Dodgers Teenage Team for 2020 – Position Players

In attempting to isolate any group there is always a chance that there might be other members who belong in the group who are not selected and yet others who are simply missed. With that risk in mind, I had a bit of a slow day yesterday so decided to look at the teenage group preparing for the 2020 minor league season. Some had successful 2019 seasons while others did not make their professional debuts in 2019 for differing reasons. In any event, this is a teenage team to watch offensively during the upcoming season who have not reached their 20th birthday as of today. Miguel Vargas and Robinson Ortiz miss the cut by a couple of months.

Catcher: Diego Cartaya (18 – September 7, 2001)  Bats/Throws: R/R Ht: 6′ 2″ Wt: 199

Is there any other choice?  Cartaya played in the Arizona League in 2019 as a 17-year-old where he slashed .281/.343/.432. That in itself is not overly impressive until we remember he did so as a 17-year-old, facing pitchers drafted out of college several years older and more experienced than Cartaya. The fact he moved directly to the AZL in his first professional season is indicative of his potential.

Baseball America: “Cartaya has represented Venezuela at international tournaments since he was 10. That extensive game experience shows in the way he plays with a high baseball IQ well beyond his years, with a well-rounded skill set for a catcher.”

MLB Pipeline: “On defense, Cartaya has a reputation as a great receiver with very good hands. He handles pitchers well and has a high baseball IQ. He moves well behind the plate.”

FanGraphs: “This is a very physical teenager with some of the best present raw power in the class and a good chance to play a premium defensive position. Cartaya has a strong, physically mature build that inspires Salvador Perez comparisons.  Cartaya is poised and engaged with his pitchers, he has a great arm, he looks built to meet the position’s physical demands and makes an attempt to frame pitches when he can.”

First Base: Sauryn Lao:  (20 – August 14, 1999) Bats/Throws: R/R Ht: 6′ 2″ Wt: 182

Alright, I cheated here as I could not find a teenage first baseman to fit the bill and Lao is a bit of a personal favorite.  So, I injected him into the lineup although he turned 20 last August. I have watched him relatively closely and he seems to have gone unnoticed.  He was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent back in 2015 and for an unknown reason did not play in 2016. From Barahona, Dominican Republic, he slashed .271/.362/.480 with the Ogden Raptors over 91 games while hitting 9 home runs with 45 RBI and 44 runs scored.

Lao was named the Pioneer League Player of the Week for August 19-25 as he was in the lineup for all six games the Raptors played during the stretch in which he notched at least one hit in each of the final five. He turned in consecutive standout performances in the two wins at Grand Junction, going 3-for-4 with a run and RBI on August 21, and following that with a 4-for-6 day including two home runs, four RBI and four runs scored the next day. For the week, Lao hit .400 (10-for-25) with the pair of home runs, a double, six runs scored and seven RBI.

Lao hung around the top-10 in a number of offensive categories.

Ÿ      Runs    44 – 4th

Ÿ      RBI      45 –  5th

Ÿ      BB        32 – 6th

Ÿ      SLG   .480 – 9th

Ÿ      TB      110 – 10th

Ÿ      OPS  .842 – 10th 

Second Base: Jorbit Vivas  ( 18 – March 9, 2001)  Bats/Throws: L/R Ht: 5′ 10″ Wt: 145

Vivas, from Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, has also gone on a bit unnoticed.  He was signed as an international free agent by the Dodgers on July 4, 2017.

He played in the DSL during the 2018 season with offensive numbers that did not stand out other than a good K/BB ratio of 35/26 and a .350 OBP.

He came stateside in 2019 playing at two levels and distinguishing himself at both. With the AZL Dodgers (Lasorda) over 30 games, he slashed .357/.438/513 with 20 runs batted in and only two more strikeouts than walks.

With the Raptors, Vivas had a triple slash of .286/.371/.417 and drove in 12 runs in 24 games.  He had a bit of a flair for the dramatic when he drove in the winning run on August 13th in the bottom of the 10th inning and, for the second straight night, the Ogden Raptors defeated the Missoula Osprey in extra innings.

Third Base: Alex de Jesus ( 17- March 22, 2002)  Bats/Throws: R/R Ht: 6′ 2″ Wt: 170

Another international signing by the Dodgers in 2018, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, native moved quickly in his 2019 rookie year playing only 13 games in the DSL before being promoted to the AZL Dodgers on June 21st.

