Random Thoughts on Spring Training

Posted By on February 23, 2020

On Saturday, AC provided us with an amazing analysis of questions to be answered this spring.  It prompted me to go back a few years and see what the pressing questions were in the spring for the past few seasons and how they were answered: 

Last year, the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were:

•      Is Clayton Kershaw definitely in decline?    I would feel safe to say, that his decline has not yet come.  

•      Can Max Muncy repeat?    That would be a resounding yes!

•      Can Cody Bellinger rebound?    Yes.   MVP, MVP, MVP!!!

•     What will the outfield alignment look like, and where does Alex Verdugo fit in it?   The Dodgers were wise to give AV the playing time he received.   The kid can play!!

•      Was Yasiel Puig’s presence underrated?   If anything, it was overrated. 

In 2018, some of the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were:

•      Who is going to be the setup man for Kenley Jansen?   Turned out to be Pedro Baez.  Not many saw that coming. 

•      Who is going to be the #2 pitcher behind Clayton Kershaw?  (Sub-question – will the Dodgers’ rotation be strong enough without Yu Darvish?  How about Alex Wood, or a youngster named Walker Buehler.  

•      What will the Dodgers bench look like?   It was the bench that helped them overcome Logan Forsythe and the loss of Corey Seager 

•      Who deserves more playing time — Austin Barnes or Yasmani Grandal?  Turned out to be Grandal, as Barnes forgot how to hit. 

•      Does Alex Verdugo get an Opening Day roster spot?   No. He did play 37 games for the Dodgers… but spent most of the season in the minors. 

•      Who is going to play when in left field?   Turned out to be a platoon of Kemp and Pederson.

In 2017, the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were:

•      Is Andrew Toles for Real?   Turns out he was, but unfortunately, he suffered an injury that sidelined him for most of the year.

•      Who Starts in Right Field?    How about Yasiel Puig.

•      Is Kershaw healthy?   He was 18-4 healthy.  

•      How Does Logan Forsythe Look?  Unfortunately, Forsythe could never adapt to the Hollywood lifestyle, and he just never looked good. 

•      Who will be the fifth starter?  That was divided between Ryu and McCarthy until Darvish came along. 

In 2016, the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were:

•      What will the rotation look like?   Turned out to be Kershaw, Maeda, Kazmir, Stripling and a host of others until Rich Hill was added.

•      What’s going on in the bullpen?   Let me introduce you to Joe Blanton.

•      Can Yasiel Puig and Joc Pederson rebound?   Yes and no.  Joc did, Puig, not so much.

•      Will injuries harm the team again?   Not as badly as the year before. 

•      Can they stay ahead of the resurgent Giants and Diamondbacks?  The Giants gave them a run for their money, the Diamondbacks finished 22 games behind the 1st place Dodgers. 

In 2015, the top questions facing the Dodgers heading into Spring training were:

•      Is the bullpen fixed?  Turns out it wasn’t fixed enough. 

•      Who would win the battle for Centerfield?  Heading into spring, the Dodgers had more outfielders than they know what to do with — Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Chris Heisey, Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, and Scott Van Slyke — and no true centerfielder.  Pederson ended up winning the job.   

•     Would Julio Urias be the pitcher everyone raved he would be?   He would not pitch an inning in the majors that year.  

As you can see, some of the questions remain the same, with just a slight variation.  One of the impressions I definitely walked away with, is that I’m more excited about this year’s roster than any I remember in recent Dodger history.    

