- Yesterday was a day where the Dodgers collectively could not jump out of a boat and hit water. Never speak of this again – Move along… nothing to see here folks. It’s just like that some days.
- Did you know that the other Max Muncy who is the Oakland A’s #4 prospect is not related to the Dodgers Max Muncy, but they share the same birthday – August 25th? You can’t make this stuff up.
- By the way, Cody Thomas is their #20 Top Prospect. I doubt that he would be in the Dodgers Top 30 now.
- I wonder if Heaney could start the season at AAA? He would have to be willing… I think he has options. Just an idea… I have no clue. There is time, so maybe it will work itself out.
- There are 10 days until the start of the season – 7 games and 3 off days. It is what it is.
- I wonder if the Dodgers might flip the script a little and let Clayton start the home opener? Probably not a big deal either way…
- Hanser is a player!
- Cody Bellinger is working hard and the Dodgers believe it will pay off. READ HERE. To panic because he has struck out 14 times in 19 ABs would be insane. Patience Grasshoppers!
- The Los Angeles Dodgers optioned Darien Núñez and re-assigned Beau Burrows to Minor League camp for a third round of Spring Training roster cuts.
- L.A. previously optioned Jacob Amaya, Michael Grove, Eddys Leonard, James Outman and Jorbit Vivas to Minor League camp; and re-assigned Carson Taylor, Hunter Feduccia, Kody Hoese, Miguel Vargas, Michael Busch, Andy Pages, Ryan Noda, Bobby Wahl, Yefry Ramirez, Sam Gaviglio, Robbie Erlin, Carson Fulmer, Ryan Pepiot, Mike Wright and Jon Duplantier.
- The Dodgers roster is now at 45 active players in big league camp, which includes 11 non-roster invitees. The total breakdown is 23 pitchers (three non-roster), four catchers (two), 10 infielders (three), five outfielders (three), and three outfielder/infielders.
- It was good to see Albert Pujols go back to the Cardinals for one final go-round with Waino and Molina.
Featured Prospect: Hyun-il Choi
Most Korean high school players are draft picks of the Korean Baseball Organization and Hyun-il Choi could have been a top draft pick in Korea Baseball, but chose to sign with the Dodgers. He made his pro debut as a 19-year-old in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2019 where he went 5-1 in 11 starts with a 2.63 ERA. What jumps out is that he struck out 71 batters in 65 IP and only walked 11 batters. He finished with a 1.05 WHIP.
Of course, Choi lost a year to the pandemic, spending the 2020 season back at home in Korea. In 2021, Hyun started the season at Rancho Cucamonga, where he went 8-3 with a 3.17 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. He struck out 75 in 65 IP and walked but 7! After mid-season, he moved up to Great Lakes, where he went 0-3 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. He struck out 31 in 41 IP. He was being “stretched” but he did not do badly for a 20-year-old, in fact, his 2021 season resulted in him being named the 2021 Dodgers Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Here is a great feature on Dodger Poke Report about Hyun:
Why did Choi go to the Dodgers when most high schoolers in South Korea play in the Korean Baseball Organization? He was asked just that, and here is his answer:
“All the best players play in MLB and all the best players have been in the minor-league system. So that was my dream. If I go [and play professionally in] Korea, it’s really hard to go to MLB. You have to be the best player in the KBO for, like, eight years and then go to MLB. That’s too hard for me. Then the Dodgers wanted to get me – so why not? I was, ‘Yeah, I’ll take it.’” – OCRegister, Bill Plunkett
The Dodgers director of player development, Will Rhymes, was complimentary of Choi but did note that he needs to work on his velocity. Therefore, Choi says that increasing his velocity in 2022 is his current goal. “It’s fairly rare for Korean-born players to come here out of high school, so we were really excited that he did. And it’s a pretty impressive run so far,” Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes said.
Choi has four pitches, but his changeup is his best pitch and it sets up his fastball and slider. Rhymes goes on to say:
“He’s more pitchability and deception and know-how than pure stuff to date, which I think is a great foundation for a pitcher, particularly one as young as he is. There have been glimpses of his stuff taking real steps forward, and now it’s about accessing the better velocity and doing it across a whole season.”
Still just 21, it seems likely that Hyun will add 2 to 3 MPH on his fastball as he matures and works with the Dodgers “Driveline” program. I see him as a middle-to-bottom of the rotation guy probably in 2024… maybe a little sooner, depending upon what happens to other young pitchers. There is always room for guys who throw strikes! I guess I would have to say that he reminds me of a slimmer, RH Ryu!