When he was signed, most scouts believed he’d head straight to third base and remain there on his way up the Minor League ladder. Hence I have included him as a third baseman as has Jim Callis: “ De Jesus could wind up at third base in the long run but has the bat and defensive ability to become a solid regular there.” However, during the 2019 season, he played primarily at shortstop.

Dustin Nosler writes: “He’s already a pretty physical 17- year-old, but with broad shoulders and frame to add plenty of good weight in hopes of getting to the plus-raw power he already exhibits. He has a mature swing and high finish that could lead to being an offensive force at the plate.”

De Jesus played 44 games with the AZL Dodgers (Mota) in 2019 posting a .276/.326/.374 triple slash with 25 RBI.

Look for him to crack the Dodgers Top-30 prospects in 2020.

Shortstop: Eddys Leonard (19 – November 10, 2000)  R/R Ht: 6′ 0″ Wt: 160

Leonard was signed in the same class as Jorbit Vivas in 2017 out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

This is the scouting report on Leonard by the Dominican Prospect League when he signed.

“Eddys Leonard has the ability to make consistent contact with gap to gap power. His above-average speed allows him to fully utilize his contact and power giving him the ability to extend singles into doubles and doubles into triples. Combining his speed with a high baseball IQ, at 16-years-old, and you get a player who will have the ability to steal bases at every level. His speed also gives him good range at short, while his arm strength and quick hands will allow him to be an above-average defender.”

He played in the DSL during the 2018 season and moved to the Arizona League Dodgers (Lasorda) in 2019. With the Dodgers over 46 games he slashed .280/.380/.423 but his advertised speed did not result in stolen bases. He homered three times and drove in 20 runs.

Leonard finished out his season with 8 games in the Pioneer League with the Ogden Raptors with a triple slash of .333/.391/.478.

He had the proverbial cup of coffee with the Great Lakes Loons on August 19th going 1-4 as a one-game replacement player.

Outfield: Andy Pages (19 – December 8, 2000)  R/R Ht: 6′ 1″ Wt: 180

Pretty much everyone knows about Andy Pages who is now ranked 13th on the Dodgers prospects lists. That is the same Andy Pages who was part of the failed Dodger-Angel trade. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic in March of 2018 when the Dodgers were limited to a $300,000 international signing bonus.

He will play at age 19 for all of 2020  and is characterized as, “ A smart hitter who loves to talk about his craft, he has an advanced idea about his right-handed swing and displays excellent bat speed, with his raw power already showing up in games. There is some swing-and-miss to his game, as he struck out in more than 28 percent of his plate appearances in 2019, so he will need to improve his plate discipline some and perhaps tone down his leg kick.”

His 2019 season in the Pioneer League was perhaps as good as any in the Dodger minor league system winning him a number of awards.

MILB.COM ORGANIZATION ALL-STAR  2019: LA Dodgers (NL)

BASEBALL AMERICA ROOKIE ALL-STAR 2019: Ogden (PIO)

POST-SEASON ALL-STAR 2019: Ogden (PIO)

MID-SEASON ALL-STAR 2019: Ogden (PIO)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK 6/30/2019: Ogden (PIO)

                                         7/7/2019: Ogden (PIO)

During the 2019 season, he slashed .298/.398/.651 along with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in. He finished in the top-5 in a number of offensive categories.

Ÿ       Runs 57       – 1s

Ÿ       Hits  70         – 5th

Ÿ       RBI  55        – 2nd

Ÿ       Doubles 22  – 1st

Ÿ       HR 19          – 2nd

Ÿ      SLG .298     – 2nd

Ÿ      TB 153         – 2nd

Ÿ      OPS 1.049   – 3rd

Where will he land to begin the 2020 season? Perhaps in the more pitcher-friendly Midwest League or perhaps in the more hitter-friendly California  League. I’m guessing with the Loons in the Midwest League which is somewhat more age-appropriate and he can work on cutting down on his strikeouts.

Outfield: Luis Rodriguiz (17 – September 16, 2002)  R/R Ht. 6’2” Wt. 180

This time I am really cheating by selecting Luis Rodriguez who has not started his professional career. From Venezuela he was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 2, 2019. He  was ranked number 4 on MLB Pipeline’s top-30 international prospects list for this free agency period.

It is expected he will begin his professional career in the AZL as Diego Cartaya did last year. The information below is from noted sources. One source writes: “But make no mistake, ‘L-Rod’ is just about as elite as Cartaya was.”

