The only question is where he has punched it to. So far, he has 31 ABs with nine hits in Spring Training. He has two doubles, two home runs, and 4 RBI. He is hitting .290 with a .389 OB%, a .578 SLG, and a .937 OPS. Of course, that is a small sampling, but he did nothing but improve his Prospect Value, which was already high. He can play a credible 2B and 1B, and I am confident he could learn to be credible in LF. The question is: Is his trade value more than his value to the team?
He is a player without a position… at least for the Dodgers. However, with the right team, he might be another Rookie of the Year Candidate. If he stays a Dodger, next year may be his big debut, as there is no position now. JDM is the DH, but if he exits after this season as expected, the DH opens up for someone. Peralta will be gone, and someone can move to LF – Vargas or Busch. Lux may be back at 2B… or LF – He will unlikely be a SS again (just my opinion)… or Busch gets traded!
However, think about this: Let’s say the “Worst” happens, and Chris Taylor, Jason Heyward, and Tyayce Thompson all bomb. Then what? Next man up… that being Pages, Busch, LeDuca, Leonard, et al… or they are trade bait. Let’s say Peralta and Outman tank; do you think the Dodgers would hesitate for a minute to dip into their system to possibly trade even Diego Cartaya? If they thought it would help deliver a title, they would press the button.
What if Arte Moreno decides to sell the Angels, and they are out of contention at the All-Star break? Maybe a new buyer would want to clear payroll. The Dodgers are one of the few teams that could afford to take on Ohtani, Trout, and Rendon in a salary dump. Rendon is untradable as he is always injured, but to get Trout and Ohtani, he would have to be a throw-in. No other team (maybe other than the Yankees) could take on that money, and the prospect capital would not be that high. If the situation were right (and Moreno had the team back up for sale), the Dodgers could trade Bobby Miller, Diego Cartaya, Mike Busch, and Jonny LeDuca, and maybe another player for Rendon, Trout, and Ohtani.
Could it really happen? The stars would really have to align perfectly… It’s a long shot… But you never know. This falls into the category of Dreaming… Still, it’s fun to dream… That is a far-out trade scenario, but stranger things have happened. Right? Well, maybe not. One site suggested trading for Ohtani and Rendon (as a salary dump), but why not get all three?
Finally, to the Dodger fans banging the Drum that our $300 Million-Dollar RF’er who hit .269 last year is a real superstar, how many teams do you think would take that contract… straight up? Mayhbe none. I am not saying he is not a good player. All I am saying is look at what he did in 2018 whe he was the MVP:
- .346 BA
- .438 OB%
- 1.078 OPS
- 47 Doubles
- 32 HR
- 30 SB
Last Season:
- .269 BA (the year before it was .264)
- .340 OB%
- .873 OPS
- 40 Doubles
- 35 HR
- 12 SB
Only a TRUE IDIOT would think the Mookie of 2023 is anything close to the Mookie of 2018. He is a great defensive outfielder and a journeyman hitter… unless he can step up his game. He is no longer a superstar. He is a nice player, but the Dodgers would have to throw in cash to get someone to take that contract.
OK, play ball! Clayton’s last tuneup is tonight.
Mark, good luck with the back surgery. Prayers and thoughts are with you. What’s your prediction on how many wins the Dodgers achieve in 2023? Do they win the NL West?
Thank you!
95 to 100
They win unless the Padres are insane but I think SD will implode.
I am relieved to discover after all these years I am a TRUE IDIOT.
I guess everyone I’ve ever met in my life is wrong.
See ya.
If you read yesterday’s comments you will understand
We are usually more wrong than right. We are right when we have all of the facts and can see the whole truth much more clearly. Our vision gets blurred as a fan. We want so much for our team to win it all. But how we see players varies from person to person. Ask Mark, I despised Yasmani Grandal and Mark loved the guy. I have seen genuine superstars and those guys do it year after year after year. They win multiple MVP awards and are consistently in the top tier of players. Mookie is one of those guys you expect that from. Up through 2019 he performed that way. And he played like a superstar through the pandemic year. I give him a pass on 2021, he was banged up and having some injury issues. He improved on his numbers last year, but did not play up to Mookie numbers. Yep, he had a career high in homers. He is still one of the top 10 players in baseball. He is a genuine star.
