthy for a while you never know what he might do on any given night. Another no hitter? Not impossible.

   1. Here is the problem with Kersh: his change up is his curveball, which he commands about half the time these days. When it’s not there he leans on the slider which has been damn good but when he shows the fastball the hitters jump on it, hence the long balls. As the weather gets warmer I think his curve gets more consistent and hitters won’t be able to sit on the fastball. He is actually pitching better this year, changing up his locations and sequence and his slider has been filthy. He is still a solid pitcher but not an Ace anymore.

      1. His problem is age, injury and a diminished fast ball. If he can stay healthy for a while his fast ball may come back enough to be dominant again….but maybe not. Throwing a few 1st pitch curves couldn’t hurt. Less predictability.

8. M.T. As Alfred E. Newman, one of my heroes, would say ” What me worry”???
   You are the Dalai Lama of Dodger baseball… Done sucking up for now!!!
   Why don’t we put Alex V. in the 4 hole for now until Belli and Seager re-heat… OK your right about being an ardent Alex V. fan, but I said “for now”… Yes, a long time ago I said have him leadoff…
   I’m a little worried that Belli came back a little too soon with the shoulder separation.. Speaking from experience this condition can linger…
   Damn, it’s great to be a Dodger fan…

9. Before I start, and I hope it does not qualify me as a Negative Nellie, the Dodgers do not have the best record in MLB. That belongs to the Minnesota Twins who have a .657 record while the Dodgers have a .641 record (2nd best in MLB). However I am not sure how important that actually is. We all remember who had the best record in MLB in 2017 and we all remember who did not win the WS, arguably due to a piss poor bullpen and a lack of a Playoff Ace. Some things just do not change, or have they? Obviously those issues have now been resolved with Ryu being the best pitcher in MLB (or is it Mike Fiers?) and Joe Kelly pitching a scoreless 9th. Voila, the bullpen and Playoff Ace are intact. Why play the rest of the season, the Dodgers are not going to lose another game. Just give them the Trophy now.

   Apparently debate is no longer an accepted form of dialogue on this site. Why debate when we are told that the best 25 players (or is it best 40 players) in all of MLB play for the Dodgers. There is obviously no room for improvement. Apparently the Dodgers are so good there is no room on this team for a 3-time GG 2B who is hitting .339/.396/.449/.845 for NYY. After all we were told that DJLM is too old and could not hit away from Coors. I guess that ends that debate. If we wanted such a player then we obviously are naysayers and do not understand the genius of Andrew Friedman.

   Also, why isn’t it acceptable to question Andrew Friedman’s moves, motives and methods without being considered a naysayer? Have his moves, motives, and methods produced a WS Champion? Ever? Forget Brian Cashman, Dave Dombrowski, Theo Epstein, and Brian Sabean.

   Cashman has won 4 WS with NYY. Dombrowski took an expansion team and won a WS in his 5th year with the Marlins, and then rebuilt the team that won the 2003 WS even though he was with the Tigers at the time. He then won a WS title with the BoSox. Remember all the way back to 2018?

   Theo Epstein won two WS with the BoSox and then took a Cubs team that was 75-87 in 2010, rebuilt it, and won a WS in 2016. It is irrelevant how he did it….he did it.

   At least Brian Sabean won 3 WS titles before he was told he was no longer needed by the Giants. But those guys have nothing on Andrew Friedman. Right? Those 4 guys combined have won 12 WS since the Dodgers last won one. And yet, if we dare question the moves, motives and methods of Andrew Friedman we are somehow considered a pariah. It is especially hard for someone like me who appreciates what Friedman has done, and has written about that appreciation and admiration on multiple posts. But he is not God and I refuse to deify him, and I will continue to question his building of a bullpen even if it is no longer acceptable to do so on this site.

   Therefore I will go with the flow. There is no room on this team for any player outside of the Dodgers organization. Why look at ML ballplayers when you have future HOF at AA a A+ who are better than those ML players right now. Don’t look at any help at the trade deadline, because no other team has anyone good enough to play for the Dodgers. After all those teams are sellers for a reason. Right? At the end of the year, the top 10 MVP vote getters will be Dodgers, the top 5 CY vote getters will be Dodgers, and the top 3 bullpen award vote getters will be Dodgers. I am thinking that the NL should just make the Dodgers the AS team and let them go at the AL.

