Starting Pitching

Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Josiah Gray.  It sure seems like the Dodgers are loaded with starting pitching.  But are they?  Outside of Walker Buehler, which of the above pitchers is a lock to being a top of the rotation starting pitcher. 

Clayton Kershaw?  Sure fire HOF pitcher, and should end his career as a Dodger.  There  is no question in my mind about that.  He was fairly dominant (MOST) of the time in 2020, but not always.  He did not make his initial start to 2020 because of back issues.  The same was true for one of his starts in the post season.  At 33, his back is not going to magically improve.  Since 2014, CK has been on the IL every year except 2015.  There will always be concerns about his back.  Three out of the past five years, Clayton did not pitch enough innings to qualify for post season ERA (or similar) awards.   Kersh will be 33 in his FA year in 2021.  I am hoping that Clayton will have a CY type season to make it difficult for AF next winter, but I cannot see him pitching enough innings to get to that elite level.

David Price?  I am hopeful, but I really have no idea as to how he will do after nearly 1 ½ years of not pitching.  He looked pretty good early in ST in 2020, but he was never able to stretch out so we have no idea how long he will be able to go in 2021.  He is a former CY winner, so he has the pedigree.  I think LA will be a much better venue than Fenway, and I think he will find a new gear against NL batters.  Will he opt out again if the pandemic is not under control?  As an optimist, I think he will pitch in 2021, and will prove to be a solid #3 (or #4 depending on the next pitcher).  Of course the skeptical naysayers will point out his poor postseason resume up to the 2018 season.  They need to let it go.  He found that gear, and with my rose colored glasses, I will expect him to be a force in the 2021 postseason.

Julio Urias? Is Julio an enigma still trying to find his path, or during the 2020 postseason did he gain that confidence he may have been missing?  I know it seems like Julio has been around forever, but he is still just 24.  His biggest obstacle since he started to pitch at the ML level was his “nibbling”.  There was no question that Urias had the arm, but did he have the confidence to trust it?  I know I have never spoken to Julio, Doc, Mark Prior, Honey, or AF about this, and I am guessing that nobody else on LADT has either.  But something changed in the postseason for him. 

Is Urias a starter or reliever?  His career numbers seem to indicate that he might be more valuable as a reliever, but again he is only 24.

Starter – 38 G, 172 IP, 3.61 ERA, 1.314 WHIP, 2.54 SO/W

Reliever – 36 G, 67 IP, 2.15 ERA, 1.090 WHIP, 2.68 SO/W

It is not that his starter numbers are unimpressive, but it is his relief numbers seem to indicate that he is more comfortable in that role.  Regardless of role, he still nibbles, and has too many walks to his level of strikeouts.

Urias has seemingly always had a penchant for throwing up a bad 1st inning, and the metrics seem to bear that out.  Last year:

  • 1st inning – 9.00 ERA – .341/.400/.591/.991, 3 HR
  • 2nd inning – 1.86 ERA – .216/.256/.351/.608, 1 HR
  • 3rd inning – 2.70 ERA – .206/.308/.324/.631, 1 HR
  • 4th inning – 0.90 ERA – .143/.189/.171/.361, 0 HR
  • 5th inning – 3.68 ERA – 3.68 ERA – .231/.286/.269/.555, 0 HR

Next, how did Julio look as he moved through the batting order for the second time?  Third?

  • 1st PA in game as a SP – .309/.367/.543/.910
  • 2nd PA in game as a SP – .149/.213/.176/.388
  • 3rd PA in game as a SP – .233/.281/.267/.548

His second time through the order is much better than the first, and his third time is also more than acceptable. 

Pitch count?