The Importance of Paying Attention
This is really good! You need to watch – You won’t be sorry!
Portugal the Man
R.I.P. Jeff Carson
A country music star who became a police officer and then returned back to music… but still was an officer in Franklin, TN at the time of his death… caused by heart attack.
Yesterday was yuk. I chose to do my taxes while watching the game. The game results were bad, taxes worse. Better luck next time.
Even the best teams get shutout from time to time. I’m glad the entire All-Star team wasn’t playing.
I wonder if our Max Muncy ever got as high as #4 in their system.
I always liked Cody Thomas. #20 in the A’s organization is not impressing me.
Knowing the Dodgers, Heaney will get injured before now and Opening day. He’s the pitching version of Bellinger. Some of his pitches are downright nasty, I don’t know what’s up with him. Maybe Badger can fix him, and Cody for that matter. I think you’re options expire once you reach the required service time to become a free agent.
Wow, only 7 games remaining. That was fast.
With the off day, I can the Dodgers lining it up that way, with Kershaw pitching on Opening Day. There’s a lot of off days in the early going. They might just skip that 5th spot while piggy-backing starters.
So far, so good with Hanser. He looks like an elite defender so far. Kike without the power and goofy personality?
Yeah, Cody is only striking out so much because he feels so strong that he bat is beating the pitch to the strike zone. It has nothing to do with him chasing out of the zone. What a mess! I think he’ll figure it out eventually.
Burrows was very impressive. Nuñez, will be a weapon in the bullpen at some point.
Pujols in St. Louis is a great thing. Glad they worked out a deal. Maybe enough time has gone by for the fans to forgive him for bolting for the Angels. They have to be feeling like they dodged a bullet.
Overall, the Dodgers rotation, bullpen and lineup are all underperforming to date this Spring. There just aren’t any bright spots outside of a couple of relievers and Freddie Freeman. With only 8 Spring Games remaining, they better get ready to flip that switch.
On the bright side, this is the most talented team in the league. I doubt everyone will start to suck all of the sudden.
Spring was short to begin with and it seems like it took a really long time for guys to make appearances in games so far. Mookie just started getting into games and most of their regulars have had less than 10 AB’s. Kershaw is the only starting pitcher to have 2 starts and Price hasn’t even gotten into a game.
Pitchers will not be built up to go much more than 4/5 innings and hitters haven’t had enough time to get their timing before the season starts. This is going to be a really weird start to the season. Maybe they should have waited a year before implementing the 5 options in a year rule. 2 extra roster spots doesn’t seem like enough.
BTW, that Texas Tech video is insane. I don’t want to spoil it for everyone.
Was watching a clip from MLB’s top 100 players right now and they had a pretty interesting segment on about Bellinger and Yelich. In 2018 or 2019 Yelich was ranked in the top 5 and Bellinger in the top 10. In 2022 Bellinger is ranked 99 and Yelich is ranked 100, oh how quickly the game changes. I know they are just rankings but it was astonishing to see how far these two players have regressed. I hope they both can turn it around in 2022 as they are both fun players to watch and root for.
Guess it’s time for a new pitching routine for that guy! I think the guy from second could have stolen home as well! Now that would have been something! I am most excited about all the great young arms we have developed! And to think some organizations can’t develop even one young arm. Like the Cubs and Angels. Well done AF and crew! And to think a year ago half this board thought AF was an idiot and couldn’t put together a bullpen! A Gon gonna have a huge year out of the pen
Roberts has his rotation set. Anderson will be used as a long man and Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, Heaney and Gonsolin will fill out the rotation barring injuries. My question is why they aren’t breaking up the righties and the lefties. Wouldn’t it make more sense to put Gonzo in between Urias and Heaney to give opponents a different look?
I know that Heaney has looked pretty bad. But, according to Doc, he’s working on a new grip on his bender and has left it up several times. Doc continues to state “Obviously the fastball plays”.
It really makes me wonder if Heaney would have been on a different path if he was developed further by the Dodgers instead of being traded to the Angels.
Dodgers Trade Matt Beaty To Padres
By Steve Adams | March 28, 2022 at 10:50am CDT
The Padres have acquired first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty from the Dodgers in exchange for minor league right-hander/infielder River Ryan, per a team announcement. The Padres announced Ryan, a two-way player in college, as a pitcher in their press release. The Dodgers announced him solely as an infielder.
Now he can Devil the Dodgers 19 times a year.
Only for one year. In 2023 the schedule is going to be set up so each team will play every team in both leagues. 19 games against your own division will be one of the casualties.