   However, without the hyperbole, satire, and sarcasm, I am really enjoying this team, and am excited about their chances this year. They are playing at a different level than anyone else right now, and they are not even playing their best baseball yet. It is not just one player. Like 2017, this team seems to have a different hero each game. Also just like 2017, they are never out of the game. It is a great time to be a Dodger fan, even if you think there are flaws. So…GO BLUE; BEAT THE NATS.

   1. Moves and methods are great debate fodder. Personally? I’m still sore over the Stanton/Harper/Yelich/Osuna non-moves.

      Motivation, IMO, not so much. Determining the motivation of the Dodgers upper management is nigh impossible, so how are we suppose to debate it?

   2. I told my son this morning this current iteration of the Dodgers was born during the 2016 postseason, when they finished a close second in the NL to Chicago, who then went on to win it all, leaving us to believe that could’ve been us.

      We re-signed our core, somewhat controversially–as many believed Jansen & Hill were too expensive [Turner’s deal was widely lauded as a great value]–and came out in 2017 and just smoked the field. We made it to Game 7 of the World Series and I believe spent the first part of of 2018 in a group depression, haunted by memories of what might, and should, have been.

      I believe we overachieved in 2018, and Boston in 2018 was what we were in 2017 but able to finish the job.

      Now here we are, and , as you say, we are not perfect but I believe the team has a common and unified goal of winning it all that might be just enough to push us over the edge. The talent is [probably] there, but we have a lot of season left to determine this.

      Statistically, here’s one way to think about our chances to win it all:

      1. There are 30 teams–3%
      2. Let’s say there are 10 with a legitimate chance to win it all–10%
      3. Let’s divide that 10 into two tiers and say the bottom half each has a 5% chance to win it all and the top half each has a 15% chance [5X5 + 5X15 = 100]–15%
      4. Let’s say we finish the year red hot and we bump that 15% all the way up to 25%
      5. How much would you bet on the turn of one card out of four?

      I guess the point of all this is there is no such things as a “favorite” in baseball, or if there is, it is a largely meaningless term.

      (No actual math was harmed in the making of this comment.)

   3. Good post AC! I like the points about those other 4 GM’s. On this current team I am not confident in Hill or Maeda in the rotation. Hill seems like father time has caught up but he is so dependent on curveball command you pretty much know how it’s going to go in the 1st inning. Need to have Strip or Urias ready to piggy back. Maeda it’s a consistency thing and the long ball. I like Urias in the rotation and then Strip but maybe Hill settles down he hasn’t pitched much this year.

      The 25 man roster has Joc and Freese who are limited in what Doc can do and d’Arnaud who I have no idea what he can do so with no buttons to push they accidentally found out a bunch of guys can hit LHP! Who knew? The 40 man I count 39 with these 5 easily replaced with little to no drop off: d’Arnaud, Alvaraz, McCreery, Sborz, Gale. And that’s without moving AJ to the 60 man and freeing up another spot. So lots of room to add the normal buy low candidates and give them a shot. I saw they just released Smoker and Carrera at OKC.

      Right off the bat if a stud catcher came available as a rental at the deadline that would help. A stud reliever would be ideal. A stud RH bat would be nice too. Maybe a starter, our staff is brittle. Who are those studs and who might be needed for the stretch run? Time will tell but a move or two would not hurt and in the meantime the kids on the farm have a chance to show what they have. Ferguson and Cingrani are getting close to returning. Decisions, decisions.

      1. Come post season I want Rich Hill on my team. Our four of Kershaw, Buehler, Ryu, and Hill gives me confidence. I saw Kershaw hit 92 last night. It sure would be nice if he could climb back to 92-93 consistently. It would be nice to see them win it for Hill as much as Kershaw. Odds are Hill is replaced by Urias next year.
         ~
         The trade deadline is a ways away but bullpen pieces best be number one on the priority list. Some sort of RH bat would have to be #2. I don’t trust Pollack to come back and provide much if history tells us anything. I hope I’m wrong.