  • Pitch 1-25 – 62 PA – .273/.339/.473/.811
  • Pitch 26-50 – 69 PA – .206/.275/.333/.609
  • Pitch 51-75 – 67 PA – .210/.269/.242/.511
  • Pitch 76-100 – 26 PA – .160/.192/.200/.392

As the game goes on, Urias seems to get better.  He needed to find a way to get out of that 1st inning.  To this novice talent evaluator, it sure seemed like he was “afraid” to trust his stuff and would not challenge the hitters in the beginning of the game.  He did not seem to have that problem when he came in relief.  It would be interesting to understand his approach to starting vs relieving.  But Julio came of age during the 2020 postseason, and the Dodgers were certainly the beneficiary.  Something clicked. He pitched in 6 games: 4 in relief and 2 as a starter.  He was 4-0 with one save (WS Game 6 clincher).  In relief, he did not allow an earned run, while as a starter, he allowed 3, all on solo HRs.  He needs to realize that solo HRs are not as bad as stringing singles and walks together. Just better command on that one mistake. One pitch, one run, rather than a drawn out inning with 25-30 pitches. 

Doc may have found his very near future #2 behind Walker Buehler by giving him the opportunity to GROW in Game 7 of the NLCS, and Game 6 of the WS.  With titles on the line, Julio Urias was at his best.  Other than Corey Seager, name me a more deserving overall postseason MVP.  For all of the negative arrows slung at Doc over the years (yes, some deserving), he was rock solid in the confidence he showed in Julio, and I think that confidence will be a boon to Urias and the Dodgers for the next several years.

Dustin May?  As a 22 year old, Dustin was the #5 vote getter for 2020 ROY.  Dustin was solid, but not spectacular during the season.  His postseason started out much the same until a must win Game 5 of the NLCS where nerves certainly appeared to get to him.  His struggles continued in his next two appearances, but Doc stayed with him, and Dustin seemed to find himself in a critical WS Game 5.

Dustin was the #2 LAD prospect by FanGraphs, and #14 overall.

FanGraphs has Dustin with a current/future value of his pitchers:

Fastball – 65/65 (4-seamer and 2-seamer sinker)

  • Slider – 60/60
  • Change –  45/50
  • Cutter – 55/60
  • Command – 50/60

Dustin’s percentage of pitches thrown and velocity:

  • 2-Seam Fastball (Sinker) – 50.5% – 98 MPH – 1.8 Runs Above Average (0 is average – > 0 is good)
  • Cutter – 24.6% – 93.8 MPH, 3.5 Runs Above Average
  • Curve – 13.4% – 86.8 MPH, 1.3 Runs Above Average
  • 4-Seam Fastball – 6.5% – 99 MPH, 0.0 Runs Above Average
  • Change – 5.1% – 90.8 MPH, 1.2 Runs Above Average

Excluding his 1.0 inning in his opener against Arizona on September 10, Dustin averaged 77 pitches per outing, with a high of 88.  As he continues to mature, both physically and psychologically, those numbers could rise if management allows it.  Where Dustin really needs to grow is to develop his swing and miss pitch.  His swinging strike rate is a low 8.4%.  His contact rate was 82.5%. 

Dustin will be a solid #5 this year, and could move to a #3 if he can improve his swing and miss pitch.

Tony Gonsolin? Tony was another solid rookie starting pitcher in 2020, garnering the #4 ROY vote from Baseball Writers, and #1 from Baseball America.  Tony reported to camp late, but was still able to start Game 8 of the 2020 season and went 4.0 innings and threw 63 pitches.  It was 11 days before he pitched again.  He did not get into a regular rotation spot until September.  For the season, Gonsolin pitched in 9 games and started 8.  He averaged 78 pitches with a high of 90 on September 15 against the Padres, going 7.0 innings and getting the win.

Tony was the #4 LAD prospect by FanGraphs, and #83 overall.