MLB Pipeline

“Rodriguez is the best overall player from Venezuela in the class of 2019. He’s a pure hitter and natural athlete with solid baseball instincts across the board. He is also known for his physically projectable body and easy actions on defense and at the plate. Rodriguez has a sound approach in the batter’s box and has shown the ability to use all fields with consistent and hard contact. There’s a nice rhythm and balance to his swing and although he’s primarily a line drive hitter now, there have been flashes of power and it could increase as he develops. He has impressed scouts by performing well against pitchers throwing 93 mph to 95 mph during workouts and showcases. Rodriguez is a quality defender in center field now and he makes all of the plays, but it’s uncertain if that’s where he will stay because he’s not a plus runner. He developed his game in the youth leagues of Venezuela and has a high baseball IQ.”

Baseball America

“Rodriguez is one of the most complete players in the 2019 class, with a good combination of size (6-foot-2, 180 pounds), athleticism and hitting ability from the right side. When I saw him face live pitching in the Dominican Republic, he homered to right-center field off a pitcher who was throwing up to 92 mph, then narrowly missed another homer that hit the fence to the same part of the park. Rodriguez has good plate discipline, hits well in games against older pitchers and has a natural ability to lift the ball for power. He runs the 60-yard dash in around 6.7 to 6.8 seconds, so if he can retain that speed, he could stick in center field, too. Rodriguez trains with Angel Valladares.”

Outfield: Jose Ramos (19 – January 1, 2001)   R/R Ht: 5′ 11″ Wt: 150

The third outfield position was a toss-up among Jose Ramos, Yunior Garcia , and Jaime Perez.  Ramos won the toss.

He was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent on July 3, 2018. From Chepo, Panama, he debuted in 2019 with the DSL Dodgers (Bautista) and had some success posting a slash line of .275/.362/.377 with two home runs and 27 runs batted in.

This article has 91 Comments

  1. This is an outstanding piece by Harold. He never ceases to amaze me… and educate me.

    Some of the videos he wanted to be posted were not possible due to software conflicts, so I picked a few to replace them. I hope they will suffice…

    Again, what an outstanding piece of work and Thank You, Harold!

    It’s also nice to see the Dodger pipeline is full.

  2. We may have an old friend back on this site today.

    Yesterday is history.

    Tomorrow is a mystery.

    Today is a gift… that’s why they call it The Present!

    Enjoy it and welcome Badger back.

  3. Thanks Mark. I really never know what videos will work so I just list them in case they help you out a bit.

    Next week – teenage pitchers.

    I see that ALex de Jesus has already made the Dodgers Top-30 at No. 23.

  4. I could go for a James Brown / I Feel Good video right about now.
    Thanks for the update on the kinfolk down on the farm and thank you Andrew Friedman. As always, it’s a great time to be a Dodger fan.

  5. Nice article DC. Thank you. It is nice to know that we have young men in their teens ready and working hard to advance forward. It seems a never-ending list of players to fill out a deep group of Dodger prospects doesn’t it? Keep them coming!

  6. Greetings earthlings. I’ve been released from the halfway house, still in therapy of course, that will last a lifetime, but the authorities say I am no longer a threat. Guess we’ll see about that.

    I’ve been reading all over the net, posting less these days, just mostly observing. This remains the best, most thorough and thoughtful blog out there. You all have done an admirable job of representing.

    Just so you know, Mark and I have done what reasonable men do, we’ve talked and we’ve listened. Amazing what power there is in listening. Anyway, our differences on some issues will likely remain but our ability to acknowledge and respect those differences will allow us to move forward. We’ve known each other too long to not forgive. I look forward to skewering most of his trade ideas and analyzing how easily he can recognize when someone says something “moronic”. How does he know so much about the subject of intellectual disabilities? It helps to know baselines.

    The Dodgers. I’ve never been more confident than I am at this time. As often as I critiqued Friedman and his curious moves I look up and we keep winning and we continue to fill the cupboard. I willingly admit I was wrong about Andrew. I’m old school baseball but have a background in education so I began reading all I could on analytics and damm, I’ve been unknowingly using this stuff all my life. OBP, slugging %, spin rates, change of pace… the list is long. I still have issues, 3 true outcomes is b.s. and I still have criticism of ML defensive play. Anticipate and move to back up a base dammit. Move on every pitch. On every ball in play you have something to do. Anyone seen standing around watching will find themselves sitting and watching on my club.

