QUESTION: “Bellinger’s hitting is “Suspicious” How in the hell does he re-become a 300+ hitter after being soooo friggen terrible? The first memory of being a Dodger Fan is sitting in a barber shop in Van Nuys getting a Butch and on the TV Maury Wills stole his 82nd base. I’m sure there are a few examples of players getting dumped by the Dodgers and becoming MVP material including a few idiotic trades. What happened here? Was he advised by his ahole agent? Does he secretly hate LA and therefore purposely tank? Was he betting on other teams? WTF?”
ANSWER: Everything cannot be quantified. It was likely a combination of injury, bad habits, and the fact that maybe the Dodgers’ coaches did not fully engage with him for whatever reason. Sometimes a player has to hit rock-bottom in order to recover, but I assure you that he did not tank on purpose. Those two bad (horrid) seasons cost him millions of dollars. I am happy for him, but wish he were still a Dodger. I also do not blame Andrew Friedman for not resigning him.
QUESTION: Will the Dodgers try and sign Shohei Othani?
ANSWER: Absolutely! A better question is: Will they SIGN Shohei Ohtani? That is a little more complicated. The smartest thing Shohei could do right about now is to go ahead and get the Tommy John Surgery NOW. That way, he could be ready to DH by April or May of next year. He should not pitch at all in 2024. It’s possible that the Dodgers would try and sign him to a split contract. In 2024, he would be paid (let’s say) $40 Million, and maybe it’s a three-year deal, but there are incentives for pitching, like maybe a Million dollars per start of number of innings pitched. I’m just spitballing, but Andrew Friedman will try and seize the day now that the paradigm has changed. It would also be with several opt-outs. This could be very interesting.
QUESTION: What is the likelihood that Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch will both be on the team in 2024?
ANSWER: I think the odds are very good. Both players are still highly valued as prospects, even though Miguel Vargas flopped in his first season. His skills are very apparent, although he would not be the first player to fail to make it while having the requisite skills. Vargas has bounced back and is now hitting .301 at OKC. Michael Busch hit his first MLB home run last night, and Vargas played 3B for the 5th game at OKC. He has played 27 games at 2B and 2 in LF. Gavin Lux will be back in 2024 and those three players could make up a great “core” moving forward. I thought Vargas was ready this year and so did the Dodgers and other baseball scouts. However, progress is not “linear” and we can never predict when the light turns on. If someone thinks a player who hits .191 in 303 ABs won’t become a very good MLB player, they have not watched the game (or Cody Bellinger).
QUESTION: Where will Gavin Lux play in 2023?
ANSWER: I did not think that Gavin Lux could play SS at the MLB level, but evidently the Dodgers did. Do they still think that? Well, there are some who think that playing that position after his gruesome injury is a lot to ask and there are some who think as I do – that he is not a SS. He has the speed to play in the outfield, and he is a solid second-baseman. Forget that he did not look good in the OF in 2022 – he had never played there! If you want to put him in LF or CF, then give him an entire Spring Training there. Where Gavin players will likely be dictated by where Shohei Ohtani signs. The short answer is 2B, SS, LF, or CF. He could also be traded… especially if Milwaukee values him like I think they do.
QUESTION: Where will Mookie Betts play in 2024?
ANSWER: He will play for the Dodgers! Oh, you mean what position? I would love to see him at SS, and I think he would be the best SS in baseball! The Dodgers may think otherwise. He could play 2B or RF as well – maybe he will bounce around, but the offseason will be interesting! Peralta and Heyward love being Dodgers, but they may get better offers. If I had to guess, the Dodgers will do what they are so adept at doing – rotate players around to other positions to exploit matchups. If you are looking for a set lineup every day, you had better switch teams!
QUESTION: Will Austin Barnes be the backup Catcher next season?
ANSWER: Very likely! I put it at 75%.
QUESTION: What is wrong with the Texas Rangers and their seven-game losing streak that threatens to have them miss the playoffs?
ANSWER: Obviously, Bruce Bochy is an idiot! I mean, that is what Dodger fans say when Roberts loses seven in a row! Actually, no matter what some say, Bruce Bochy is not the “Zen master.” His reputation was made when the Giants won three World Series in five years because his players executed, and he rode on the back of Mad Bum in a performance for the ages. In his 26 years as a manager, he has a .499 winning percentage. The Rangers spent money like a drunken sailor this season and last offseason, and they are still in danger of not making the playoffs. He is not an idiot, and neither is Dave Roberts!
Dodger News & Notes
- Landon Knack, Shelby Miller, and Ken Giles all pitched for OKC last night (with varying degrees of success, but they are all being prepared to pitch in LA this season. Blake Treinen is not far behind.