FanGraphs has Tony with a current/future value of his pitchers:

  • Fastball – 60/60
  • Slider – 50/50
  • Curve –  55/55
  • Splitter – 70/70
  • Command – 45/45

Tony’s percentage of pitches thrown and velocity:

  • 4-Seam Fastball – 47.5% – 95 MPH, 11.2 Runs Above Average
  • Splitter – 29.8% – 85.1 MPH, (0.5) Runs Above Average
  • Slider – 16.6% – 87.4 MPH, 3.9 Runs Above Average
  • Curve – 6.0% – 81.6 MPH, (0.9) Runs Above Average

Unlike May, Gonsolin does have Swing and Miss capabilities.  He had a 14% swing and miss rate, compared to May’s 8.4%.  However, Gonsolin will be 27 next year, and while he does have 4 pitches, only two appear to be plus pitches.  Although one of his current negative pitches, the splitter, FanGraphs looks at that pitch with plus plus potential.  Gonsolin is still learning to be a starting pitcher, but perhaps the Dodgers already have their late inning high leverage reliever.  Tony has two plus pitches and perhaps he can further develop the splitter to be a big time swing and miss pitch.  Of course he can still be considered a starting pitcher, and can be extremely successful in that role.  But at the beginning of the 2021 season, with no injuries or pitchers opting out, Tony figures to be the #6 SP.

Josiah Gray?  Jo Jo spent the entire 2020 season at the secondary site at USC.  He did get to work some with the development team, but drills and intrasquad games are not an adequate substitute with competitive games.  Gray turns 23 next month, and is very close to being declared MLB ready.  Has Gray passed Mitch White in the starting pitching rotation carousel?  If so, he would be #7, but we will not know for sure how much he has progressed until we see him at AAA in 2021.

Gray is now considered FanGraphs LAD prospect #1, and #58 overall.

FanGraphs has Jo Jo with a current/future value of his pitchers:

  • Fastball – 55/60
  • Slider – 50/55
  • Curve –  50/50
  • Change – 40/50
  • Command – 50/60

MLB Pipeline generally grades Gray the same as FanGraphs. 

Baseball America’s scouting report:

Gray has a lively arm, athletic body and excellent arm strength. His 91-95 mph fastball is a plus pitch because of its life, his command of it and his ability to generate swings and misses up in the zone. His 84-87 mph slider could use further refinement. It’s somewhat slurvy for now, but it shows late tilt at its best and projects as an above-average pitch. Gray also mixes in a developing changeup that needs to improve. Gray shows advanced fastball command and average control for his age. Gray has plenty of room to continue to develop as a pitcher. His athleticism, strong lower half and his feel for pitching gives him a strong base.

His pitching repertoire does not scream top of the rotation pitcher.  At present, he projects to be a #5 SP.  MLB Pipeline indicates that his ceiling is that of a mid-rotation SP, but he is going to need to further develop two of his pitches.  Since he is really still learning how to pitch, and his athleticism is unquestioned, he could possible do just that.  Or perhaps he converts to a plus reliever.  At some point, Jo Jo Gray is going to help the Dodgers, but probably not before 2022.  Mitch White and Andre Jackson figure to be the next two considerations. And they are questionable as potential Dodger starters as well. More inclined to go with relief or trade chips.

In summary, the Dodgers have a solid foursome of starting pitchers in Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, and Julio Urias.  With the questions of health somewhat circulating around Clayton Kershaw and David Price, should the Dodgers feel comfortable that their depth will once again be sufficient to cover for any SP shortfall?  Or does AF look to add a veteran pitcher on a one year low risk high reward contract? Can a one year James Paxton or one year Corey Kluber deal act as an insurance policy for “just in case”. I am not as convinced as some of you are that Jo Jo Gray is anything more than a #5, and not for the Dodgers. He reminds me of Josh James of the Astros, a once highly regarded prospect who is more Ross Stripling than Lance McCullers. I hope I am wrong, but he has a lot of growth ahead of him to reach mid rotation starter.

I see no reason for LAD to sign Trevor Bauer to a 4-Year $128MM contract, as projected by MLBTradeRumors.  That is an average of $32MM AAV for a 30 year old pitcher with an inconsistent pitching resume.  I do have confidence in Dustin May to assume a spot in the rotation, and hold on to it.

