It Feels a Bit Drafty in Here

On June 9th AC gave us an excellent recap of the players the Dodgers drafted.   Now that the signing period has come and gone, I thought I might provide an analysis of what the Dodgers might have in the players that were signed.   Bear in mind, we probably won’t see the fruits of this draft until 2021 – 2023.    Not much, if anything, that I have written here is original.   There is a wealth of information on the internet about these players.   Moreover, there is a culture of prospect junkies that religiously report on these players.    Certainly, there is more information on the higher draft picks, than there is on those chosen in the lower rounds.    

I might also add that because a player gets paid more through the draft, – – the amount he’s paid more doesn’t necessarily correlate to the success achieved.   Here are the top 10 Dodger payouts in the draft:   

  1. 2010    Zach Lee                     RHP    HS       $5,250,000
  2. 2017    Jeren Kendall              OF       4YR    $2,897,500
  3. 2019    Kody Hoese                3B       4YR    $2,740,300
  4. 2014    Grant Holmes              RHP    HS       $2,500,000
  5. 2012    Corey Seager               SS        HS       $2,350,00
  6. 2016    Gavin Lux                   SS        HS       $2,314,500
  7. 2019    Michael Busch            2B       4YR    $2,312,000
  8. 2006    Clayton Kershaw        LHP    HS       $2,300,000
  9. 2000    Ben Diggins                RHP    4YR    $2,200,000
  10. 2013    Chris Anderson           RHP    4YR    $2,109,900

As you can see, Nos. 1, 9, and 10 did not pan out all, though Lee did get us CT3.   No. 2 appears to be headed in that direction.   Nos. 3, 6 and 7 are still to be determined.   No. 4 brought us Rich Hill and Nos. 5 and 8 are clear winners.

So now for this year’s draft.   For each player, I list the round selected, the number of his selection, where he played and how much he signed for.   I then attempt to answer these questions:  Who is he?   What can we hope for?  and what can we realistically expect?  With some players the information available was scarce, so I did the best I could. 

Round  1, Pick No: 25      3B            Kody Hoese    Tulane, LA    $2,740,300

Kody is an athletic 6‑4, lean‑bodied third baseman who has a big bat and can be a plus defender (he’s not that yet).   In his senior year at Tulane he put up some of the best offensive numbers in college baseball, with a .388/.484/.790 line including 23 homers and 60 RBIs, not to mention more he had more walks than strikeouts.  Some have likened him to Miguel Cabrera.  He would hope that he develop into a solid replacement for JT.  I think his upside is along the lines of David Wright, Chase Headley or David Freese.  Walker Buehler, who pitched against him in college, has compared his swing to that of Ryan Braun (without the PEDS of course).     

Round 1, Pick No:  31  2B    Michael Busch  North Carolina      $2,312,000     

Busch projects as a LH power bat and is capable of playing both first and second base.  He was viewed as one of the more polished and disciplined hitters in the college ranks.  He has a smooth left‑handed swing with plenty of bat speed and a patient, balanced approach that allows him to hammer balls to all fields.  He’s athletic and is built like a tree. (That may conjure up some bad Willie Calhoun images for Mark).   His hit tool is what will take him to the majors.   If he can stick at 2nd base, so much the better.   The best hope is that he turns into a Whit Merrifield, but realistically he might be more a Scott Kingery type player. 

Round  2s, Pick No:  78 RHP  Jimmy Lewis, Lake Travis HS, Austin TX  $1,097,500

Lewis is a scout’s dream at 6‑foot‑6, 200 pounds with professional bloodlines. Lewis’ father—also named Jimmy—was drafted by the Astros in the second round out of Florida State in 1991.  This spring, Lewis regularly threw in the low 90s, touching 95 mph. He also throws a breaking ball that projects as an above‑average and has a solid changeup.  Because he’s big, projectable, and athletic, has a fastball that could easily become a plus pitch and with his curveball and feel for his changeup, he’s a good bet to come into the organization, add velocity, and suddenly rocket up the charts.  But then again, he could also flame out, as so many prep pitchers do.  Think in terms of a Derek May type pitcher, who could just as easily turn into Todd van Poppel. 

Round 3, Pick No:     102      RHP    Ryan Pepiot   Butler, IN       $547,500        

Pepiot is a big‑bodied right-hander who throws a fastball, slider, and changeup from a three‑quarters arm slot, which creates some deception for opposing hitters. His fastball sits in the low‑90s and touches 96 mph. His changeup is a plus pitch as well.   He is a strike-thrower with good command of his secondary pitches.   Pepiot will likely begin as a starter, but he has a solid fallback option as a power reliever with enough fastball, an ability to spin a breaking ball and a plus changeup.  His Cape Cod league coach said of him: “Ryan has wipeout stuff, and I like him better as a setup guy in the 7th and 8th inning.”   Best hope a No. 3 starter or 7th inning reliever.  Realistically, probably a better version of Brock Stewart. 

Round 4, Pick No:     131      3B       Brandon Lewis   UC Irvine, CA      $372,500        

Lewis is a big man.   He weighed 285 pounds in high school and received little college or professional interest because of it. He went to Los Angeles Pierce JC and dropped 70 pounds in two years to get in shape, and he earned a scholarship to UC Irvine after winning MVP of the California Collegiate Summer League.   Lewis draws comparisons to C.J. Cron and Ryon Healy for his massive raw power.  He hit 14 home runs this spring playing his home games at cavernous Anteater Ballpark, tying the program’s single‑season record, while also leading UC Irvine in batting average, doubles, and RBIs. Lewis’ raw power is easily plus‑plus, and he has a loose, workable swing that allows him to frequently find the barrel and hit gargantuan pull‑side home runs. Lewis is a big‑bodied, below‑average third baseman with a below‑average arm who projects to move to first base.   Probably the Cron and Healy comparisons are his ceiling.  

Round  5, Pick No:    161      RHP    Jack Little      Stanford,  CA $318,600        

Little is a 6‑foot‑4, 190‑pound right-hander who was the top reliever for Stanford.   Little is very competitive and throws from a low slot with a deceptive fastball that tops out at 94 mph but plays up.  He also throws a low‑80s slider that shows a bit more promise than his upper‑70s curveball and he has a plus changeup.   The Dodgers are starting him out as a starter and so far so good, as he has not allowed a run and is already pitching at Great Lakes.   Mind you, he has not pitched longer than 3 innings in any one outing.  It would be wonderful if he turned into Mike Mussina, but realistically might be more a Drew Storen, Rick Heiling level pitcher. 

Round 6, Pick No:     191      RHP    Aaron Ochsenbein    Eastern Kentucky  KY  $72,500     

Oschenbein, is the oldest Dodgers selection at 23.  He had a 5‑2 record with a program-best 0.83 ERA and 10 saves. The 6‑foot‑3, 225‑pound Ochsenbein struck out 90 batters in 54.1 innings, allowing just five runs on only 24 hits and 16 walks. Opponents had a .133 batting average against him. Ochsenbein is one of only 11 players in OVC history with a sub‑1.00 ERA with at least 50 innings pitched in a season.   Ochsenbein generally sits 93‑95 mph with an above‑average fastball and his splitter has quickly developed into an above‑average pitch as well.

