Here’s My Plan

Posted By on October 22, 2023

Quite often, I publish blogs to stimulate conversation. It doesn’t bother me if you hate what I say… or even hate me. I don’t hate anyone, but today, I am going to tell you exactly what I believe needs to happen this offseason, and it starts with not signing Shohei Ohtani. Oh, Andrew Friedman will be “all in” and will say as much, but it’s a dope-fiend move to sign him… just like Arte Moreno was a dope-fiend to sign Mike Trout! Andrew Friedman is no dope fiend! The Angels may have had the two best players in baseball the past few years, but it did not do them a bit of good.

Here’s my plan:

Andrew has made it clear that he wants to try Gavin Lux at SS, and while that does not enthuse me, I have to defer to his knowledge and experience. I also think he would like to move Mookie Betts to 2B, and I know that Mookie would also endorse that. Max Muncy is going to have his option picked up, and he will play 3B. Freddie Freeman is a fixture at 1B.

I want to have Will Smith not to have to catch as much. The Dodgers will need a Leftfielder, a Centerfielder, and a Rightfielder. Here’s my plan:

  1. I will sign Jung-Hoo Lee to play CF.
  2. I will trade James Outman and Miguel Rojas to the Rays for Harold Ramirez. The Rays need a SS, as Wander Franco will likely be in a jail cell.
  3. I will sign Jordon Montgomery, but if the price is too high (or the term is too long) I will sign Shawn Manaea as a reclamation project.
  4. I will sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto as a starting pitcher.
  5. I will trade Andy Pages, River Ryan, Michael Busch, or Miguel Vargas (pick one), and Jorbit Vivas to the White Sox for Luis Robert, Jr. The White Sox need to rebuild, and Robert, Jr. is an easy choice.

Will Smith and Max Muncy, as well as CT3 and Kike will alternate at DH, with Will getting at least 50 or 60 games there. Will Smith will be more productive by doing that. By upgrading the lineup, the Dodgers can afford Austin Barnes to be the catcher. There’s nobody better out there that makes sense. If Hunter Feduccia can cut it, fine… but I doubt that.

Here’s the lineup:

  1. Betts 2B (R)
  2. Lux SS (L)
  3. Freeman 1B (L)
  4. Smith C (R)
  5. Muncy 3B (L)
  6. Robert RF (R)
  7. Lee CF (L)
  8. Ramirez LF (R)
  9. DH – Taylor/Hernandez/Vargas or Busch

C – Barnes

Rotation:

  1. Miller
  2. Yamamoto
  3. Montgomery or Manaea
  4. Pepiot
  5. Buehler
  6. Sheehan

That lineup would be the most devastating in MLB. Having Robert at #6, Lee at #7, and Ramirez at #8 is sick.

That’s what Andrew Friedman could do if he did not sign Shohei Ohtani! Tell me I am wrong.

This article has 74 Comments

  1. I mean is it what you would do? I’m sure it is.
    There’s no way the Dodgers trade Outman for Ramirez straight up. Much less with something.
    It’ll take a lot more to get Robert out of Chicago. He performs, he’s talented and underpaid.

    1. You need to look at Ramirez’s stats and see the progression. AF would do that deal every day.

      Half the strikeouts of Outman with better bat-to-ball contact. His power is coming,

  2. 1 Character on the team.

    2 Production in another league doesn’t always translate to production in MLB.

    3 Outman has more value than Ramirez.

  3. Ok. Everyone who hates Mark for stimulating conversation please raise your hand! No not you B&P!

    1. The Dodgers farm system is deep, but since they draft low, there are no superstars for the most part. Going to the playoffs every year means you do not get the top players. The system is great because of the sheer volume, but the Superstars will have to come from FA signings or trades. I am still high on Busch and Vargas but have never said they would be superstars.

  5. Interesting, probably will not happen, but interesting anyway. AF will no doubt have a couple of surprises for us this winter. But I also remember at his presser that he said pitching is a priority. We will see if that holds true.

    1. ^^^ “Pitching is a priority” doesnt mean the same thing to Friedman as it does to us. But he’s been right a helluva lot more often than we have so it’ll be interesting to see what he has up his sleeve. And don’t forget he’ll be looking ahead to who will likely be available at the trade deadline.