This article has 39 Comments

  1. Nice analysis, Jeff. If we have a normal spring training, it will give our young pitchers a chance to continue to grow and develop, and David Price to get the rust off. Price is a question mark. At his age, with not having pitched for so long, who knows what to expect. I’m hoping he’ll be solid. CK, as you point out, will always be limited by his back problems, and has a ton of innings already on his left arm. He will be solid next year, but I’m not sure if we can expect him to produce another year like 2020. It may be slow decline from here, unless he somehow keeps his Driveline-enhanced velocity. On the other hand, I expect Urias (still needs a nickname) and May to take a step up in 2021. I think we saw the real Julio in the playoffs. We should get more of the same in 2021. And May has nasty stuff. Look for the Dodgers to help him further develop. Don’t forget, he still has had few major league innings and is still a young guy. I expect to see growth in 2021, with more swings and misses. Gonsolin also has good stuff, but I don’t see him in the same category as Urias or May. Is he a bullpen piece? A 6th starter? Who know? He’ll be solid, but I don’t expect spectacular things. Thus, ranking them from 1 to 6 in terms of performance metrics in 2021, I would expect the following. I’ve also indicted where I see them trending compared to their 2020 (or in the case of Price, most recent) performance.

    Buehler – up
    Urias – up
    CK – down
    May – up
    Price – down
    Gonsolin – not sure

    I feel more confident about my predictions for the first three. There are more question marks about the next three.

    I’m curious how others see this.

  2. Great topic and points. I believe 90%+ starting pitchers have the same questions, whether they are young guys trying to find their way, or veterans who have thrown 36,000 competitive pitches like Kershaw. Under the Friedman watch the team has averaged 10+ starters per season, so it is likely that the team adds at least one more starter, but I don’t think it will be a pitcher with a history of injuries over the last few years like Paxton and Kluber.

    1. I acknowledge the risk of pitchers with a history of injuries like Paxton or Kluber. I would not consider multi-year deals for either. It would have to be so that AF could release them and not let it hurt financially. Who has a better chance of being a difference maker…Corey Kluber and James Paxton, or Mike Fiers, Zack Godley, Mike Minor, Jake Arrieta, Tyler Chatwood, Gio Gonzalez, Chris Archer…? Another name I would consider on a one year deal who has a history of injuries is Rich Hill. He loved being a Dodger. I admit I like lefties.

      One trade consideration that could be available (although unlikely) is Carlos Carrasco. He has been a picture of consistency except for 2019 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. At $12MM for two years with a team option for 2023, he is probably too expensive for Cleveland. I have no idea as to what it would cost, but I am guessing a couple in the LAD #20 – #30 range.

      One pitcher who might sign a MiLB contract with a ST invite that might relish the opportunity to pitch for a potential Ring and get his name back out there is Mike Foltynewicz. Folty has been mentioned on a number of occasions in the past, and will undoubtedly be brought up again. He is an intriguing pitcher. Someone on the cusp of looking like an Ace to falling off a cliff. Or perhaps Folty is another Mark Fidrych.

      1. My first choice is Charlier Morton, even if team has to match the $15M option the Rays declined. Wants to stay close to Florida, so not likely a match with Dodgers, but…for $15M and a great chance for another World Series, who knows. After Morton I like Garrett Richards who finally seems healthy, mid 90’s velocity with his 4 seam and 2 seam fastballs, 89 slider, and above average spin rate. Experience as a starter and reliever. Yes, also history of injury (TJ surgery after delaying a year or so), but if healthy he would be a great add. Drew Smyly is another option, but another LH starter is not likely. Trade with Pirates for Joe Musgrove?

  3. A couple of points:

    1. Julio Urias, Starter, or Reliever? If you look at the stats Jeff posted you will see that he is a starter IF he can fix the first inning. Relievers don’t have Julio’s numbers the 2nd or 3rd time through the lineup! Julio is not the first starter to have 1st inning issues. The real answer is to fix that. Too amped up, overthinking, or whatever the issue is – it can be fixed. That should be the focus, not moving him to the pen.