He’s comparable to Marshall Kasowski and could develop into a Jonathon Broxton type reliever.  Might also be a mop-up guy or someone like Zach Pop, who is used in a trade.  His pro career is off to a nice start. 

Round  7, Pick No:    221      RHP    Nick Robertson   James Madison VA   $177,500  

Robertson is a big, 6‑foot‑6, 265‑pound right-hander who works with a four‑pitch mix, including a fastball that tops out at 96 mph. He has a curveball with 12‑to‑6 movement and hard downward tilt and an average slider. Robertson missed the 2017 season with an injury, but has dominated in two seasons since, including a 1.01 ERA this spring, with 54 strikeouts and 11 walks through 35.2 innings of work.   He is one the draft picks that I think can most surprise.   Think in terms of Devin Smelzer type success.  More than likely he is strictly a reliever.          

Round 8, Pick No:     251      OF       Ryan Ward  Bryant  RI        $160,900        

In his junior season, Ward hit .382/.450/.614. He has 23 career home runs.  Ward, 21, is a left‑handed hitting outfielder. He was injured as a freshman. Ward returned to play in 2018 and produced one of the best season’s in Bryant baseball history, setting a program record with 101 hits and 157 total bases and was also the first Division I player in program history to hit over .400 for the season. He finished with a .409/.449/.636 line with eight home runs and 22 doubles. This spring he’s continued to hit well, with a .387/.454/.609 line with a career‑best 11 home runs with 27 walks and 16 strikeouts.  He is limited defensively.  Think in terms of a Matt Beatty/Kyle Garlick type ceiling.

Round 9, Pick No:     281      LHP    Alec Gamboa Fresno JC      CA      $17,500          

A 6‑foot‑1, 205‑pound lefthander, Gamboa underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017 and missed the entire 2018 season, before returning to the mound this spring, where he started eight games and threw 64 innings, striking out 97 batters (13.6 per nine) and walking 14 (1.9 per nine).  Gamboa finished the season with an 8‑1 record and 1.97 ERA.   Gamboa doesn’t have bigtime stuff—his fastball is in the upper‑80s and has touched 90, and he also has a curveball that’s loopy and a below‑average offering.   He is a big-time Dodger fan and was among the first to sign after the draft.  If he improves his pitching repertoire, he might be a Jesse Chavez type reliever.  Otherwise, I hope he enjoys his minor league experience. 

Round  10, Pick No:  311      SS        Zac Ching; Virginia Commonwealth, VA $2,500

In four years for the Rams, Ching hit .283/.375/.408.   His career totals include 11 home runs and 121 RBIs.  A 5‑foot‑11, 180‑pound infielder, Ching was drafted as a shortstop but is a better fit for second base, where he’ll still need to improve defensively to stick in the dirt. He has some bat‑to‑ball skills but no real standout tools. This spring was his best season, as Ching hit .320/.411/.518 with six home runs, though he’s shown even less power in wood bat leagues.

This was a value signing as Ching got the lowest bonus of any draftee.   His ceiling, maybe Logan Landon, but more than likely his career will be more like 2013 draftee, Henry Yates.  

Round 11, Pick No:   341      RHP    Logan Boyer; San Diego State, CA     $297,500    

This is a guy the Dodgers value immensely, as shown by the willingness to go well over double the recommended slot value.   In three seasons for the Aztecs, Boyer compiled a 2‑1 record and 3.40 career ERA. His career was derailed by arm injuries that limited him to 31 2/3 innings on the mound over the past two seasons. The 6‑foot‑3 Boyer possesses a fastball that can reach 94‑96 mph. He has what one scout termed “electric” stuff.   He was regarded as a top‑five round talent had he remained healthy.   He is also former Hamilton (Ariz.) High classmate of Cody Bellinger.   In HS he was a catching prospect.   When healthy, Boyer is electrifying. Boyer mostly throws his fastball, but he also shows feel to spin a 75‑78 mph breaking ball that he can land for strikes or bury in the dirt.  If he rebounds from his injuries, he could be a #2-3 starter, if not a lockdown reliever.   Think in term of Michael Groves.  But then, he could just as easily be the next Morgan Cooper.   Either way, he is definitely worth the risk.  

Round  12, Pick No:  371      LHP    Mitchell Tyranski;  Michigan State, MI  $125,000

In his junior season, the 6’2″, 215 lb Tyranski compiled a 4‑7 record with 89 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched.  Tyranski had primarily pitched out of the bullpen in his career leading into 2019, and with great results as a sophomore. He was moved to the rotation in 2019 out of necessity and fared well with a 3.81 ERA across 78 innings, with 89 strikeouts and only 18 walks. He’s probably destined to be a reliever.  His fastball can sit in the low‑90s and he has a power, bat‑missing curveball.  Maybe a John Rooney – Caleb Ferguson cross.   He’s pitching well for the AZL Dodgers Mota, but, frankly,  is too old for that league. 

Round  13, Pick No:  401      LHP    Jacob Cantleberry;  Missouri, MO       $125,000  

The 6’1″, 185 lb LHP has a plus changeup, flashes solid slider, and can get his fastball up to 92 mph.  A JUCO transfer from San Jacinto, Cantleberry was solid for the Missouri Tigers in 2019, going 4‑5 with a 4.73 ERA across 72 1/3 innings, picking up 97 strikeouts in the process.

More than likely is destined to be a reliever.  His ceiling would be Scott Alexander, but more than likely just a loogy.  He too is pitching well for AZL Dodgers Mota, but is also too old for that league. 

Round  14, Pick No:  431      LHP    Sean Mellen; Northeastern, MA     $125,000        

Last season for the Huskies, Mellen compiled a 6‑9 record and 3.10 ERA.  Mellen (6’5, 215 pounds, age 21) is a large kid who is recovering from back surgery last fall.   He doesn’t have top-notch stuff but gets a surprising amount of strikeouts due to a deceptive, funky delivery. Mellen’s changeup is his best pitch.   Many think he will increase his velocity the further he gets away from his back surgery.  He’s another who will probably be ceiling out as a reliever.   If he gets some velocity, he could be a Boone Logan type reliever. 

Round 15, Pick No:   461      OF       Joe Vranesh; St. Mary’s, CA           $125,000

One of my favorite picks (for no reason), last season for the Gaels, Vranesh recorded a .327 average with 15 home runs and 56 RBI.  Vranesh (6’2, 200 pounds, age 21) played football and baseball in high school, so he fits the Dodgers’ type as an athletic player.  He’s very athletic, with good power, speed combination.  He possesses good bat speed.  He may have a Kyle Garlick/Zak Reks ceiling, which is not too bad.  

Round 17, Pick No:   521      OF       Brandon Wulff;  Stanford, CA       $75,000

In three seasons for the Cardinal, Wulff hit .281/.394/.520 with 22 home runs.  Wulff (6’1, 225 pounds, age 22) is a senior draftee who has big power as a corner outfielder.  As is typical of many Dodger draftees, Wulff lost most of his junior year to injuries.   He went to HS and college with fellow draftee, Jack Little.  He is decent defensively, but his game is power.  Think in terms of a lesser DJ Peters or Niko Hulsizer.  