•      Another aspect of Spring training is the yearly Non-Roster Invitee.   These players consist of Minor League free agents and some prospects.  The minor league free agents are signed, mostly, to fill holes at AAA.  There is always the hope you might catch lightning in a bottle and uncover a hidden gem, though the odds are stacked against them.  The NRI’s also include some of the better prospects in the organization.   This gives them an opportunity to rub shoulders with the major league players and coaches.   The chances of an NRI making the team out of spring training is very rare.   The Dodgers have had 2 very notable NRIs make their team out of spring training.   Justin Turner in 2014, and Max Muncy in 2018 (though he did go to the minors for a short while).  Prior to Turner, the only other NRI’s to make the team out of Spring Training were:  Aaron Miles, Mike MacDougal, and Lance Cormier, who all made the team in 2011.  MacDougal pitched in 69 games for the Dodgers in 2011 and was surprisingly effective as a reliever posting a 3‑1 record and a 2.05 ERA.  Miles, played in 136 games for the Dodgers in 2011 at 2nd base and 3rd base, as a backup for Jamey Carroll and Juan Uribe.   He retired at the end of the 2011 season.   MacDougal pitched 7 games for the Dodgers in 2012 and then hung ‘em up.   Cormier only appeared in nine games for the Dodgers and the results weren’t pretty.   He was released by the Dodgers in May, and never pitched in the majors again.   So while we may get excited over certain players who perform well in the spring (think back to the discussion on this board over whether or not we should keep Brad Miller on the roster), the odds of them making the show are very limited.   That said, despite the odds, there is no less reason not to root for them.   Hope springs eternal!! 

•      Also, I could not find any significant trade made by the Dodgers, during spring training, in recent history.   The only spring training trades that I could find in the past 15 years are:   On March 15, 2005, the Dodgers traded Kazuhisa Ishii to the New York Mets for Jason Phillips.   On March 31, 2006, the Dodgers traded Jarod Plummer to the Kansas City Royals for Wilson Valdez.   On March 26, 2007, they traded Elmer Dessens to the Milwaukee Brewers for Brady Clark and cash.  On March 1, 2017, they traded Chase De Jong to the Seattle Mariners for Aneurys Zabala and Drew Jackson.  On April 1, 2018, the Dodgers traded Johan Mieses to the St. Louis Cardinals for Breyvic Valera.   I can’t classify any of these trades as significant.   So, despite the log jam we have in the outfield and the failed trade with the Angels, involving Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling, I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for one of them to be traded this spring.  History suggests that spring is not the time trades are made.  

•      A reminder for all, statistics do not mean anything during spring training.   As Drew Carey would say on Whose Line Is It Anyway:  “It’s the show where everything is made up and the points don’t matter!  That’s right, the points are just like……the talent portion of a beauty contest or a surveillance camera at the 99 cent store.”  

•      Ladies and gentlemen, we have baseball!!   I’m writing this as the first game of spring is being played.   I’ following on Gameday, and by the looks of things Kike, Muncy, and Taylor are going to be all-stars; Gonsolin will be in the rotation;   Rocky Gale will be the back-up catcher;  Kasowski has arrived and Luke Raley may very well beat out Matt Beatty and I may have written off Joe Broussard to early.  No, wait a minute, I got excited and forgot to remind myself that “the stats don’t matter!”

•       Prior to the games starting, I enjoyed watching some of Alanna Rizzo’s interviews with some of the players, particularly the newer players.   Ms. Rizzo is very good at her craft, and her interviews with Blake Treinen, Jimmy Nelson, Dustin May, Alex Wood, and Corey Seager were outstanding.   She was even able to get Joc Pederson to crack a smile, which if you’ve ever watched him being interviewed is not the easiest thing to do.    I found Treinen, Nelson, and Wood to be very pleased to be part of the organization.   Each seemed to be a “good character” player, each very articulate and they each noted the manner in which the organization was especially welcoming to them and their families, together with and the fact that they were incredibly impressed with how the Dodgers and coaches had specific plans for their success and well being.   I look forward to good years from Treinen, Nelson, and Wood.  I also think Seager is going to have a very good year.   She’s not a Dodger player, but I intend to do a profile on Alanna Rizzo in the near future.  

•      Free agents at the end of this season will be Justin Turner, Mookie, Treinen, Pederson, Kike, Wood, and Baez.   Jimmy Nelson has an option, but he too might be a free agent.   I would love to see Mookie signed long term, JT returns on a 1-year contract and depending on his performance, resign Treinen.   I think Pederson, Kike, Wood, and Baez will move on to other organizations.  If Nelson performs well, his option will be exercised.  