    2. Missing a season may be a blessing in disguise to David Price. That and Driveline Baseball could have a big impact on him.

    3. Clayton (Kenley too) are working with Driveline and part of that is to strengthen the “core” which could ultimately help Clayton’s back. I look for Clayton to Start Opening Day in 2021.

    4. I could make a case that May could be better as a closer and Gonsolin is better equipped to start, but I suspect that Gonsolin will go to the pen and be part of the high-leverage relievers.

    5. JoJo Gray is a guy I look at as a workhorse. He could eventually be a #3 or #4 but when he begins his MLB career, it will be as a #5, and he will be solid. He has a lot to learn, but I could also see him in the pen in the beginning.

    6. I think Mitch White should be a full-time reliever.

    7. I think Walker Buehler needs to work harder and quit relying just on his talent. As soon as he does that, he is Cy Young!

    1. Jo Jo has a clean and repeatable delivery. He is a converted athletic SS. He is the picture of a workhorse. BUT…that is no longer much of a consideration for the Dodgers. Get to 85 pitches and the bullpen is ready to relieve you. Is 85 pitches now considered a workhorse? I think Jo Jo can be a fine pitcher, but he looks more like Ross Stripling than Orel Hershiser.

      One point to remember about May or Gonsolin…Tony will be 27 on 5/14, and Dustin is 23. That is a 4 year baseball age difference. 27 is not over the hill, but if not established, how much can he grow? His splitter can be devastating, but can he throw it effectively 6 innings for 30 starts? OTOH, if Dustin can harness and command that 4-seamer, he will overpower batters and his cutter can become the swing and miss pitch. If he can further develop the curve, he will have top of the rotation stuff. At 23, he has time to do just that. Dustin May has a chance to be special, while Tony can be an exceptional late inning high leverage shutdown reliever or a multi-inning high leverage shutdown reliever. The Dodgers actually now have a true Andrew Miller type pitcher.

  4. Great article.

    Now that CK has his ring (and another on the way in 2021) I’m content to play out the string with him. He was my 2020 WS MVP.

    Buehler’s a stud. All he’s missing is the ability to go late in games.

    Price is a wild card. I wouldn’t mind signing a one or two-year FA as insurance (Morton, Archer, et al).

    Urias will be released ala the kraken in 2021. Beware NL.

    May and Gonsolin can battle for #5 job.

  5. Great information Jeff. Since the WS many have stated that the Dodgers have plenty of starting pitching and that we should concentrate on the BP. I disagree with the SP analysis and agree with the BP thoughts. Sure, the starting pitching looks good as far as names go. But, we all know that there are pitchers on that list that will be injured or not perform as expected sometime during the season.

    Kershaw will most likely have a stint or two on the IL during the 2021 season. Driveline may help, but as we saw at the beginning of the playoffs his back became an issue. And, most likely, we won’t have a 60 game season to help reduce his wear and tear.
    With Price it’s a toss up of how he will pitch in 2021. He looked very good in ST this year. And, the year off and Driveline help he may be a #2/3 pitcher but, with how many innings?
    Buehler seems to have a problem in preparation to start the season. For a player that puts a lot of thought into his pitching mechanics it’s odd that he is not hot right out of gate each year. I think he believed there was not going to be a season in 2020 and didn’t appear to be physically or mentally prepared.
    Urias should stay in a starters role and should be an effective #3/4 now and hopefully develop into a #2 down the road. Mark has been consistent in his belief that he will be a #1, but as of now I don’t see the consistency for that to be the case. Of course, I would loved to be proven wrong.
    May should stay a starter for now. Jerking him back and forth between starting and the BP (like they have with Urias) is not good for his development. He needs to work on his breaking/off speed pitches.
    Gonsolin should be in the BP full time and groom him to replace Kenley after 2021. His FB and change can be devastating as a reliever.
    Gray may need more time in the minors. And, as Jeff notes he is probably a #4/5 initially when he reaches the Dodgers.