Round  18, Pick No:  551      RHP    Jeff Belge; St. John’s, NY                $125,000        

A 32nd round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2016, Belge compiled a 13‑12 record and a 4.37 career ERA for St. Johns.   Belge (6’5, 225 pounds, age 21) was a big draft prospect coming out of high school.  At his best Belge has some of the biggest stuff from a lefthander in the collegiate ranks, running his fastball into the mid‑90s from a higher slot and is plenty capable of missing bats. While his fastball hasn’t always shown that velocity this spring, he has struck out 73 batters in 46 innings, though he has also walked 50 in that span.  He also has a good slider.   He may top out as a #4-5 starter, or be a late-inning reliever.   Think I terms of a Justus de Fratus. 

Round  19, Pick No:  581      RHP    Braidyn Fink;  Oklahoma, OK       $222,500        

Fink, a relief pitcher, tallied 49 strikeouts and a 4.31 career ERA. Fink missed the majority of the 2019 season after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament.  Fink (6’1, 216 pounds, age 21) is recovering from Tommy John surgery, which is right up the Dodgers’ alley.  Fink allowed only 15 hits and nine walks while striking out 28 batters in 21 innings last year. He posted a 1.71 ERA.  Another risk/reward draft pick.   He might be a reliever’s version of Michael Grove/Jesen Therrien.  If he recovers well from his surgery, he could be a real steal.  

Round  20, Pick No:  611      RHP    Zack Plunkett;  Arkansas, AR        $25,000

Plunkett was a catcher with the Razorbacks.   But, of course, the Dodgers drafted Plunkett (6’2, 205 pounds, age 23) as a pitcher. Because of course, they did.  He’s a 5th‑year senior who only tallied 125 career at‑bats at Arkansas, so the Dodgers are right to be trying him on the mound. He threw one inning back in 2016 when he was at TCU and allowed two hits. That’s literally it.  If the transition to full-time pitching works, he has a big-time arm.   I have no information on him as a pitcher to make any realistic comparisons.              

Round  22, Pick No:  671      SS        Jimmy Titus;  Bryant,          RI        $125,000

Jimmy Titus (6’1″, 195lbs) missed almost all of the 2018 season with torn ACL(this is a familiar theme), but rebounded to bat .343 in 2019, finishing just behind Dodgers’ 8th‑round pick Ryan Ward, also from Bryant U.   He’s a good defensive outfielder with some speed.   Again, I would think in terms of Logan Landon/Chris Roller, possibley Zak Reks type of player.   He is off to a decent start for the Ogden Raptors. 

Round  23, Pick No:  701      RHP    Cyrillo Watson; Illinois, IL              $125,000        

Watson entered Illinois as a two‑way player but settled into a role on the mound, and has flashed good stuff over three years in the Big 10, but has never put together the performance to back it up. A 6‑foot‑1, 195‑pound righty, Watson has a solid delivery and pitches in the 89‑91 mph range and has touched 94 mph. He has three secondary pitches, but a curveball is his most consistent offering and looks like an average pitch at his best. Watson has never missed as many bats as his stuff might suggest, and while he had a career year this spring with a 3.65 ERA over 13 starts and 69 innings, he walked 39 batters compared to only 49 strikeouts.    I’m thinking in terms of a Shea Spitzbarth/Ryan Moseley type of pitcher.   His upside is probably as a reliever.   Not      

Round  24, Pick No:  731      OF       Chet Allison   Fresno JC, CA          $222,500        

Another one of my favorite late round picks.   The Dodgers were fortunate to sign him away from a scholarship to Arkansas University.   Dave Van Horn, the Arkansas baseball coach had this to say about him: “Chet Allison is a big 6‑2, 220-pound center fielder, right fielder, he can play anywhere in the outfield.  He had a tremendous year in California with a wood bat and aluminum bat. But he turned down a lot of money to the Dodgers. He went to a Dodgers workout and they offered him pretty good, plus school. He wants to play in our league. He thinks he can double his money and I think he can too.”   Appears Van Horn was a little too quick on his certainty that Allison was going to be a razorback.   In his one year at Fresno City College, Chet Allison hit .446, and slugged .831 from the right side with 36 extra‑base hits, including 11 home runs. He had 50 RBI in 45 games.  The Fresno City coach, Ron Scott, had this to say about him:   “He’s certainly one of the top five I’ve ever coached and I’ve had seven go to the big leagues. He’s a big, strong kid that can run and throw and hit, and hit with power.  He has all those tools that you look for as a professional player.”   Think in terms of the upside of an A. J. Pollock type.   He could also be the next Jeremy Rathjen, a former Dodger draftee who I thought had the perfect combination of bat to ball skills, speed, athleticism, and power but who, sadly, never got past AA.    

Round  25, Pick No:  761      OF       Jonny DeLuca;  Oregon, OR           $300,000        

DeLuca is a switch‑hitter but throws right‑handed. he gets around quickly in center field. A 5‑foot‑11, 196‑pound draft‑eligible sophomore, DeLuca was drafted by the Twins in the 39th round of the 2017 draft.  DeLuca is an above‑average runner with above‑average arm strength who was one of the best athletes in the 2017 class out of high school, where he also was a competitive long jumper and track runner.   Unfortunately, DeLuca hit just .239 with 11 doubles, five home runs, 40 RBIs, 36 runs scored and a .319 on‑base percentage in 56 games for the Ducks this season. In two seasons at Oregon, he batted .226 with 11 home runs, 72 RBI, three triples, 11 doubles and 60 runs scored.  He is a project that may pan out.   Certainly, the Dodgers think so, paying him more than any other draftee after the 10th round.   Realistically, he might be a two year and out player.  On the other hand, he could be this year’s version of Matt Beatty or Kyle Garlick.

Round 26, Pick No:  791      RHP    Mark Mixon            Miami, FL                $125,000        

Mixon(6’2″, 1`80 lbs) is coming off his lone season at Miami where he went 3‑1 with a 2.33 ERA in 26 appearances for the Hurricanes.   He was a key reliever in his first season with the Hurricanes, posting a 2.33 ERA over 27 innings pitched. He’s a sidewinding right‑hander.  Destined to be a reliever.  Don’t have much of a read on who to compare him to.   The upside of a Sergio Romo perhaps.   Realistically, a mop-up reliever.    

Round 29, Pick No:   881      SS        Breyln Jones  Rutherford HS, NJ   $125,000

Breyln Jones was a dynamic playmaker for the Rutherford Bulldogs over the 2019 season. He was the team’s leadoff hitter and also split time between shortstop and as a starting pitcher. Jones finished the 2019 campaign with a .403 batting average, 27 hits, 29 runs, eight RBI and 19 stolen bases. On the mound, he commanded a 5‑1 record with a 0.25 ERA through 28.1 innings with 48 strikeouts, 14 walks but surrendered only eight hits and one earned run.  There’s not much available on him.   The upside would be Edwin Jackson.   He is young so there is time to develop.  