•      I don’t care if it’s spring training, I love it any time the Dodgers beat the Giants!   Just makes any day better.    

Spring Training Photos

So, if you are at spring training or go to spring training, just send me your pics and I will post them here. Send them to me at mark@uswatersystems.com. Here’s some from Adam:

Hi Mark,
 
I love your Dodgers blog.  I’ve been reading daily for years.  Thanks for all you do every day for us!
 
Attached are a few photos I took at Camelback when I took my son the other day.  I mentioned them in my comments this morning.  If you think your readers might enjoy them feel free to post; if not no worries at all.
 
Thanks again,
 
Adam

My son and I at the stadium gate.  My son has the best arm on his little league team.
Ross Stripling signing my son’s ball.
Justin Turner taking BP. Muncie, Kike, and Taylor on deck.

Dodgers Minor Leaguers at an autograph table.  Beautiful Camelback Ranch in the background.  White Sox alumni Jerry Hairston, Sr. and Bob Howry were next to them at another table.

Sunday Game Notes by Mark Timmons

  • This just in (by me): The Dodgers will sign Mookie Betts to a 10 year/$400 Million deal at some point in time. When that happens the Freidman bashers will have nothing left…. and fade to black!
  • Alex Wood, Kenley Jansen, Caleb Ferguson, and Mitch (“don’t call me Mitchell”) White all looked like they belonged. Yes, Mitch White!
  • Mosley also looked very good… maybe not ready for the show as yet.
  • Tyler Ferguson needs work, but he has a big arm.
  • Jordon Sheffield looks good and then bad and then good… same as usual.
  • Logan Salow was very effective. I like what he did a lot!
  • Omar Estevez continues to be a favorite… even with his lack of power… may it will come.
  • Joc Pederson last that “fat boy” gut and looks to be in the best shape of his life.
  • Beaty, Reks, Raley? Are they the same person?
  • 30 MLB Clubs and no one wants Yasiel Puig? It’s not a lack of talent. It’s a lack of common sense. He’s simply a knucklehead who will wreck a clubhouse. Everyone knows that but some desperate GM might sign him in an effort to win “at any cost.”
  • I had a person pretty close to the situation say “This is now Mookie’s Clubhouse.” He has evidently brought a take charge, don’t panic, hustle 110% of the time attitude that his teammates find compelling. To those of you who think he will sign elsewhere or he doesn’t want to be in LA, I say “You are dreaming or delusional.” This is a generational player whom Friedman will pay the top amount, whether it’s $350 Million or $380 Million or $400 Million. If you want to know more, read and watch THIS. Gibson-esque!

The Boys of Summer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MIlqbovIjg

This article has 61 Comments

  1. I find intriguing the different approaches to whether Lux and Smith are guaranteed starting spots this year. Based on a few articles from last night and today, Smith is a given but Lux is not. I don’t get a sense that there is a problem with Lux, though of course he has more competitors for infield playing time than Smith does at catcher. If he starts in the minors again, could it be in part due to service time manipulation?

  2. 2D2, it’s a lot of fun to look back and to see how far a team has come. Anyone who cannot see the improvements just does not want to. There is not another team in MLB that I would favor over LAD, including NYY. I very much look forward to your profile of Alanna Rizzo.

    Most of the same people who said the Dodgers would never trade for Mookie also now say that AF will not re-sign him. Apparently AF is a doofus and does not recognize that trading 5 years of Dugie for one year of Mookie is not the way to properly build an organization. AF offered Gerrit Cole $300MM and was not afforded the opportunity to counter NYY’s offer. Mookie does not have such boyhood dreams (other than to play MLB), so he is going to go where the money is as long as he feels comfortable. He has already taken over the LAD clubhouse, so I think he feels comfortable. Now will AF pony up? I have no doubt that AF believes that it is going to take somewhere between Bryce Harper and Mike Trout to sign Mookie, and if he was not willing to spend that, he would never have made the trade. AF knows that the best organization is built from the ground up, but when you get a chance for a Mookie Betts, you go all in. I do not beleive that AF gets outbid next winter.