         1. Agree 100% with your deadline list. A couple relievers and a RH bat. Two turntables and a microphone.

         2. I hope you’re right Hawkeye. Hill is a nice change of pace from the heat providing a different look to the hitters and maybe just needs more time to settle in. He just looks off to me but at his salary he will be in the rotation unless injured. He is playoff tested.

      2. McCreery is actually pitching well at AA and Toles is the guy who’s taking up spot number 40.

   4. AC. Quit whining. Nonone’s kidnapping your children if they disagree with you. AF has done a good job but he’s had some misses. No one is arguing that. Until Dodgers win a WS he can’t be called the best. You’re right there.This team isn’t perfect. Give us your opinions. I may disagree but I’m not condemning you

      1. Not whining. Agree AF has done a fine job albeit not complete. And until he does, he should not be deified. Never said you were condemning me. I am just tired that if I think there can be improvements that I am considered a nay-sayer. That’s all.

         1. Every team can get better. That doesn’t make you a naysayer. Keep your opinions coming. That’s what makes this forum fun!

         2. That’s a problem if the most rational person on this site is considered a nay-sayer. Ignore it. Most people agree with your ideas and opinions especially with the solid arguments to back them up.

   5. Excellent comment AC, I think I agree with you …

   6. You waited for the prefect time to bring up DJLM didn’t you? Two weeks ago he couldn’t hold Kike’s jock strap and now his WAR is a whopping .1 higher than Kike, who is both younger and cheaper? Since your forte is to keep everyone in check with finances, I find it odd that you keep flogging that dead horse knowing that we have 3 capable second basemen on the team, add up all their salaries and they don’t come close to DJLM.

      I can’t say that this team can’t be improved, but you might be taking on a lot of risk, in addition to cost, in doing so. What are the targets as of now? Who can you replace in this lineup? I think we can all agree that Seager, Turner, Belli and Verdugo are cemented in the lineup for most of us. That leaves Muncy, Kike, Pollock and Catcher.

      Kike / CT3 and Muncy all can play second base. Good luck trying to trade for someone that’s gonna do better.

      Pollock is a right handed bat with power that plays a premium position in CF. He was the perfect fit for this team before the injury. You gonna give up on him now?

      Catcher – Good luck finding an offensive catcher that bats right handed and is going to frame and call games to our standards.

      1B – Again, need a right handed bat here that’s gonna be better than Muncy. Again, you’re talking about spending a lot more $$ for that.

      Kluber – You fell on your face on that one.

      While there are players that are better that some that we have, how are they gonna fit? How much $$ and prospects are they gonna cost you? And what’s the risk that they wilt under the lights?

      Sure, you can say we can trade for Hanniger or Betts, but how likely, costly is that going to be? Would you do Joc, May and White? Joc, Muncy, May? Also consider that neither of these guys are available.

      Needs
      Ace – you can always use another ace.
      Closer – you can always use another closer
      RH Power – you can always use more right handed power

      Who goes? With our current playoff rotation of Ryu, Urias, Bueller and Kershaw, might Kershaw be the odd man out? I’m kinda being facetious, but kinda not if the goal is to replace the worse guy with the new shiny toy.

      Closer by committee? Kenley didn’t sound too thrilled about the possibility of job sharing with Kimbrel.

      Who’s that Right Handed Power bat and where do you put him? Abreau for Muncy? Guys that aren’t available for Joc? I’m sure something is possible, but plausible or likely? Probably not.

      Look for a platoon RH Bat and a bullpen piece at the deadline. Things might change before then.

   7. AC,

      You must be a comedian to say you might be a Negative Nellie. I think the opposite is true about you, and your dissent is noted and appreciated. No one, myself included, thinks Friedman is perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

      Continuing to question his moves does not make you a naysayer. It makes you a realist. If you question all his moves… that makes you a moron. You disagree with the bullpen construction. I agree with it, but at this juncture , you appear to be right and I appear to be wrong. That could change organically or externally. It will play out.