I’m going to go on record as saying that everyone here is an idiot and all of your opinions are dumb. That’s my official position. (sarcasm, Bear)
Mookie hasn’t been bad the last couple of years. Everyone is looking at his 2018 year and lamenting that he isn’t doing that every year. He had a 10.5 WAR that year, which put him a full run ahead of Mike Trout. Yeah, I’d like to see him do that again, too, but if he continues to produce the kind of season he had last year – 144 wRC+/6.6 WAR/ better than average defense in right – then the Dodgers are getting their money’s worth from that contract. 6.6 WAR was his 3rd highest of his career and his 144 wRC+ was his second highest offensive year if you don’t count 2020, which I usually toss because nearly everyone has a career offensive year that year. Am I slightly let down by Mookie’s performance compared to my expectations and excitement when the Dodgers traded for him and signed him to a long contract? Sure, a little, but he’s not a bust, either. I think the trade for Mookie in 2020 was instrumental in them winning the WS that year. That almost makes the contract worth it.
Superstar? We know we’re in the dog days of Spring training when we’re having an argument over that definition. Are you basing it on objective numbers or more subjective intangibles? I guess I’m leaning towards the subjective camp. A superstar player is a household name, recognizable to baseball and non-baseball fans alike. If that’s the case, then it’s hard to be a superstar unless you play for the Yankees or the Red Sox, because the bias for those teams the past several years by ESPN has been ridiculous. If you watched Sports Center you’d a thought baseball was a two team league.
A-Rod was a superstar as much for his stats and his play, but also the coverage by the NY press – who he was dating, when he charged the mound, etc. Aaron Judge is probably more of a superstar than Mike Trout will ever be because of where he plays.
I don’t want to trade Busch. He’s young and controllable insurance in case Max Muncy turns into Chris Taylor. Max has a buyout next year, and I think the Dodgers really like him – hence the extension they gave him, but if he has a really bad year again this year, the Dodgers could buy out his option and insert Busch as a DH. Busch could replace Muncy’s left-handed production. He needs to learn how to play left field. I think Vargas, if he plays well this year, could be a permanent addition at second. Actually a good move to switch him to 2nd. I didn’t see that coming, assumed he was going to play 3rd, but it was smart thinking by the Dodgers. Busch will have to learn how to play LF if he wants to increase his stock value.
Your trade scenario with the Angels is pretty dope fiendish, but dope feels so good sometimes. I kinda like the Rendon part. He was one of the best 3rd basemen in the game with the Nationals, and the Dodgers reportedly made him a solid offer, but he didn’t like the political culture of LA. Assuming his injuries the last couple of years are behind him, he’s a good bounce back candidate. He’s still just 32. The Dodgers are gonna need a 3rd baseman. Muncy is not a long term solution there.
I like Mookie. He is a very good player., but a lead off hitter with a .340 OB% ain’t great… even if he hits 35 big flys!
It is a dope-fiend move that will never happen… In all probability
Only a TRUE IDIOT would regard Mookie’s incredibly epic career-best year as a baseline for his future performances.
While you’re at, why not look over Freddie’s best years and complain that he hit only 21 HRs in 2023? Seriously, we got people here complaining that Mookie hit TOO MANY home runs and not enough doubles. Call me crazy, but I want more of Freddie’s doubles to sail over the wall for a homer.
But after complaining, we might also reflect on the fact that Freddie and Mookie finished 4-5 in MVP balloting for the 2022 season. Why didn’t these losers finish 1-2, huh?
FWIW, I think Lux will should be able to return as SS, but the Dodgers may have better options by then.
Hey, how about Lux coming off ACL surgery to take over CF!
