The Francisco Lindor rumors had barely died down when the media begin circulating another rumor. You all do know that unless sports writers have something to write about, they are out of a job… so if they have to resort to poetic license ) a nice way of saying “making s___t up”), they do it. The chances of Lindor getting traded to the Dodgers are slim and none and the changes Nolan Arenado is traded to the Dodgers are even less than that.
Right about now, the Rockies owe Nolan $199 Million through 2026. He can opt out of his deal after next season, at which time he would be walking away from $164 million – GUARANTEED! I have been wrong many times, but one thing I have learned is that while professional athletes may love the game, it is also about the money. Unless he wins the Triple Crown and the NL MVP, there is no way he opts out. He will be 30 in 2021 and 31 in 2022, when he can opt out. There is almost no chance any team will give a 32-year-old third baseman that same amount of money.
So, some of you my think the Dodgers will trade for him and maybe the Rockies will kick in some cash. The first obstacle is that neither team wants to trade with a team in their same division for obvious reasons. The second obstacle is the number of prospects that need to be included. If Colorado trades Nolan, they will have to do the same with Blackman, Gray, and Story – they will be in a full rebuild mode (and that’s OK, but its going to cost a lot of prospects). Lux and Ruiz just gets you into the room to talk. It’s going to take a lot more than that.
The next obstacle is that in Coors, Arenado OPS’s .985 – he is Superman there! Away from Coors, his OPS is .793 and it’s even worse in Dodger Stadium. You can rationalize it away by saying “Well it’s worse because of the Dodger’s superior pitching.” You can say that, but it is what it is. You may think that he will hit better than the .793 road OPS he now has. I may think he won’t do better, but neither of us can prove that! We simply don’t know! Wht we do know is that he is what he is: A .793 Road OPS’er! That may be what you get if you trade for Nolan!
Mookie Betts was the beneficiary of playing in Fenway Park which is also known as a hitters park. For his career, he OPS’ed .931 at Fenway, while OPS’ing . 861 on the road. He OPSed .927 for the Dodgers and actually did better at Dodger Stadium with a .950 OPS there. However, Mookie is a lot different hitter than Nolan. I cannot see how Nolan can be the offensive player he is if he comes to LA. I think that Arenado’s chances of coming to LA are very much below slim and none. However, if somehow he does become a Dodger, I will be all in on him. I just do not believe AF will take on a $199 million contract AND cough up the requisite prospects to make the deal. That sounds like a dope-fiend move!
By the way, some of you should be playing Fantasy Baseball because getting Judge, Torres, Lindor, Arenado, or Snell is pure fantasy. However, if you like to concoct up will trade schemes that will never happen, have at it. It does provide for some great comedy!
The Andrew Friedman Factor
Andrew likes to buy low and right about now, Kris Bryant’s stock has tanked. He is a former All-Star, Rookie of the Year and MVP who will be 29 next season. It has been rumored that the Cubs might consider non-tendering him, but that won’t happen if they find a trade partner. I don’t know what it would take, but it would be a lot less than Lux and Ruiz and others. Maybe Matt Beaty, Zach Reks and another mid-level prospect would get it done. Maybe it would take Ruiz… I am not sure what the Cubs value most.
Bryant has had some injuries and I think he is tired of playing in Chicago. He’s from Las Vegas so he may love to play in LA. 3B has been his primary position, but he’s no Gold Glover… although he could get better. I would put him in LF and let him rake. Pollock becomes the 4th outfielder. Bryant could put up a monster season… and I would still try and sign Turner. If the DH stays, the Dodgers would be set.
- Betts RF (R)
- Seager SS (L)
- Bryant LF (R)
- Muncy 1B (L)
- Turner/Rios 3B (R/L)
- Bellinger CF (L)
- Smith C (R)
- Pollock/Raley DH (R/L)
- Lux 2B (L)
Bryant can be a Free Agent in 2022 – maybe the Dodgers sign him… maybe he walks, but he might be a key cog in another World Championship! This is what I would call an Andrew Friedman-esque move. This is also a move rooted in logic. Other teams will want him too, but $18.6 million for one season is do-able for the Dodgers.
