DODGERS ANNOUNCE BASEBALL OPERATIONS MOVES
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Damon Jones as Vice President, Assistant General Manager & Baseball Legal Counsel, and the promotions of Alex Slater to Vice President, Assistant General Manager, Brandon McDaniel to Vice President of Player Performance and Thomas Albert to Head Athletic Trainer.
Jones joins the Dodgers after serving the last two seasons as the Washington Football Team’s General Counsel. The Harvard Law School alumnus has over 20 years of experience as a sports, entertainment and media attorney, including 13 seasons with the Washington Nationals organization as the Senior Vice President & General Counsel. The former UC Santa Barbara baseball standout was selected to the 2020 UCSB Intercollegiate Hall of Fame as the Distinguished Gaucho and was on the Nationals staff in 2019 when they won the World Championship.
Slater has been part of the Dodgers front office since 2014, serving various roles, including Director of Baseball Operations (2017-2021), Assistant Director of Scouting (2015-2017) and Senior Manager of Pro Scouting (2014-2015). The UC Berkeley alumnus joined the Dodgers the same offseason in which Andrew Friedman was named President, Baseball Operations. Slater has been in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons, serving as a Baseball Operations Assistant in the professional scouting department of the San Diego Padres from 2009-2014.
McDaniel will enter his 10th season at the Major League level with the Dodgers and his first as the Vice President of Player Performance. He was previously the Dodgers’ Director of Player Performance from 2019-2021 and has held various titles since joining Los Angeles, including Dodgers’ Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2013 and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach from 2014-2018. He originally joined the Dodgers in 2012, working as the Strength Coach for Triple-A Albuquerque. In total, McDaniel enters his 14th season in professional baseball, working three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2007-2009.
Albert will take over as the Head Athletic Trainer after serving as the Dodgers’ Assistant Athletic Trainer from 2016-2021. He is in his 11th season in professional baseball after serving four seasons with the Cleveland Indians as Medical/Rehabilitation Coordinator from 2012-2015. A native of Burlington, Iowa, earned his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from A.T. Still University.
Brandon Gomes Promoted to GM
I predicted this a few weeks ago, although I did not know if it would be Jeff Kingston or Brandon Gomes – It turned out to be Gomes. I guess Andrew Friedman did not have anything else to do. 😉
Good for Gomes. Keeps other teams from poaching him from the Dodgers since the Mets had an interest this year.
Gomes and Andrew go back a long way. He pitched for the Rays during AF’s tenure there.
Andrew absolutely raves about Gomes whenever he has a chance and he’s not the typical Ivy League graduate who never played ball who is now holding down a GM spot. Coincidentally, they both attended Tulane, although not at the same time.
I wonder if this means Jeff Kingston will leave?
… maybe not today… but by next season.
Well you can put the Correa to the Dodgers rumors to bed, he signed with Bora’s agency.
Good! We don’t want him and his cocky attitude or do we need him for him for what Boras will sign him for from some moronic owner. Sign Freedie Freeman. He plays everyday and will more than make up for Seager’s numbers and strengthen our infield defense.
I agree. With Muncy’s status up in the air, signing Freddie makes a lot of sense. Don’t have to rush Max back, and gives them some time to see what Lux can do playing everyday.
We? Do you consider yourself royalty?
I think he is referring to Dodger fans over all, and I agree. WE do not want that cheater on the Dodgers.
Don’t speak for me. You might try saying you think about 60% of Dodgers fans don’t want him but haven’t seen a survey to base that on.
Hey Bum, If you want that a-hole that is your business. But the vast MAJORITY of comments on the subject I have seen are dead set against it. Now, personally, I do not care for him at all. But in this case, I think you are just being argumentative. And I am sure that Andrew does not consider himself to be speaking for the entire fan base. There is not a single person who posts here who has any idea what AF is going to do if and when this stupid lockout ends. I personally think 60 percent is low.
No real surprise on Gomes. More or less heads off outside pursuit. The Dodgers obviously wanted to keep him. Seen as a rising star.
Correa? Who cares? Certainly didn’t want to see the Dodgers sign him for some massive overpay. Carries far too much baggage for Dodgers fan base.
While Freddie Freeman would certainly give the Dodgers a big boost, still think he returns to the Braves. If he doesn’t, Dodgers certainly make a lot of sense. But Dodgers biggest need remains the starting rotation. Hate to see the Dodgers send some of their top prospects to another team. Maybe there is a deal to be had that works, but doesn’t cost top minor league arms.
Even though I think it’s a strong possibility that Clayton Kershaw returns, we still have no idea as to his health.
Right now it’s Buehler, Urias, Gonsolin and Price. Who knows what Price brings to the table? Certainly trades available.
While no transactions can take place now, does that mean GMs can’t discuss potential deals?
How about Andrew Heaney?
Yes, should have included Heaney.
What are the odds Andrew Heaney has more wins in 2022 than Max Scherzer?
Love to see it.
If I was the Mets, I would have some concerns about Scherzer’s arm, the way he finished, age and his ability to stay healthy in 2022. So Heaney ending up with a better record is certainly a possibility.
Dodgers prospects ranked in Baseball America’s top 100
Year Top 50 Top 100 Prospects
2022 3 5 Cartaya (23), Miller (38), Vargas (40), Busch (76), Pepiot (99)
2021 0 3 Ruiz (53), Gray (68), Busch (87)
2020 2 7 Lux (4), May (20), Graterol (60), Ruiz (81), Gonsolin (82), Gray (84), Cartaya (97)
2019 3 5 Ruiz (20), Verdugo (35), Lux (40), May (82), Smith (95)
2018 3 4 Buehler (13), Verdugo (37), Ruiz (40), White (69)
2017 2 4 Bellinger (7), Alvarez (26), Verdugo (58), Calhoun (92)
2016 4 7 Seager (1), Urías (4), De Leon (23), Maeda (50), Bellinger (54), Holmes (72), Verdugo (100)
2015 3 4 Seager (5), Pederson (8), Urías (10), Holmes (74)
2014 2 4 Pederson (34), Seager (37), Urías (51), Lee (95)
2013 2 2 Ryu (42), Puig (47)
2012 0 3 Lee (62), Webster (95), Eovaldi (96)
2011 1 3 Gordon (26), Lee (89) De La Rosa (90)
2010 2 2 Gordon (46), Withrow (48)
What is the latest on Trevor Bauer?
Here is the latest on Trevor Bauer:
There is no news. Basically from what I have read, the Pasadena Police have not even submitted the case to the DA. MLB won’t act until they finish their investigation. As for Correa, many pundits were linking him with the Dodgers, but this signing with Boras agency and the fact that pre lockout he was seeking a contract around 330 mil, makes it a no brainer that he is not coming here. I would not be so fast as to believe Freeman is going back to the Braves. He wanted six years and they have refused to do that. He is reported to be upset that they did not go beyond five years.
According to multiple sources, the Pasadena Police turned the case over to the DA at the end of August:
https://www.tmz.com/2021/08/27/trevor-bauer-police-investigation-turned-over-to-district-attorney/
I stand corrected and the DA is slower than a snail at deciding what the hell he is going to do.
Uh, do as I say, not as I do. Someone’s got to do the work.
I think Dodgers have more presidents and vise presidents than the rest of the world.
What ever works. Lasorda was a special assistant to the President when he was still alive. His main job was to show up and make the fans happy.