Round  32, Pick No:  971      OF       Danny Sinatro; Washington State, WA     $100,000

Sinatro’s father, Matt played ten seasons in Major Leagues and later became the bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners under Lou Piniella (1995‑2002);  Sinatro enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, hitting .325 with five doubles, five triples, five stolen bases, and 16 RBI and recorded a .351 batting average in Pac‑12 play;  Sinatro is a native of Sammamish, Washington where he went to Skyline High School and was an exceptional athlete. He was a three‑year letter winner in football, named 4A 1st Team All‑State Defensive Back his senior year, and helped lead his team to the 4A State Championship Game.  He is 5’11” shortstop/second baseman who profiles as a utility backup.  His upside would be to have a career as long as his father’s.      

Round  33, Pick No:  1001    3B       Julio Carrion;            Chipola JC, FL         $125,000        

Carrion is a 6′ 2/185, RH 3B w/ raw power.  He is known for his strength.   He did not have a great year statistically with Chipola, but he was dealing with some injuries.   He was the defensive player of the year.   He looks like a player who could stick at 3B.   He’s off to a mediocre start in the Arizona League but could develop into a Zach McKinstry/Jared Walker type player.  

Round  34, Pick No:  1031    LHP    Francisco Martinez; Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Gurabo, P.R.              $172,500      

Francisco Eliel Martinez is a 6’0′ 180 lb. LHP with frame from Gurabo, PR who attended  Puerto Rico BB Academy.  He has a medium athletic build, with plenty of room to get stronger. Works from the stretch with a very high leg lift start, long front leg swing, full arm action through the back, shows the ball to the hitters, extended 3/4’s arm slot, cross body release, creates angle to the plate. Fastball topped out at 87 mph, occasional late diving life, maintained velocity well.  That’s all I could find on him on the internet.   He’s young and has time to develop.   I’m not able to make any comparisons on him.   The hope would be that he develops into a Jose Berrios, but realistically, he might just be someone we don’t hear too much about hereafter.        

Round  35, Pick No:  1061    OF       Justin Washington; Savannah State, GA  $50,000

Listed  at 6‑4, 190‑lbs., the Decatur, Georgia native who attended Columbia High School, helped the Tigers reach the 2019 Mid‑Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2015  Light hitting outfielder from Georgia  – – has some speed, but doesn’t appear to get on base enough to steal bases.  Washington finished the 2019 season batting .242. He started 39 of the 40 games he played in and ended the year with 153 at-bats, 23 runs, 37 hits, three doubles, one triple, two home runs, 24 RBI while drawing seven walks. Washington had 14 steals in 15 attempts. In the field, Washington had 125 putouts, two assists and four errors for a .969 fielding percentage.   He started as a pitcher and played his last year as an outfielder.  The high hope would be Curtis Gunderson, but he appears to be a Dee Gorden with a much lesser skill set.  

Round 38, Pick No:    1151    C         Tyler Ryan            Pacific, CA                 $5,000

Ryan, a utility player for the Tigers, hit .261/.341/.400.  He’s a utility player drafted as a catcher.   His father, Craig, played professional baseball in Japan.   He has very little pop in his bat.   Best case scenario he becomes A.JK. Ellis, part II, or he becomes the Dodgers’ future bullpen coach.   

Bonus player:    

Round   11, Pick No:  328     LHP    Jordan Martinson, Dallas Baptist, TX  $unknown          

Martinson, a 4th year Senior, was drafted by the Mets, but didn’t sign.  He became a free agent and was later signed by the Dodgers.  Jordan Martinson is not a fireballer but gets the most out of his skill set.  Martinson finished his four‑year career as the all‑time leader in strikeouts (276) in DBU Baseball’s Division I era dating back to 2004.  He also set the single‑season record for strikeouts with 115 this past year.  He was DBU’s Friday starter and capped off the 2019 season with an 8‑4 record and a team‑best 2.61 ERA, a mark that ranks seventh‑best in a single‑season in DBU’s Division I era.  He also ranks third all‑time in career wins with 21.  He has a brother, Jason, who was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, and played in their minor league system for nine years.  Martinson throws from a low three‑quarters arm slot, and his fastball sits in the high‑80s‑to‑low‑90s, topping out at 91 MPH. The pitch has a high spin rate and he generally throws the pitch upstairs to fool batters with it. In addition to his fastball, he throws a slider and a changeup.  Martinson has an analytical mind, regularly using TrackMan and other radar and statistical data to adjust his approach from game to game, making the most of his underwhelming stuff.  Right up the Dodgers alley.   The high hope would be that he becomes a Ted Lilly type pitcher, but probably another relief arm.  

Overall, I think the Dodgers had a very nice draft.   Personally, I hope that each of these players makes it to the majors and that they each have fine injury-free careers.  

2D2’s Minor League Lowdown

OKC Dodgers beat the San Antonio Missions:   12-8

Jamie Schultz started for the Dodgers in a bullpen game.   Things did not start so well for him as he allowed 3 runs in the first inning, 2 coming on a home run from Travis Shaw, who had been demoted to AAA to find his swing.   Dennis Santana took over for Schultz to start the 2nd inning and restored order, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing only a single hit.   He was followed Shea Spitzbarth who tossed 2 innings, with 1 hit, 1 run, 1BB and, 1K.   Chris Nunn followed with a nice 1.2 innings, with 2K.   Stetson Allie and Kevin Quackenbush pitched the final 4 innings and gave up 3 runs. 

The Dodgers weren’t impressed by the 3 runs, scoring 10 over the first 5 innings.   Kiebert Ruiz made his AAA debut singling in his first at-bat, driving in Gavin Lux who had tripled, and later scoring on a Conner Joe ground out.    Kaybear would later hit a HR and had 4 RBI.  Edwin Rios and Conner Joe each added a HR and 3RBI.   Rios went 3-4.  Lux and Rocky Gale both chipped in with 2 hits. 

Tulsa Drillers lost to the Midland Rockhounds: 2-0

Rob Zastryzny made his second start after being demoted to the Drillers, and pitched decently for 5.2 innings allowing 2 unearned runs on 3 hits, 2BB, and 4 Ks.   Ryan Moseley followed with 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits, with 1 K.  Jordan Sheffield pitched the last inning with 1 hit and 1K. 

Not a good offensive day for the Drillers as they could only muster 5 hits   Logan Landon went 2-3 and Conner Wong, Cody Thomas and, C. Santana added 1 hit each.  

RC Quakes beat the Stockton Ports:   9-3

Michael Grove started for the Quakes, as he continues his journey back from injury and pitched a nice 3 innings with 2 hits and 3K.   Austin Hamilton tossed the next 4 innings allowing 2 runs (I earned) on 4 hits, 1 walk, with 4 K.   Bryan Warzek followed with 1 inning allowing only a BB.  Brett de Geus pitched the last inning allowing a hit, 2 K. 