Dodger Press Release
DODGERS ADD GERARDO CARRILLO, ANDRE JACKSON, EDWIN UCETA AND ZACH REKS TO 40-MAN ROSTER
LOS ANGELES – TheLos Angeles Dodgers added right-handed pitchers Gerardo Carrillo, Andre Jackson and Edwin Uceta as well as OF Zach Reks to the 40-man roster. The 40-man roster is at 36.
Carrillo, 22, spent the 2020 season at the Dodgers secondary site. In 2019, he made 21 starts and tallied a 5-9 record with a 5.44 ERA (52 ER/86.0 IP) and 86 strikeouts with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. The right-hander has been with the Dodgers since signing as a non-drafted free agent on July 5, 2016 out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In four combined seasons at the minor league level, he has posted a 14-12 record with a 3.57 ERA (77 ER/ 194.1 IP) across 50 games (41 starts).
Jackson, 24, finished his fourth professional season in the Dodgers’ organization at the secondary site. The right-hander owns a 10-7 record with a 3.45 ERA (70 ER/182.2 IP) and 217 strikeouts in 43 career minor league games (42 starts). In 2019, he went 7-2 with a 3.06 ERA (39 ER/114.2 IP) and a 1.28 WHIP in 25 starts between Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga. The Arizona native was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Utah.
Uceta, 22, finished his fifth season with the Dodgers organization after going a combined 11-2 with a 2.77 ERA (38 ER/123.1 IP) in 26 games between Double-A Tulsa and Rancho Cucamonga in 2019. In four minor league seasons with the Dodgers, he is 20-12 with a 3.72 ERA (137 ER/331.0 IP) and 362 strikeouts in 76 games (66 starts). He was originally acquired by the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2016. Reks, 27, has been with the Dodgers since being drafted in the 10th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Kentucky. In three minor league seasons, across five different levels, he has hit a combined .300 (272-for-908) with 35 homers and 145 RBI. In 2019, he clubbed 28 homers in 121 games.
Dodger News
- The Rockies signed Conner Joe – Good Luck and Good Health to you CJ – The Dodgers just had no place for you.
- It’s a sad day that forces the Dodgers to cut ties with the Ogden Raptors. It is reported that the Dodgers will replace Ogden with Spokane and that Spokane would be High A and Rancho Cucamonga would be Low A.
- MLB is looking to keep around cities that lost their MLB affiliation for “other baseball projects” whatever that means.
- MLB announced the Appalachian League — a league similar to the Pioneer League — will be converted to a summer circuit for the country’s top underclassmen college players.
- There are reports that the Dodgers are going to cut ties with the Great Lakes Loons as well, but yesterday afternoon, the Loons President Mike Hayes said that was false. “From everything we can determine, it’s false,” Hayes said of the rumor. “The Dodgers don’t agree with the article, and, frankly, neither does Spokane. The reporter at that paper just got some wrong information.” Somebody’s got it all wrong – Hoornstra or the Loons President! We shall find out who. It does make sense logistically, for the Dodgers to move to Spokane, rather than Midland, Michigan, but we shll see!
- The Dodgers have three vacant spots on their roster… most likely for their own free agents. I say JT, Kike and Woody! I think Baez is gone and Treinen is iffy. It’s interesting that there are no Joc Pederson rumors out there.
- I wonder how Andrew Toles is doing?
Thought the consensus was that Brett de Geus would be protected.
Jeff and I both thought he would be.
They did not listen to us.
I think he will be snapped up in Rule 5!
Joc Pedersen named Manager of the Ogden Raptors, three hours later Dodgers announce separation from the Ogden Raptors, Los Angeles Angels said to be interested in acquiring the Ogden team. Stay tuned, more to come later.
I would love to see Kris Bryant as the full time left fielder; but, I don’t think the Dodgers will take on $18.6M in payroll. Ideally the Cubs would take back AJ Pollock ($12M AAV) as part of the package for Bryant — or Dodgers trade Pollock to another team looking for OF’er (Cardinals? Nationals? Indians?)
Pollock had an 881 OPS last year and lead the team in homers (tied with Mookie). He makes a 3rd of what Mookie makes. Why do you want to trade him? BTW. The whole point to get Bryant is to get another RH bat in the lineup. If you trade Pollock, you aren’t really accomplishing that.
I would take Arrenado, Bryant, JT at 3B in that order. If I get Arrenado or Bryant, there’s no need to sign JT unless there will be a DH. It just seems so simple to fill the hole at third base and not change any other position players. I don’t understand why people want to complicate things by moving everyone’s positions.
