For the uninitiated, the saying, “Like a Bad Penny” refers to the idea that if you get a penny that is damaged, spindled and/or mutilated, it comes back to you. A few days ago, I said that we were seeing the “tip of the iceberg” and that there is a story behind the Dodger woes. It turns out that it’s the same old story. Players on the Dodger’s major and minor league teams as well as many players on other teams, are Catholic and are at varying levels of being religious. Blake Treinen and Clayton Kershaw are the only Dodgers who publically voiced their displeasure at the Dodgers honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who are a group that openly mocks Catholics. Yes, they do charitable work as well, but that is like stealing little old ladies’ purses and donating the stolen money to a charity. It’s just not right!
I enlisted the help of three other fans to see what we could find out, including an unnamed poster on this site. What we found out was very interesting. We found out that no one wants to talk about it. “I just play baseball. – I have nothing to say.” It’s like they have been instructed not to talk about it. We do know a few players were very upset because they spoke about it, but that has been silenced, after all, they are paid by the Dodgers or whatever team they play for, and it could be financially detrimental to them to speak out.
After Clayton’s performance, we can rest assured that he has put it behind him and is moving on… at least until the end of the season. What happens after that will finish this story. I have always felt Clayton would retire a Dodger – this is the first time that I m not so sure. I could see him spurning the Dodgers’ offer and playing out his last years in Texas (his home state). If he is as upset about it as I think he is, I could even see him saying, “Forget the Statue, and I am entering the Hall of Fame as a Ranger.” I am not sure he can do that, but you get my drift. I would not blame him is he did.
We have not heard the last of this. I wish we had. Some of you like to cancel dissenting opinions. Google is still interfering in the election process by deleting RFK, Jr. Much of the COVID-19 mandates and ideas that once got you kicked off Facebook or Twitter is now accepted as fact. Corporations routinely cave to the Woke Mob to their great detriment. Baseball should not be a part of the political agenda, but it is. The Dodgers are right at the top of the list. I believe it will come back and bite them in the ass! I used to love baseball as a respite from that lunacy!
Back to Dodger Baseball
Clayton Kershaw is one of the Top Cy Young Candidates in 2023. What an outstanding performance last night! If Julio can come back healthy and determined, that will be a dynamic duo, and Bobby Miller and maybe Emmet Sheehan can rise to the occasion as well. If just one of Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May can stay healthy, then the pitching might just improve. I am not writing Thor off just yet; let’s see what he does on his rehab assignment.
Daniel Hudson should help the pen (maybe not immediately), and there are others on the way. This is a playoff team – of that; I am certain… whether it be by the current roster or trade(s). Still, much depends upon the rookies, and they won with four of them in the lineup last night. Max will be back this weekend, and hopefully, a couple of the rookies will step up to the next level, but progress is not always predictable and at the same rate. It’s not linear!
- David Dahl had two hits in his OKC debut
- Daniel Hudson pitched 1 inning, allowing a hit and no runs, and 1 K with OKC
- Phil Bickford pitched 1 inning and allowed no hits or runs and struck out 1
- Gus Varland struck out 2 in his inning.
- Adam Kolarek elected to stay with OKC and also pitched a scoreless inning.
Oklahoma City, Great Lakes, and Rancho , three Dodger minor league affiliates won first half division titles. Tulsa is tied for first with Arkansas with 5 games remaining, In the Dominion League team Dodger Bautista is 12-0 and loaded with top notch International players. The future looks bright.
Of particular interest in the DSL: Joendry Vargas. 17 years old,6-3, ss. Off to a very good start to his Dodgers career.
Was the Nr.3 rated prospect in the international signing period this winter.
Listed as the Nr. 22 prospect on the Dodgers.
Go Dodgers!!!!!
MLB Draft bonus pools are out, and the Dodgers in 2023 will have much more to spend on amateur players than in recent years. This year’s draft will be in Seattle in and around the All-Star Game, which will be played at T-Mobile Park. The draft will begin on Sunday, July 9.
Jim Callis at MLB.com and Carlos Collazo at Baseball America have all the details on the 2023 draft bonus pools, which are the total of every pick within the first 10 rounds of the 20-round draft. The Dodgers’ bonus pool this year is $7,274,600, up a whopping 72 percent from last year’s pool of $4.2 million.
This year, the Dodgers lost two free agents who received qualifying offers, with Trea Turner inking a $300-million deal with the Phillies, and Tyler Anderson signing with the Angels. The Dodgers get two picks after the fourth round in the 2023 draft, which are back-to-back and have slot values of $942,700 in total.
There’s also inflation, with slot values up this year roughly 9.88 percent from the same picks in 2022.
The Dodgers, like last year, see their top draft pick drop 10 spots for spending more than $40 million over the 2022 competitive balance tax threshold. This year, that means pick number 26 (which has a slot value of $3,065,000) becomes the 36th pick, with a slot value of $2,362,700.
Thanks AVF for the update. Is upcoming draft supposed to be a talented and/or deep one. The pitcher for LSU looks like he could start in mlb right now.