Hunter Feduccia was the hitting star going 3-4 with 4RBI.  Miguel Vargas also went 3-4, including a double and 1 RBI.  Donovan Casey had the only other extra-base hit chipping in with a double.   Brayan Morales chipped in with 2 hits.   The Quakes also benefitted from 7 walks and 2 Ports errors. 

Great Lake Loons beat the Burlington Bees: 8-5 

The Loons scored 5 runs in the first inning and held on for the 8-5 victory.   Jose Martinez started for the Loons and held the Bees hitless for the first 3 innings.   He gave up a home run in the 4th and a single run in the 5th, ending his day with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing 3 hits, 3BB, 2 runs and registering 4 Ks.   He was replaced by Mark Washington, who gave up 3 runs in .2 innings.  Justin Bruihl relieved Washington and restored order, as he pitched 2.1 innings allowing just 1 hit.  He also had 5 Ks.   Jasiel Alvino followed and pitched a scoreless 1.1 innings, walking 2 and striking out 1.  

Offensively, Jair Camargo had the big day going 3-4, with a double and 2 RBI.  Camargo also threw out a runner who attempted to steal.   Kody Hoese chipped in with his first hit and RBI as a Loon.  He was also hit by a pitch.  Justin Yurchak also chipped in with a hit and RBI.   No one else got more than 1 hit, and the Loons were the beneficiaries of 10 walks.  In the second half of their season, the Loons are presently 15-14, and 4.5 games behind the Bowling Green Hot Rods.  The Loons did finish first in the first half of the season and are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.  

Ogden Raptors lost to the Rocky Mountain Vibes:   2-1

In a rare Pioneer pitchers’ dual, Alfredo Tavares started for the Raptors and threw a very strong 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and notching 7 strikeouts.  He was followed by Nelfri Contreras, who pitched 2 clean innings, with 2 K.  Mark Mixon tossed the last two innings with 1 hit allowed and 1K.   The offensive star was Ramon Rodriguez, who went 2-3 and scored the only run.   Marco Hernandez went 2-4 and Ryan Ward chipped in a single.   The sole run was scored on a McWilliams groundout. 

This article has 87 Comments

  1. Nice writeup MT, that looks like it took a lot of work. I’m wondering how fast we could expect Hoese or Bush to be ready for the the big team. Any predictions? They look to me like they can be fast risers as good quality college bats.

    After a tough road trip against good East Coast teams through some difficult weather, delays and extra innings, we did what we were supposed to do against a bad team in our own yard. I was really impressed how they handled Yamamoto, who had been unbeaten in his young career up until this point, all while resting regulars during the weekend series.

    Off day, revenge against the Angels against two sub-par righties, off day again then another rough trip to DC and CO to close out the month and the deadline. It feels like this team is set to go on another roll.

    I give Doc a lot of grief, but I also give him his due when deserved. I must admit that I bash him less frequently, so I must admit that I think he’s getting better. Saturday’s game was a relapse, but a better bullpen would have made it a non-issue. But, I still don’t get his propensity to squeeze one more out out of a reliever instead of letting his lefties come into a clean inning.

    10 days remain before the deadline and there still isn’t much in terms of separation among NL Wild Card hopefuls. Do teams with 500 records at 100 games in really think they have a chance to make noise in the playoffs at the cost of improving their team? I find it hard to believe a guy like Farhan would sacrifice the future to try a futile run. It just seems to me that he was brought in to get the most out of his expiring assets to build for the next legitimate run.

    What does K-Bear’s promotion tell us about possible deadline deals? Does this signal that Smith is about to be promoted ahead of the Angels series? Or, does this tell us that Smith is about to be traded? It’s hard for me to believe that Smith is going to be shipped out as Barnes just dropped below the Mendoza line.

    Since he came off the DL, Pollock has looked like the guy that tortured us for years with the D-Bags. He’s had a couple of miscues in the field, but if you give his some time, the glove will return just as his bat has.

    Don’t look now, but Joc and Kike are heating up again. Do you think AF will be bold enough to trade from the ML roster?

    The Pirates have fallen further back and are about to open a series with a team that’s 6 positions higher in the Wild Card standings. Will this be enough to convince them to sell? Or, do they think their window is open enough to improve and compete in the next couple of years?

    The next 10 days are going to be a fun ride.

      1. Thanks 2D2 for the draft analysis! Thanks MT for calling us out when we don’t make any sense. Thanks AC for being the voice of reason. Thanks DC for lending insight on the lives of the coaches and up and coming players we often forget.
        !!!!

    1. We know you do not like comps, but do you have to comment on it every time? I am not the internet police, but it makes no sense to me for you to complain about something many of us like.

    2. I enjoy that. Scouts often refer to stuff like “He has a swing that reminds me of Tony Gwynn” or whoever. Sometimes, I agree. Sometimes I don’t, it’s fun.

  2. 2D2, this was a fantastic write up. This is going into my prospect archive for future reference. Great read…Thank you!

    Gavin Lux hits very well at AA, but is unconscious at AAA. DJ Peters AA numbers were not impressive (but not bad), and he is tearing it up in AAA. Hopefully it is because of Scott Coolbaugh. Keibert Ruiz who showed limited power in AA homers in his debut. Will Smith had a miserable second half of 2018, but has been better than good in 2019 at AAA. Just an observation.

    1. I’ve been wondering about that too. I can’t imagine there is that much difference in the air between Tulsa and OKC such that it would account for the change in hitting. If Coolbaugh makes that much of a difference, we need to keep him in the organization!

  3. I think, aside from the fact that we’d like to have Giants’ reliever Will Smith, the worst case scenario for SF (and best for us), is that 1) they continue to win, 2) decide by July 31 that they aren’t sellers, 3) actually try to become buyers, 4) sell off a good prospect(s) to help the 2019 team, 5) and start to suck after the trade deadline and miss the playoffs entirely.

    Thus, instead of getting quality talent for Smith, Bumgarner, and others, all they get are compensation picks and therefore prospects who are much younger and more likely to not pan out. This would ensure their eventual rebuild will take that much longer.

    In the meantime, I’d love for Pitt to start losing which would make Velazquez available. Then the sale will be on!

    1. The Giants should roll the dice. Fergusson pitched well down the stretch last year and he might wind up being a bullpen asset. If the Giants could get Garcia and Fergusson for Smith they might still compete. Bumgarner is a different story. They need him if they are to have a chance to get a wildcard spot and progress in the post season.

  4. 2D2 – not possible for a 6-run home run but you are pretty close. Thanks. That took an incredible amount of time. Great research.

    1. DC – – I hit 6 run home runs all the time in my youth. Of course I was playing by myself and made the rules up as I went. 🙂

  5. 2D2, well-researched, well-informative and well-written article. Thank you. I found it very easy to read. AC, sounds like they are sure doing something right at OKC.

  6. Great article! Thx. Something’s up atOKC with all the hitting. But it’s translated in Beaty’s and Smith’s case tho in limited ab’s. Pretty telling that both Smith and Ruiz are both up together at OKC now. Seems to me that one of them is gonna get dealt!

    1. Not necessarily (although it could be). They were both together at Tulsa last year. They shared the Catching duties, but Smith played more 3B to get his bat in the lineup more.