It’s helpful that Bryant also plays LF if you can extend him as it would provide flexibility to develop Hoese to take over at third once Pollock’s contract is up, moving Bryant to LF at that point. It make no sense to have Pollock DH in a JT/DH scenario. If there is a DH next year, it would make more sense to have more athletic players on the field with JT doing most of the DH work to save his knees and letting several players rotate through DH to give them a partial day off. IF there’s a DH in the NL next year, which hasn’t been confirmed.
Why would I trade Pollock? He will be 33 years old next month, slugging % in 2020 was ~ 100 points higher than his career slugging %, he is well below average defensively, and below average OF arm. Sell now instead of waiting for him to return to, or below his norms. Dodgers lineup that includes Bryant, Turner (assuming that he is re-signed), Betts, Chris Taylor, and Will Smith is plenty of RH bats. And, I believe the Dodgers will sign the South Korean middle infielder Kim who also hits from the right side.
Bill Shea yesterday Athletic. Must read.
Do the Dodgers really have to cut costs?
Of course not. There is enough wealth in these organizations, especially the Dodgers, to keep everyone employed for a year, which is about how long it’s going to take to get all of America vaccinated.
Why let Baez go? He’s not that expensive. He finally has an off speed pitch he can throw for strikes. The last two years he’s got a WHIP under 1. Give him the 6th inning for $4 million.
Doesn’t Pollock also make $18 million?
AJ’s average salary for the purpose of the salary cap is $12M. Next year he will be paid $18M, but only $12M against the cap. sportrac.com is a good site for salary info.
Correct. I was just there and read that he makes $18 million in ‘21, $13 million in ‘22.
2022 – opt out available ($5M buyout), with 1,000 plate appearances across 2020, 2021, or 1,450 plate appearances across 2019-2021
2023 Player Option includes a $5M buyout
2023 Option escalates $1M each for 400,450,500,550,600 Plate Appearances in 2022
2023 option increases $1M per point based on finish in 2019-22 MVP voting, with 5 points for first place, 3 points for second-fifth place, and 1 point for sixth-10th place
I guess my question is – why would the Cubs be interested in taking on that much money?
Answer: They wouldn’t
Yep, AJ getsa18 this year and 13 in 2022. Then the option year. Hot stove season is fun and the time for temporary inanity among the faithful. When I was young I used to dream the Dodgers would trade for Willie Mays. I am pretty sure Badger would have loved to have seen Mickey in a Dodger uniform. As I got older I realized just how much the Giants hated the Dodgers and there was no way then they traded any of their major stars that they were going to send them south. If you check, the two teams have never traded major pieces to each other while that player was in his prime. First trade I remember with any certainty was Tom Haller in 68. I am not even sure there were minor transactions between the teams before that. Of course the Dodgers traded Jackie after the 56 season to the Giants but he retired and the trade was rescinded. I quit thinking about big names coming to the Dodgers, especially the elite guys and was upset when favorites went else where. Hodges went in the expansion draft along with Neal. Snider was sold to the Mets. When Willie Davis went to the Expos I was shocked. He had been a Dodger so long. Then of course the Piazza deal. That one still stinks. But I said all that to say this, I live in Colorado and I am surrounded by Rockies fans. If somehow the two came together for a trade of that magnitude, it would be somewhat like the Piazza trade for Rockies fans. They love Arenado and Story. Blackmon is not called Chuck Nazty because they dislike him. And trading players to the Dodgers is something the Rockies have rarely done and they have never done one with an impact player like Nolan. So I believe that although there might be interest on AF’s part, as there should be, the roadblocks to a trade like that are huge. And the GM of the Rocks would get serious heat for doing anything to help a team who is despised by the fans, and perennially better than the Rockies. And just so you guys know, people from California are disliked a lot here. The fact that Denver has sprawled out like LA is over the years and prices for housing soared when a huge influx of people moving here from California some years ago has not set well with the natives. As for Bryant, it might make sense to get him to play another position. But that would depend on whether Turner comes back or not, and just exactly what the return to the Cubs would be. And it was reported this morning that the Nats have a serious interest in both DJLM and Bryant and they have some bucks to spend and 7 open roster spots.