This is a deep draft and there’s a ton of talent to be had in the 10-50 range.
LSU’s Paul Skenes, 6’6”, 235 is MLB ready right now. 4 pitch guy. 100 mph all day, snappy slider at 88, great change at 90 with fade.
Before the game a few days ago, Kris Peterson, who I respect, said he “could start tomorrow the Yankees – Boston game”.
Too bad the Dodgers have zero chance to get him.
But the Dodgers should do everything they can to get Ryo Sasaki when he is available to comer over from Japan.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!11
I agree 100% with the first half of your comments. No place in baseball for this! I love the game and the Dodgers, but the actions of the front office was not what the game or fans needed. They need to keep special interests and politics out of the game so we as fans can enjoy the game for what it is.
Loved Kershaw’s performance last night.
Rookie Busch came thru with big RBI. But rookies still 1-14 in game. Yesterday’s game not anything to get giddy about like ‘turning it around’. Finally a complete pitching performance. But if they had scored three we would be moaning how rookies not coming thru. You don’t win many games by scoring 2 runs.
OK a win is a win
Unless the rookies begin to hit and our wounded walking pitchers return to perform at a high level this is not a playoff team. So many holes on this team and when Mookie and Freddie have a drop off in their performance we are toast even against average teams.
Almost half of the season in the books and my season preview has not changed a bit: Slightly avove .500 team.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
CK with another masterclass pitching performance last night. I hope rookies Miller and Sheehan paid close attention to how Kersh handled his 7th-inning adversity.
It’s funny how the leftist media types–who are pro/Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence/trans/LGBTQ (or whatever)–describe that group’s mocking of Catholics as “satire.” …mmm, yeah.
I would characterize what they do as satire. But satire associated with certain subject matter can be quite offensive to certain people. One person’s joke can be another’s insult. I recognize that satire has its place. Even if I personally find it distasteful or disrespectful. I’m sure I find certain jokes funny while others here would find them offensive. And vise verse. So I don’t disagree with characterizing the “nuns” as satire. I just find their form of satire in very bad taste.
However, where we agree is how the media is characterizing the issue as a whole. They are 100% gaslighting the overall issue. That kind of controversial satire has no place at a baseball game. And baseball organizations should neither endorse or condemn such activities. It simply shouldn’t be a part of the game, in general. They need to stay out of it.
The public has, largely and rightfully, made it clear that companies, brands and sports organizations should simply stay out of the culture wars. People simply have a wide, diverse set of opinions and they have nothing to do with what sport you watch, which beer you drink or which amusement park you prefer. That is what the media keeps ignoring. If people want to engage in a political or social debate there are infinite venues they can choose from to do so. TV, radio, social media, news sources ect. Likewise, if they want to consume satire or comedy, even those that many find offensive, they are free to do so if they so choose. But the term “stuffing down my throat” is apt.
What most people don’t want is the traditionally “neutral” parts of our everyday lives being dragged into these things for no reason whatsoever. Or because a very small, but vocal and powerful, subset of the “activist” set pressuring everybody and everything to take a public stand on every controversial cultural subject. A beer brand has nothing to do with politics. Until it chooses to. And the consequences were swift and conclusive.
If somebody wanted to show their support for BLM in 2020, there were only about 1 million rallies and protests in just about every corner of the country. There were half a dozen in my small city is CA. People were free to participate. Seeing BLM logos on NBA courts, NFL goal posts did little other than insert politics into areas where it had never previously. It didn’t help any cause. It just caused arguments and contempt.
The media bows to a small, but powerful, mob in refusing to recognize that point. Most people take a step back and simply say “there is a time and place, but this ain’t one of them” when it comes to sports. Keep your politics out of my face when all I want to do is root for the Dodgers or have a cold beer. Regardless what that politics might be.
People should be free to choose if they want to support or condemn a bunch of drag queen nuns who use sacrilege as a form of satire. But that choice should NOT involve whether or not to attend a Dodger game. That is what the media is completely gaslighting.
Just MHO
The reason why mainstream corporations and organizations no longer stand “neutral” on laws and politics is because they receive direct and indirect financial favors through the Feds, NGO’s, and third party entities like Blackrock and Vanguard. In short, federal agencies and the fed gov’t overall heavily promote leftists, woke, (or however you name it) policies, and now do this through big business & corporations by financial favors. It’s the corporatist, fascistic model we now live in.
LOVE this!
Amazing stuff.
Read or watch a guy named James Lindsay on this topic, either him directly, or through New Discourses. He is the authority on the topic. There’s a thoughtful discussion between him and Vivek Ramaswamy on ESG.
Hey Wayne. Read or watch a guy named James Lindsay on this topic, either him directly, or through New Discourses. He is the authority on the topic. There’s a thoughtful discussion between him and Vivek Ramaswamy on ESG.
With the Dodgers present situation so fluid with so many moving parts, predictions for this team mean nothing now. But for sure we now know the fate of this team relies heavily on so many rookies. Among them, we got 2 SP’s and at least 2 position players that must grow up fast if the Dodgers are to make any noise by the end of the year. That’s living on the razor’s edge. ..but fun to watch.