    I disagree with Mark in the sense that once AF does sign Mookie long term, those that always want to see the negative will find something else to try and exploit. It is already started. We are all of two games into 2020 ST and some want to complain about the 2021 outfield. I guess the 2020 team is so good that the sour patch kids need to move on to 2021.

    I know it is only ST, but I like what I saw from Gonsolin, Wood, Santana, KJ, and Caleb. I am anxious to see Reymin Guduan in his next outing. It is great to see guys like Joe Broussard, Mitch White, Ryan Moseley, Logan Salow, and even Brett de Geus have positive results in a ML game even if pitching against MiLB batters. Outside of his family, I think DC was most excited about Salow’s outing. It will not be long before they are all sent back down to MiLB camp, but as long as they stay with the big club, they get a chance to get noticed. It is up to them to take advantage.

    Omar Estevez does not have the HR power, but he is a doubles machine. I have been touting Omar since mid 2016, as an 18 year old at Great Lakes. I expect him to have a huge year at OKC. IMO, he is not the overall prospect that Jacob Amaya is, but he has legit ML potential. I do not see Kike’ getting extended or re-signed, so it will become a battle between Zach McKinstry and Omar Estevez to replace him next year. Most talent evaluators have written him off many times, and like a Phoenix, he continues to rise above it all.

    Today we get to see Strip and his new changeup. I have a sneaky opinion that Arte Moreno might be one of the LAD’s unsung heroes this year.

    Kenta Maeda gets a start today against the BoSox.

    1. Some people just like to complain. Misery loves company and miserable people are looking for that!

      Since Andrew Friedman started with the Dodgers, I saw and understood his vision. Many, Many, Many people on this blog and the other blog (which shall remain nameless), argued against anything Friedman. It got so bad, that when they lost the battle, they resorted to all they had left: Slander and Lies. Now, some of them have switched positions and sound exactly like me when they post… however, I still remember…

      and…Yes, some still remain devoid of reason!

    2. Always Compete

      You sure got a thing against me. Kinda arrogant and snobbish you are.

      “Most of the same people who said the Dodgers would never trade for Mookie also now say that AF will not re-sign him.”

      I never said Friedman wouldn’t trade for Betts.

      “I have no doubt that AF believes that it is going to take somewhere between Bryce Harper and Mike Trout to sign Mookie, and if he was not willing to spend that, he would never have made the trade.”

      Oh you’re so wise with your crystal ball. “I have no doubt” lol

      “I disagree with Mark in the sense that once AF does sign Mookie long term, those that always want to see the negative will find something else to try and exploit. It is already started. We are all of two games into 2020 ST and some want to complain about the 2021 outfield. I guess the 2020 team is so good that the sour patch kids need to move on to 2021.”

      I was just responding to a post by Mark where he said Joc and DJ Peters may get traded. And I asked him who will play the outfield in 2021 because Mark and I disagree on Betts sticking around after this season.

      1. Get over yourself. You are one of many. I do not remember who says what. When I respond to you, it will come as a response. I have nothing against you, and I have no problem being considered arrogant and snobbish. You want to complain about not having OF in 2021 while we just started 2020 ST, you are going to get a response. Many people do not agree with me. I do not lose sleep over it. Mark and I disagree with each other quite often, and we say so to each other. If you do not want to be responded to, then don’t offer up. I have no idea if you said that AF would not trade for Mookie or not. But there was more than one that did. You say that Mookie will not re-sign with LAD, and I disagree. Time will tell which one of us is correct.

        Wise?? I don’t know. I have more respect for AF in believing that he knows what it is going to take to sign Mookie. Almost every baseball journalist has indicated that Mookie is going to want more than what Harper signed for. That is not me. I also have more respect for AF in believing he took that into consideration when he made the trade.