- RHH Austin Gauthier is hitting .324 with a .943 OPS in the minors this year. He is a 2B/SS/Utility-type who will be 25 next May. Watch him! He is a baller!
Standings
The Othani injury has changed a lot as far as his future is concerned.
If he needs TJS he will pitch again when he is almost 32 years old. Lots of mileage aready on an arm who will have had 2 TJS in 5 years. IMHO his days as a starter are over, just about the same as Dustin Mays.
There is an article on ESPN that suggest Ohtani should be a closer when he returns. Makes sense to me , same for May. Both have the stuff to be elite closers. Worked with Gagne .
Ohtani probably has lost 100 -150 millon with this injury. Just be glad the Dodgers did not trade for him . Imagine trading away the farm and then see this happen.
OTOH the Angels probably are slapping themselfs for not trading him at the deadline.
Back to the Dodgers; I would pass on Othani now for sure. Resign Julio, sign Hader and Chapman and Snell.
Dodgers have about 137 million to work with and still stay within the luxury tax. So they could bring in those 4 players. That is the advantage when you have so many young and cheap guys on the roster who are doing well.
I am positive Busch, Vargas and Lux will play a big role next season with the Dodgers.
Future looks very bright for the men in Blue.
Cartaya yesterday 1-3 with 2 BBs. He is showing some life at the plate flnally.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you. Crazy thing, singing Urias, Snell, Hader and Chapman wouldn’t cost a whole lot more than singing Ohtani (well, what Ohtani would have received if the events of this week hadn’t happened). Not that we have any chance of getting all of them. But the smart money is certainly in diversifying FA spending. IMHO.
I sing the Song of Ohtani!
Something to keep in mind: AF has a history of drafting and signing players who have had TJ surgery. Remember when Tommy Kahnle was signed even though he was sitting out an entire season? Didn’t make sense to me–but it did to AF. The Dodger brass has a lot of faith in medical science.
Something else to consider: AF doesn’t like to offer long-term contracts to pitchers, but he’s fine with multiyear deals for proven everyday players Mookie and Freddie. AF loves how Kershaw is happy going from one year to the next, and he (alas) signed Bauer to a 3-year deal. By some reports, AF didn’t want to give Kenley Jansen his multi-year deal but the ownership group relented to demands. While the Braves may sign a guy like Spencer Strider to a multiyear deal, the Dodgers didn’t do that for Walker Buhler. Will the Dodgers meet Julio’s price? It could be very high, and the Dodgers might prefer to fill the rotation from a pipeline that in recent years produced May, Gonsolin, Miller, Pepiot, Sheehan, Stone and Grove, with others developing in the wings.
Worst case: Ohtani is truly done as a pitcher. But as an everyday hitter, he’s one of the best, and he is in his prime. If you like JD Martinez as DH, you would love love love Ohtani. Some might argue that Juan Soto would be a better investment because of his youth–but Ohtani delivers similar high OBP with considerably more power. He also has more speed. Ohtani played OF in Japan and there’s little reason to think he can’t do so again. While Soto is impressive, I hope we now understand that the comparisons to Ted Williams were a bit much. I enjoy Soto’s swagger, but I prefer to imagine Ohtani’s cool, businesslike demeanor, stepping up to the plate with Mookie and Freddie on base.
Best case: Ohtani remains the best DH in the game and returns to the mound in 2025 at full strength, not unlike Eovaldi’s return from his second TJ surgery.
Interesting happenings in the AL West. Seattle has been on a tear. They have tied in the standing with the Trashstros. Both 1 1/2 games ahead of the Blue Jays in the wild card and 1 game behind Texas for the division. Astors got demolished yesterday and have lost 6 of there last 10. There is a chance the Astros and Texas play themselves out of the playoffs. Seattle is getting hot at the right time.
Seeing the Astros sit at home for the playoffs would be beautiful.
Some creative thinking by Mark here with regards to a potential Ohtani signing. A lot of posters yesterday were hyperventilating over his injury. “The Dodgers dodged a bullet! He’s damaged goods! Don’t touch that scrub with a ten foot pole!” … I paraphrase.
His injury means the Ohtani Aura and the hysteria surrounding his potential contract has been punctured somewhat. Is his career over? Of course not. He’s simply no longer a potential 10 year/50 million AAV contract. What that means in actuality? Who knows? Maybe an 8/300? Or, as Mark proposed, a shorter deal? I still think he’ll get a long term deal, and I think for whomever wants him, locking him up long-term is in their best interest.
For all of you arm chair GMs talking about return on investments and allocating too much financial capital into one player, yada yada, let me ask a hypothetical. If Ohtani turns out to be an overpay, or his performance declines or he gets injured towards the end of his contract, BUT, the team wins a WS or maybe two, would it be worth it? For me, that’s an unequivocal, EF YEAH! For many of you, you object to signing Ohtani on principle. Winning the WS (without hamstringing the organization) is the only thing that matters.