Damn I’m smart!
Meanwhile, let’s help AF scout for another “journeyman” hitter with an .873 OPS and tendency to lead the league in runs scored. Shouldn’t be too hard to find.
Mookie the journeyman’s .873 OPS rated 6th in NL–so a Top Ten guy in terms of OPS.
While we boomers can get nostalgic about batting average and RBIs, it’s now widely thought that OPS and runs scored provide a better measure of offensive production.
The journeyman’s 117 runs scored tied with Freddie to lead the league–but I’ll again point out that he did it in 142 games to Freddie’s 159. How many more runs might Mookie have scored? How many HRs would he have hit?
And the journeyman’s .533 slugging percentage tied Arenado for the NL’s second-best to Goldschmidt. In this category, the 5-9, 175-pound journeyman finished ahead of such sluggers as Machado, Riley, Alonso, Schwarber and our guy Freddie.
Do we wish that Mookie’s BA and on-base percentage would be higher? Of course. But dwelling on these stats actually obscures his true offensive value.
And he did it while winning his sixth Gold Glove….
As for Busch, I think he’ll get a shot if there’s an injury to a key player like Freddie or Vargas.
And if he does well, he’ll increase his trade value.
I got the sarcasm Patch. I am not that dense. We all are just guessing here. Been doing it all of our lives. If any of us had any real insight, we would be working for the Dodgers instead of rooting for them. If any of us were as good as any of these guys, we would have made our livings hitting or throwing baseballs.
It is very easy to criticize a player who does not meet our or the team’s expectations. In 2019, I thought Cody Bellinger was going to be as good, if not better than Mike Trout. But things happen. The 2020 season, he had some big hits, but his average sank dramatically. As did Muncy’s. I hoped for better in 21, but he had major surgery that offseason, then he broke his leg about 10 games into the season and that set him back some more. He was never at 100% yet he still was one of the league’s elite defensively and he had the biggest hit of the year when he drove in the winning run-in game 5 against the Giants. He hit 45 points higher in 22, hit 9 more homers, almost doubled his RBI totals and played high caliber defense.
But all of that barely got him above the Mendoza line and he struck out WAY TOO MUCH. So he was cut loose. Muncy had the same problem, coming back from a major injury last year. His BA was nothing to look at, but his OBP was high, and he still managed to hit 21 long balls. But Max has looked more like Max the last few games. So I am pretty confident he is not going to suck.
We all make mistakes, I got married twice, bad idea. And AF may or may not have shot himself in the foot by not signing any major free agents. But he and the coaches and doctors and training staff have a better handle on how these guys might perform than any of us do. Insider information, it is priceless. As for Mark’s trade proposal, in all reality it has about as much chance of happening as me being elected President. But like he said, it is nice to dream.
“I’m going to go on record as saying that everyone here is an idiot and all of your opinions are dumb. That’s my official position.”
Then you must feel right at home here.
Yes. Sarcasm. Solid post patch.
We are paying Mookie for about 4 WAR. He’s delivering. Superstar? I don’t see that, but I’m sure some do.
I don’t want to trade Busch either, but of course would in the right deal. We may have needs in more than one area come July.
We don’t need Rendon. I still have Vargas at third. 6’3”, 215 (when he fills out). Prototypical third baseman. Busch at second (if he’s still here) or maybe Betts. If Muncy is actually back he’s the DH.
I can’t help but feel this team is going to change shape.
So the sky is falling for many at LADT if the Dodgers only win 95 and make the playoffs. PS If it wasn’t for Mookie’s defense in 20’s post season, the Dodgers don’t win a WS
Belli too!
Mookie had a lot to do with that it is true, and his two amazing catches at the wall against the Braves were unbelievable. Cody made one of those off of a ball hit by Tatis in the NLDS that year, saving 2 runs. But the real star of the playoffs and World Series was Corey Seager. Seager blasted 9 homers in those 4-playoff series. Enough to catapult him into a tie with Justin Turner for the most playoff HR’s in Dodger history. Mookie was a major reason they won game 6 and the title, scoring the second run and homering for the third. But the star of the playoff run was clearly Seager.