      I agree with most of what you say, except this: Theo Epstein won two WS with the BoSox and then took a Cubs team that was 75-87 in 2010, rebuilt it, and won a WS in 2016. It is irrelevant how he did it….he did it.

      I think it is very relevant. He won one World Series by trading away three big stars with bloated contracts that were a boat anchor to the team and acquired several role players. The last one with the Cubs was won 5 years after blowing the team up. Friedman has made his share of mistakes, but few dope-fiend moves. Friedman inherited a team that had much of the deadwood from the Red Sox and was mandated to win now and sustain it. I have never seen that done before. What if Friedman were allowed to blow up the Dodgers when he took over.? Where would they be now? We will never know. Would I trade a World Series for 5 years of misery? I’d have to think a long time.

      1. All the same, you can’t put AF ahead of guys that won a Championship. You can try to balance win now with protect the future, but those are conflicting goals at their core. Second place is the first loser! You have to win the Championship to be the best.

   8. AC,

      I couldn’t have said it as well as you have just done. I keep wondering why you don’t have your own blog? The kind of reporting and mindset you have make reading your posts enjoyable and informative. As a lifelong Dodger fan, born in Brooklyn, seen many of the greats at Ebbets Field, watched them win their first WS, I have never gone in for the cheerleading approach when talking or reading about the Dodgers. I am sure if you decided to do your own blog, most of the posters here would be right with you.

10. I’ve been a Dodger baseball fan all my life since I was like 6 years old. Baseball was Vins voice and Koufax pitching. My Dad took the sporting news which was the closest thing to having the internet for baseball back then. A lot of the time it was just checking the box scores. So what’s my point? From my limited experience this ownership and general management (Friedman) is the best the Dodgers have had since they’ve been in LA. DR not Walter Alston but not all that bad and probably will improve. I will think that even if the Dodgers don’t win any world series ever. Now if they sink down and don’t compete that would be another story. So many variables and so much parity in baseball these days. True that year in and year out the yanks and red sox compete . Cubs put together a couple of good years then slipped. Freesco,well, they sank down into the depths of total non competitiveness. So sure I really would like to see a WS championship for the Dodgers sometime before I die. And it would be even more awesome to put together a decade or so of WS championships. You know…total domination of MLB. But what we’re getting these days isn’t so bad when compared to what was Dodger baseball not too long ago. It’s all in your perspective and expectation. Besides there is way more important things to worry about, like watching the constitution of our nation turning to ashes before our eyes on cable tv. Perspective and expectation.

    1. The Sporting News was so good back in the 70’s and 80’s. My Dad also subscribed.

       1. Sporting News was great and I admit more recently I had a guilty habit of buying Baseball Weekly before it morphed into Sports Weekly.

          I also used to subscribe to an obscure Dodger newsletter run by a guy I want to say was named Phil Spence, he was an internet friend and also went by the moniker Spendodger on the early Dodger discussion boards such as Scout.com.

          Anyway, memories . . .

       2. I subscribed to The Sporting News from 1962 until they stopped. It was amazing. Baseball Digest and all of that stuff too.

11. I totally agree with Dirk (on MLB and also our national discourse).

    Of course, the Dodgers have ways they could improve. I was in favor of going after DJLM – I thought he was great when he played against us while on the Rockies. He was right handed and he was going to hit for high average. Defensively, he reminded me of 2nd base version of Corey Seager – tall middle infielder. Even though I liked him, I needed to think through what the Dodgers would do with Muncy, Keekay, and Lux if they signed DJLM. They definitely could have improved the team by trading and/or switching those guys to other positions, but there’s also the possibility those guys could step up and provide a solid 2nd base solution in the event the Dodgers didn’t get DJ. So, I’m not heartbroken over not signing him.

    JT Realmuto’s a different story. Of course he would provide a stronger option than Barnes/Martin. However, I never got the impression the Marlins would be reasonable in their trade demands. They insisted on Bellinger PLUS prospects, for goodness sakes.

    Regarding Harper, I agreed with the front office. I don’t think a decade-long FA deal is the answer to a problem that’s not really there. I agree that Harper’s talented, but are the Dodgers really desperate for young, talented left handed power hitting outfielders? I think they can do fine in that area as is, without breaking the bank. Plus, I’d rather see them break the bank when it comes time to retain their young stars.