Who says all of America want to get vaccinated? I think you will find a significant segment of the population that don’t get flu shots, don’t vaccinate their children, etc. that are going to have no interest in a Covid vaccine. Maybe you are suggesting that people will be forced to get vaccinated in America (sort of sounds Un-American to force people to have something put into their body that they don’t want, don’t it?) I think that many things that have been done thus far, actually have flown in the face of actually bringing this disease under control.
Since the conversation was directed at what the Dodgers can afford or not afford and it was speculated that the vaccine is the cure for the Dodgers employment practices, I am not making a political statement, just questioning Badger speculation.
I was referring to an Athletic column written yesterday. Did you read it?
Of course not everyone will want to get vaccinated. But there will be millions lining up to do it. Obviously, provided it proves to be safe and actually works, the more the better. Or maybe you don’t buy that?
I don’t trust the government and whatever other substance they might try and add to that vaccine.
I hear you there. And I don’t really trust the pharmaceutical corporations either. But….. don’t we have to do this?
Pollock will be paid $19M in 2021, but his AAV is $12M — under contract for $10M in 2022, and a team option for $10M in 2023. Source: Fangraphs roster resource
Cots baseball contracts has Pollock being paid $15M in 2021, and can opt out after the season and be paid an additional $5M
If you don’t get Bryant to play 3rd then getting him seems random. You already have Pollock signed and playing well. Better to speculate about the area of need, 3b, bullpen, right handed hitter off the bench. Now if you want to speculate about getting Bryant to play 1b at least it addresses a possible need. Muncie is valuable but not a great defensive 1b.
No, Muncy is not a great defender at 1st, but Bryant would not be either.
It’s my opinion that if Muncy focused on first base he would be just fine. The Dodgers like to move players all over the place. That works for some. I don’t believe Muncy is one of those guys. Put him at first and leave him there. Or, trade him to Colorado. He would love hitting there.
I don’t think Bryant is needed. As long as Pollock remains healthy, and giving him a lot of days off will help with that, he can OPS at or over .800. If Pederson is gone, a cost effective platoon in left might be McKinstry. He’s played out there before. He’s gonna be 26 in April. If not now, when?
I’m not sure how Kris Bryant makes the Dodgers better unless he returns to his old form. We’ve already got AJ Pollock in left. Had a pretty good season, better defender. Just extend Seager, re-sign Turner and add a couple of relievers. What did Andrew Friedman mean about a right handed bat. Another bat besides Turner? Could the DH play a role?
Maybe Friedman is serious about adding a big bat. Or maybe it’s just part of a wish list, if something falls Into place that makes sense. Still uncertain how all this plays out. They just laid off a bunch of employees, pointing to financial concerns. Taking a beating over that. Did seem odd if the organization is overflowing with dollars, looking to add to player payroll.
But in Friedman’s interview there was no indication of concern over payroll as they pursue a second World Series title. Maybe they felt they were staff heavy and were planning to downsize? Or maybe they really had nothing for them to do because of the virus and quanatine. Nothing is real clear here.
I still like giving Gavin Lux a full shot at second base. Really like his skill set. His late start and difficult season may have to do more with Covid than anything else. We just don’t know.
So, no to Bryant. The cost of Arenado would be high. Still can’t see the Rockies trading with a division rival, especially not Dodgers.
Hey, it’s like a great big mystery. Speculating is such fun.
The Lakers also won a championship and have already replaced 3 of their 5 championship starters and are still looking at more trades and free agent signings. They have a two person core and half of that core is in limbo.
Yes, the Dodgers very well could make some trades and sign free agents and change the makeup of the team that just won the WS.
The Dodgers want a big righty bat. Every time Turner had to run full out we all held our breaths until we knew if he hadn’t pulled a leg muscle. Other teams know about his legs. He could wind up as our Manny Mota with a few more at bats at a team friendly contract. He therefore would not qualify for the big righty bat Friedman wants.
Gleyber Torres might be available according to some pundits if the Yankees can swap him for pitching and the Yankees are a righty hitting dominant team in need of lefty hitters. A steal for the Dodgers would be Price, Muncy, and Gonsolin. I would put Torres at third.
Rotation? Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, May, Kluber/Wood.
Turner, at age 36, projects a higher OPS than does Torres. And he is a better defender.