    Anyway, it’s a great time to be a Dodger fan. I feel quite fortunate. 101 wins. That’s my O/U.

    1. Badger, welcome. I am glad that you and Mark have worked things out. You have always been knowledgeable and passionate and I always respected your opinions. May not have always agreed, but that is what makes for a fun site. There are a lot of us old school codgers on this site, and while I cannot put an algorithm together, we have to be blind to not see that this is where the game we all love is going. After all, we have all survived without Vin for these last few years. Time marches on.

      Again welcome, and I look forward to some good discussions about our LA Dodgers.

      1. Thanks AC. Coming from you that means a lot to me. Your knowledge of the organization is far more advanced than mine and I appreciate reading your posts. I believe my strengths were always in communication and instincts regarding the game. I was instructed early by a grandfather that played a lot of ball in the southern leagues against EVERYBODY. I listened and learned from him, but am not so stubborn as to close doors on ANY new science, especially science about my favorite game. The Physics of Baseball by Yale University professor Dr Robert Adair remains one of my all time favorite reads. I’ve gifted that book many times.

        While I’ve got your attention AC, I’d like to ask you about Ruiz. I had him above Smith, (still admittedly not sold on Smith) but am now concerned regarding his status. Is his fall in ranking legit or is it more nuanced? I expected him on the team in ‘20. Now, with Cartaya passing him, I don’t know how he fits.

        1. I like Ruiz, but I have always favored Smith (albeit slightly). IMO catcher is a defense/game call position first. Smith has a better arm, quicker release, blocks balls, and calls a great game, and is a better athlete. Pitchers love to pitch to him. While there is little question that Keibert has better bat to ball skills than Smith, Smith has more power. We know that LAD and AF love the power game. Smith fits into the LAD plans more so than does Ruiz.

          I think it is still too early to know if Cartaya is going to prove to be a better catcher than Ruiz. He looks very promising, and I can understand why many think he will eventually be the LAD catcher of the future. But he needs to at least get through full season ball before he can be anointed as such. With the loss of Wong and Camargo, the depth has taken a hit. Neither Wong or Camargo were projected to be anything more than a backup, but they both should prove to be at least adequate at that level.

          I think Smith and Ruiz can co-exist, at least until we have more on how well Cartaya improves. I would not expect AF to entertain any trade proposals on Ruiz unless it is a serious overpay.

          This will be a critical year in the development for Smith, Ruiz, and Cartaya. Can Smith continue to hit ML hitting, or will he come up with Barnesitis in his sophomore year? Most people only remember how bad Barnes was the last two years. They forget how good he was in 2017 and AAA. He did not make the adjustments. Will Smith? Will Ruiz improve his catching/game call skills at AAA? He will have a lot of good young pitchers to work with. Will Cartaya start the season at Great Lakes, succeed, and move on to Rancho? With Wong and Camargo gone, Stevie Berman and Hunter Feduccia will get extended looks this year.

          While he did not make DC’s list of teenagers, young Yeiner Fernandez is another Venezuelan catcher the Dodgers will be pushing through the DSL this year. Will he follow the Ruiz/Cartaya Venezuelan LAD catcher pipeline?

          1. I am not sure much has changed, and I think that is the rub. He has not developed as much as many may have hoped. He still has tremendous bat to ball skills, but still has little power. If he undergoes a swing change to give him more power, what does that mean for his bat to ball skills? He has not taken as well to the new hitting approach. What does that mean? His footwork has not improved a great deal, and his arm is still average.

            Look at the improvements Gavin Lux has made. Dustin May. Josiah Gray. Brett de Geus. All four of those players made huge gains in their development last year. Not so much with Ruiz. I think that is why he is falling down the prospect ranks. He has the skills, but so did Yadi Alvarez and Jeren Kendall. Something stopped their development. I do not put Ruiz at the same level as Alvarez or Kendall, just to show that talent and skills alone is not enough to make it all the way. I still believe that Ruiz will be a ML catcher and a good one. It just may take longer than many had hoped.

            Keibert needs to show defensive improvements and working with pitchers. This will be a great year with top pitchers in the LAD organization pitching at AAA. Maybe Yeager should spend some mentoring time with him.