Developing Rookies is not easy and takes patience.
I do not believe in coddling them – I think they should be pushed. Typically, AF does not do that, and I’m afraid I have to disagree with the premise. People often play up to their competition, and there is never a time when a player is “ready.”
If pushed, they may be ready sooner, but you have to let them fail before they succeed.
Agree! No way AF overpays and sells the farm for magic-bullet solutions to this team’s shortcomings. So thankfully circumstances have compelled him to adopt your line of reasoning on playing rookies. At least for this year, he must throw the rookies in the water and let them sink or swim. It makes for an interesting watch.
In our society today, tolerance no longer means to put up with something you believe to be false. Tolerance now means that you’re supposed to accept every belief as true. But all beliefs can’t be true because they are mutually exclusive-they teach the opposite.
Yup, but many don’t see this because critical thinking has been removed from society.
Not completely. There are many who still do it. I for one am not caving.
I love how you say there’s no place in baseball for this but manage to make the first half of your article a right wing diatribe. And Kershaw can’t go into the Hall a Ranger even if he wanted to, the Hall gets to override that. Stop with the fear mongering.
What I wrote is not a right-wing diatribe. RFK is Democrat.
What I wrote is common sense which is not that common anymore.
What I wrote is based upon the U.S. Constitution’s Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech. Now, if you say that the left doesn’t believe in that, then that is another conversation and it is a Diatribe against the Left!
The thing is, I know plenty of Dems who do not feel that way.
I also said that I was not sure Kershaw could go into the Hall as a Ranger.
Do not confuse fact with fear!
I don’t always agree with Mark. Especially on politics.
But I agree with his general point. We all have our political views. Mark is more conservative than I am. And it shouldn’t be something we discuss here.
But that IS the point. The Dodgers gave an award to a group that a large percentage of their fan base (and almost certainly players) found deeply offensive. It’s the Dodgers who brought the politics into baseball. Not the fans. And I do believe it is having an impact in the clubhouse. To what degree, I’m not sure. But it has become, unfortunately, part of baseball discourse. It should never have been a relevant topic to Dodger fans. Yet, here we are. I would say ignore the whole thing. But if it’s potentially effecting the team, it becomes a relevant topic.
I wish that wasn’t the case.
It is beyond stupid (maybe arrogant and stupid is the definition), to mix politics and religion with business, as you alienate about half of your prospective customers.
It takes a strong dose of Dumbass Vaccine to combat such stupidity… unless you are some slimy Pillow Guy!
1. By definition, satire is the use of humor, exaggeration and ridicule to expose and criticize one’s beliefs or actions. Whether you agree with object of the satire does not change the fact that it is satire.
2. I read up on the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence because I knew nothing about them. I thought the Dodgers were allowing them to perform their satire during Pride Night. Turns out they were there to be honored on Pride Night for their charitable works with marginalized communities in the LA area, especially the LGBTQ communities.
3. I certainly understand and support Kershaw’s right to criticize the Dodgers for honoring them. I also support the two Catholic nuns who credit this organization for the charitable work that they have done to help people in the LA area. To compare them to stealing money from ladies and giving it to the poor is a bit over the top.
4. There are differences of opinion on this blog on the Dodgers and on this subject just like there are undoubtedly differences on the Dodgers about this. But I still doubt that it has lead to a fractured clubhouse and a losing record for the last five weeks. Nothing in the post seemed to support that. Other than they occurred at the same time which may make it a coincidence.
5. Anyone disagreeing with an opinion is not trying to cancel dissent. I agree with G. Sometimes inserting right wing talking points into the post like woke mob, cancel culture, anti vax issues and imprisoning Biden get us off on the wrong track.
Having said that, thanks for the website. I enjoy reading the different baseball opinions and the analysis. Go Dodgers!
Would you be ok with the Dodgers giving an award to Donald Trump for his continued support of covid vaccine awareness? Because he has been one of their biggest proponents.
I wouldn’t. Not because I’m against vaccines. I’ve published on the subject of covid vaccine efficacy. But the Dodgers should stay out of politics. Just because a person or group does some “good deeds” doesn’t make their involvement any less divisive.
There are hundreds of charities who do good work raising money for great causes who are deserving of an award. Choosing one that Catholics find seriously offensive was really stupid. And I say that as an atheist.
We shake it up & trade Mookie, Will & Stone for Ohtani. Everyone wins. The whispers about Mook are out there, eyes don’t lie.
Why not? We get all we need to dust the Snakes.
Well, that is not going to happen, but assuming it did, how would the team be better? The Angels would be.
This team as built now is not going all the way. I want two more bats and a starter and closer. We get half that with Ohtani. Build around young arms. Buy a closer.
I can’t buy the 1988 riff at all – lightening struck already. 2024 is our next window.
I’m betting that once Mariners wake up the Angels will fall and their prospects are not there. Moreno’s a flake. I will take Jo Adell while we’re at it.