Money is an issue for the Dodgers ONLY as it relates to the CBT. If the Dodgers can pay (or overpay) for Ohtani and still have the reasonable expectation of resetting the CBT every other year or so and still signing a decent free agent or two and paying Will Smith or Buehler, why wouldn’t you do it? It’s not the money, it’s the draft position. The Dodgers have a fantastic scouting and development system, but it gets dinged by the draft position penalty imposed by being a repeat CBT offender.
Right now the Dodgers are hypothetically under the CBT by 137 million in 2024. A lot of money is coming off the books after this year. I’m sure AF will do his due diligence and do a lot of financial forecasting several years into the future. “What will a potential Will Smith contract look like at his age 31 year in 2026? What will he likely get in his ARB years?” etc. etc. He’ll apply that to all potential roster players, both currently on the team or in the system, and any potential free agent signings – and he’ll do this several years into the future. He’ll determine if he can sign a player like Ohtani (or Soto) and still retain enough financial flexibility to determine if he can dip under the CBT and maintain draft positions and a sustainable and healthy development system.
You people have sight. AF has vision … which is why he’s paid the big bucks and we’re bickering on a blog.
The Dodgers are gonna need a DH next year. JDM is done. You want Muncy? Really? A lineup with Freddie, Mookie and Ohtani would be one for the ages. It won’t matter if Miguelito can hit.
… Mookie is now .8 WAR ahead of Ocuna. A month ago I would have said Ocuna was the overwhelming favorite to win the MVP. Mookie’s wRC+ is now much higher than Ocuna’s, he has more RBIs and more HRs and he plays better defense. Mookie is now the MVP front runner.
Sight vs. Vision – My favorite!
Max is the Dodger most likely to be traded!
If Mookie keeps this up, he will be MVP in the NL and one of a few players who sport MVPs in both Leagues!
Maybe we can trade him to the Cubs so that hitting coach can turn him around like he did for Cody Bellinger.
MVP is cool, World Series MVP is cooler!
Can they trade Muncy? His contract has a club option for 2024. The Dodgers can just decline his option.
His contract is 10 mil with incentives. JDM is getting paid 10 mil. If the Dodgers don’t bring either back, that’s 23.5 mil to allocate to another DH.
Only ONE player has ever done that. Frank Robinson. Won the MVP with the Reds in the NL and then as an Oriole.
The unfortunate injury to Othani will open up many contract options for all teams. But the most likely option to me is a short term high AAV contract that allows Othani to opt out after one or two years. Othani could make $30 to $40 million the next year or two and then opt out once he has proven he is healthy to pitch again in the 2025 season. He would be 30 or 31 and could then still get a huge payday at that point if he wanted to max out his guaranteed money. He would fit in perfectly as a Dodger DH the next year or two and have a chance to win a World Series. And if he recovers to be an elite pitcher, the Dodgers would be the front runner to retain his services. My impression is that Othani is more concerned with winning and competing than just maximizing his compensation. And Friedman has been very open to creative short term deals with high AAVs.
Sign Ohtani only as DH and wait to see if he can pitch at a good level again? I prefer Soto, younger and can play outfield, not at the gold glove level, but does the job.
He’s a jerk, but his bat between Mookie, Freeman, JD, Smith… Wow.
He would come to replace Muncy’s left-handed bat.
JD Martinez returns next year, Muncy will be traded to another team.
RC Dodger…… I think he is 30 years old, in 2025 he would be 32
Not that it matters much, but I show Othani birthdate as July 5, 1994. He recently turned 29, and will be 31 on July 5th, 2025. A lot of uncertainty around Othani still, so I should enjoy the great season Dodgers are having now. On pace for 100 wins, 19-3 in August, and 18 games ahead of the Padres!
Soto ain’t sniffing the dodgers! Too much of an ahole for that clubhouse! He’ll look at the padres, they are a total mess . Haven’t heard bob Melvin Bragging about this being his favorite team ever like Roberts did earlier! On paper they’re more talented than the dodgers 1-40 some say. But are there any dodger fans out there willing to trade teams with the Friars? Keep Soto away. Wouldn’t object to ohthani now as DH if JD is done. I really believe it’s time to move on from muncy. Vargas or bush would be ok, still would like Chapman though . Tonight game on Apple, what’s the point of buying the mlb package and then they put games on apple? Coverage sucks ! My son hooked me up last time they were on Apple. Don’t know if I’ll even bother tonight. All the best to Justin turner but to hell with Alex Cora. He and hinch should be flipping burgers! (No offense to fast food workers)
NO to Soto!