    2. Hey Badger,
      I’ve always enjoyed your posts in the midst of all the nonsense that goes on at ‘the other site’. I’m not really posting much these days, as I’ve seemed to run out of interest in this process. I’d much rather watch and this season should be a great one to watch our favorite team as they seemed to have stacked the deck this year. Maybe I’ll get pissed off enough at the pitching staff to voice a few choice words here like if Kelly is the same guy as last year or if AJ injures himself as usual. We’ll see.

      59inarow seems conspicuously missing from this blog. Maybe he is still healing from his meltdown last season. I wish him well.

      1. 59 is welcome back… if he just tones it down. I like the guy a lot!

        If Hamchuck can leave the politics and innuendo out, he is welcome!

        1. I thought Bums was Hamchuck???

          Welcome back, Badger! I’ll take the over on your 101 wins.

        2. I liked reading 59’s posts, even though he was a hot head and the typical bro from Huntington Beach I encounter all the time. Think the West coast version of Jersey Shore.

          Hamchuck didn’t add much to the discussion aside from comic relief.

          I would prefer that all politics and political innuendo be left out by everybody, It’s poison.

          Good to see a reconciliation between you and Badger. It’s senseless to have that much bad blood over a Dodger blog ( or politics, which is why it’s poison). Badger is too intelligent to be languishing over at Scott’s site – and I genuinely wish Scott success. I think the other guy – Michael Norris – would get a lot out of this site, too. He’s very knowledgeable. Just a grumpy curmudgeon. …maybe Scott can be convinced to hang em up and just be a guest writer here.

          1. Michael doesn’t know it, but I like him a lot. He is more than welcome to post here.

    3. Welcome on board Badger! I’m glad you and Mark have made nice. I always enjoyed reading your insights on the older blog.

  7. J. T. Ginn, former 1st round pick (2018) who turned down the Dodgers, has had TJ surgery and will be lost for the year. Good luck to him. He was a good pick that did not work out and LAD has certainly had good results with those coming off TJ. So maybe there is a chance we can still see a Ginn in the future.

    1. He would be a great second rounder if he came out as a draft eligible sophomore. The Dodgers really like making those picks. I assume he will stay in school and try to pitch his senior year. This year’s draft is deep.

      1. I agree he is not a first rounder this year. The Dodgers do have that Minnesota competitive balance pick from the Maeda trade. It might be a good time to take a chance. The problem with him heading back to Mississippi State is that he probably will not be ready to go next year until later in the season, and will still be a questionable 1st rounder. Might it be better to work with MLB doctors and get ready for a career? If taken in the 2nd round he will still get paid. Maybe not as much as he was hoping when he turned the Dodgers down, but he will get paid.

        1. Was it ever made public about why he didn’t sign with the Dodgers? Was it a money issue or did he want to go to college?

          1. Money. The Dodgers had the least amount of bonus pool money (by a bunch) and could not offer Ginn what he was looking for.

  8. I posted this last night, but I’m sure you old folks on here already went to bed. Mark always talks about using a VPN to hide your IP address and watch Dodger games.

    For those looking for a VPN, here’s a nice deal from the CNN Store; lifetime VPN for $39

    https://store.cnn.com/sales/vpn-unlimited-lifetime-subscription?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=keepsolid-vpn-unlimited-lifetime-subscription_072519&utm_term=scsf-333394&utm_content=a0x1P000004MREC&scsonar=1

  9. AC – I had this ready as a start but only took one player at each position.

    Fernandez previously had some real success as a pitcher in 2015 before moving on to catching.

    Yeiner Fernandez, 17, was a star of the 2015 Little League World Series and was one of the best Venezuelan hitters in 2019 at any position. He has power and does not project to strike out much. If all breaks right, he might have the chance to be a plus power bat at a premium position offensively. The only issue with Fernandez is that he is a poor blocker behind the plate, but he is still so young.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63V3jCm1hPI

    https://www.littleleague.org/videos/yeiner-fernandezs-huge-go-ahead-homer-llbws/

    It will be interesting to see if he makes it stateside as quickly as Cartaya.

    1. DC, I understood one player at each position. And there is no question that Diego Cartaya is the prize teenage catcher, if not the prize teenager in the LAD organization period. And to add to your point about the youth in the organization, I thought I would add Yeiner Fernandez to the catcher discussion. I have no idea how he will turn out in the end, but he is still highly regarded and we will see how he develops in the DSL. I am not sure he makes it to Arizona this summer, but it is possible.