Todd Boehly gets the boot in England for taking PIF money then we got more $$$ in the kitty to play with.
Adell hit a 514-foot bomb last night.
For the record, I have to say this:
I believe that the current President is unfit for office as I also believe the most past President is also unfit.
Most past?
Do you mean most recent?
Can’t we find someone on either side who isn’t 80 years old, corrupt and a sexual predator? How low we have sunk!
too low beyond my sight
Gotta wait four years it seems Cassidy.
Totally depressing.
Vargas still can’t hit the 95+ fastball
Neither can Outman
Nice job by Kersh, He stopped the skid. Bad news is that the Mayor of Anaheim invited the Sisters to the Angels Pride night which I believe is tonight. So the Dodgers back in the soup again even without their own help. Satire or not, someone is going to be offended. Just the way the world is nowadays. I love the game for the games sake. That is why I still watch. I am not religious although there was a time when I was. But I can see where people who have deep faith would be extremely offended. My sister, although not a Catholic, was very offended. Stick to baseball. Will this affect the Dodgers? Probably less than most would think. I do not think that the attendance is going to suffer greatly, nor do I think Kershaw deciding to end his career in Texas would really hurt them that bad. Kersh fans would be pissed, but I always felt he would go where he felt the most comfortable. And Texas makes a lot of sense since it is home and he would be closer to his family all the time.
Blunder,
You say we need 2 more bats. But the trade you propose makes it WORSE. We lose 2 hitters and get one in return. So now we are needing 3 more hitters.
There’s no way he was serious with that proposal.
That trade alone isn’t winning us a WS this year. And we can just sign Ohtani next year and keep all 3 of those players.
For what he will be getting? Cmon Cassidy, Ever since I started reading and posting on these blogs, fans have disdained long term deals for insane money that hamstring the team from paying other guys down the line. I would rather they use part of the money it would take to sign Ohtani, and it is going to take 400 mil plus for at least 10 years, and extend Smith. Then find some other free agents that fill needs at a lower price. Ohtani alone is not going to alter the course. He is a huge talent, that is a given, but he would also need very good players around him. The Angel team he is on now is probably the best one he has been on. And even with Trout, they probably will not sniff the playoffs in the end. He is a great player. But he alone is not the solution.
I said we CAN sign him not that we should or will. I think AF has all the info that we don’t to make that decision. What Ohtani is doing this year is insane. He leads mlb in OPS and lowest BA against in pitching! If anyone is worth a huge paycheck it’s him. Somebody is gonna pull the trigger.
Yep, and it won’t be the Dodgers. Mets will sign him for INSANE money. Or the Padres will.
I think there’s too much smoke for it not to be the Dodgers, Cassidy.
I’m more and more in the “can and will” camp.
I’d love to watch him every day!
The smoke indicates the Dodgers DO want him. But it will take more than money to “outbid” the Mets for him.
Outbid doesn’t have to be in quotes. That also assumes he’s open to being on the East Coast.
I put it in quotes because I think luring Ohtani here involves more than the amount of Benjamins thrown at him
Do I smell the faint traces of another conspiracy!!?!?
Ohtani isn’t going to be traded. The Angels are playing better than they have in many many years.
Ohtani is leading the Angels in the following categories.
Batting average
Home Runs
RBIs
Stolen Bases
Runs
OBP
Slugging
OPS
Hits
Wins
Games started
Quality starts
Strikeouts
ERA for any starter with more than 12 innings pitched.
Unless they are more than 8-10 games out of the last playoff spot, it’s not an option.
Arte is already hated by Angel fans. He’d be crucified. Run out of town.
Fans want the Angels to make the playoff and resign Ohtani. And they’re willing to roll the dice. Even though resigning him is unlikely.
The smart move would have been to trade him this offseason. After the Angels missed the playoffs last year. They didn’t do it. They are now stuck. They will likely be buyers at the deadline. They have no choice but to go all in.
I should note. Joe Adell is mashing in AAA. Destroying the league. And he’s blocked on the MLB roster.
I think he will be moved in a package for a SP.
Like I said, he hit a 514 bomb last night.
Adell is still just 24 years old. Might be a late bloomer. Problem getting him would be that Arte is not too keen on trading with LA. They are still looking for that missing submersible that was diving to see the Titanic. I am pretty sure those guys are toast.
Ya. I don’t think he’s headed down the freeway. But the angels have some decent trade pieces. I’m predicting they make a run for a #2 or #3 starter. They have a lot of pitching in the lower levels to package with Adell. I just think people have it wrong. They will be buyers at the deadline.
Sounds right to me. Angels will be competing with the Dodgers for SPs.
Adell has huge ability but he is also one of the worst outfielders I’ve ever seen. Perhaps he’s improved, but in early appearances he seemed to misread every ball hit his way. Terrible routes. It’s so odd that such an athlete with thousands of hours of practice could look so raw.
He’s also a dick. I’ve met him. Well, my son did. Many times. 11pm in San Bernardino, on E Street. The city I was born and raised in. I hate to admit how ghetto I grew up. Horrible part of town. One of the worst in the US. Where the 66ers play.