If the choice was between Ohtani and Soto, I’m going Ohtani without a question.
Remember, Soto was going to be nearly as expensive as Ohtani even before Ohtani’s injury. It’s because Soto will be unusually young for a free agent with his talent level. You’d be paying for that youth and the potential of getting more of his prime years. If he was 28, you’d have to factor that any long term contract would include much more of his 30+ declining years. All of this is built into the equation. Younger at the time of free agency = more expensive.
Looking at Soto’s actual numbers, I think he’s as overhyped as Ohtani pre-injury. His value is his offense, not his defense. His offensive value is driven by his OBP. His OBP is driven by his ability to draw walks. He’s the best in the league at drawing walks. Yeah, getting on base via a walk contributes to offensive production, but it’s not exactly sexy, and I don’t think I’d want to pay 400 mil for a player because he’s good at walking. For the past two years we’ve seen what his average, slugging and home run totals have been, and they’ve declined and, although decent, his slugging is certainly not elite. Right now, and for the past couple of years, Soto is about the same player as Kyle Tucker of Houston. You wanna pay 400 million for Kyle Tucker production? Ohtani will give you an additional 2-3 wins over Soto over the course of a season, and if Ohtani returns to pitching, it’s more.
I don’t think Soto is as bad as Machado and Tatis in terms of mindset and immaturity, but he’s not great, either. We’ve seen this year on the Dodgers that high character players make a difference. That’s been part of AF’s franchise building philosophy (the Bauer signing notwithstanding). I think Ohtani fits that better, and is, overall, a better public face and ambassador. He’ll certainly be a bigger draw.
“Mantenga alejado a Soto” muy, muy de acuerdo con usted Papa.
You’re partly right about Soto, the good thing is that in Dodgers there are no stupid retards like there are in SD, so it wouldn’t be the same, but I understand the reasons why it’s better not… And so far, all the games that I have seen from Apple (at least the ones that I was interested in seeing) I have been able to see them on Facebook without any problem
How do you view them on Facebook? Is there a group or anything special needed?
And, I mention Soto only because some here mention Ohtani. At least mine is not a fascination for a certain player
Dave Roberts says Treinen is a “long shot” to return in September, mainly because it was a shoulder injury. That in this morning’s LA Times.
So what about Ohtani? Ken Rosenthal thinks he will still get a contract of $500 million or more.
That seems totally nuts. Yes, he’d make a great DH, maybe teach him a position, outfield or first base. But the Dodgers have Freeman. It’s likely he won’t pitch next year and even in 2025, what would you be getting on the mound?
Maybe this enhances the Angels chances of re-signing him. No doubt the Dodgers will engage in discussions, but they also have to determine whether they offer extensions to Urias and Buehler.
If Urias continues to pitch well and if Buehler bounces back, it might make sense to ink both.
I agree Max Muncy might get traded this winter. Of course they could just decline to pick up the option. I think the Dodgers need to give a real shot to Michael Busch and I’m guessing Vargas sticks in 2024. Busch definitely has some power.
Not sure how the injury will impact Gavin Lux, but Roberts apparently believes Lux can play short and will in ’24.
Mookie will be the right fielder, but will probably move around, playing some second and a little short.
If he continues to play well through September and I believe he will, Betts will be the MVP. Definitely raised his game.
Okay, I would have liked to have kept Bellinger, but it was a tough call and Friedman made the decision, no doubt based on what he was seeing on the field and that made it easier. Yes, he’s bounced back, good for him, but it wasn’t like the Dodgers didn’t give him plenty of opportunity.
No question, the Ohtani injury has changed the landscape. What will they talk about at the winter meetings? Maybe resurrect Arenado trade rumors.
The series with the Red Sox should be interesting. Good article in the LA Times today on Mookie’s return. He’s very happy in LA.
Rain out tonight? Hope so as game is on Apple TV….
My sentiments exactly. I am not on the inside, so to even comment on the level of interest the Dodgers may or may not have in Ohtani, is nothing more than a fans speculation. JD Martinez, injury aside, has been an astute signing. When he has been healthy, he has been a positive force for the offense. 25 homers, 78 driven in, a .856 OPS and an OPS+ of 125. He has set himself up for another contract. With the Dodgers? Probably not. He said himself in an interview with Watson that he was only here for a year. As for Muncy, his option is a team option, which based on plate appearances could jump from 10 to 14 million for 2024. Max already has 438 PA’s so far this season. If he plays every game, he will have well over 500 and could be close to maximizing that option. With that many games remaining, he should easily top the 30-homer mark again for the fourth time in his career. Is a sub-Mendoza line hitter with a career OPS of .823 worth 14 mil? Of course, his career BA is .226. When he hits his 30th, he will join Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, and Mike Piazza as the only players in Dodger history to have four 30 home run seasons. That is one of the decisions facing Freidman this winter. Jorge mentioned Juan Soto. Well, the thing with Soto is that he is not a free agent until after next season. He is arbitration eligible this offseason, so it is a pretty safe bet that the Padres will make him an offer. As for Julio, his agent is Boras. He will test free agency. I believe they have a better chance of signing Kersh again, than they do of re-signing Urias. Buehler is also not a free agent until after the 24 season. He should be healthy next season in his walk year. The Dodgers will have a lot of hard decisions to make this winter. Anything we might say here is pure speculation.