It wouldn’t even take two hands to count the position players I’d take over Mookie on my team down years or not. Even with a 260 BA he’s a huge reason the dodgers have increased their winning ways since his arrival. Seems his teams win wherever he plays and that’s the stat that means the most
Andre Jackson earned the last bullpen slot. Rotation, Kersh, Julio, Code Red, Thor and Pepiot. Bullpen, Vesia, Ferguson, Phillips, Almonte, Bickford, Graterol, Jackson, and Miller. They will go with 5 outfielders with Taylor being the only infield backup, Peralta, Outman, Betts, Thompson and Heyward. Martinez is the DH and Smith and Barnes the catchers. That is the 26-man to open the year. They had better hope no infielder goes down during a game. Little thin there. Jeter Downs, one of the main pieces in two trades, sent down to AAA by the Nationals.
It doesn’t make any sense to me to have Outman and Heyward both on roster and Outman clearly deserved a shot over Heyward when a utility infield type be much more valuable. Heyward to me is the front office stubborn Gallo thinking all over again. Felt from the onset only way Heyward wasn’t making the team is if he struck out 80% of time in spring training. Honestly it chaps my hide lol
Heyward had the advantage of having a champion for his inclusion already on the team, Freeman, and he showed them enough, especially defensively, to warrant giving him a shot. He also is probably on a very short leash. You are right, they probably should have kept another infielder since Taylor is the only other infield option, unless they put Mookie or Barnes at second, on the roster. What made less sense to me was signing Peralta after they had already signed Heyward. They in theory, have 3 left-handed outfielders, and three right-handed. It is a platoon type roster. I get the feeling that Roberts is going to mix and match more this season than he ever has.
They do have backups in the minors. Hernandez and Williams could easily step in for a short period. This is one season where I think we are going to see more than usual roster movement.
How the hell was the thinking around Gallo one of stubbornness??!?!??
THat boggles my poor mind.
Stubborn in wanting another non productive platoon vet, just like Gallo last year. And I agree with Michael.
Might as well have given Busch LF and see if he can hit RHP and LHP and put Peralta, Thompson and Taylor on the bench with Barnes. LHB(Peralta), RHB(Thompson) and utility (Taylor). At least you would have a good LHB pinch hitter and a utility guy. Thompson would be the bench weak link. Who cares that Peralta is getting paid 6 million or something like that, you’re in it to win it. If Busch fails you make an adjustment and send him back to AAA.
But what do I know, I’m stupid.
We’re all uninformed Eric. Don’t take it personally.
I certainly the idea that AF and Dodger management was stubborn about Gallo.
AF traded for him to be an upgrade over Lamb–but Lamb finished better.
So AF was invested in Gallo and wanted to be proven right. They also promoted Vargas who, alas, proved he wasn’t ready. So the Dodgers went into the playoffs with two guys on the bench who really didn’t belong on the roster–and with Belli and Taylor both struggling as well.
It’s amazing to think the Dodgers won 111 games and had the game’s best offense while so many players were struggling.
So AF was invested in Gallo and wanted to be proven right.
I am just incredulous when I read stuff like that.
You KNOW this how?
“Veterans!! Must have veterans!! I don’t care if they can’t bat their weight and strike out 50% of the time! VETERANS!!!”
This organization does seem to have a bias towards veterans.
I wonder if Mark thinks AF invested in Gallo and wanted to be proven wrong.
The point is that he invested in the wrong guy. Sure, it’s hindsight, but last season I was pushing for AF to go after Drury, who having a breakout season. (I did so in part because both Muncy and JT were slumping.) While the Yankees decided to dump Gallo in favor of Benitendi and later Bader, AF decided that Beeter-for-Gallo, despite Gallo’s horrible slump, might pay off. AF stated that he regarded Gallo as an upgrade over Lamb as a lefty hitter off the bench, and that while Gallo was slumping, the talent was still there to be tapped.