        1. Hello Always Compete. We must live in the present. Sue Aikens, one of the persons profiled on the series, “Life Below Zero” said it best :
          “If ya got one foot into yesterday and one in tomorrow, then the only place your’s not experiencing is today, and today is where we need to be” So 2021 needs not any of one’s attention just yet. I am glad that trade with the Angels was negated by Moreno because trading Joc and Stripling for virtually nothing but a salary dump was not an answer. This team appears to be set for the most part but my only issue is that both Joc and Pollock are not ‘all in’ as far as I believe in a platoon set up in LF. WSS

  3. According to The Athletic

    “Alex Wood threw one sharp inning, his fastball regularly clocking 92 and 93 mph, an improvement from his 2019 readings.

    When Wood returned to the clubhouse, Rob Hill (Driveline Baseball) came to his locker to congratulate him. Wood was satisfied with his debut. It was not just the velocity that pleased him; he also was happy with the movement on the rest of his pitches. In five more days, he will attempt to extend himself another inning, and he will keep building himself to six innings.

    1. If you want to compare pitching velocities for players, I suggest digging into player profiles at FanGraphs. Look at Alex Wood’s velocity since 2017. It was trending down. I assume he will increase his velocity as the season progresses. I’m looking forward to tracking the pitchers working with Driveline.

      https://www.fangraphs.com/players/alex-wood/13781/graphs?position=P&pitchgraphs=true&statArr=&legend=1&split=base&time=daily&start=2017&end=2019&rtype=mult&gt1=15&dStatArray=SI&ymin=&ymax=

  4. Whining and complaining, the real American pastime. Too funny.

    Interesting stuff about Gavin Lux. During an interview, Andrew Friedman, while raving about Gavin’s future with the Dodgers, hedged when he was asked if he would be the starting second baseman when the season opens. During another interview, Dave Roberts said Lux would be the Dodgers starting second baseman and may play a little shortstop when Cory Seager needs a day off.

    Manipulation of service time, maybe. Trying to figure what to do with Kike Hernandez and Chris Taylor in terms of getting at bats, possibly.

    Still think trading Joc Pederson is a possibility. At some point, somewhere a team is going to have an outfield issue and I’m guessing they will talk to the Dodgers about Joc. Still not convinced a platoon is workable. Has more to do with Taylor and Hernandez getting at bats. We’ll see. Who knows, maybe the platoon works and the Dodgers get 50 homeruns out of left field.

    I do think the Dodgers sign Mookie Betts long-term. Friedman and the organization like him way too much for that not to happen.

    Good write-up today.

    1. I refuse to believe that manipulation of service time will be in play when it comes time to make the decision as to whether Lux starts the season here or in OKC. If he has a decent spring, he’ll stay but if not, he’ll start the year in OKC because we have two very capable guys who can start at second (Kike and CT3).
      On the other hand, I think Smith is assured a starting job no matter how bad a spring he might have because the other option is Barnes and I think management has decided that his days as a #1 catcher are in the past.
      The left field situation is a tricky one because everyone knows that a Joc/Pollock platoon would be rough, especially when trying to get Taylor and Kike into the lineup every so often as well. That’s four guys for one position. But, I don’t think you can solve that situation by trading the one guy of the four who bats left handed. I’ll let AF figure this one out, but I definitely wouldn’t be surprised to see one or maybe even two of those four in a different uni by July.

      1. I concur with your take on Gavin Lux. 2B is his to win but he will have to win it. That is the current Dodger way. No one is handed a job. Just ask Cory or Cody

        1. That’s true, Lux knows he must earn it and his September play in MLB last year is too small a sample size to say he has already earned the 2nd base job but Roberts has indicated it most likely is his to lose as was suggested here.

  5. Who are the 2020 make it or break it prospects for the Dodgers? Got to think Kendall heads the list.

  6. 2D2, your article on past concerns in Spring Training as Arte Johnson used to say, “very interesting.” Saw a common thread in “hopes and fears” over the years. Thank you.

    As for me, watching the first two ST games, I plead guilty. Yes, Muncy will be an all-star. Gonsolin will be in the rotation, at least at some time this year, still rooting for Beatty to make the 26, and loved Broussard. I can not wait to read your profile on Alanna Rizzo.