    So, to say the Dodgers are set with SP may be a mistake. If Bauer is still looking to sign for a year like he stated in the past why not do it? Multi-year contract, no thanks. The Dodgers have a great team right now. So, my feeling is that we add starting pitching and pile on in the BP. There are many excellent relievers available in FA. I think many will be open to one year deals in 2021. Take advantage!

    With the economics of baseball right now, let’s use the team’s financial strength. It, also, allows the Dodgers to still keep their prospects for development. There should be many potential one year contracts out their for the Dodgers to take advantage of. If you’re a top end player and have an opportunity to play in LA for a championship team even for one year why would you not?

  6. I think Gray needs another year in the minors, but if there is an injury, he could get a few starts.

  7. Tommy Lasorda has been hospitalized with a heart condition. He was put on a ventilator (not COVID related). His condition has been upgraded to resting comfortably. Prayers to Tommy and his family.

  8. Jeff, of the names you mentioned above as possible starters to sign, my first choices would be Paxton and Hill. At least we know that Dick Mountain could also be used out of the bullpen if necessary.

    May vs. Gonsolin – I’m voting for May as the starter and agree with tedraymond, don’t jerk May around by moving him back and forth. Catman has already had lots of experience as a reliever and being able to use him in an Andrew Miller role could be a huge advantage.

    I’m struck by the large number of proven major league pitchers who will be available on short contracts as free agents this year. That coupled with the larger-than-ever number of guys who will be non-tendered in early December will mean that a lot of players who thought they would still have careers will be unemployed in 2021.

    Players are reaching the majors earlier (younger) these days and I’m convinced that the new CBA will give them free agency earlier than in the old contract (although the owners will fight hard against this). Players will not be playing into their mid and late 30’s as often unless they are major stars. Careers will end at a younger age and it will be harder and harder for the Nick Puntos of the world to hang on because there will always be a cheaper alternative with a player who is just beginning his career.

  9. Welcome to the Julio Urias era! He’s our starting co ace with Buehler. Why bring in a mediocre starting pitcher who won’t even be on the playoff roster. We have enough young talent to fill in for the regular season in case of injury which we will easily qualify for the playoffs. The bullpen is the need. If anything I’d sign Wood to a 1 year deal.and keep him in bullpen and stretch him out if needed. If he can throw 93 then he’s a keeper.

  10. Praying for Tommy Lasorda who as Jeff has reported is hospitalized and on a ventilator not related to Covid.

    I absolutely love Tommy and have shared a personal story on here before about how he touched my family over 30
    Years ago when my brother was in the hospital for
    Cancer treatments. I won’t re-hash again but suffice it to say my family is praying hard for his recovery. One of the greatest, if not the greatest Dodger managers of all time.

    Get well Tommy!

  11. Some people love Tommy, some…not so much. I don’t know him personally, but have done some OC area fundraising for children’s causes, and he has always stepped up for kids.
    God bless you Mr. Lasorda. I hope you are back on your feet soon.

  12. Good article, AC. Thank you. I am not too knowledgeable on who should be or not be traded so will leave most of the analysis to those more knowledge than I. I know who I want to see come back and who I root for.

    Big time prayers for Tommy Lasorda.

  13. Pulling for Tommy. I loved the guy. His fire and passion for the game, and his love of the organization itself was over the top. MLBTR has a story that the Nats were looking to trade for Alex Wood in 2019. But he only pitched in one game before the deadline. I think he draws some interest in free agency. I liked him out of the pen because of that funky delivery of his, and the fact that sometimes he can touch in the high 90’s. I think Price is a real pro and does not want to go out with a season like last year as part of his legacy. When on, he is nasty. They could probably use a free agent starter just to be safe. An injury to any one of the big 3 and the entire pitching staff is going to have to step up. Hill really wants to go to a team with a chance to win it all. So, the Dodgers would be an option. Julio opened a lot of eyes. I think he can be dominant in either role. Right now at this point in time, I think he is more needed as a starter. Baseball is changing a lot, and the role of starting pitchers has changed dramatically. I am pretty sure after a while for thought that Blake Snell is even more angry than he was when he saw Cash coming out of the dugout to get him. His pride was wounded that day. I think the option of signing a free agent is more likely than trading for a starter. If Paxton is truly healthy, that guy is a beast. I also notice no one mentioned John Lester, who is probably one of the better post season pitchers.