      1. This is so Austin Barnes can play in the field while he gets his bat going. He won’t need as many off days as he would playing catcher exclusively.

    2. I would like to not trade either Smith or Ruiz. They need both. Martin may not be here next year and who knows about Barnes.

  7. Wow, what a complete and informative report going in my archives. Thanks for all the hard research.

  8. I do not think they will trade either Smith or Ruiz, but if they do, the odds are it would be Smith.

    1. You must have been reading my mind.

      I respect your opinion, MT. Much more than I probably lead you to believe. I’m just a fan that follows the team closely. I don’t talk to scouts and don’t get invited behind the scenes like you do. I just try to piece things together the best I can with information that is publicly available.

      I think K-Bear is gone. Here’s why…
      I think they were okay with going with Barnes and Martin this year because they knew that Will Smith was close.
      I don’t think they want to do that for another year or two waiting for K-Bear.
      Mid Season rankings show them closer to each other than they’ve ever been.
      K-Bear’s prospect status is artificially inflated because of his young age, Smith’s has the opposite effect.
      Smith has always been the better defensive catcher, right now he’s also the better offensive catcher.

      That’s my 5 cents.

  9. The debate between Will Smith, K-Bear, Barnes and trades is going to be ongoing for next 10 days.

    Let’s operate under the assumption that you will have to trade a top 4 prospect to get a closer.

    Keep in mind the following for next year…

    We have 3 outfielders set for 2020 and one is often injured (Verdugo, Pollock, Belli)

    Pederson will be a free agent at the end of next year, Freese is on a one year deal.

    Muncy can play 1st or 2nd Base. But, going into next year we do not have a full time player at 1B and 2B.

    Ryu and Hill’s contacts are up after this year. Current starting pitchers that are under contract next year include Kershaw(runner up to Pollock as most likely to be injured), Bueller, Maeda, Stripling, Urias(Currently sitting at 56 innings, how many innings can we count on for 2020?

    Shortstop and 3B are set, but Turner can be lumped in with Keshaw and Pollock among those with injury concerns.

    Which of these guys do you trade? Lux, May, Ruiz, Smith. Or, do you pass on acquiring a closer?

  10. Great write up. I don’t believe lux, Kay bear, or smith will be traded. I think AF saw how peters and lux responded to being moved up and wanted to jumpstart kaybear. You need 2 catchers anyway and this will allow smith to play other places. I think peters is now on the radar for next year. AF might use this deadline to improve this year and the future so a starting pitcher may be pursued. He is motivating kaybear who is now recognizing how close he is to mlb. If smith continues to improve his offensive skills he may be the next third basemen with kaybear at catcher. So long as they both are mlb players there is room for both smith and kaybear.

  11. I think we sometimes forget exactly how young Kaybear is. He just turned 21 a couple of days ago. Somewhere, in an office at Dodger Stadium, Friedman is laughing his head off knowing how he’s making us all crazy. There may be all kinds of leaks coming out of the White House but ol’ AF sure manages to keep a lid on leaks out here.

    Let me add my kudos to everyone else’s on your write up 2d2. At least you know that all your effort is appreciated.

  12. We wrote about the relationship between Keibert Ruiz and manager Travis Barbary at the start of the season.

    Perhaps that is why he was promoted at this time to OKC. That is, to reconnect with Barbary as DJ Peters reconnected with Scott Coolbaugh. We tend to forget how young Ruiz still is.

    https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-catcher-keibert-ruiz-20190215-story.html

    I don’t think he is a trade candidate although he would certainly be a valuable trade asset. They don’t have to showcase him at AAA. His credentials are well documented.

    Barbary’s thoughts on Keibert’s promotion:

    “We put Keibert up at the top of the lineup because we have confidence in the quality of at-bats he has,” Barbary said. “His bat-to-ball skills are off the charts. He doesn’t swing and miss. It can be tough for a lot of young players, especially catchers. The game can get really quick but for Keibert, his heartbeat is the same all the time. When things go sideways, he maintains that even keel, collects his thoughts and makes good decisions. I can’t say enough about his growth and maturity as a player from when I first saw him.”

    “He needed a challenge and I think coming here is good for him,” Barbary said. “He has consistent, quality at-bats and we expect he’ll continue to do that. He’ll hit no matter where he’s playing and I think getting him up here in a new environment and facing a new challenge gives him a chance to step up.”

    1. We’re very fortunate to get the scoop on the Dodgers prospects from AC, DC, 2D2, and Mark. I enjoy reading them. I so wanted to jump in the car and go watch the Iowa Cubs-OKC Dodgers series in Des Moines last week after just watching the Loons-Kernels series in Cedar Rapids. Unfortunately work obligations and I took my son to four concerts in the last two weeks left me making up work.
      ~
      The performance of Barnes has been frustrating to say the least but I agree with those who don’t dismiss the importance of being the primary catcher who has worked with this staff. I don’t always love Barnes’ game calling though. They aren’t going to just DFA Martin and Barnes is good enough to be the #2 catcher once Smith or Ruiz arrive so I’m trying to be patient even though I would prefer to see Smith up now. Only the Dodgers front office know how THEY value the plethora of catching prospects and how far away they think someone like Ruiz is from the big leagues. It would be a shame if the Dodgers fall short because of this bullpen though. I don’t see this as a window closing soon proposition though. With Verdugo, Lux, the young catchers and the Dodgers financial situation they’re in a good place for a foreseeable future. It may be for CK, KJ, Hill, and JT but this organization is in great shape.
      ~
      I mentioned Amir Garrett the other day. Is he the Felipe Vasquez before he’s Felipe Vasquez?

      1. Garrett would have to go through a name change for that to happen Hawkeye. Before Felipe Vazquez was Felipe Vazquez he was Felipe Rivero. 🙂

          1. Let’s just say you were the point guard to my shooting guard on that one. You definitely get an assist.

  13. Justin Hagenman just earned a true save with the Loons. Score 7-6 in the 9th , two runs already in, runners on first and third with two out. He came on in that situation and got the K to end the threat and game.

    1. He did the same thing July 1, except the score was not close (16-9). My only concern about Justin is that he is 22 at low A (turns 23 in October). He has been assigned to Extended ST and returned to Great Lakes 5 times since April through June 9. But he does already more July appearances (7) than he did in all of June (5).

      1. Everything is not exactly relative. However, Tony Gonsolin had his first stint with the Loons at 22 and started the 2017 season at 23 with the Loons before moving on the Quakes. He pitched 70 innings in 2017. Justin will get 70 or more in 2019. His 5 June appearances included 19 innings pitched which are similar to what the starters do.

        I am not comparing the two in terms of skill set, just in terms of age. Justin will not be a Tony Gonsolin but he may be a serviceable reliever as he goes along. He seems to thrive in those situations, plus he can go several innings if need be.

        From listening to the Loons he has become a favorite of mine (I have many) and I do think he has to move on to the Quakes this year to finish up and begin 2020 there. His stuff is not over powering. It is just that he seems to know how to pitch and is not afraid of any situation or of failing.