Bear: You missed Eric Karros who had five 30+ HR seasons.
You are right. Karros did indeed have 5 30 homer seasons. Snider is the only Dodger with more than two 40 homer seasons. He has five and they were consecutive.
There is probably a lot of fan speculation, but much of the Ohtani/Dodgers speculation is media driven, both nationally and on the local level, like the LA Times, Orange County Register and Daily News. It’s coming from inside the organization. All the SoCal writers have developed sources on the inside. They’ve proven to be fairly accurate in the past. The local media tend to be more conservative than the national media when it comes speculation.
As far as this site, Speculation often makes up a lot of what we read, which makes the site fun. A prime example of that speculation came into play at the trade deadline with Nolan Arenado. Apparently, not much to it, but a lot of speculation.
It’s kinda like a coffee klatsch, only without the coffee and the main subject is Dodger baseball.
I’m somewhat confused by those who think, for example, that Urias will be gone because another organization will pay him more. Why? If the Dodgers want him, they will sign him. The Dodgers generate huge revenue streams and they have a boatload of money coming off the books. They can pretty much do anything they want.
I recall all the speculation about the Dodgers never handing out big contracts even though the Dodgers offered a massive contract to Zack Greinke, thought they had him signed until Arizona came in with a crazy offer. Then Arizona began to regret the deal and the Dodgers tried to trade with the Dbacks to get him back.
Even after signing Mookie to a huge deal, then signing Freeman, a lot of people still think the Dodgers will get outbid for pitchers like Urias and Buehler or anybody else for that matter. They did get outbid for Seager after offering $250 mil. Or maybe it really was that Seager liked a couple of Rangers coaches more and that made the difference. They never made an offer to Trea Turner.
The Dodgers seem primed to do just about anything they want, especially since they have a big advantage over other teams because of the depth and quality of their farm system.
Dodgers rarely offer top-dollar, long-term contracts for FA pitchers.
The exception is Kershaw in his prime “face of the franchise” status, and now AF is delighted that Kershaw prefers one-year deal. Dodgers didn’t offer enough to keep Greinke–he took the bigger $$ from Arizona. By some reports, the deal for Eduardo Rodriguez fell apart because the Dodgers wouldn’t renegotiate the terms of his contract. Dodgers were will pay Anderson $19.6 million for a one-year deal, but lost him to the Angeles on a 3-year deal with a lower AAV.
I had been imagining a six-man rotation with Ohtani, but that obviously that won’t happen. Will Dodgers keep Julio? Will Kershaw head home now that the Rangers are winners?
If Kershaw and Julio both leave, the rotation could be heavy with northpaws: Buhler, Miller, Lynn, Pepiot, Sheehan, Gonsolin, Stone, May…
* Long day of baseball yesterday, but two nice wins. When the sun came out I was waiting for the tarp crew to hurriedly cover the infield so there was no sun damage. What a joke.
* It is a daily treat to get to watch Mookie and Freddie do their thing. It’s unbelievable what those 2 are doing at the top of the line up.
* We have 4 quality shortstops and Kike isn’t one of them. I’m happy with him playing. Just not at SS.
* Pepiot looks great. He just fills up the strike zone. I don’t know what the plan is for him but he’ll make a nice bullpen piece for the playoffs. I see him in the rotation for now with Kershaw, Urias, Lynn, and Miller.
* What about Yarborough taking some high leverage innings in short relief until Fergie gets squared away, instead of his role as a long-man?
* The HPU, Bruce Dreckman, was horrible. He missed 5 pitches in the top of the 4th alone. His strike zone is a rectangle rotated 90 degrees. He expands both rivers east and west and misses spikes up and down. It’s a coin flip way too many times.
* Steven Kwan is a nice player. I love the increasing emphasis on contact guys. He was part of that great Oregon State run with current big leaguers Adley Rutschman, Trevor Larnach, Nick Madrigal “Nicky Two-strikes”, another contact guy who’s being wasted by the Cubs, Wade Meckler, and Drew Rasmussen. Pat Casey had some great teams and players and Kwan was one of the under the radar stars.