Not an unreasonable risk–but in retrospect Drury would have been better. And the Gallo problem was compounded by Vargas’s poor debut (not to mention the year-long slumps of Belli and Taylor). The Dodgers had two bats on the bench who simply weren’t hitting. I doubt that any other playoff team had a bench with two hitters struggling as much as Gallo and Vargas were.
AF had in-house options too, including Edwin Rios, who had recovered in OKC but never got summoned. And why not Outman? He went back to OKC and raked. Here we are, just a few months later, and Outman will at lease be sharing duties in CF, because the Dodgers moved on from Belli and Gallo.
My sense is that Outman would have been better than both Gallo and Vargas down the stretch Perhaps the fact that Outman is 3 years older than Vargas helped him handle the pressure of the majors. Now both seem ready…. as the vanguard of a puny , bogus “youth movement”!
On a separate matter, I’m wondering if a “generational talent”–Mark’s assessment of Cartaya– is considered equal to or greater than a “superstar.”
Just took a peek at OKC’s roster, they are loaded. Right now they have 9 outfielders on the roster, but that will change. Stone is at AAA. Cartaya and Taylor are the catchers at AA Tulsa, Frasso is also starting the season there. Vivas and Leonard on the AA roster also. Outfield is Pages, Ward and DeLuca. Rushing is at high A Great Lakes.
Because after Gallo showing no improvements were happening after the trade and striking out at a fifty percent rate they were determined to keep playing him no matter how much he hurt the offense. One thing about this front office they refuse to own up to any mistake made in judgment I call that stubbornness
And they won 112 games being stubborn
And then they let him leave Michael.
His impact on the offense was negligible at worst, and non-existent at best.
You gotta take chances in life. Then you move on when they don’t work.
That’s not stubborn, that’s smart.
9:10 PM ET vs Angels at Dodger Stadium
SP Clayton Kershaw L
1-1 5.11ERA 12.1IP 9K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
DH J. Martinez R
3B Max Muncy L
LF Chris Taylor R
CF T. Thompson R
2B M. Vargas R
SS Miguel Rojas R
C A. Barnes R
Partly-cloudy-day
0% Rain
67° Wind 8 mph Out
How good would the Dodgers be without Betts and Freeman? NOT!!
What makes them different from the rest of the position players? PAYCHECK.
The Dodgers passed on Correa, Swanson, Turner, Bogaerts. Didn’t want to pay the price. Can they win without one of them just like they can’t win without Betts or Freeman? I know it wasn’t just about salary.
Unless a team can get a superstar before they reach free agency, they are going to have to pay up.
Muncy is a DH/first baseman. Is there another team that believes he can again hit 35 home runs? If so, there is trade value. Is it too late to move Vargas to 3B and Betts to 2B?
Just as Muncy is best suited for 1B or DH, Rojas is best suited as a backup infielder which would allow the Dodgers to trade/release Taylor.
Mark opened the door for crazy in his trade ideas with the Angels so how about a trade with SD for Tatis? Urias, Muncy, and Busch for Tatis? Add any players you think would be needed to make such a trade fair. Jake Cronenworth, Grove?
RF Betts
1B Freeman
SS Tatis
C Smith
LF Peralta/Busch
DH Martinez
CF Outman
2B Cronenworth
3B Vargas
May, Kershaw, Gonsolin, Pepiot, Stone
They only won one game when it really counted
What?
There’s some chances that can be taken that just aren’t very smart in the first place. Gallo was one of them, afraid Heyward could be another. I know some on here love to put Friedman on a pedestal and I think he’s done a really good job all in all but he’s made some big blunders to. Some seem to want to believe he’s not even capable of that and I just don’t understand that type of thinking
Of course he has made mistakes. However he has made fewer than most if not all and has a very good Big Club and the #1 or 2 best farm system. I do not think in the modern era of baseball it has been done this long at this level…. And there is no end in sight.