Wouldn’t sign a lineup card my boy. One given to him my their 1st base coach. Coach K. A legend.
I never asked for an autograph. Ever. It was about my kid. He was 11 at the time. I remember every detail. Adell was an asshole. I was watching from 20 feet back. Brandon Marsh? He loved my kid. Great guy. Jeter Walsh? He was awesome. Eyam could go to Anaheim stadium. And those two waved him down. Great guys. Adell? Douche bag.
But the kid can mash. He always did. His MLB time was terrible. As brief as it was. And I can’t say I did get a bit of a tickle about that. Out of spite.
But Adell can mash. Even if I can’t stand him.
Don’t F**k with my kid. Especially in my home town.
But he can play.
Sorry. Jered Walsh
I believe the Angels gay pride night was June 7 and they did honor the disgraceful sisters.
Thanks Bobo, I was not sure when it was.
Is it true that the Texas Rangers are the only MLB team that does not have a gay pride night? I thought I heard that somewhere.
You may have heard it hear. I did.
Not sure if it is true.
I think that’s correct.
I suggest they make a big trade get a Leftfielder third baseman shortstop and starting pitcher keep the four good guys and you trade anybody else to get better team and clubhouse team plays flat. If I were the Dodgers I would go get kiki back from Boston guess where he is playing 2nd base wouldn’t that be great to see him back in the clubhouse and at second. Being that fire back to the team where the game is fun.
Not happening Bradley. What you are suggesting is that they gut the team. And you are all for trading players who are under performing, and therefore have little value. You are not going to get star players trading marginal ones. And your suggestion of bringing back Kike, well he is worse than some they already have. I won’t mention his low BA. But his OPS is below .700. He has played 10 games at second base. Most of his time has been spent at SS where he is awful. He has 14 errors there. His boat sailed after the 2020 season. Yeah, he brings a lot of energy to the dugout, but he is three years older than when he left, he is not the same player he was. And he brings less to the game than Vargas, who is young and eager to learn and please. This team is having a bad stretch. It happens even in championship years. They have too much talent not to turn it around. Freddie gets hot again and they will be fine. Might not be the best team in the league, but they are better than most. And reinforcements are coming. They will target pitching and maybe a bench bat at the deadline, not the overhaul you suggest and before you say it, Muncy, Taylor, Barnes, and any of the other scrubs you might mention have very little trade value. Taylor mainly due to the 32 million he is still owed. If they got any star position player at the deadline, I would be totally shocked.
I try to understand using Kike in the infield where he’s so up/down. His throws are crazy wild some nites. Sox need a SS and a 2nd baseman. He’s a backup infielder at best.
He does look good as a centerfielder in Fenway. Still got the wheels.
I wouldn’t mind another run with Kike. He’s a baller.
The downside to Otani is that pitchers break. A 10 year $500MM contract means that you are paying $50MM for a DH if he can’t hit any more. A bad idea.
I totally agree.
100% Correct!
What is also 100% correct:
Every player is an injury risk–look at poor Gavin Lux–and yet several have signed $300m+ contracts. A lot of contracts go south–and some are predictable, like Josh Hamilton and Trevor Bauer. Nobody has questioned Ohtani’s character, and he is in superb physical condition.
So how do address the fact that Ohtani plays two roles? You mitigate the risk in the contract negotiations. You offer less $$ and you acquire insurance to hedge your bet. Not brain surgery.
In 2019, an injury kept Ohtani off the mound, and he had only two starts in the covid season. But he still DH’d. He hit well in 2019 and badly in 2020. Then he bounced back with his MVP season in 2021. His 2022 season was even better–and he was MVP runner-up to Judge’s historic campaign. If he isn’t the AL frontrunner for MVP right now, who is?
He is clearly in his prime. One of the funniest notions of the NOhtani camp is that, at 28, he is getting old. Some here insist that that AF would never commit so much $$ to a guy who will soon be on the wrong side of 30.
And yet right now both Mookie and Kershaw are getting about $30 million in AAV. And both are over 30.
If Kershaw goes to Texas and Julio takes big money elsewhere, I’d estimate that would be about $50 million that the Dodgers didn’t pay for their services. JDM, having a bounce back year, will certainly want more than the $10 million he signed for this year. Let’s say $15 million. So that’s a theoretical $65 million right there.
Ohtani will rightfully command a massive, historic contract wherever he goes. Barring a devastating injury, he’ll blast past the AAV records of Judge ($40 m) and Scherzer ($43.3 million).
He’ll also Steph Curry ($48 million) but fall short of Cristiano Reynaldo ($75 m).
But he’ll probably fall short of Cristiano Reynoldo’s $75 million AAV
Messi’s deal with Miami dwarfs everyone. Can’t wait to see seat prices when he comes to LA.
MLS goes all ‘stick to salary rules’ when it comes to 95% of the team and then Messi walks in with a deal north of $1b. For a farmer’s league they do have $$ when it a name guy jumps the pond to MLS.