      As talented a Ohtani is I totally agree Dodgers shouldn’t sign him. Simply too many eggs in one basket.

      UGH, kinda kills me to think of trading away Busch or Vargas. Though I agree they’re solid prospects, they not anything more than that yet.

  7. Good thoughtful stuff, Mark. Sure to get some excellent comments in the next day or two.

    Here are mine:
    1) Big yes to Lee, but I’d bat him first or second and drop Lux to 9th where he’s proven very effective.
    2) No to Ramirez. I agree with Bluto that Outman is worth more by himself than Ramirez. Also 3 years younger, with three years more control and a lot cheaper.
    3) I’m not thrilled with your group of DH’s. Would rather bring back JT for a year or even think about JDM on a 2 year deal.
    4) No on Manaea. Way too inconsistent. Would love Montgomery.
    5) I think Robert Jr. would take more than what you’re offering but I would consider adding Stone if that would make them consider it.

    It’s fun to play GM. I wonder if Andrew thinks so.

  8. I also agree that staying away from the type of financial commitment that is going to take to sign Ohtani is the prudent move. Pursuing someone like Montgomery is a logical move but he is starting to look like someone who is going to require an overpay.

    Personally, I’d prefer trading for someone like Burnes or Glasnow to bridge us to next season’s free agent class, which will include Buehler, Bieber, Burnes, Glasnow, Fried, Woodruff, Wheeler and Cole (if he opts out).

    In addition, there will be two position players that I believe the Dodgers should pursue: Alex Bregman, who would address an area of need, and a 26 year old Juan Soto, who by all intensive purposes will be just coming into his prime years.

    Freddie Freeman is heading into his mid-30s and it would behoove the LAD to consider signing a future cornerstone player like Juan Soto to carry the mantle beyond Freeman or Mookie himself.

    1. I do not think Milwaukee is going to be in a hurry to trade Burnes, especially since Woodruf is out for the season next year.SD is not going to trade Soto to LA.

      1. Not proposing a trade. Essentially, I believe Mark’s plan allows us to wait until Soto becomes a FA. The Brewers have a tough decision with Burnes. The point is that we should stay away from shelling out big contracts this free agency to pursue the likes of Soto next free agency.

    2. Bregman will be a Free Agent after next season, but he will be 31 and that will be tricky!

  9. Interesting ideas. It seems like you have some dominoes lined up, but of course you would need plenty of willing trade partners here.
    Just read that Lee is being represented by Boras, so that could be a complication. In general, pitchers coming to the MLB from Japan and Korea have fared better than hitters. Could be wrong, but I think Ichiro and Ohtani are the only hitters from Japan and Korea whose production did not diminish somewhat. That said, I would expect more offense from Lee than Lux, at least based on reputation, so I’d flop them in the lineup.
    True that the Rays may need an SS, and perhaps Rojas could be a temporary fix in case they have another promising SS in the pipeline. But if I’m the Rays I’d be casting a wide net.
    Would the Sox be willing to deal Robert? They certainly should consider it. If so, my inner Dodger GM would start the package with Outman as a proven ML talent who would slide into the spot Roberts vacates. Then I’d add the extras. (I prefer to keep Busch and deal Vargas because of the power potential.)
    But of all the potential acquisitions mentioned, I think Yamamoto would fill the greatest need. The rotation is a big question mark. I do like Manaea as a reclamation project and I think Montgomery will command a too-hefty price.
    I noticed that your plan doesn’t put a better glove at 3B.
    But then I suspect that the Dodger front office won’t try hard to replace Max either–because they’ll be targeting Shohei for DH

      1. Disliking the idea of dealing with Boras and refusing to do so are two completely different things.

        2. He has dealt with Boras on his lower-level players or those trying to get their game back. Martinez is an example of that. But his superstar players? Usually not. Boras always places a very high and lengthy price on those guys.