    Regarding Kimbrel, my view is that it’s a crap shoot. He didn’t look the most dominating of the Redsox relievers during last season’s playoffs. That would be Joe Kelly, but even he wasn’t a sure thing once he came over to the Dodgers so why would I be more confident that Kimbrel would work out?

    1. Always kinda suspect rockies hitters as high altitude aided. Even the 3rd baseman. Some have done well at Dodger stadium though. I considered Helton as a bona fide Dodger killer.

    2. “I agree that Harper’s talented, but are the Dodgers really desperate for young, talented left handed power hitting outfielders? I think they can do fine in that area as is, without breaking the bank. Plus, I’d rather see them break the bank when it comes time to retain their young stars.”

       Yes

12. Hey, I disagree with all of you!!! Don’t know what I disagree with, but I just disagree. Just kidding!!

    I’m thoroughly enjoying this team so far. That is until they lose, then I don’t enjoy it as much. I want them to win all 162 games. That won’t happen, so I enjoy the E-ticket ride for what it is.

    Some other random thoughts: Do I think this is a perfect team? Nope, not by a long shot. Are we trending upward, sure seems like it. Bellinger is coming down to earth a little, but Muncy and JT are starting to rake. Seager is still finding his way. The others are who they are. Can this team be strengthened? Absolutely! I’m not ready to give the CY Young to Buehler just yet. Nor Ryu, for that matter. Let’s see how they hold up for the season first. Do I think DJLM is better than Kike? Yes I do , but I also think that Kike, considering the cost differential, and his versatility, is more valuable to the Dodgers. I like Verdugo, but I’m not ready give him the batting title or Rookie of the year awards just yet. We have too small a sample size. He’s certainly performed well up to now and appears to have brought some youthful energy that was lacking last year. Would I like to add another strong starting pitcher and lock down reliever? Most definitely! I like the pitchers we have, but they don’t necessarily give me a “Sandy Koufax” or “Eric Gagne” type confidence.

    1. Did Verdugo maintain rookie status? Is he eligible for ROY?

       1. yes

13. Crowing about our calls on players that produce is like going to Vegas. We only talk about the time we won and not the 10 times we went and lost money! Be real and also talk about your misses. Where are all the people raking AF over the coals for the Cincy trade? His misses are out in the open for all to see. How about yours?

    1. Andy LaRoche was my biggest miss – I said he would be a superstar.

       1. What about Joel Guzman? You said he would be the next Adrian Beltre!

          1. That is funny!

             1. Pedro Baez was supposed to be the next Adrian Beltre.

14. The starting pitching is the strength of this team. When they are good the Dodgers have a chance to win every game and the starters are getting healthy and the team is winning. The exception – Maeda needs to be in the bullpen. If they are going to pace Urias then I would switch Stripling with Maeda – Strip was the most consistent starter (other than Ryu) while Kershaw and Hill were on the IL.

    Relief is still a question. When Jansen overthrows his cutter doesn’t move and he becomes hittable with a flat fastball. Kelly is still too inconsistent and that is just who he is. He is capable of a month or 2 of good pitching but he has never pitched well over an entire season. Baez and Floro seem to be pretty good 7th and 8th inning guys. I will tell you that I am nervous once the ‘pen is called upon until a win is secured.

    The Dodgers are better against RHP than LHP. The split is .260/.347/.470/.817 vs RHP vs .256/.347/.447/.794 against LHP. the big difference is in SLG, which is what happens when Muncy and Pederson sit and Freese and Taylor play.

    Taylor, Turner and Muncy are turning it on now. Seager still not hitting. I wonder how long it will be after 1 season and 2 surgeries for Cory to come back completely.

    Dodger hitters are relentless. They see more pitches per game than anyone and push starting pitchers out early and get into the soft underbelly that is middle relief of their opponents. The length of the lineup and their ability to move Taylor, Kike, Muncy and Belli around to suit their needs makes them very tough to match up against. And I do think that Verdugo is off to a very strong start.