When Beckham came to LA the talk was the whole team will benefit. I laughed.
Or that he needs a second Tommy John and you lose your $50m best hitter and #1 starter at the same time. I prefer risk diversification.
BANG!
RFK Jr. is a Democrat but also something of a crank, out there on the anti-vaccine fringe, pushing the idea that autism is caused by common vaccinations.
I met RFK Jr. 22 years ago when he was better known for his environmental activism. His resemblance to his father is eery, but it’s hard to see him as anything but a fringe politician.
His granddaughter is in the same class as my daughter.
His environmental days (and they were and are quite laudable) are long gone indeed.
Why does everyone assume he’ll be seeking a 10-year contract?
He might prefer a bigger AAV over a shorter deal. And he may insist on an opt-out. Just for argument’s sake, let’s say he is offered $360 million for six years, with an opt out after three. The Dodgers have paid two pitchers, Kershaw and Bauer, at least $30 million per year. Mookie’s AAV is about $30 million, and Freddie’s is $27 million.
So a $60 million AAV is within the realm of possibility.
Plus, the assumption that “pitchers break” falls flat when you consider the massive contracts that 40ish aces Scherzer and Verlander have signed. It’s also defied by the long careers of power pitchers like Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson and every other 300-game winner.
Bauer apparently wanted the highest AAV of any pitcher–and AF gave it to him, even though there were already plenty of questions about his character. (Mistakes, he’s made a few… so why not mention them? )
What does Ohtani want?
It probably starts with fair market value. He probably wants to join a winning organization. Maybe he wants to stay on the West Coast.
Will he insist on a ten-year contract? That we don’t know.
The old guys with the Mets got 2 year deals. Otani can get way more than that. And he will.
How many guys who have pitched as starters since 1990 have pitched like aces into their 40s? Its a short list. The guys you mention, Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavin.
And you can’t mention Otani in the same breath as any of them. This is his 6th season and he has pitched 430 innings. Of the 300 game winners and the two Hall of Famers that now pitch with the Mets, Scherzer has pitched over 2700 innings and Maddux over 5000 (the low and high of the group). It’s easier to predict the longevity of the likes of Scherzer and Verlander because they’ve already done it. Otani has thrown over 130 innings exactly one time in 6 seasons.
Insist on? Maybe not, offered, most likely. The Dodgers as you know since AF took over, have not signed a single starting pitcher for more than 4. Brandon McCarthy. Funny though, both the bulk of MLB players and Ken Rosenthal believe the Dodgers will sign him. I have my doubts.
DODGERS RECALL MICHAEL GROVE
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled right-handed pitcher Michael Grove and placed right-handed pitcher Shelby Miller on the injured list with neck pain.
Grove, 26, returns for his second stint with the Dodgers. On the season, he is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA (27 ER/30.0 IP) and 30 strikeouts. He has been with the Dodgers two seasons, and he is a combined 1-2 with a 6.37 ERA (42 ER/59.1 IP) and 54 strikeouts. He was drafted by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2018 First Year Player Draft out of West Virginia University.
Miller, 32, last pitched on Thursday night against the White Sox, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. On the campaign, he is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA (8 ER/30.0 IP) and 31 strikeouts in 25 games. He has allowed 12 hits in 30 innings, holding hitters to a .121 batting average against. He is in his 11th season in the Major Leagues with St. Louis (2012-14), Atlanta (2015), Arizona (2016-18), Texas (2019), Chicago (2021), Pittsburgh (2021), San Francisco (2022) and Los Angeles (2023) and he is a combined 39-58 with a 4.14 ERA (372 ER/808.0 IP) and 675 strikeouts in 192 games (132 starts). He was signed by the Dodgers on December 1, 2022.
O boy. What else can go wrong??
I bet Miller has a miraculous recovery as soon as Urias is back and Grove gets sent down
No fun betting against sure bets. 🙂
Please Urias, make it back by July 1. Please!
Only if he becomes the Urias he was last year. If he pitches like he has the last month or so, stay gone. You are not helping at all.
Agree on Julio needing to pitch better, but my desire for him to hurry up is to avoid any more Grove or bullpen games. Surely, he’s got to be better than those other two options. Don’t believe Grove is major-league ready yet.
Okay Bear what I am tired of is this team plays flat as soon as they get down in a game it’s over. That’s a reflection of your manager and clubhouse who is the leader. It used to be turner Pederson and Hernandez since those three left now what Kershaw Urias and Betts. Can you see my point compare those leaders in the clubhouse which one would run threw a wall for there team. I would want the first three guys. That’s what this team is missing a leader maybe they should have kept Justin Turner to be the leader because they sure miss him when they go on these losing streaks. There’s got to be something done about Roberts. His teams play like he looks in the clubhouse and dugout confused like a French bulldog like what should I do. Let me call up stairs and see. That’s what I am tired of you need a guy that knows how to coach baseball fundamentals an snit listen to the guys upstairs. And to get good players the dodgers will have to trade some of these young players but you even said it bear there just not that good. Other teams are getting better results from guys that com up from the minors. So your telling me then it the minor league system that was saying we have all these stars when we didn’t have the guys and now we find out there not ready. Yikes!!!!