* A night doesn’t seem to go by lately when I’m not uttering profanities at the TV watching Muncy try to hit. He picked up a cripple RBI finally in the 8th, with a 6 run lead, after failing to produce in the 5th with the bases juices and the 6th with 2 on. He walked with 2 guys in scoring position in the 3rd, after taking another fat fastball, again. Oh yeah, I forgot; a walk is as good as a hit. Only a hit would have driven in 2 runs and a walk passed the responsibility off to Heyward, who grounded out.
I’d amend that to say, a walk is better than a strikeout. I enjoy a nice walk. But I like RBI’s out of the 4 hole guy a lot more.
Max has 29 home runs, 10 doubles and 30 singles. How do you have 30 singles in 361 at bats?
When you subtract his homers scoring himself he has only knocked in 49 other guys, including the guys that scored on his homers. And as we know he’s batting .194. That’s after his injury comeback 2022 season where he batted .196. It would appear he’s about a .195 hitter.
The order just plays around him, hoping he can occasionally do something productive in the 4 hole.
Not sure if brought previously but any thoughts on bring in Amir Garrett since he was just waived. With our LH bullpen situation – bring him in, cant be any worst then what we’ve seen lately. Might be shot in arm we need.
Garrett has been released, so he can be signed by anyone. But he would have to go to the minors first, and then if and when called up, he would have to take someone’s roster space. His problem this season has been his 17% walk rate. Way too high for a short reliever. Gonzalez already has that problem and is pitching his way right off of the play-off roster.
Thanks Bear didnt know the minors angle.
On a sad note, there was a fatal shooting yesterday at a bar that I used to frequent back in the day. Cook’s Corner was known as a biker bar, but it was not a rowdy place. They would have country bands in there quite often. I send out prayers to the families of those who were wounded and killed. Shooter was an exe-cop. He went there to kill his exe-wife.
Yeah, I know Cook’s very well. It’s been there for ages. Dad used to take us by there on drives through Santiago Canyon and up through Live Oak. When I’m riding my bicycle through Santiago Canyon, that’s my customary rest stop. I’ll probably ride by there tomorrow. It’s a real pity.
I live 5 min from it and been many times. Really sad and far to frequent these days – prayers for the families involved
Not a biker bar? Beg to differ.
I Mtb’d out there lots. Cyclists sat far end of picnic tables. When the Vagos were there we skip Cooks. The swap meet is cool for leather goods -just don’t bump anyones bike. Vibe there is often intimidating to non-Harley folks.
We (LE buddy) watched Sheriff Barnes presser after they had sorted out the carnage. From the jump he was praising the ‘friendly family vibe.’ That’s freaking laughable.
Read it again. It normally was not a rowdy place. I have been there several times with many bikers in the crowd. Yes, if you were to bump a bike it might get testy. But I never had a problem with any bikers there. I had more of a problem with them in downtown Long Beach. The killing wasn’t done by a biker. It was done by some half-crazed exe cop former husband looking to kill his wife. The Vagos are one of the more violent groups around, but if you leave them be, they will leave you alone. Several members of their club and some of the Hell’s Angels used to come to the bar I played in. Never not once did they start any trouble.
Indy used to be a very safe city. When I went downtown, I only carried one gun. Now I carry two. This defund the police movement has been a rousing success. (Sarcasm) Indy has fewer cops than in 2020 and no one wants to be one.
Do not blame them. My small town is relatively safe. Since I have been here there have been very few shootings. And very few involving fatalities. I do know there was an incident in 2021 where Canon City police shot and killed a 28-year-old man after a traffic stop. But murders are very rare here. I have only heard of one, and it did not involve a firearm.
Response time at Cooks was “…two minutes from 911…”. What ? Pure luck they got there & dropped that M’fer. He lined up a pregnant woman but told her to leave – then went outside and gunned down 6 more people. Without a stout response from LE who knows how many would’ve died, He went back to his car reportedly to get another handgun and 12gauge ammo.
Knowing Cooks many were surprised no one in parking lot were packing and didn’t engage him.
Cali needs to get straight about CCW. I carry my Glock up in the Santa Ana mtns. Last person killed by a big cat was jumped at Sycamore – not far from Cooks.
That is extremely fast. I have my CC permit. Very easy to get in Colorado. When in the remote area’s I carry my 9MM Smith and Wesson.