Turner would be fine if he lost some of that beer gut he carries around. I’m thinking he was at least 12 pounds overweight last year. Slim down to 195 and the legs will be grateful.
Ouch Badger! He looked pretty slim to me. AS long as he was standing next to Joc!
Torres is a poor defender and how on God’s Green Earth are the Dodgers better minus, Muncy, Price, and Gonsolin?
That weakens the team BIG TIME!
Alex Wood would only re-sign with the Dodgers if he agrees to go to the pen. He’s no starter and Kluber is huge question mark.
Molly Knight on Kike Hernandez: https://theathletic.com/2212120/2020/11/20/kike-hernandezs-free-agency-dodgers/?source=weeklyemail
I know you love Gleyber, Bum and I’m not saying I would hate it if we traded for him, but to say that Price, Muncy and Gonsolin would be a steal for the Dodgers? Muncy on his own has a higher WAR in the past three years than Gleyber does. And you want to throw in two very good pitchers on top of that?
Gleyber will be 24 in 2021 and will make about $3M. He won’t be a free agent until 2025 giving the Dodgers 4 years of control.
Muncy will be 30 in 2021 and his AAV is $9M. He will be a free agent in 2024 giving the Yankees 3 years of control.
Gleyber at age 22 hit 38 home runs in 2019,
Muncy hit 35 home runs at age 28 in 2019.
Muncy’s cumulative post season line is .233 .400 .481 .881
Gleyber’s cumulative postseason line is .342 .432 .605 1.037
Defense? Gleyber has played second and shortstop at ages 21 through 23 in the pressure cooker known as Yankee Stadium and NYC. His defense will be fine at either of the infield corners.
Dodgers move $25M of payroll to NY and get back $3M for a net reduction of $22M. Actually save more than that in actual dollars if AAV not used.
Yankees get a power lefty bat they need and pitching. If they trade Voit for more pitching, Muncy can play first for them or he can replace Gleyber’s “terrible” defense at second base leaving the Yankees looking for a shortstop.
How would you like to be Trevor Ariza? The guy was traded again, and is now with his 4th team since the end of the season. He will be with OKC next year. I remember him from when he was a Laker. Howard went to the 76er’s and Danny Green was traded only to be traded again on draft day, and the Lakers traded their pick. Fun to speculate who might come to LA, and of course the rumor mill is churning fast. Next important date is Dec 2 when teams must submit their non tender lists. Expect there will be many casualties. And the number of available players on the free agent list will grow exponentially. 2 Pac-12 games cancelled. ESPN will broadcast USC-Utah.
How can you be sure Ariza will be with OKC next season Bear? There is still a month to go until opening day. He could be traded 6 or 8 more times.
You can never be sure of anything in the NBA. The Lakers are pretty sure Davis resigns, but it is not a lock. Ariza now fills a need in OKC since they traded his clone to the Lakers.
Did anyone mention that with just a couple bullpen pieces this team is easily the 21 WS favorites. Why the rush to make huge changes and give up any of our top young talent? Just wait for the 21 free agent class and keep our top young players. That’s what separates us from other franchises. Buehler, Urias, May, Gonsolin, Gray and al will keep us at the top for years to come. I’m not trading any of those guys!
I think it’s because AF is on record saying he needs a right handed bat, preferably a third baseman and a couple of bullpen pieces. So, while you’re right about bullpen pieces, it doesn’t change the fact that he also wants a right handed bat.
Speculation is fun. But, eventually reality sets in and the solution becomes uncomplicated and clear. The easiest path would be to sign Turner and add to the bullpen. Done. I find it hard to believe that JT would move on from the Dodgers. With the pandemic and a huge reduction in revenue how many teams are in the market for a 36 year old player? I would think not many. With a new two year deal JT will have made over $80M in his career playing for his hometown team that has been the most successful team in MLB in the last decade. His other option might be retirement, but he’s still very productive player.
Another issue is what does Corey want to do? I think this is the most important question the Dodgers face this offseason. I know he’s not a FA until after 2021, but I would think that Andrew would be in communication with Seager and Boros on a new contract right now. In the Dodger’s favor is the fact that the teams that can afford him are few. The Yankees (do they really need a SS?), the Mets ( will they have spent a lot of money this offseason by their new owner?), and maybe the Giants? That’s kind of it right now. Slight possibility of Philly or Washington. In today’s market I would think that an 8 year $200-225M contract would be doable. That would have him at 35 years old in the last year of the contract. Having the DH in the future would reduce of some of the risk because of his size and injury history.