I get it Bradley, from your vantage point, your living room chair, watching the game on TV and maybe occasionally going to the game, that the team has no fire nor guts to come back once they are down. Losing streaks? They rarely lose 3 in a row and haven’t had a streak longer than that in a while. Now, they might have a stretch where they play badly over a month, like they are in now, but no one was complaining when they were in first. I totally get your frustration though as I often feel the same myself. Roberts is the manager. He does not teach. That is up to the instructors on the team. And usually, that is the coaches. Ebel along with being the third base coach, is also the infield instructor. He is responsible for teaching the fundamentals to the players on the roster during the season and all the infielder’s, along with his assistants from the minors during spring training.
Now as to not being ready. Not every rookie who steps onto a major league diamond is ready. Many are summoned, most fail. I did not say that our kids were no good. I said that players already on the roster are not playing at a high enough level to garner much trade value, or they have a contract that most teams just will not take on. Now, Vargas is their jewel right now. Even hitting what he is, that kid is not going to be part of any trade. Neither is Outman.
Busch might be packaged as part of a deal. And probably one of their prime kids at AA. Many of the players at AAA are former big leaguers and as such have little value in trades since most teams have those kinds of guys in their own system. Now comes the biggest challenge to your desire to trade for upscale players at the deadline.
Who is going to be available? Right now, it looks like there are going to be more buyers than sellers, which is going to boost the price of any premier player a ton. Even the Reds front office has said they will have a buyers mentality at the deadline. Okay, so who does that leave? Oakland, Colorado, Kansas City, St. Louis, maybe the Mets if they do not turn it around fast, and the White Sox. Now I am going to give you an exercise you can do if you like. I want you to check out those rosters and see what players you think would bring fire and a good clubhouse vibe to the Dodgers. Not only that, who do you think on those teams makes the Dodgers better. I will be waiting for your reply.
Do they miss JT? Maybe in the clubhouse. He was a leader, but JD has more than filled his shoes with a bat.
I would look at St Louis they have an outfielder by the name of O’Neil he could be our every day left fielder they have a shortstop by the name of DeLong probable would hit better then Rojas and fields pretty good and for a starting pitcher o would say Flarethy he would fit right in the starting rotation unless the Dodgers could get Wainwright now who to trade from dodgers how about Taylor Thompson Busch and Piepiot and Pages. Wouldn’t that be something at the trade deadline.
I am sure there are a couple of guys on that list that the Dodgers would want . What I am really sure of is that A. they would not take Taylor or Thompson. Thompson is probably done for the year, and unless the Dodgers paid a huge chunk of Taylor’s remaining contract, no way he is traded either. Busch and Taylor are the only healthy players you mentioned. Pages, Pepiot and Thompson are all out. Pages for the season with surgery. Just getting O’Neil and DeJong would take some top talent from the minors or a major league ready player who they might want. Adding Flaherty would cost even more. Forget about Wainwright. He is in his last season and is going to retire a Cardinal for life. DeJong is a very good fielder, and he would provide more power than Rojas. DeJong is under a team option for next season. That would still be his if he were traded. My concern with DeJong is that he strikes out more than he walks by a large margin. Also, his OPS is not that great. Better than Rojas for sure, but not great. O’Neil is a solid player. Good power and a good fielder. And he is RH to boot. The problem with O’Neil is twofold, and I think you should have caught this. He is on the IL. And over the last two seasons he has been injured a lot. He only played 96 games last year and has in his 6-year career played more than 100 only once. And that was his best year. Also, unless you unloaded at least one or more of the outfielders already on the roster, you would have a log jam out there. Nice choices, but wrong trade pieces going back to the Cardinals.
Cambiate de equipo y de blog, por favor.
My Spanish is pretty bad right now Jose. Can you translate???
I say again
NOhtani
DukeNS – see above for rationale
I would not mind having the guy, just do not think they will break the bank to get him.
9:38 PM ET
Dodgers (40-33)
Angels (41-34)
SP Michael Grove R
0-2 8.10 ERA
SP Shohei Ohtani R
6-2 3.29 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
DH J. Martinez R
LF D. Peralta L
2B M. Vargas R
3B Chris Taylor R
CF James Outman L
SS Miguel Rojas
Clear-day
0% Rain
75° Wind 8 mph Out
A little surprised Dodgers don’t go with Mookie at SS and Heyward in RF.
But Rojas has played better lately…
Oh wait! There’s a new lineup. Mookie at SS, Heyward in RF.
Nailed it!