        I do not know why he has been assigned to Extended ST, actually more than five times. It might have been roster moves or to work on a Driveline Velocity Program or some other pitching work. It was not because of poor performance or injury as after each assignment to Ex. ST he came back to pitch. As a 23rd round selection his frequent movement back and forth to Phoenix is a bit puzzling. I will try to find out why.

  14. Well we have to trade some good young players to get a top reliever. Can AF get it done with quantity over quality?

    1. Cassidy

      I was going to post the same thing but you beat me to it. Hopefully Friedman is able to trade quantity for a good reliever and not quality.

      I think we just need to add 1 good reliever.

  15. By the way, with all of the talk about Barnes being the primary catcher and all, please note that the staff ERA is about 1/2 run/game lower with Russell Martin catching 3.00 vs. 3.43. I know that a number of factors play into this, and that Martin isn’t throwing anyone out, but if the main issue is the ability to handle the staff, Martin is more than capable of catching and showing Smith the ropes as he gradually sees more playing time.

    I know that Martin isn’t hitting either – but the point is that the Dodgers have options to running Barnes out there 4 times per week. And Martin played in 90 games and got up over 350 times each of the past 2 seasons so he’s capable of playing a little more for a while if that’s what it takes to get Smith up to speed.

    At this point, the 8th spot in the lineup is the dread “black hole”. Barnes’ OPS+ is only 65 (Martin’s is 74). The only other guy who plays significant innings below 100 is Kike Hernandez and he’s close (94). It would be nice to be better than that if possible.

  16. On the positive side, isn’t it nice that we can have the debate of Smith over Kbear or vice versa as our future catcher (and there’s Feduccia, Cartaya and others in the background saying don’t forget about us). That’s like deciding between salmon or ribeye steak for dinner. I’d say we have a bright future at catcher.

  17. Thank you 2D2 for compiling your draft update post. I enjoyed it.

    The description of Hoese sounds like what might be said about the first player drafted and not the 25th. I think he will be on a short path to the Dodgers which gets me to Smith and Ruiz. If Hoese is the third baseman then Smith isn’t and that would leave the Dodgers with a Yeager/Ferguson catching combo. Both Smith and Ruiz are good enough to start at catcher at least 75% of games. Redundant.

    Smith and his right bat seems like a more useful player than Beaty and his lefty bat. Smith could play some third as he might be better defensively there than either Muncy or Freese. He could also catch half the games. That should give Smith enough at bats to keep him on his forward path.

    I just read that the Dodgers share Mark’s interest in trading for Castellonos. The article mentioned trading Peters for Casty but maybe a Beaty for Casty would be better. Against lefties the Dodgers could send up Freese, Pollock, Casty, Turner, Hernandez, Smith. Against righties: Pederson, Verdugo, Bellinger, Seager, Muncy,

    Adding Casty and bringing up Smith puts 5 players on the bench. Barnes or Martin, a releiver on the active roster, and prospect(s) perhaps could be part of the package for Vasquez.

    1. Barnes or Martin, a reliever on the active roster, and prospect(s) perhaps could be part of the package for Vasquez.and what would motivate the Pirates to take players who have little value for one of the best relievers in baseball? It’s doubtful they trade him, but if they do it will take a haul and a catcher and the catcher they would want is Will Smith.

      I would not trade either catcher, but if they trade one, it will be Smith, not Ruiz. BTW, Ruiz HR came LH

      1. Ruiz may give up switch hitting and if he does he will give up hitting as a righty so his home run as a lefty is not a surprise. I’m looking at the active roster. If Vasquez is added then a reliever has to be traded or demoted. The Pirates would want someone to replace Vasquez, they need a catcher, and they want a valuable prospect.

        I only know what I prefer and for now I prefer to trade Ruiz and keep Smith. You are lucky to have a crystal ball.

        1. Ruiz will not give up switch-hitting. Some moron who had no clue wrote that last year. This year he is hitting about the same from both sides of the plate.

          His bat-to-ball skills are elite. They are just working on increasing his launch angle this year.

  18. Bullpen A: 9 Jansen, 8 Urías, 7 Kelly and Baez
    Bullpen B: Floro, Yimi, Chargois, Sadler, Ferguson, Alexander, etc,etc
    Clearly our bullpen problems are with group B relievers, I ask the office not to commit madness by going by names of the moment. Fix the matter with group B.

    1. Look at Kelly’s performance this year and explain please why he’s not a group B reliever.

      1. It’s based upon his last 15 games where he has a 1.72 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. He has struck out 24 in 15 innings and allowed 11 hits.

        1. Wow, I knew Kelly was better, but those are some solid numbers. If he didn’t have a meltdown vs Philly, those numbers would be even better!

      2. Very simple because Kelly is in group A, because he can do it, a 100 mph fastball helps a lot, Lol. We all know Kelly and we know that he is not so bad, in a season the waters take their level and with Kelly they go in the right direction.

    2. Thank You. Finally somebody gets to the problem. Everybody wants to horde prospects, most of which will help the 2021 Dodgers. What about this year? Are we going to piss away the quality years players like Rui, Belli, and others who refuse to lose despite poor performances from Group B here. If I was Kershaw, I be quietly big pissed about the game Saturday. Did anybody watch Saturday’s game? That group B stinks most of the time. Unbelievably inconsistent and ineffective and there never seems to be a big enough lead for a soft landing for these guys especially Ferguson and Shaggy. It might be nice to have a Major League quality first baseman who can actually catch a dirt ball or off line throw and bail out his fielder. Saturday was a clown show. This is a production business. I’m sure I’ll hear for the humpteenth time that we have the luxury of having such a big lead we can have try outs and a different lineup every day. Maybe the plan is to just get to the playoffs and not use the Group B pitchers? 4 starters and Group A is enough? But I want home field in the playoffs and a team I feel I can trusted down the stretch and in the playoffs and Group B and first base right now, Ain’t it. Honestly, the position is not as hard as Peterson and Muncy make it look. A quality infielder and especially a catcher can move there and at least catch short hops. I’d look to clean house on Group B, consider Stripling and possible part with prospect(s) if that’s what it takes. I don’t suspect anybody from Group B has much value to any teams. This team can win the WS but not with the holes I see right now, including catcher. Does this make me a “dope fiend” or whatever it is that Mark calls it?

  19. MT, Ken Gurnick disagrees with you…

    Which Dodger prospects are “untouchable,” and which ones are tradeable?
    — LAD Burner Account, @LADBurnerAcct

    If the Dodgers are about to trade any of their top prospects, catcher Keibert Ruiz probably is the one. Catcher is the organization’s deepest position, and 24-year-old Will Smith has already shown he’s MLB-ready. Ruiz, although ranked No. 1 in the system by MLB Pipeline, is younger at 21 and was having his worst offensive season professionally when he was promoted to Triple-A on Sunday. Can’t even imagine a deal that would entice this management to trade away pitcher Dustin May or infielder Gavin Lux.