It’s raining in Boston right now
Thursday scores
Albuquerque 6, Oklahoma City 3
NW Arkansas 10, Tulsa 7
Great Lakes vs. Fort Wayne, ppd. (rain)
Lake Elsinore 5, Rancho Cucamonga 3
Friday schedule
4:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Jerming Rosario) vs. Fort Wayne (Dylan Lesko)
5:05 p.m.: Oklahoma City (Kyle Hurt) vs. Albuquerque (Noah Davis)
5:05 p.m.: Tulsa (Orlando Ortiz-Mayr) at NW Arkansas (Noah Cameron)
6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Gabe Emmett) vs. Lake Elsinore (Braden Nett)
Since I am not paying extra for Apple TV, I hope they get rained out. I think it is larceny that I pay MLB.TV for Dodger coverage, then I miss all the games they play against the Rockies and any games they play on Apple TV.
I have been thinking about this all day:
Shoehei Othani’s UCL must not be totally torn or he would not be DH’ing. There are other alternatives to Tommy John Surgery. What follows is an overview of the Internal Brace Method.
https://www.caringmedical.com/prolotherapy-news/tommy-john-surgery-research-reveals-surgery-realities-success/
Nick Frasso of the Tulsa Drillers had this procedure done a couple of years ago.
At his age, Shohei Ohtani should go for the internal brace and be back next year as just a DH. I could see Andrew Friedman signing him to a 5-year/$250 Million contract as a hitter and giving him opt-outs after year two if he wants to negotiate to become a two-way player again.
If he just focused on hitting, he might hit 70+ HRs a year!
Many ways he can be signed. I did not know he was DHing today.
The initial report I read was for him to stop pitching. I do not believe the intent was to shut him down completely. Ohtani is dealing with a partial tear of the UCL.
He can bat with the arm braced. He bats lefty, it’s not his power arm.
This isn’t a Bryce Harper situation
How about this lineup:
1. Betts RF
2. Freeman 1B
3. Ohtani DH
4. Smith C
5. Outman CF
6. Vargas 2B
7. Busch 3B
8. Lux SS
9. Peralta or Heyward (pick one)/DeLuca LF
Resign Julio for 8 Years/$250 Mil
Trade Muncy for Prospects
Bench: Rojas, Taylor (last year), Hernandez, Barnes
If Clayton wants to return… fine… $20 Mil)
Rotation:
1. Buehler
2. Urias
3. Kershaw
4. Miller
5. Pepiot (Lynn is too old and expensive)
Grow your own bullpen arms. Do not sign a closer… especially Hader.
Pretty weak bench. No power to speak of. Also, no left-handed bats.
I count 5 left handed bats not including left field.
None on the bench as he posted. Yeah, if they use an all-righthanded hitting lineup, then there are lefties on the bench. But you know Freeman, Ohtani and Outman are not spending much time on the bench. So Busch and Peralta? Peralta only has seven bombs this season. Not much power there, Busch is an unknown until he spends a lot more time in the majors.
Otani, Freeman, Lux, Busch, Outman – how many do you want?
On the bench as he posted it there are none. All the guys you named he has as starters. Still a weak bench anyway you look at it.
No right handed power to speak of either. I wonder what kind of a contract Heyward would demand. The Cubs paid al but 750000 this season.
Nope, Hernandez has hit as many as 20 homers as has Taylor, but that was several years ago. I think Heyward would come back to LA at a discount. I am pretty sure he would love to be on the same team with his buddy Freddie Freeman. Maybe 10 mil.
After watching Rojas, no way do i want to see Lux playing SS.
Urias probably won’t be back. 8 years for a guy with his history of arm trouble is crazy anyway.
Buehler not a sure thing with 2 TJs. Here’s an article – no one came back the same as before
https://www.mlb.com/news/pitchers-to-have-tommy-john-surgery-twice#:~:text=Joakim%20Soria&text=The%20right%2Dhander%20wasn't,nine%20teams%20across%202013%2D21.
Neither Busch nor Vargas have proven yet that they can hit big league pitching. Maybe they can, but maybe not. What’s Plan B?
Why not Vargas at 3B and Busch at 2B?
Those were the positions they were playing last season, right? There must have been a reason. It is only this season that the Dodgers decided to try Vargas at 2B and Busch at 3B. (The reviews have been mixed.)
FWIW, Busch is now on the roster but Roberts seems reluctant to pencil him in at 3B. He prefers Max and Kike.
Speaking of the much-maligned Max, let’s note how collected another 3 RBI today, hammering a two-run double and a smash ground-out that nearly got past Casas at 1B. The day before, he was robbed of a double on a great catch crashing into the wall.
Max may be hitting about .195, but he now has 80 RBIs on the season to go with 29 HRs. His OBP is .330 and he’s scored 70 runs. Except for the batting average, these numbers are pretty damn strong–and there are still 35 regular-season games to play. shabby in the least–and there are still 35 regular-season games to play.
Max just needs to hit more singles and doubles (less walks) with men on base. That’s the biggest complaint about him. But yes, he did get it done this last game as you just pointed out.