Tuesday scores
Oklahoma City 10, Las Vegas 5
NW Arkansas 6, Tulsa 2
Great Lakes 2, West Michigan 1
Rancho Cucamonga 3, Lake Elsinore 1
ACL Dodgers 1, ACL Giants 3
DSL Dodgers Mega 13, DSL Braves 9
DSL Dodgers Bautista 15, DSL Nationals 5
Wednesday schedule
3:35 p.m. PDT Great Lakes (Ronan Kopp) at West Michigan (Troy Melton)
5:05 p.m. Oklahoma City (TBD) vs. Las Vegas (TBD)
5:05 p.m. Tulsa (River Ryan) vs. NW Arkansas (TBD)
6:30 p.m. Rancho Cucamonga (Jared Karros) vs. Lake Elsinore (Jagger Haynes)
Bryan Hudson starting for Oklahoma City tonight
Michael Grove vs Ohtani……
Yikes….I don’t like that match up one bit. If we only scored two runs against their mediocre starter last night, tonight could be harder. Where is Max Muncy when you need him?
By the way, anyone else not happy with how the Dodgers are able to shuffle pitchers back and forth like they do? Why does MLB allow for this?
The rules changed a little when they made the pitchers have a 15-day IL instead of 10. But, since Miller is injured, he is allowed to be replaced by a pitcher who was sent down less than 15 days ago.
I’m very happy with it, because it allows them greater flexibility.
That said, I can’t believe other teams aren’t very suspicious.
Yeah, if you believe that many guys are getting Injuried while only pitching 1-2 innings….well okayyyyyyyy, if they don’t care, maybe I shouldn’t care either.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Mookie who only wants to hit home runs and doesn’t steal bases would relinquish the lead off spot?
I think Freddy who runs the bases well, and gets on more than anyone else on the team would be perfect in the lead off spot. He’s in a slump right now, but normally is much more consistent and not prone to hot and cold spells like Mookie.
That way, a lot of those leadoff home runs for Mookie would become two run home runs.
The problem is, I don’t think Mookie would like it, and Roberts isn’t the type of manager to demand it
Seems to me if the other teams weren’t using the DL like the Dodgers are they would be complaining about it
I also think Betts should quit swinging for the fences. He is a much better option doing that in the three hole. Roberts has let Betts dictate where he hits since he got here. They dropped him for a little while, then moved him back. I always thought Trea was a better option.
If it isn’t Mookie at lead-off, then who?
Nobody else on the roster profiles as a leadoff hitter. As it is, with Betts, Freddie and Will, the Dodgers have their 3 highest OBP guys coming up in the first inning. They set it up for Max (alas, now hurt) and JDM.
If the Dodgers had a Corbin Carrol or Ronald Acuna or Luis Arraez, that would be swell.
But they don’t. Maybe Jorbit Vivas could play the role some day.
As for Trea Turner, yikes!
That $300-million-man is now batting to an OPS of .673 and his OBP is down at .293. Kudos to AF for NOT trying to sign him.
He led off some last year, mostly when Betts was on the bench. If Outman walked more and made better contact, he would be an option. Joc hit leadoff for a while back in the day. But you are right, there is really no one on the roster right now that fills that bill.
If Freeman gets three hits tonight, he has 2000 for his career. Personally, I would rather see him get that particular milestone at home on Friday against the Trashitos. Get two tonight, drive in a few runs, then the 2000th on Friday. Works for me.
comment in jail
Talk to the jailer. Sometimes they do not get approved and if Mark is busy, the email that says approve this comment won’t get checked until later. I get them when it is an article I wrote.
Patch. I looked and could not find it on the homepage. Try rewriting it.
Graterol announced as opener
Freddie takes Shoei deep. Bullpen arms pitching well. Brasier getting ready to make his Dodger debut.
OKC wins 1-0 on a Kole Calhoun homer. 7 pitchers used in a bullpen game. Tulsa loses 3-2, Great Lakes wins 8-3. Rancho up 4-1 at home in the 6th inning.
Nice job by Brasier.
By the way, Mark, when I say trade chip, I mean a Dodger trade chip.
Methinks Bullpens are fickle
Remarkable how both of these shut-out wins over the Angels were secured with bang-bang plays at the plate that required a video review. Nice throw by Peralta tonight, and Smith made another great tag.
Shohei struck out 12 but Freddie, one of the best hitters on the planet, managed to get that dinger. The Dodgers’ bullpen was ridiculous. Nice that they supported each other so well in this game. Hoping they start to support the starters better too.
Speaking of starters, baseball scribe Mark Feinsand says that the Cubs’ Marcus Stroman could be on the market because he is likely to exercise an opt-out in his contract. He’s having a great season and would not be cheap, even as a rental. By today’s standards, Stroman is a workhorse. He’s had 13 starts of 6 innings or more with 2 runs or fewer allowed. The next best are Cole and Bassitt with 10 such starts.
And was that fire I saw on the faces of those pitchers when they came off of the mound? Ferguson and Vesia looked like different guys. And that was genuine enthusiasm in the dugout when Vargas got his homer. There was plenty of fire in this team tonight. Leon and Zunino released by their respective teams. Do not think either would improve LA that much. Zunino has pretty good power, but has not hit a lot the last couple of years.
What would stroman cost? Bush,knack, and one of dodgers catchers? Having a very good year, but this is by far his best. Can he repeat next year?
Use the simulator!