      I very much look forward to your teenage pitcher article. There are a lot of potential. But I cannot wait to see Jerming Rosario this summer in Arizona. I also think Heisell Baro is going to get noticed this year. It is amazing how many nuggets you can uncover in the DSL.

      1. They are on the list of six or seven meaning some will be missed.

        Brelyn Jones (SS) – 29th 2019 selection – is eligible for the teenage team. Son of Bobby Jones (not the golfer) who pitched for Mets and Rockies. He has yet to debut.

  10. Good to have you back on Dodger Talk Badger. I have followed you on the “other” site and we have sparred a bit back and forth which I have enjoyed! Are you bringing your friend Michael back with you? As far as Ruiz, it doesn’t matter where he ranks, it’s all about what he does this year and I think the kid has a big year. And leave his swing alone. Not everyone has to hit 30 homers a year. If a catcher can hit .280 and not strike out that’s a huge plus!

    1. I asked Bear to join us Cassidy. We’ll see. He’s a good guy, pretends to be a tough old dude, probably was at one time, but I know him to be thoughtful and respectful. Damm good musician too. He sent me a CD. He can do anything, from Marshall Tucker to the Moody Blues.

    1. Thanks guys. I very much appreciate the welcome. This is, in my opinion, the most thorough blog I read. A lot of good writers here. I’ll see what I can do about dropping the composite IQ a few points. Shouldn’t take long.

  11. It’s only ST but I find the stats for the catchers a bit ‘interesting so far:
    Will Smith 2 for 18 .111
    Ruiz 0 for 8 .000
    Barnes 4 for 15 with 1 HR .267
    Rocky Gale 2 for 7 1 double .286
    Obviously, I am sure Dodgers hope Will Smith gets it going and Ruiz has too small a sample size in AB’s to read anything to it so far.
    OH and hello Badger, I of course have read many of your posts on the other site.
    I will ask ya this question, who would you like to see get that 26th spot on the roster for OD? Most are hoping it won’t be Gore but wss.

    1. Good question. What I prefer is a thumper that can clobber either side late inning relievers.

      Actually what I really want we can’t have because of the limit put on the number of pitchers. I don’t think I want a pinch runner.

      1. True but from what I’ve seen in Betts’ AB’s is solid contact, even in outs he has made. And had there been runners on base those AB’s would have advanced runners at the least and or scored a runner who was on 3rd.

  12. Looks like I have to follow you around all over the internet if I want to communicate with you Badger. Amazing how everyone seems to think you add to every site you comment on. Could we have actually found a subject upon which the entire world agrees?
    Since I arrived here after you had departed, would you mind giving me the derivation of the name Badger? I don’t believe you attended the U. of Wisconsin.

    1. Badger, def:

      1. A vicious burrowing, carnivorous mammal of the family Mustbeapaininthebutt, ornery and feisty;

      2. to harass or urge persistently; pester; nag;

      3. a native inhabitant of the Badger State.

      He ain’t a native of Wisconsin, so you pick one.

      1. I am familiar with all three definitions MT. Question is did he pick his name or did you? Really glad you guys mended fences. Your site is the best and it’s even better with Badger here.

      2. It was a nickname in college. I was an undersized OLB in a 4 4 defense. I made up for my size with quickness and tenacity. Made All Conference in ‘69. JC in Nebraska. Had visions of playing for the Huskers. Didn’t work out. My thing was first punch then move. I was unblockable by the lumbering giants. That was years ago. I can’t run across the street now. My baseball background is deeper. Played and coached into my 50s.

      1. Carlos, don’t get your hopes up because unless part of some larger deal, Dodgers will not get much in return for 2 players who will be FA’s after this season.

          1. That is the real problem Dodgers have if Roberts Cant manage it does not matter how good team can be. Specially with Pitching decisions and close games and in postseason.

  13. So, I’ll share a little private conversation with Badger before he came back to the board:

    Badger: ” I’d like to see you compliment more and call people morons less.

    Mark: “OK, how’s this? Thank you, thank you, thank you, Moron!

    Badger: “You’re welcome, you pompous blowhard. ”

    We knew we were back on solid ground, right then and there!