Does anyone have a hack to find the game if it’s not rained out on Apple TV? Jorge never answered my question up above.
Radio or go to sleep early, dont find out score, and watch it tomorrow morning.
I refuse to give Apple any more money….
I get MLB Extra Innings on Directv and the sports pack to see games that are blacked out on local channels so I agree I refuse to pay for Apple TV or Peacock.
Like the lineup, but agree with Bear, 2 of the 4 you named need to go! Keep Kiki and throw the other three in a bag and last one to fall out gets to stay!
I found this interesting. From CJ Wilson, one of many of Arte Moreno’s dope fiend contracts that busted. He is commenting on how cheap the Angels organization was when he was there.
Forgot to include the link.
https://x.com/haloweezy/status/1694771948105126129?s=46&t=QLZL6rUStVTcnhF7gF-Qig
Sorry Zeke, I have the night shift and I went to sleep, but here we are… Regarding the game on Facebook, I just type in the search engine “Dodgers live” and several options appear.
Or there are also several links where I always see all the games
http://tv.worldcupfootball.me/mlb-stream
https://www.vakeourbano.com/transmision-en-vivo-beisbol-mlb-baseball-online/
https://masdeportesonline.com/mlb/
https://beisbol2k.com/mlb-en-vivo/los-angeles-dodgers/
Checked the Boston weather. It has stopped raining but it is supposed to start again at 10 Boston time.
7:10 PM ET
Dodgers (78-48)
Red Sox (68-60
SP Lance Lynn R
9-9 5.60 ERA
SP Kutter Crawford R
6-6 3.66 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
LF D. Peralta L
CF E. Hernandez R
RF J. Heyward L
DH M. Busch L
SS Miguel Rojas R
53% Rain
69° Wind 13 mph Out
Apple effing TV again? This crap is getting old. How many games a year are they going to sell off to other people so I can’t get it on MLB?
This is the second Dodger game on Apple TV. So far, they have not had one on You Tube yet. I do not get the Rockies games because they are blacked out whether they are in LA or Colorado.
I replied to Zeke a couple of hours ago, but for some reason my comment is not showing
Maybe it will be because I put some links where I see the Dodgers games
I’m watching the game, and I think the ovation for Mookie was so boring, like it was forced, I didn’t like it…..
Can’t put my finger on it but I got the same vibe Jorge.
As far as the game goes, after Verdugo’s home run, it seems like the Dodgers are pressing to prove they are the better team.
Not gonna let $6.99 stop me from watching the dodger game.
The game is not that important to us, but you never know when something special might happen in the game, and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
I believe one could make a good case to have three catchers on the roster. Barnes has another year on his contract and despite his offensive woes he has a great relationship with the pitching staff and the team in general. I
If we get to a crucial part of the game and Barnes is due up, it is a gamble to pinch hit for him, If Smith gets dinged up we have no catcher. Getting a catcher that can play other positions will allow a pinch hitter for Barnes without taking a risk on Smith getting dinged.
Realizing that each spot on the roster is important this third catcher could be someone like Salvador Perez (I don’t think the Royals would trade him) but he would be a great DH.
Just food for thought.
I’m shocked again. Did Roberts go to Manager’s school. Once again, he left his starter in the game until he tired and lost effectiveness. Then he went to the bullpen before any real damage occurred. After managing 1000 games it looks like Roberts might be getting the hang of it.
Uffff. Thanks You Red Sox’s runners
Paralta and Hayward probably make dodger fans nervous when a ball is hit their way.
Both Peralta and Heyward have won Gold Gloves in the past and although Peralta misplayed that ball off the wall, I have no problem with his fielding.
Heyward, even at this age, is a far far better fielder than the average major league outfielder.
So, in answer to your statement, this is one fan who does not get nervous when balls are hit to either of them. Others here may disagree.
No disagreements here. I don’t know how you could think that if you’ve been watching the games
Heyward comes in on the ball as well is anybody. He and Peralta both have made some highlight plays.
Nope, I get more nervous when it is hit at Muncy. Heyward is a gold glover who has made several highlight reel catches this season. Peralta is about as steady as they get. Playing the Monster is not easy, so misjudging one off of the Monster is not a bad thing.
Just an exciting game, with all the backstory’s going on
The protagonists on both sides, making major contributions, good and bad
(Wong). We got lucky with that base running mistake.
Definitely didn’t want Verdugo to be able to celebrate a win.
Alb 9 Okc 8 NW Ark 7 Tulsa 0 Great Lakes 6 Fort Wayne 1 Rancho 6 Lake Elsinore 5 bottom of the 6th inning.
Another scrapper performance from Lynn. He held the fort till the reinforcements arrived to win the day. He’s doing exactly what AF was hoping from him.