  10. Sign Ohtani – 45 million
    Sign Yamamoto – 25 million
    Sign Lee – 20 million
    Pick up Muncy option – 14 million
    Trade for Robert – same deal as Mark proposed
    Trade for Burnes – Stone, Cartaya and Frasso

    Lineup

    Betts 2b
    Lee CF
    Freeman 1st
    Smith C
    Ohtani DH
    Robert LF
    Muncy 3rd
    Outman RF
    Lux 2nd

    Rotation

    Buehler
    Burnes
    Yamamoto
    Miller
    Pepiot
    Sheehan

    1. hahahaha you think they are going to pay Ohtani $45M to hit 5th! Honestly Smith should be hitting 6th or 7th if he stays at catcher.

      1. My lineup would simply put Ohtani 3rd, behind the best one-two punch in the game. That trio are in the top ten of both OBP and OPS.
        Smith or Max would bat cleanup, depending on the pitcher.
        It will be interesting to see if Outman can improve. He has shown a great work ethic and improvement throughout his career. If he reduces the Ks, he could become a 30 HR threat.
        I’ve argued that perhaps Outman could headline a deal for Luis Robert. But the more I think about it, my guess is that AF loves the fact that Outman will be cost-controlled for a few more seasons, while Robert will soon command big bucks.
        Dodgers are hoping that Vargas, Busch and DeLuca can emulate Outman as a low-cost success.

  11. We also need to realize that the odds Buehler comes back as a Number Five are better than he comes back as a Number One.

  12. A simple Nohtani option….
    To put the pitching aside for a moment, Dodgers could just sign Matt Chapman and move Max to DH.
    Chapman had a weak second half, which should reduce his market and price tag. Still, his WAR in ’23 was 4.4, which was the same as the rejuvenated Belli and rising star Bobby Witt Jr. Max’s WAR was either 2.9 or 2.6, depending on the source.
    Chapman’s career numbers are not spectacular but solid–a .790 OPS with premium defense–and he’s a SoCal native who might have extra incentive to come “home.” His defense would make every pitcher a bit better. Plus, his righty bat would help balance the lefty-heavy lineup, which might look like this.
    Mookie 2B
    Freddie 1B
    Smith C
    Max DH
    Chapman 3B
    Outman CF
    Heyward/ Taylor RF
    Busch/DeLuca LF
    Lux (or Rojas) SS
    The quintet of Chapman, Rojas, Betts, Freeman and Smith might be the best defensive infield in the game. The outfield would miss Mookie, but Heyward, Outman, DeLuca and Taylor are all good outfielders. (Busch is probably OK in left.)
    Unlike JDM, Max would be a UT option, able to back up at 1B, 2B and 3B. (The notion that JDM might play some LF never really materialized.) Without a full-time DH, Smith would get more starts at DH against lefties, which would reduce his wear and tear.

    1. Chapman brings solid defense, but he is Muncy from the right side with a slightly higher average and more strikeouts, 165, Over the last three seasons he has struck out. 202, 170, 165. Hasn’t hit 30 homers in four years. OPS is .790. He doesn’t get on base that much. And he is 30. How many years do they want to give a guy turning 30?

  13. Bregman? No damn way I want that little prick as a Dodger! before the scandal, yes, but not ever! I like your lineup, Mark! although Muncy not so much. If lux can’t handle shortstop, they can always switch him and Mookie. Also, less platoons with that lineup!

  14. Okay, I can buy some of it.

    As to dope fiend moves, I understand that Andrew Friedman definitely likes financial flexibility. Maybe likes isn’t the right word. He craves it.

    But didn’t he go “dope fiend” when he signed Mookie Betts?

    Of course, he did. Down the line, the contract probably won’t end well, most don’t, but it’s the price you pay to get the player.

    Just recently, many people writing here, including Mark, were questioning if Mookie is truly a superstar. Certainly a very good player, but a superstar? His first year was very good, the next two, good, but not great, this past year superstar level. But disappeared in the playoffs.

    Would signing Shohei Ohtani be a dope field move? I don’t think so, but lots of paths to move forward, probably not all equal.

    Ownership may push for the deal. Why? Simple, the Dodgers are into a bad trend, win a hundred or more, get bounced out of the playoffs by the division runner-up. The fan base is downcast. What would it take to fix that? Ken Rosenthal said changing the Dodger narrative begins with two words, Shohei Ohtani. I tend to agree with that. He went on to say there is more that needs to be done, like starting pitching.