If Bellinger doesn’t change his approach and swing I would not sign him long term. He’s an injury waiting to happen with how hard he swings. His surgery on his shoulder will not be the last he has if he doesn’t change his approach. I’ve said in the past it’s like he thinks “I’m the best player in baseball so I’m going to use a stance that no one else uses and try to be still better than everyone else”. Very good hitter during the season against average to mediocre pitching. In the postseason he failed again this year. That’s one of his few consistencies…failure in the postseason. With his talent and athleticism he should hit .320-.350 with 30-45 HR and 120-150 RBI a year. And, add his GG defense no matter where he plays he should be, by far, the best player in baseball. But, if he doesn’t change then I pass on him long term unless he takes a lesser amount than he thinks he’s worth.
With Buehler, if he stays healthy and it doesn’t continually take a half a season for him to get on track should get a nice payday. But, I think the days of $30-35M a year for #1 starters is going the way of the hit and run play. I don’t see why a team would pay a pitcher that much to throw 150-180 innings per year. I’ve mentioned before that front offices aren’t allowing starters to go more than 5-6 innings anymore because of “one size fits all” analytics (thank you Tampa Bay) and, therefore, don’t have to pay them huge salaries. Why pay a lot of money to a starter when you can have a staff of BP guys making less than $15-20M a year. With the inconsistencies of relief pitchers year to year it’s hard to invest huge amounts of payroll in a top reliever. Mark has pointed this out many times in the past. Look what Colorado did a few years ago signing three relievers for a combined $100M+. All three failed miserably. AF has invested several high draft picks for potential relief prospects recently just for that reason. If they don’t work out then the cost is minimal and move on to the next candidate. That’s why I think this FA season is going to have many top line relievers looking for one year contracts to get through the uncertainty of the pandemic issues and the new MLB labor agreement. This could be a huge advantage for the Dodgers. Be aggressive in that the FAs will be anxious to sign to eliminate being left out. Very little risk for potentially superior talent. Also, this would give the recent relief prospects another year of development.
Anyway, curious to see how things pan out for the Dodgers. I’m leaning toward simple solutions.
Carry on.
Cody has holes. We all realize that. And his postseason numbers are what they are. But he hit 4 homers this post season and drove in 13 runs. Only Seager hit more post season homers, and he and Muncy had more RBI’s 20, 14. The guy is 24 years old. Under team control until 2024. His biggest fault in my book is the constant tooling with the batting stance and his swing. I think he is smart enough to realize that his approach has to be different. And he is also coach able.
“And he is also coach able.“
Is he? His approach, from stance to strike zone management to finish creates a lot of holes. If we can see it you know his instructors can see it. His entire offensive game is blind squirrel oriented. He will occasionally punish mistakes, but he’s an easy out for good pitchers. I’d be very surprised to see another .900 OPS year out of him without some serious changes in his approach. He should be a .290 hitter with a .400 OBP. He did it once. Can he do it again? I wouldn’t bet on it.
I would like to believe he is, And I also have to believe he knows he needs to do better and that alone will lead him to listen better.
Well then given those deficiencies, why was every against trading Cody for Gleyber straight up?
Mark wants to move Lux to the outfield so ok, move him to center field.
Because Torres is simply not equal to Bellinger period. Lux is an infielder who can’t carry Bellinger’s glove at this point in time. And Mark is not running the Dodgers Torres biggest hole is the mitt he wears when he is fielding. No player is perfect, they all have holes in their games. And seems to me Bellinger has an MVP and a ROY on his resume. Torres does not make the cut. Give it up. AF is not trading Bellinger straight up for Torres.
Bear, I disagree with you when you say Cody is smart enough to realize his approach has to be different? I know he is only 25 (not 24), but he has almost 4 full years of major league experience. First year good. Second year he struggled. Third year he was MVP based on a spectacular 1/2 season and then falling off a cliff the second half and the postseason. Fourth year he was average, had a good start to the postseason. But, in the WS against superior pitching he failed miserably. He grew up in major league clubhouses as a kid. He has had access to fantastic coaching and training. Few players are more talented than Cody right now. But, with all these advantages this is the hitting approach he wants to use? It’s a frickin joke. Baseball is his profession, his life, and what he knows best. And to say he is smart enough to correct his hitting approach at this stage of his career is a real reach. He is not smart.