    1. Actually, I don’t call people morons much anymore… probably because we don’t have many here!

    2. You still drinking Peju?

      So I remember the first time we met. We’d known each other for years on various boards so sitting down for lunch was long overdue. I was living in Napa at the time. We met at Downtown Joe’s, great local haunt, sat outside by the Napa River. It was a beautiful day, his wife Patti was there, lovely woman, deserves better, and this cretin orders octopus. We are in Napa, a culinary center of the universe and Mark orders this pile of rubbery looking squid that might have been pulled from a mudbank in that river we sat next to. I’m told if prepared properly octopus tastes like lobster, all I know is to a vegetarian it looked like overcooked pink inner tube. I won’t forget that day. He paid, so, wtf do I care what he eats, right?

      1. We have been to Peju many times, but a few weeks ago we were in Napa and did not stop at Peju….

        We sent two cases from various wineries home. Stayed at the River Terrace Inn.

        Man, the fires were devastating!

        1. Nice. That’s about 4 blocks from where I lived.

          I gave it all up about 15 years ago. Miss CBD more than alcohol. I had a buddy, somebody you know, mixing a special Veteran’s Blend. I do miss living in that area.

          WORLD SERIES PREDICTIONS

          Ben Badler: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 6 games.

          Carlos Collazo: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 7 games.

          JJ Cooper: DODGERS defeat Astros in 6 games.

          Matt Eddy: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 6 games

          Kyle Glaser: YANKEES defeat Dodgers in 6 games.

          Joe Healy: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 7 games.

          Josh Norris: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 7 games

          Chris Trenkle: DODGERS defeat Yankees in 6 games.

          Badger: DODGERS beat Yankees in 6 games.

  14. Nice to have you back Badger. Always thought you had good posts about our team.

    I will take the over on wins. Would like the team to win every series from opening day to the Fall Classic.

  15. Welcome, Badger. Glad to see you joining our intelligent, informative, knowledgeable and interesting crew of writers for this blog. Did I use enough adjectives? Anxious to read your input.

      1. You can call me Mom or DBM, Badger. I feel like a mom here to everyone. Read your link and it was interesting. Thanks.

  16. Well Golly-Bob-Howdy, Brother Badger! This is the 2nd time in my lifetime there’s been such a thing as world peace! Here’s to Jimmy Carter!

  17. With so many knowledgeable folks here, I’m sure I will get an answer to a question that came up last night. Rick Monday and his partner, Tim? were doing the game at the A’s. de Geus came in with 2 outs and promptly picked off the runner at 1st, so he never threw a pitch to the batter.
    He didn’t start the next inning. Monday and Tim reported that after March 12 the real MLB rules will be in force (I knew that one) and with the new 3 batter rule, de Geus would have had to come out and start the next inning and face at least 3 batters. Since he never threw a pitch to the batter the pick off doesn’t count as a batter faced, despite it ending the inning. They showed a graphic of the rule which says (I know) 1. The pitcher needs to pitch to 3 batters or 2. the inning ends.
    But, apparently, the end of the inning didn’t apply to de Geus because he never pitched to a batter. Their analysis was that de Geus would have to come out for 3 batters the next inning. Is this what I heard? Is that really the rule? This one is news to me. Anybody know the rule as it applies to this situation?

    1. If the rule is as you described it, then I would think DeGeus would not have to come out in the next inning, because rule 2 was fulfilled (the inning ends).

    2. I heard what Tim Neverette said I was also curious. From everything I read, de Geus faced a batter and got the third out. He may not have got the batter out, but I do not remember a rule clarification indicating that the third out cannot be a pick-off.

      1. “or end the half inning” seems clear to me.

        He gets credit for 1/3 inning without throwing a pitch. I wonder how that algorithm figures into his WAR.

        I didn’t see the game but the box score credits de Geus with 1.1 innings.

        Here’s an interesting stat: in a recent survey 38% of people asked would not order a Corona beer over confusion concerning the coronavirus. The survey was taken in Indianapolis by the way. I made that last part up.

    3. And speaking of Rick Monday, he is so funny with a great sense of timing and humor. His description of a pitcher throwing at him and almost hitting him was: “he separated my helmet from my head.” And his description of some defensive player who had a great glove and was sure-handed was: “he would be the one you would give the nitroglycerin to to carry.” Loved it.

  18. Hang on Mark. What until someone disagrees with you and criticizes our Dodgers. So far I’ve made it through 2020 without you calling me a moron! And Carlos is there anything you like about the Dodgers besides Puig?