    Maybe all this makes Friedman uncomfortable, but comfort is often overrated. I was hopeful when the Dodgers pursued Bryce Harper, then they stayed within the box and the Phillies got the player. A short time later, Friedman traded for Mookie and signed him to a huge contract, basically blowing up his box.

    There are always ideas about trades, some might work, others probably not. Mark makes a good case about Ramariz and the Tampa Bay payroll. Maybe Friedman thinks Mark’s idea is a good one, based on sound analysis and pursues such a deal. Maybe he has other potential trades to pursue, some he might like better. I’m sure he does.

    But there are potential free agents who can help. Besides Ohtani, there is Montgomery and Yamamoto. It will only cost money and the Dodgers have plenty coming off the books.

    I’m probably not trading Outman. Yes, he strikes out too much, but he can work on reducing the swings and misses. Plus, he’s young.

    I won’t be surprised if the Dodgers offer Busch or Vargas in a trade.

    Until Clayton Kershaw makes a decision, there will be a spot for him on the roster. Will his shoulder be okay moving forward? No idea. That’s a question for Clayton, Friedman told reporters.

    Oh and most of the teams playing for a chance to make it to the World Series all made several dope fiend moves. That’s part of the reason they are still in the hunt. Some times superstars produce and some times they don’t. Ours didn’t.

  15. With the Padres allowing the Giants to talk to Melvin, it should be considered that Melvin will no longer be the manager of the Padres. Why interview a guy like that unless he is your obvious choice? Now who in their right mind wants to manage the Padres? MLBTR suggesting the Mets might have the inside track signing Yamamoto. They had success with Kodai Senga. Of course, some think the Mariners might have a real shot signing him too. If AF has a real problem dealing with Boras, then you can forget Snell, and several other free agents. And you know Boras is going to try for the most years he can get for both of those 30-year-old pitchers. Nola is a free agent also. Flaherty is only 28, so he might be a very good option, and with the meltdown he had last season, Giolito could probably be had cheap, and you know the Dodgers like fixing things. Montgomery, contrary to some reports, is not represented by Boras.

    That means probably four years plus. Only if AF goes out of his comfort zone would he do that. Like I have stated many times, the ONLY pitcher to get more than a three-year deal from Freidman was Brandon McCarthy who got 4/48. And he was traded in the final year of that deal. Dodgers did not get much bang for their buck with him. 33 games pitched in 3 years with 11 wins. That would make any GM nervous.

    1. Well they did offer Cole 8 years and $300M+ so for the right arm they will open the checkbook. At this point Friedman has no choice, he’s going to have to go out of his comfort zone to get a frontline starter if they can’t get one via trade.

      1. There are no Coles out there right now. He might go four, but I think anything longer than that isn’t happening. Cole was 28 when he became a free agent. None of the premier pitchers out there except Yamamoto are that young.

        1. I think AF goes hard after Yamamoto.

          Flaherty is a TJ Candidate, so maybe you go 5 or 6 with him and get it out of the way.

          Montgomery is going to get crazy money.

          Meanwhile, the Sean Manaeas will get some traction too.

        2. I didn’t say there was a Cole out there right now just that for the right arm they will go out of there comfort zone. I could see them giving Montgomery 5 years…..if they don’t someone else will!

  16. I think this is going to be one of the more interesting off seasons since Ol Andrew took over. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Dodgers war room. So many decisions, so little time.

  17. Bear, I meant with Mark’s lineup, switch Mookie to short and Lux to second if Lux couldn’t handle short. I like the quantity with quality of Marks lineup. can you imagine if Ohtani does get hurt after signing a massive contract? You’re money has just circled the drain!

    1. Lux can play there, but his time as the SS is not just going to be for a couple of weeks. They are going to give him plenty of time to show his stuff. I personally would like to see Mookie get the 2nd base job full time and find a free agent outfielder for right. I don’t like either of the kids there, Busch or Vargas. Only time will tell about Lux, but you can bet he will be out there almost every day in spring, and for at least the first three months of the season or more. Chances of Ohtani getting hurt as the DH are pretty slim. The guy is very athletic and pretty well built. Plus he is young.

  18. Very tempting on Ohtani! I just don’t see Friedman matching some of the ludicrous offers he’ll get from Mets , Yankee’s, or Giants. as for Lux, he’ll bring speed and some piss and vinegar to a stoic lineup (I hope)! And no Bradley, Grandal isn’t coming back! lol.