Who does it better than AF? Instead of constantly complaining (except for Bellinger), I’m grateful.
Cohen with Mets worries me. He’s got that Steinbrenner/NYC Big$$$ mojo. They could blow doors off on Ohtani & a couple more big names. Developing our own guys is cool but, I think we have to back into the Free Agent pool & grab a couple big name guys. Freddie or Mook get dinged up & we’re in a tough spot.
I do not think that AF would pull the string on the trade that Mark proposed. Too much to give up and too much salary to gain. I do think that a major trade of some kind is imminent. There are too many holes.
Unlike many here, panicking isn’t a problem for AF. Can we at least wait until June and see where we stand before trading away our young talent.
Do something logical. No way. More fun to panic.
The Astros are favored by most Sport Books to win the World Series and the Dodgers are 2nd. Yes, AF is dumb… like a fox!
Oh seeing Muncy and CT3 homer is such a good sight to see!!
This lineup is temporary. Unless it works.
Does tonight’s performance calm the what’s wrong with Kersh camp?
There’s a what’s wrong camp?
Yep.
Relax. They’re two tents.
Old joke.
Some people are in tents.
Wala. You know who with a home run.
Taylor? Muncy? Outman?
I posted late in the game. The other 2 hit em early in the game. Who hit the last one.
Outman has had a good spring. As of Thursday it means nothing. He needs to do it in games that count. They all do. The person who thought Muncy was done is sadly mistaken. I predict Mad Max hits’ 30 plus again this year. As for the Dodgers being in trouble if Mookie or Freddie go down, you can say that about any team. There are a lot of stars nursing some aches and pains. Where would the Yankees be without Judge. The Mets are banking on two older pitchers to get them to the World Series. They already lost their closer for the year. If Scherzer or Verlander get hurt, the Mets are not winning a thing.
I thought you said spring training performance means a lot. You said Outman wouldn’t make the team period at first, then you said he wouldn’t make the team if he tanks in the last 10 days or 2 weeks. Now you are saying spring training means nothing. Which is it? I can never figure out where you stand.
Eric it means something to a kid or a non-roster guy trying to make the team, but in the overall scheme of things, it means nothing. Outman had to have a good spring otherwise, he would be back in AAA. But none of that means shit once the season starts. I really believed he was headed back to AAA. He made the team, good for him, now, he has to prove he can do it every day at the major league level. Spring means little to a veteran, just look how awful Taylor has played. And there was never a chance he was not going to be on the opening day roster. Had Outman started off like Busch, he probably would have not been rewarded with a roster spot. But you watch, if the kid struggles, he will be back at OKC in a heartbeat. I stand by what I said. I felt he had little chance to make the roster. Especially after that stretch where he was striking out. If they had decided to keep another infielder, he probably would have been the odd man out.
“I really believed he was headed back to AAA.”
That says it all right there.
Oh, do you want a cookie because you thought he was making the team all along? I thought he had little chance because I did not think there was any way they were going to carry that many outfielders. How many guys kept saying that Thompson and Heyward were going to be cut? No one here has a crystal ball to look and see who is making the roster. But you just watch that kid had better play well, and play well all season long or he is back in the minors. As it is they are playing with no infield backup except Taylor. Dangerous. One injury and they are going to have to dip into the minors and hope one of those kids can do the job. Never have claimed to have inside info on who was making the roster. And it went down to the last day in Arizona before they made the decision. Had they not signed Heyward and Peralta, two vets who play the same position Outman does, he would have had an easier path. For rookies trying to make the team, it is all about performance. For veterans, guys like Taylor, Thompson, it is all about getting ready. If that is so hard for you to understand, you need counseling.
I question whether any explanation would suffice, so I will not try.
Because there is no explanation. He puts his figure up in the wind to figure out which way the wind blows and he goes with the wind.
There sure is a lot of pounding on the chest,going on around here.As much as people forecast things you would have to get some right.Anyway it is not becoming to Ladt fans or writers.