    1. I thought of Jon Lester, but at 37 and seemingly running on fumes, I think it is more likely that he is on his last legs. He is a great champion, but I fear he is done. I would much rather take a chance (and I mean gamble/chance) on a pitcher coming off an injury. Before his 2019 injury, Kluber was outstanding. Are his injuries behind him? I do trust AF to do his due diligence and thoroughly reviewing the medicals. Paxton is another story. He is supposedly throwing off the mound, but that is from Scott Boras, the master of hyperbole. If Paxton is right, he is a top of the rotation pitcher, and he may want a chance at a ring in 2021. He will be 33 for 2022, and could get a three year deal if he is special for a WS Champion in 2021.

      Everyone knows I am an Alex Wood fan. I would love to see him back in a Dodger Uni for 2021, but only has a reliever. I do think his starter days are behind him. He would not be a difference maker as a starter.

        1. Wow,I would really miss JT,but surely we get a deal done. I mean we could get er done with Rios. But we would need a strong Righty Bat who would play third,do or outfielder. Hey Love those Dodger Blue World Series Champions.

        2. I totally disagree. I think the only lock, and that is judging from a lot I have read, is JT. Wood could be back, but Kike is a goner. Trienen could be back. But Baez? There are too many guys out there with the same tools who are going to be cheaper. I think they will probably talk with him, but I doubt he gets more than a one year deal anywhere and there has been talk that DM would love to have him in Miami.

      1. I have to agree with you on Wood Jeff. I just threw Lester’s name out there because I do not see him popping up on anyone’s radar including the Angels who need pitching so bad they should sign Badger as even with a wounded wing as old as his he has a better chance of getting people out than most of thier guys. I also think that White has to be in the conversation somewhere. From what little I saw of him last season, that kid has a lot of poise out on the mound. I think he could be another Ross Stripling type of swing man.

        1. I would like to see the Dodgers sign Wood to a two year deal to be mostly relief. Seeing how Urias pitched in the playoffs was kind of a revelation to me. Instead of hyper specialist relievers who only pitch in very specific scenarios or simply one inning specialists, Julio showed the value of a 2-3 inning relief pitcher – a guy who can throw his best stuff one time through the order and establish a rhythm.

          Wood can be this guy. When Wood pitched in the playoffs he was very effective, that is when he was getting his fastball to 93. 89-91 fastball Wood is not going to be effective. 93 MPH fastball Wood allows his other pitches to be more effective, and was how he was pitching when he was an all star in 17. He just can’t sustain that as a starter. As a reliever, and with some Driveline work, maybe he can.

          Players I think might be back:

          JT
          Wood
          Treinen

          The rest are adios.

      1. 3 years of control on a team friendly contract. 10.5 Mil next year. Hell has a better chance of freezing over than Snell being traded.

        1. 2 days ago I proposed a trade scenario of Gonsolin, Ruiz, Gray and White for Snell and from Mark’s reaction, you would have thought I tried to kill his dog. All those Players I mentioned are expendable. Aces aren’t cheap. If the Rays make Snell available for trade, the Dodgers should jump on it.

  14. Good stuff today. I agree with Mark’s comments on the rotation almost entirely and most of what AC said as well.

    Clayton is still top dog until he isn’t. He still has NEVER HAD A BAD SEASON! He racks up wins, seldom loses and his worst ERA in a decade was a 3.03. I still think he can improve upon last years numbers while continuing his training with Driveline.

    Bueller is an ace in waiting. He still hasn’t had a normal Spring Training. He’s due for a breakout year after a monstrous postseason where blisters couldn’t even stop him.