    I work with a guy who’s a D-Backs fan. He usually ticked that the Dodgers have 2 full lineups of position players and 2 full rotations of starting pitchers. The Dodgers’ depth and versatility makes them very hard to beat during the regular season.

    MLB.com recently published an article about the all teams in the NL West. One scout wrote about the Dodgers “I don’t like their middle relief. There’s just something missing there. They have to find a way to bridge it between the starters and [Kenley] Jansen.”

    The other issue for me – can the Dodgers be the best team not only for 162 games but in the post-season? Does another high powered relief arm or another ace starter do it? Another RHH? For me the biggest issue is the ‘pen. Can Kenley get it done? Can they get from the starters to Kenley? I don’t trust Kelly. Can a bullpen of Floro, Baez, et al get it done?

15. “I don’t like their middle relief. There’s just something missing there. They have to find a way to bridge it between the starters and [Kenley] Jansen.” – I totally agree. The help will come… from within or without.

    I think another RH Bat and another Bullpen piece is quite likely. The thought within the Dodgers organization is that Travis d’Arnaud could make a Muncy, Taylor or Turner type of metamorphosis. They think RVS can turn him into Superman from Clark Kent. I’m not counting on it.

    Ferguson will be back and either Madea will be traded or go to the bullpen. I do not think he has the temperament for the pen, and with his contract predicated upon starting, I would think he could have excellent trade value, especially if he can have a few good starts. You can never have enough starters, unless you have too few relievers.

    1. I think you’re right — duh ….

       The more I think about it, Maeda may be the odd man out. He is not a great fit for the bullpen, particularly with his contract.

       That contract, as well as his ability to eat innings and pitch at a quality level, should make him attractive to many teams. Now, what will those teams have to offer that the Dodgers will find attractive (good reliever or good RH bat)?

    2. Isn’t Ferguson still a 2 pitch pitcher? I thought the original plan was for Ferguson to be in AAA to work on his 3rd pitch. I can see him going to the bullpen but then what about Garcia?

       1. Fregie may never develop that 3rd pitch… you never know. But he can pitch out of the pen with two.

16. Sad News:

    Zach Lee has given up 38 hits in 28 IP for Syracuse in AAA and has a 5.08 ERA. I never did buy into his hype, but thought he might develop as a #5 starter. At age 27, that seems a dream. What happened?

    1. TINSTAAPP

       1. Except for May, Gonsolin and White.

          1. May looks close to can’t-miss. The other two . . . We’ll take what we can out of them.

17. I think my best call was Adrian Beltre – in his Rookie Year, I said he was HOF material and I was roundly mocked. I think that was back on the Old LA Times blog.

    But, then there’s Andy LaRoche – I said the same thing for him.

18. I was thinking about what AC said earlier about Friedman being a deity. I don’t idolize people but I appreciate unusual talent when I see it. While I don’t idolize him, I will say that there is no one I would rather have running the Dodgers. That’s all there is to it.

    I work with lots of famous people and none of them awe me… Andrew included. I just think he is doing an amazing job. When he made the Dee Gordon trade, I immediately got what he was doing. I would not have signed Jansen or Kelly, but it may be OK. It takes a while for it to all fall in place.

    It appears to me that Andrew probably thinks this is the best Dodger team since he came to LA and he will likely spend to get more firepower… whether that’s prospects or money. He just won’t make dope-fiend moves.

19. Mark, where are the archives? Can we access them anymore, like to 2004?

    1. The truth is that when I shut the site down for a year a couple of years ago, I lost all of it. However, you can use the “Wayback Machine.”

       It only goes back to 2007, and you may not be able to get all of the article, but you will get the start of it.

       Try this to begin:

       https://web.archive.org/web/20080110070357/https://ladodgertalk.com/

20. Mark, I disagree about Ferguson. I’m sitting on his fastball all day long. If he can throw 3 curves for strikes then I’ll sit down. Like Kersh, if he develops a killer slider the kid is a top,of the rotation pitcher and he signs a BIG contract. If I’m the Dodgers he goes to OKC and throws nothing but sliders!