I’ve asked many times in the past, who’s in charge here? Obvious, Cody is I guess. I find that hard to believe, but I guess that’s the case. Maybe, AF figures he’ll just get what he can out of him and then trade him later before he hits free agency. Without any adjustments I know I would.
Well said ted.
I heard the same argument against Joc, and unless you know Bellinger personally neither you nor I know what his mental makeup is. I leave the condition of his mental state to those who know him best. Greater players than he have performed miserably in the World Series. In his only World Series Ted Williams was LOUSY. I hear the same crap all the time after players have a rough stretch or a less than stellar season, and Dodger fans in particular are a fickle bunch. I heard all sorts of people wanting Corey Seager gone when he was injured and coming off of missing a ton of time. And it took a while for him to get his legs under him and now no one wants him to leave. Yeah, I mis spoke and he is 25. That is pretty young to give up on a talent like that. Easy for any fan to sit here and criticize. But the game just ain’t that easy. You compare him to other players his age and he is toward the top of the list. If he thinks his way is better and won’t change and the Dodgers still want to keep him, who are we to argue with their choice. The coaches and his manager know him best. So let the experts make the decisions. We know nothing about their competitive desire or drive to get better. I said I have to believe he wants to improve. If that is not the case, well trade him then. But we do not know what the circumstances are.
Excellent take tedraymond.
Anybody heard how Tommy Lasorda is doing?
Have not heard a thing He was in the ICU and have not seen an update,
Ok, thanks Bear.
Concerning former Giants who became Dodgers, I really liked Sal (the barber) Maglie and Jeff Kent. I would never have wanted Barry Bonds. Offer Bellinger to the Angels for Trout.
That would help balance the RH/LH lineup for the Dodgers and give financial relief to the Angels while giving them a younger star in CF (or 1B).
It would take a lot more than Bellinger to land the fish.
Bellinger and Pollock
See what I did there.
Schebler signed a 900,000 dollar deal with the Angels. It is a minor league deal and the 900,000 is what he gets if he is in the majors. Bradley leaves the Lakers for Miami on a 2 year deal.
Ok Bear time for the Trojans to step up on the road tonight! Win tonight and they probably go undefeated and play Oregon in Pac 12 championship.
I got UCLA vs Oargun today.
Oh, and I also have 21 points. 25 push-ups bet with a buddy in Ewejean.
Well I for one would like to see intensity during the entire game from them. So far their game plans have not been solid.
I like Cody Bellinger but I am not sold on him being a cornerstone player for the Dodgers. His defensive prowess is undeniable but holes in his swing keeps him from performing with the bat at an elite level on a consistent basis. I believe it would be a mistake for the Dodgers to bypass signing or training for a potential cornerstone player(s) because of a perceived inability to extend Cody Bellinger at a later date. I am not advocating we trade Bellinger, but it would be understandable if Dodger brass allowed Bellinger to walk as a free agent in order to use those contract dollars on an impact bat.
What planet are some of you guys on? Man, you are tough on a guy (Bellinger) who has put up the 14th best WAR in baseball since he arrived.
#14!
Let me tell you who is behind him:
Altuve
Springer
Goldschmidt
Story
Harper
Turner
Bryant
Machado
Cruz
Stanton
Martinez
DJLM
Correa
and a ton of others.
By the way, Torres is #122!
#122!
Cody Bellinger could walk on water and you haters would say that it’s only because he can’t swim!
Take a drink of reality!
He’s a 4 WAR player that had an outlier 9 WAR year.
Look, I like Bellinger. As a former player and coach I find his methods at the plate frustrating. With just a few minor adjustments I think he could be a better hitter. But, I can say that about a number of players. The current 2 strike approach of Major Leaguers is maddening to an old schooler like me.
Mark, where do you see Belly’s numbers in years to come?Superstar or star?
I think he will continue to develop and the surgery may be a blessing in disguise.
It will likely force him to cut down on his swing and choose his spots to unleash it.
I think that he will become more like Christian Yelich, who is older.
I see him as a #3 hitter.