  7. Keith Law is out with his Top 100 Prospects. Dodgers have 5 of the 100.
    Lux is lower than most of the other lists at #4, but May is higher at #7.
    Others on the list are Gray, Gonsolin and Cartaya. No sign of Kaybear.

    2. I recommend to anyone who doesn’t have a subscription to the Athletic, get one. The writing talent there is exceptional. It isn’t add supported, so the articles aren’t clickbait. I’m really impressed at how the writers are able to get authentic quotes from players and executives. Their coverage of the cheating scandal has been impressive..

    3. Reading the evaluations of lower rated prospects on Law’s list, it is hard to understand how Graterol and Ruiz were passed over. Jimmy Nelson and Luis Rodriguez did not play last year after signing with Dodgers, so may not have qualified for consideration, but if their respective skills ratings are higher than others who were included. Dodgers are absolutely loaded with quality prospects.

      1. Law knows his shit and has excellent contacts throughout scouting.

        I’m sure he has a pretty good rationale for why those guys didn’t make it.

  8. I like weaving rookies into the regular lineup and I hope Smith and Lux stay in it and play well. When the Dodgers wove Loney and Kemp into the lineup the team was too old and too young and didn’t have 3, 4, or 5 hitters in their primes. They do now.

    Who wants players that don’t want to play everyday? There will be competition for playing time and there are quite a few playing for new contracts in free agency. Pollock has his big contract and at his age he is not playing for a new one; he is playing for a WS title and for his legacy which is now more injury prone than what he wants to be.

    Hopefully Price will give May, Gonsolin, and Urias one more year before they are needed to be keys to rotation success.

    My favorites are Fergusson, Smith, Lux, Stripling, Joc, Betts, Seager, Kershaw, Buehler, Turner.

  9. I fully anticipate Gavin Lux winning the 2B job, but then there’s always Kike or CT3 and someone once said “Progress is not alway liner.”

    Even though May is seen as a starter, I could see him in the bullpen. Gonsolin could easily be in the bullpen, but if AF wants to keep them on a starters spot, then they may go to OKC.

    Graterol not being in the Top 100 is dumb.

    Ruiz dropped out of the Top 100 due to not progressing at Tusa last year, although he did flourish at OKC.

    This could be a make or break year for Ruiz and Kendall (and Alvarez). I still have high hope for Ruiz. Kendall? Not so much….

    1. I do not believe this is a break year for Ruiz. He is only 21. He reached AAA at 20. Smith reached AAA at 23.

      Kendall – His break year was last year. It would take a miracle for him to be considered a Dodgers prospect as a regular OF. But with his speed and D, he can certainly be a valuable #5 OF and base runner. Another Billy Hamilton.

      Alvarez – He is still relatively young, and apparently still has that arm. Maybe he has matured. If he has, this will be his last chance with LAD.

      Others off the top of my head: Josh Sborz, Jordan Sheffield, Marshall Kasowski, John Rooney (as a starter), Leo Crawford (as a starter), Miguel Jimenez, Andre Jackson. Maybe not a break year, but certainly a critical year…Michael Grove and Cristian Santana.

        1. 2017 second round pick out of Univ. of Texas – injured, has yet to throw a professional competitive pitch

        1. OH, I thought it was something of that nature. I sure hope Will Smith starts out with a strong ST and carries it into the season because I don’t believe Dodgers want to give the starting catcher job to Barnes, as it was mentioned he has not remembered how to hit. Hopefully then Ruiz will be back on track and having dealt Connor Wong to Boston certainly did not deplete the catching depth. Joc being out right now with that sore side should at least give Pollock more looks and perhaps others to fill in LF. Pollock IMHO does need to show that he has somehow some way recovered from that horrific 13 AB performance in the NLDS where he K’s 11 times.

  10. I can’t wait to know more about Alana Rizzo, she’s the hottest and sexiest girl in the world .. That beauty drives me crazy !!