I never liked the idea of the NL playing any AL team until the WS. Now they’re going to play every AL team each year? I don’t like it, but I’m sure that most fans (if not all) disagree with me. I guess I feel this way because my love of baseball started in the 50’s.
The game moves on. They are trying to get more fan interest. Us old school guys are becoming less relevant. Monday almost everyday disagrees with one or more of the new rules. But as those of us who grew up watching guys like Mays, Marichal, Koufax and Big D pass on, the newer generation wants a different kind of game. We are dinosaurs my friend. Oh, they are giving out a Gil Hodges HOF bobblehead this year. Hopefully they will retire Gil’s # 14 the same day. I heard some of his family have been invited. June 18th they unveil the Koufax statue next to Robbie’s.
I’m with you Hodges. I hate it. Manfred is the worst Commissioner and is a horrible ambassador for the game.
Beaty’s trade leaves the Dodgers with just 2 players left in the entire organization from the 2015 draft: Walker Buehler and Edwin Rios!
A far cry from the 2016 draft.
That’s partially true. I just took a glance at the 2015 1rst round draft, and Phil Bickford was the #18 overall pick by the Giants and Carson Fulmer was the #8 overall pick by the White Sox, so the Dodgers have three current players who went in the 1rst round in the 2015 draft.
I mean its all true, as I was speaking of the Dodgers’ draft, but let’s not get lost in details.
BUT
IIRC, in 2015: half the team’s first rounders didn’t sign, and the 2 big $ prep players didn’t pan out.
Beyond that, the 3rd/4th/5th rounders were used in trades.
So, with all that I still call it a qualified if not outright success.
It produced Walker Buehler with the 24th overall pick. It was a fricken phenomenal draft.
2017-2018, on the other hand.
I just realized Beau Burrows was the 22nd pick of that year’s draft, so that’s now four current Dodgers who were their respective team’s #1 pick in 2015. Trivial, but interesting.
Ryan, 23, was an 11th-round pick out UNC Pembroke just last season. Though he pitched to a 2.32 ERA with a 29.7% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk rate in 93 innings of bullpen work during his NCAA career, the Friars didn’t actually put him on the mound during last year’s pro debut. He spent a dozen games with the Padres’ Rookie-level affiliate in the Arizona Complex League and batted .308/.349/.436 with a homer, two doubles and four stolen bases in 43 plate appearances.
A must read article from The Athletic https://theathletic.com/3212654/2022/03/28/why-baseball-is-moving-second-base-and-what-this-experiment-could-mean-for-the-game/ How many of you even knew this about the setup of the diamond???
Ludicrously fun Jayson Stark article on (in?) The Athletic about moving 2nd Base.
Holy shit that’s a good read.
That is very interesting… who knew?
For those that don’t have or want to pay for Stark, here’s a free link to the 2nd base issue.
https://defector.com/wait-second-base-has-been-where-this-whole-time/
Dodgers 2022 draft
First round: 40th overall (dropped 10 spots)
Second round: forfeited (Freeman)
Third round: normal
Fourth round: normal
Compensatory pick (Seager): forfeited (Freeman)
Fifth through 20th round: normal
With Freddie Freeman signing new six-year, $162 million contract, the Dodgers will incur a cost in both the 2022 MLB Draft and the next international signing period. Here’s a look at those penalties.
Surpassing the competitive balance tax threshold in 2021 was punitive not just in the tax the Dodgers paid, which was $32.65 million. By reaching the third surcharge tier ($40 million above the base threshold, which meant at least $250 million last year) with a $285.6 million payroll, the Dodgers will also see their first pick in the 2022 draft drop by 10 slots.
The Dodgers were slated to pick 30th overall based on inverse order of record (plus the Mets getting a compensatory pick at No. 11 overall for failing to sign Kumar Rocker last year), but now that pick will be No. 40.
Being a luxury tax payor in 2021 also meant lesser benefits and more punitive costs for qualifying offer free agents.
For Corey Seager signing with the Rangers, the Dodgers receive a compensatory draft pick directly after the fourth round. Had the Dodgers not paid the luxury tax last year, their compensation pick for Seager would have instead come after Competitive Balance Round B, which is just after the second round.
For signing Freeman, the Dodgers forfeit their second-highest and fifth-highest selections in the 2022 draft, as well as see their bonus pool for the next international signing period reduced by $1 million. Had the Dodgers not paid the luxury tax in 2022, they would have only forfeited the second-highest draft pick and saw its international bonus pool reduced by $500,000. This is where the Dodgers were at last offseason, when they signed Trevor Bauer and lost their second-round pick.