SUPERSTAR! His Career OPS is .911 – That is Superstar Status.
Mookie Betts career OPS is .895.
I truly have no clue what some people are looking at. Cody has had 2 good to great years and two not so great… but not horrid. On average, he IS a Superstar!
And some want to trade the #14 WAR Player for the #122? The math doesn’t work!
I guess I need to remind some of you.
Postseason stats.
Team batting OPS Dodgers 2nd best at .814
Team starting pitching ERA Dodgers 4th best at 3.17
Team relief pitching ERA Dodgers 8th best at 3.64
The most important thing to remember is that Julio Urias pitched in relief in the postseason and pitched fantastically. Take Urias out of the team relief pitching and you probably have a significantly higher postseason team relief pitching ERA.
On top of that Blake Treinen who pitched well in key spots in the World Series is currently a free agent.
THE BULLPEN NEEDS TO BE REBUILT.
AF knows that. Now is not the time.
In a month, prices will be WAY down.
Hopefully there will still be some top relievers available. Otherwise another missed chance to improve/rebuild the bullpen.
You’re right that AF has done just that in the past. It’s how we wound up with Kelly.
The Dodger 40 man roster is at 36. With this flexibility it will be interest8ng to see who, if any AF picks up off the non tender list Dec 2nd.
.
He also will sign some of his own FA’s.
Which brings me immediately to Baez. He shouldn’t be that expensive.
For me Belly has yet to hit in October in four straight years when it matters most. That’s an issue. Next year is a big year for him. If he returns to a 900 OPS guy then this lineup will be scary. Heck I could play 3b and still make the playoffs!
For a guy who has not hit well in October, he has 8 HR and 26 RBI and has scored 24 Runs.
In the same time-frame, Justin Turner has 10 HR and 29 RBI and has scored 31 Runs.
Turner has a much higher BA, but Cody has had some big hits. He can do better!
That sounds impressive Mark.
221 plate appearances. .189/.262/.368.
That doesn’t.
I’m rooting for him! I’d love to see Seager, Belly, Buehler and Julio all signed long term and perennial all stars with lots of parades!
The constant tinkering this year was because Belli was trying to find a swing that didn’t hurt his shoulder.
His swing is so violent it hurts my shoulder watching it.
Bang!
MT – You’re trying to sell Belli too much like Grandal and that got very boring…
Maybe it’s a IQ issue and someone will get to him and then a superstar shall emerge…
#14 in WAR makes him a superstar already.
That point was countered already. Hint: Malcolm Gladwell.
Badger you almost called the UCLA game today. If it wasn’t for the attempted Hail Mary debacle at the end of the half….. Oregon looked terrible. PAC 12 is the minor leagues this year!
Yep. They won’t get a sniff of the playoffs. Again.
I’m sure bellinger shoulder caused him problems. If the surgery is successful and he is healthy he is a game changer. He is a 5 tool player who can scare the opposing team. Even though he was bad in the series Tampa intentionally walked him in a crucial situation. I’m glad they did but what team can bat a talent like him sixth. Also, remember the nightmare for la when he was not the cf for one game. We should be glad we have him, hope he gets healthy, and accept he is one of the top players in the game.
According to fangraphs Bellinger has accumulated a 16.7 WAR since 2017. Nearly half of his cumulative WAR was posted during his MVP season when he posted a 7.8 WAR. Good for forth in the league, behind only Trout, Bregman and Yelich.
My issue is whether Bellinger can reach the level of offensive output that led to his eventual MVP season? Or, is he closer to the 2017-18 player who averaged nearly a 4.0 WAR? A 4.0 WAR is not bad, but we need more consistent production with the bat to consider him a cornerstone player.
Bellinger began to cool off during the second half of his MVP season and it carried over to this season. I’m not ready to place Bellinger on the same elite status as Yelich until he can produce at an elite level for more than one season. Is he a good player? Absolutely! But, do I consider him an elite player? Not yet!
Yeah, I mentioned earlier. It was rWAR that I looked at and it was 9.1 in ‘19. Outlier year. I really doubt we see that again. Like I said, he’s a 4 WAR player that could be better if he patches the holes in his swing. Mark is excellent at providing stats that support his argument. The only guy I know who does it better is me. And maybe Jeff. 2d2. rick. Heck I guess we’re all pretty good at it.