  12. I have been following her for a couple of years, and not only do I like her as a woman, but also as a journalist she is one of the best, and I admire very much what she does for animals, especially dogs.
    Words of an admirer. And I say it with all my respect for her

  13. I have no doubt that if Mookie plays well this year and doesn’t sustain a serious injury that the Dodgers will try to resign him. Whether they will or not is always the question. It’s always a question of whether the player will sign for what the Dodgers are willing to pay. I suspect that Friedman will be willing to overpay but the question is always how much? Remember that the Phillies were willing to pay “stupid money” 2 years ago and landed Bryce Harper. The Dodgers under Friedman won’t pay “stupid money” – if there’s someone else who will then Mookie may end up going elsewhere.

    It doesn’t matter though – if the Dodgers win the title then even if they only get one year out of Mookie it will have been worth it.

    I was talking to another Dodgers fan this AM. At the beginning of this 7 year run of Division titles, (2013), they won on the basis of an incredible 43 – 7 run from 6/7 – 8/4, during which they hit 96 HR. This coincided with the promotion of Yasiel Puig from AAA and the reinstatement of Hanley Ramirez from the DL.

    Adrian Gonzalez was the only hitter with over 500 AB and he OPS’d .803 with 22 HR. Hanley was the only other Dodger with 20 HR. Hanley had an OPS of 1.040 and Puig was .925 and Scott Van Slyke was .807. (These are the only 4 Dodgers with OPS over .800.)

    As far as the rotation was concerned, Kershaw and Ryu both had 30 or more starts – Greinke had 28. 4th in starts was Chris Capuano followed by Ricky Nolasco.

    Today’s Dodgers are so much deeper and better. And the farms system is doing a much better job with player development.

    My beef with the Dodgers is really my beef with the way that baseball is going – too much 3 true outcomes, not enough action, too much babying pitchers, too much of front offices running the games based on statistical analysis. I don’t think that it’s fixable. I wonder if, long term, the game will be ruined by over-reliance on computers.

    1. Here’s an excerpt from an article in The Athletic about technology and MLB that goes to what I am saying:

      ““I know it is being reflected as a sign-stealing, technology issue,” Clark said Friday after visiting with Astros players during the union’s annual spring tour. “But the truth is, that technology discussion goes way beyond what is coming out of a replay room. There are things that have happened in our game over the last five to seven years — particularly what’s being created by club culture of pushing the envelope on efficiency and quantifiable metrics — that are positioning clubs to make certain decisions.

      “This culture that exists, against the backdrop of technology, is manifesting itself in a way … that we need to have a conversation about what our game is and what our game looks like. It’s manifesting itself in how player service time is being manipulated. It’s manifesting itself in a way that we’re seeing abuses of the injured list. It’s manifesting itself in ways that are directly affecting the type of game that’s being played on the field.”

      And

      “I think that people talk about changing the game or not changing the game, like those are two separate choices,” Manfred said in October during a broader conversation about the health of the sport. “What really is happening: We’ve allowed the game to change, based on decisions made by field managers and general managers with one goal in mind: Can I win one more game?

      “We have to be more proactive about managing the change that those very competitive people are — they’re doing the right thing, I’m not being critical at all. But it’s incumbent upon those of us at a different level of the game to manage that change in a way that you make sure the entertainment value of the product is maintained.”

      1. “We have to be more proactive about managing the change that those very competitive people are — they’re doing the right thing, I’m not being critical at all. But it’s incumbent upon those of us at a different level of the game to manage that change in a way that you make sure the entertainment value of the product is maintained.”

        And that is why Manfred should not be in charge. He is more concerned about the entertainment value rather than the integrity of the game.

      1. If they don’t show something this year then they get left behind. Both guys and in their mid twenties and time to show if they belong with the big club

        1. I agree that this is a make or break year for both Mitch White and both Santana’s. Of the three, Dennis Santana probably has the best chance. Both Mitch White and Cristian Santana need to shine this year. Hoese is already rated ahead of Santana and Vargas is as well in some publications. Vargas is also much younger. White may have better “stuff” than Santana, but he needs to show it consistently. Good call on White and Santana.