    Is Smith with the big club Tuesday? If not, why did Ruiz get promoted?
    — Zack, @DodgerZack

    With the disappointing offensive production of Austin Barnes, it’s tempting to speculate that Ruiz’s Sunday promotion to Triple-A is the first of a chain reaction like you suggest. But that’s probably premature. Ruiz has spent 1 1/2 seasons at Double-A, and his offense last year was better than this year. Maybe he needs a new challenge. It’s also not unprecedented for Ruiz and Smith to be paired on the same team. They were at Double-A Tulsa together last year. Also, if the Dodgers are suddenly willing to include Ruiz in a bigger trade, what better way to elevate his visibility than to give him a promotion?

    1. I hope everybody reads that whole article by Ken Gurnick who I believe has a lot of credibility.

      He says the Dodgers don’t need a left handed reliever. I agree

      He says Joc Peterson is not trade bait for teams that are sellers. I agree.

      He says “Any team trading an impact reliever (Smith the pitcher, Vazquez, Shane Greene, etc.) will demand in return the Dodgers’ best young players — Smith the catcher, Ruiz, May or Lux.”

      This is why I am nervous about the trade deadline.

      I have come to the conclusion that the Dodgers may only need to add one good reliever. I hope Friedman gets the best reliever that he can get without trading Smith, Ruiz, May, Lux, DJ Peters. I’d be allright with him trading Gonsolin but I’d rather he keep Gonsolin.
      And please do not trade any of our position players execpt one of our catchers Barnes or Martin, if they even have any trade value and maybe even Hernandez if he has any trade value.

      1. Forget what I said above about Gonsolin, I want the Dodgers to keep Gonsolin.

        I forgot the name Josiah Gray when I posted that post above.

        The Dodgers should dangle Josiah Gray as trade bait.

        1. Gonsolin has not had a 2019 season to write home about. I think he has potential, but not enough for me to not include him in a trade package to bring an important piece to our team. May, otoh, should be untouchable, for the time being as well as Lux, Smith, and Ruiz. DJ Peters can also be dangled. Where would he play on the Dodgers? We’re loaded in the OF. Verdugo, Pollock, Belli, Joc, are not going to be displaced by Peters any time soon.

          Beaty is already here and thriving, but he will not be a starter and possibly not be on the 25 man roster for the playoffs. The big picture doesn’t bode well for him as we need a real 1B/2B, top tier reliever to cement our run to the WS. The chances of him being traded are also high. We need some solid defensive players at 1B/2B. Muncy can still get time at either but not combined with Pederson at 1B. Big decisions need to be made. The glut of talent we have is impressive.

    2. My answer is simple: Gurnick is wrong! I know Ken, but he is wrong on this one.

  20. I don’t get the reason for Castellanos. He’d be replacing Verdugo who has hit lefties well. Just bring us an ace reliever AF!

    1. Cassidy

      Anybody who is suggesting we trade for more offense is out of their mind. Our offense is awesome.

      The only upgrade we need to our offense is the catcher spot and we have the solution at AAA.

      1. Agreed. We don’t need more offense. We need defensive 1B/2B. Lux will probably take care of 2B. 1B is open for the taking. We need to think long term. An Agone or Loney type player would be marvelous at 1B, and this is why I’ve started to think that Bellinger might be moved back to 1B. If that is done, it creates an opening for someone like Castellanos. Verdugo/Pollock/Castellanos in the OF? It works, but where do we put Muncy? Muncy is our backup star. HR’s/RBI’s. Defensively deficient, though. This is a tough problem.

        1. When I said we don’t need to add any offense that includes defense.

          I guess I should have said we don’t need to trade for any position players.

          1. And I didn’t say to trade for any position players. I am an ‘in-house’ guy, preferring to promote players who have demonstrated the necessary skills for the big league. My comment about Castellanos was more to Cassidy’s concern that he would displace Verdugo. With Belli moving to 1B, it allows Castellanos to play in the OF with no loss of defense in the infield. This is only in response to the team’s possible interest in Castellanos. Personally, I agree with you and I don’t think we need him.

  21. Supposedly the Rays are interested in Hunter Pence. The Giants could certainly use him. How about this for a Dodger fan’s worst nightmare: Giants trade for Pence, keep Madbum and manage to get the second wildcard spot in the NL. They then sweep through the NL and win the World Series, led by Pence and Madbum.
    I apologize for even bringing this up.

    1. No need to apologize. I am sure that many of us have already thought about that scenario. I do not want to face the Giants in the Playoffs, and that would be the first series (5 game NLDS).

    2. Cocktail hour must start early where you are STB. On a side note I’d love to face the Giants and stomp them properly.

      1. Oh…………..……..we’re supposed to limit cocktail time to an hour? Maybe that’s where I went wrong.

        1. I get confused in Las Vegas because we have 24 hour drinking which comes in handy sometimes.

  22. Does anyone remember “BOB”? He used to post here and maybe in 2015 or 2016 he kind went “nuts.” I had to kick him off. His name was Kenneth Robert Baily and was a MBA, JD and CPA from Temecula. I thought one of you might know what happened? It appears he died.

    We have lost a few… Roger Sobin (RogerDodger) rest his soul.

    I wonder about Dino Chavez and MJ. E-mails to her are deadends.

    1. I remember him. Didn’t know him personally, even though he’s from my neck of the woods. Always sad to lose a member of the family.

    2. I sent you a text to what I believe is your cell phone. A possible lead on MJ. RIP?

      1. Hello Dave – long time.
        Hope life is good.

        I too have contacted Mark with some possible news on MJ.

        Dino had been ill for some time.
        I loved the way he always posted in CAPITALS.

        BTW – Truth – miss your takes pal

      2. Dave, it is my cell. I got it, but, thankfully, it’s not MJ.

        Thanks for checking.

  23. Death is certainly a real possibility on a board like this comprised mainly of older people. It’s something we all have to come to terms with, mortality.

  24. I’m hearing two different prevailing opinions: Either go get a couple horses for the bullpen and damn the cost or alternatively hang on to everyone of our prospects that has trade value which leaves us with the current crop of relievers. Can’t do both and I think everyone believes it will be something in the middle which will leave most scratching their head. Whoever they do add needs to be able to throw strikes and handle pressure. During the AF years they have gone after rentals and don’t move ML active players, AJ Ellis being the exception, and use prospect capital as their currency plus being willing to take on payroll. Not sure who that leaves as likely candidates but I will wager it will surprise us all. I’m in the camp of go for it this year but don’t do something stupid.

  25. Very suspicious with MJ. When she stopped contributing there had been a little tension but not crazy stuff. So many people commented and reached out to her, can’t image she stayed away because she was upset. Do think many of us miss her.
    Please do let us know if and when you may hear from her.

  26. I am going on record that Freidman is feeling a bit of pressure from Farhan and the hated ones resurgence.They are getting all the headlines right now, and everybody is singing Zaides praises of rising them from the dead. I truly think that AF is feeling a little bit left out. I believe that for the first time in his tenure, he will go all in on two elite relievers, possibly two lefties. We may have to say good-bye to one or two of our prospects and maybe a guy on the 25 man, but I can feel the pressure mounting that we have to get it done this year, We do have the resources to get it done, and I think that Friedman would like to do a smack down on Farhan and run the table. Just sayin.

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