    1. Well, I just disagreed with one of his decisions and he took it ok. He traded Lemon Chicken Piccata over angel hair pasta, a side of roasted garlic mashed potatoes & steamed veggies, lightly pounded chicken breast flour dusted and sauteed in buttery meyer lemon capper sauce for a Napa Mudbank Cephalopoda. Typical Timmons trade if you ask me – gave up too much for too little in return . The man does have good taste in wine though.

  19. I’ve been saving ink (or computer digits) for when things get going for real but I had to stop by to say “Hi” to Badger. Mostly, things are peaceful here and people can disagree without getting personal.

    I can’t remember ever being so enthused to start a season as I am this year. I’m anxious to see how the last few roster spots sort themselves out, who will pitch most the season as 4th and 5th starters, how the bullpen fills out, and I think most Dodger fans probably feel the same way.

    As the season goes on, I’m sure that there will be things that divide Dodger fans and we’ll discuss them ad nauseum.

  20. Smith is a superior catcher in defense in every way to Ruiz and on offense Ruiz’s advantage is not so broad, Smith’s power compensates him, in general Smith is a better catcher.
    Ruiz will be a better hitter, in general, than Smith, the million-dollar question is whether it is worth sacrificing a bit of defense for Ruiz’s bat, AVG.
    My favorite is Smith, I give a lot of great value to the defense of a catcher and the ability to call a game, I think that Smith among the catchers of his age, right now, is the best in MLB, it seems he is 10 years in MLB and in a great offensive lineup, Smith’s great defense makes a lot of sense, a season of .240-.250, 20-25HR and 60-65 RBI combined with a great defense is a great contribution.

    1. If Smith can put up the numbers you mentioned (and I’m not saying he won’t), that will make the Dodger brass very happy. Now we have to let it play out and see if the Fresh Prince can actually do it.

    2. Won’t argue the marrow of your argument Horse, I’ll just point out that Smith will be 25 in a couple weeks. When he was Keibert’s age he was hitting .216 at Rancho Cucamonga. Smiths projections this year, if you believe in said algorithmic crystal balls, ain’t all that splendiforous. Steamer has him slashing .225/.304./444. If he manages what you think he will, yeah, great contribution. Currently he’s Andy’s guy, but I’m thinking there’s a short leash on that stud.

      I am admittedly a Ruiz fan, so my glasses may be fogged by my partiality. I like his bat to ball skills. It’s the old school in me. His defense will improve with experience. I’m not that sold on power from that position but I can see 15-20 home runs as he grows into his Major League body.

      We have three great catchers to root for going forward. I think that’s pretty cool. Just more reasons to be grateful.

  21. Has Pollock just totally forgot how to make contact with a baseball? Getting a little scary! Hurry back JOC!

  22. Chicken Strip is really snapping that curve… on occasion. In other words, he’s working on it!

  23. Haven’t been posting much lately, but felt impelled to do so tonight just to welcome Badger back. The quality of this ultra superior blog just jumped up several notches. Guess it can now be considered ultra, ultra superior. Add and extra ultra on the days that I post. 🙂

    1. I happen to drink Michelob Ultra inFusion with prickly pear cactus. It’s organic!

      Just sayin….

  24. Beaty and Rios in competition with one another to see who plays themself off the 26 man roster first!

  25. I feel bad for some of these guys…

    The Dodgers have about 10 players who will not make the team who would be on 80% of other teams.

  26. I hope all of these lofty predictions don’t turn into a negative
    Feels like a lot of pressure for them to live up to these high expectations
    What’s the old saying…something like “nothing is more burdensome than Talent”
    I’m sure someone can correct me
    By the way Mark, are you familiar with the Halo 5?
    If so…I’d like to get some feedback

    1. I am familiar with Halo 5. Long on Hype… little on substance.

      I don’t want to bore people here about it, but you can e-mail me at mark@uswatersystems .com and I will answer your questions honestly. I may have a few questions. They seem to be a solid company… I think they are way overpriced.

  27. There will be some more reassignments after tonight’s game:

    C. Santana
    Estevez
    Amaya
    Peters
    Lobstein
    Sborz
    Gilbert
    Guduan
    Sheffield
    Mosley… and more!

    1. Cull the herd. Only 19 days to go. Put the others on a P-19X program. Shape up then ship out. Let’s end this month with a 3 game lead on the giants.

      How come I have to sign in every time I post? What happened to your recognition software.

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