  15. One of the most rewarding aspects of spring training for me is just to be able to watch the young pups at play. The odds they face are overwhelmingly against making it to the show. To be able to watch them during the spring, you see how little difference there is between prospect A and prospect J. It’s a nothing game today, but for Cody Thomas and Omar Estevez, it has to be a moment they won’t soon forget and it has to be a major boost to their confidence.

    One thing I meant to write, but forgot (sorry folks, I’m at that age) is that one theme has been echoed over and over in the player interviews. Many spent the winter in Glendale working on things they know they had to tweek. Virtually all the players showed up at camp early. When I hear Zack Greinke say that he wishes he learned years ago, that report dates were not mandatory and compare that attitude to the Dodger players saying they couldn’t wait to get to camp to get started, I think to myself, no matter how good you may be Zack, I’ll take the Dodgers’ attitude any day of the week.

    1. When all is said and done, as far as those young pups go, no team will be able to keep that entire ‘litter’ But depth on the roster allows for Dodgers to keep going still in the event injuries take a few players out of action. Hopefully all stay healthy and that we don’t begin 2020 with a huge IL at the start.

  16. OK, I have it on pretty good authority what happened on the Pederson/Stripling Trade.

    It’s true that Moreno voiced his displeasure that the process was taking so long, but the Dodgers were getting a lot more than just Rengifo for Pederson, Pages, and Stripling.

    I think he pissed AF off, so AF asked for Adell.

    Then Moreno backed out!

    Not sure it’s true, but I have heard the same rumblings from other places.

  17. There is no question that Moreno probably pissed people off since he openly criticized the Dodger front office over the delay in the trade. It, of course, had nothing to do with the Dodgers, but that didn’t stop Arte from shooting off his mouth.

    As to the Jo Adell part, that seems a little far fetched, unless, of course, you wanted to send Arte a message.

    2. I can’t see any way Adell was in that trade at any point. He’s a top 5 prospect in all of baseball and you don’t give that up for one year of Joc plus Stripling and a good but very low level prospect. I wouldn’t be surprised if Marsh was part of the deal from the beginning and that’s why we agreed to give them Pages.
      I don’t see AF being the kind of guy to ask for Adell just to aggravate Moreno and kill the trade. Both sides wanted to do the deal and both sides should have gotten it done (assuming that someone like Marsh would have come back to us). Maybe Moreno just decided he didn’t want to add 10 mil to his payroll this year. It wouldn’t be the first time he was shortsighted.

  19. Well, we may never know all the particulars, but I think AF was done with Arte’s demands.

    After all, there is only one MLB team in LA!

  20. Loaded article with the MLB article on Betts worthy of an article by itself. I find his team address rippling with provocative connotations. Two things stand out to me.

    First, while it’s admirable in many respects and speaks to the kind of personal commitment and focus he has, it’s a little presumptuous I think. His teammates, or at least JT and Kike, don’t feel that way and that’s great, but I wonder if that opinion is shared throughout the roster. Yeah, he’s a WS champion and that holds a lot of weight. A lot of these guys are the next best thing, having won the 2nd most regular season games in baseball over the last 3 seasons. Guys know what kind of commitment, work approach, and attitude wins championships. That seemed to be the tenor of his address, as best I could interpret. Hopefully, it was more, “this is how I roll, in case you were wondering what I’m about” vs “here’s how we’re going to win by following my example”.

    I think his addressing the team can only be a positive regarding a potential long term commitment. He’s investing in the Dodgers, and whether at the moment he feels it’s for only the next 8 months or not, the investment itself is going to have a pull on him and his ultimate decision. I’d be concerned if he was being distant and making demands of Doc that will mostly benefit his stats.

    From the Dodgers perspective on potential long term negotiations with Betts, I’m not convinced it’s no holds barred. I think there probably is a dollar amount and contract length Friedman won’t go beyond, and that’s probably a wise thing imo.

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