Baseball America has confirmed the 2022 draft will again take place during all-star weekend, from July 17-19 in Los Angeles.
The draft will be 20 rounds, with the first two rounds and supplemental rounds taking place on July 17, rounds 3-10 taking place on July 18 and rounds 11-20 taking place on July 19.
A couple of things I just read on Twitter. Both should be considered reliable sources. According to MLB Insider, the Dodgers and Trea Turner have made significant progress on an extension. Also, the Dodgers again signed Andrew Toles to a contract so he could continue to receive medical attention.
The Dodgers are a class organization.
Clayton Kershaw L
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Trea Turner R
3B Max Muncy L
DH J. Turner R
LF AJ Pollock R
CF C. Bellinger L
2B Eddy Alvarez S
C A. Barnes R
That’s what makes the Dodgers an organization that players want to be a part of. My heart and prayers go out to the Toles family. Andrew you are not forgotten!
I love Jason Stark’s article on the misplacement of 2nd base. With it being measured to the middle of the bag instead of the back corner towards centerfield is misunderstood by most fans. The other misunderstanding is home to first is 90 feet measured from the point of home plate to the BACK corner of 1st (and 3rd) base. Most people think it’s measured to the front of the bag.
I’ve had the opportunity to build a few practice infields and remeasure an infield after the infield was resurfaced and the posts for the bases dug up. With a group of dad’s as helpers there were more than a few assumptions kicked around prior to the rule book coming out
To the amazement of many dads, home to the front of first is 90 feet minus 15 inches. And with a little pythagorean theory you get the back corner (toward center) of second at 127 3/8. Not the middle of second. I had many parents argue that that just couldn’t be right.
Geez that Texas pitcher has a future as an MBL pitcher with his inability and lack of concern for holding a runner. Not only did he take a nap with his head down in the stretch, his time to home with the runner on 1st was 1.53, giving his catcher no shot.
I love Albert finishing up in St Louis.
Kershaw 4IP 1H 0BB 3Ks 40 pitches 29 strikes today. Nice outing .Dodgers lead 2-0 in the top of the 6th.
God I love Bellinger:
Similarly, he believes he is better at baseball than the numbers would suggest. “I feel very confident in what I’m doing,” he said.
As for all those strikeouts? “I’m just getting my punchies out of the way in … March? Are we in March? So they don’t happen in the season,” he said. “It’s pretty smart if you think about it that way.”
“More guys should try that,” I said.
“I think so,” he said. “Some guys hit .700 in spring. I’ve never done that. It’s good to get the punchies out of the way real early.”
“Was that kind of the plan for you last season?” I asked. “Save your hits for the playoffs?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly my plan,” he said. “I go about it in a different way. This spring I’m getting my punchies out early so I feel locked in for the season when it really matters.”
“Fatherhood has made you wise,” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “I’m a very intelligent human being now.”
Taken from SI.com
If you have ever been around Cody, you know that he is tongue-in-cheek and irreverent.
I tend to agree with this statement: “You can’t have too much pitching!”
But then I look at Heaney’s spring stats…..
Maybe one pitcher too much?
Not sure if I believe it, but one baseball scribe has suggested that Lamb may be more likely than Rios to make the opening day roster simply because (a) Rios has another option and could use the regular ABs in OKC and (b) Lamb would make “only” $1.5 mill if he makes the roster. While both Rios and Lamb are swinging the bat well, Lamb has gotten more ABs.
It’s nice for Matt Beatty, but not the Dodgers, that he wound up with the Padres. Over the last three seasons he was solid and sometimes clutch in a limited role. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Beatty delivers the late hit that beats the Dodgers one time this season.
He won’t get more playing time in SD than he did in LA. I think their plan is to play him in left field along with Profar and maybe at 1st to give Hosmer a breather. But I would rather have seen him go to the other league or to a team he had a chance at some real playing time.
Has anyone here know why we have not seen Phil Bickford this Spring and is he injured? He was a huge part of our bullpen last year.
And what about Bobby Miller ?
I can not remember him being in one of the ST games yet.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!
Well you haven’t seen Diego Cartaya either. Sometimes they do not use top prospects in spring games. Especially since this spring schedule is truncated. According to everything I have read, Bickford is not injured. But they have guys coming off of being injured and they need to see how they are progressing. No doubt Bickford will be a part of the pen. He is probably pitching in B games. I am going to have to go to California in April. My brother messed up both of his knees and my sis needs someone there who can drive him to his physical therapy sessions after he has knee surgery this week. SO I will be heading that way about the 13th of the month.