21. Sounds like Brock Stewart revisited. Fregie does have a great curve.

    Of course, I may be wrong, but I don’t see that capability from him.

22. Vegas,

    Actually, I never ran LA DODGER REPORT. After I shut down LA DODGER TALK I gave it to Scott Andes and I was just a guest writer there. I had no control at that site.

    I was sick of blogging then because of a few ________________ (you fill in the blank) and I just wanted to take it easy. I almost gave him LA DODGER TALK but I ended up giving him LA Dodger Report. I’m glad it worked out that way. BTW, I have been offered $10,000 for LA DODGER TALK, but I ain’t selling. I’m having fun again.

    1. Thanks Mark

       1. Glad you are having fun. We are too!

23. This is becoming a THING in sports. The Dodgers are doing it (though not publicized) and the Colts are doing it BIG TIME with this guy:

    https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/05/08/how-former-green-beret-has-changed-colts-thinking/3625380002/

    1. Thanks for the link. Interesting read

       Given how well the prospects we have kept have done and how those whom we have traded have done I suspected something like this was being done.

       Not that those we’ve traded are necessarily failures, but we’ve done a good job in keeping those who are successful at the next level.

24. I have been extremely busy lately as we are working on a new project that involves “Hydro Gas & Electro Magnetically Charged Reformed Liquid Silica (RLS).” If that sound crazy, consider what it does.

    Water is the predominant substance on our planet and we magnify the power of water for use in agriculture with Hydro Gas. This Gas which is Aqueous gas produced and stored in the gas phase, Magnifies and enlarges the intrinsic power of water without separating Oxygen and Hydrogen molecules with No environmental contamination. The by-product is simply water. It is Extremely efficient in terms of generation.

    When the Hydro Gas is injected into any water, the water is then restructured internally at a molecular level to have the following three unique properties:
    1. Micro-Clusters for increased hydration
    2. Charged with free electrons and hydroxyl ions as a natural source of antioxidants and disinfecting power
    3. Alkaline PH of 8.5+ to detoxify and provide better health for your body.

    The first property is that this gas reforms the H2O water clusters to become more linear, forming micro-clusters of the molecules of water. These micro clusters make the water much more hydrating, soluble, and permeating for the cells and the body. This means that when someone drinks this water, they hydrate much quicker and assimilate much more efficiently any nutrients or vitamins that they eat.

    The second property is that this gas energizes the water with free electrons and hydroxyl ions. We measure this with an Oxidation-Reduction Potential meter, or ORP, which is measured in positive or negative millivolts (mV). Water infused with our Hydro Gas has a negative ORP of -300mV while regular drinking water has an ORP of + 200mV or more. This means that when you drink our restructured water, it gives off powerful anti-oxidants to the body that help energize and rejuvenate your cells.

    In addition, the -300mV ORP means that without the application of any chemicals, this water becomes a potent bactericidal and fungicidal agent. At the molecular level, all pathogenic bacteria and fungi are destroyed. Also, because of the microclusters, this water increases the nutrient absorption rate of plants and the growth rate of the plants. In exercise, you can go through a rigorous workout and this technology dissipates the lactic acid in the muscles – you are 80% less sore after working out and injury recovery is dramatically quicker. BTW, it cured my sons MRSA after 2 years of Antibiotics.

    The third property is that the Hydro Gas makes the water alkaline, with a PH of 8.5+ without the use of any chemicals, and I am not even going touch on the cancer-killing properties of this technology. That’s too much to even comprehend. We are working with certain athletes and sports organizations to vet the technology. Stay tuned….

25. Lineup:

    1. Kike CF
    2. JT 3B
    3. Cody RF
    4. Freese 1B
    5. Mad Max 2B
    6. Corey SS
    7. CT3 LF
    8. Martin C
    9. Mountain P

26. Corbin owns us.

    1. Yep

       Not one that will live long in the memory.

       One step forward, one step back for JK.

       3 Righties the next 3 games.

27. Mark. What? The only thing I know about water is that I drink it and water the yard with it! Any good left handed pitching owns us not just Corbin. This weekend we’ll see if we can handle good right handed pitching. Better win tomorrow. Would hate to get swept!

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