    David Price is going to be very good again. He showed signs that his wrist surgery fixed a big problem. His velocity really jumped in Spring Training and I think it will be the same next year. He’s always been right on the edge of good and great and has been top dog or the number 2 throughout his career. I think he’ll be very good, if not great next year.

    Julio Urias has the stuff to be an ace and he’s in the 4 spot. He still hasn’t pitched anything close to a full season, so it’s hard to predict a full season next year. Or, it can all come together after an even more monstrous post-season than Bueller and he’s a 4th ace.

    May has an elite fastball, he’s young and when he learns to pitch, he’s gonna be another ace. There just isn’t many 100 mph sinkers in baseball. He’s learning on the job and needs a swing an miss off-speed pitch to get to the next level. Not bad for the number 5 guy.

    Gonsolin has some serious swing and miss and he hasn’t been pitching all that long. I look for a Jacob Degrom trajectory from him. DeGrom started late, as a 26 YO and had his best years as a 30, 31, and 32 YO. I still see some growth possible for him. Right now he’s the 6th starter / bullpen piece.

    Pretty good bunch. All of them come with questions. We can possibly get by with the questions marks because Gray, White and either May or Gonsolin will be able to makes starts when IL stints appear. Or, we can add another quality arm if there’s a good fit. This is a good place to be and most teams can’t get close to what we have.

    As far as the free agents go. I would love to have Treinen back and JT as well. I would rather Kike and Joc get chances to start on other team. I like both of them, Joc more than Kike, but realize both players would be bench pieces. I just can’t see the Dodgers paying them millions to be part time players when we have good options that cost the minimum.

    I like Wood, but he’s just not that reliable. He’s the pitching version of Joc and Kike. Can’t play full time, but can dominate in short stints in the post-season. I would rather have them spend some money on Brad Hand and another high leverage reliever.

    I’m holding out hope that AF will find and take advantage of a couple of desperate teams trying to unload salary and adds to the quality of last year’s team instead of standing pat or doing just enough to cover the holes. I don’t want to say “All in”, but I do say improve the team. Build on it. We will see what happens.

    1. Your last paragraph says it all. We, along with maybe half a dozen other teams, won’t be completely paralyzed by what Covid has done to revenues. The other 24 or so teams will be looking to cut expenses. That’s where AF excels and I would expect he might come up with a very creative trade to take on salary while giving up very little.

  15. So, lets trade for Mike Trout, Shane Bieber, Jacob de Grom, and Gerrit Cole.

    Then we sign DJLM, Ozuna, Hendriks, and Bauer.

    Finally, we obtain everyone’s TOP PROSPECT!

    This stuff is easy. Another World Championship!

  16. Well, USC had a great comeback win yesterday. Second week in a row they have won the game in the last 2 minutes. Rams beat the Seahawks today so there is now a 3 way tie in the west. Looks like the Lakers are trading Dennis Green to the Thunder. Deal supposedly has been agreed on but cannot be announced until next week. So lots going on in sports And with baseball it is a waiting game until probably after Thanksgiving. And I got my new Second Amendment hat in the mail. All is well in the Bear cave. Saw a neat radio controlled super hero toy in one of the catalogs I get. A super hero helicopter. I think I will get the Captain America and chase the old folks down the halls with it! Not really, but it would be a kick. I have a better idea Cassidy.lets don’t because I will be worm food by then.

  17. Ordered my World Series cap. Got it for 50% off. Nice. Tomorrow in Dodger history, Dusty Baker and Ed Goodson were traded to the Dodgers for Jimmy Wynn, Tom Paciorek, Jerry Royster and Lee Lacy. Anyone remember how BAD Baker was that first year in LA. The trade was on Nov 16, 1975. Baker hit .242 with 4 homers and 39 RBI’s in 1976. He got better after that.

    1. I have two Cap orders that are outstanding from MLB.com. I have no idea when they will come. I ordered them the week after the World Series. The last time I checked, they said Dec 31.

Comments are closed.