    1. Freidman is going to be under more pressure than he has ever been since he got here. He has to make a big move. The fans are not going to sit still for the reclamation projects forever. He needs to sign or trade for a big-ticket player to go along with Mookie and Freeman. And preferably one star class starting pitcher or two.

  19. Most of AF major acquisitions have come via trade; I.e. Turner, Scherzer and Mookie…Freddie is the most notable FA signing.

    Unless Ohtani’s value drops, I expect AF to explore the trade market yet again to leverage the risk of free agent signings.

    While most “insiders” are playing checkers, the one thing we’ve learned about AF is that he is playing chess when it comes to finding ways to improve the roster.

  20. I couldn’t agree more bear and sure I’m hoping he gets at least two young and durable enough that could be around a few years. Not only am I tired of reclamation projects, pitchers going down with major arm issues and other injuries is getting old to

  22. Watching Corey Seager have such great success in the post season makes me sick to my stomach that he’s still not a Dodger. He’s darn near superstar status and should still be wearing a Dodger uniform.

    1. … and he’s still a Gold Glove Caliber SS.

      Remember when most fans said he would have to move to 3B?

      Should AF have paid him $400 Million?

      1. Seager has never come close to winning a gold glove. He is decent, his career fielding average is .971. He averages 10 errors a year. He was worse than that in LA.

  23. Az forces game 7. Struck early and held the lead. MLB’s worst nightmare, a Texas-Arizona World Series. The ratings would suck. Suarez faces Pfaadt.

  24. Before the comments close I want to say just once- How can people possibly even consider signing Ohtani for a fortune when we already have two DH’s (Martinez and Muncy) who hit over 30 homeruns and had over 100 RBI’s? Of all the positions we don’t need it would seem DH is it. We have NOT ONE proven healthy starting pitcher and people want to sign a third DH? When I say we have no proven healthy pitchers, here is what I mean:
    -Buehler- coming back from second Tommy John- Can you count on him?
    -Kershaw- either gone or going to be gone with shoulder problems
    -Gonsolin- gone next year
    -May- gone for most of next year then to the bullpen
    -Urias- just plain gone!!!
    -Lynn- going, going, gone (as in a home run)
    -Miller- hasn’t arrived yet, still a large question mark, especially after the playoff start
    -Pepoit- still lots of questions and health concerns
    -Sheehan, Stone, Grove- completely unproven
    That is 11 pitchers and not one sure thing and we need a third DH at $45 million a year?

    1. Martinez is a free agent. And he is only a DH. Muncy has a 14 million dollar team option, and he is capable of playing a position other than DH. He DH’d exactly 10 times last year, the rest of the time he was in the field. Neither Muncy nor Martinez can put up the kind of oWAR Ohtani can. Miller’s playoff start was simply a bump in the road. Part of the learning process. Kid went 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA. Not many rookies sniff those kinds of stats. He will be fine. Sheehan showed a lot and he has nasty stuff. He is a decent back of the rotation guy. Pepiot has no health concerns. This was the first time he has been on the IL. He was fine when he returned. They have 100 mil coming off of the books, they can spend on plenty of free agents if they like. That 100 mil is to stay under the tax. Kersh is probably through. Buehler was doing ok when they just decided he was going to shut it down.. It wasn’t because he was not progressing well from the surgery. Sheehan was 4-1 with a save. He struck out 66 in 60.1 innings. They will add a couple of pitchers through free agency, but ya gotta let the kids play sooner or later and next year is the time to see what they have.

    2. Grove has proved he can be an innings eater. Front line starter? Probably not, but a long man out of the pen. Stone is a complete question mark no doubt. And sorry, Martinez is not coming back. He will most likely get at least a 2 year offer from someone else. If, and only if they do not sign Ohtani, then Muncy becomes the most of the time DH with Will Smith probably getting a few reps there. I think you aren’t giving the kids enough credit. Who carried the load after Urias was suspended? The kids and the pen.

  25. Well at least the Asstro’s aren’t going to WS! Has a seven game series ever been won entirely by road teams?

        1. You would be right. Altuve’s homer in the 9th inning moved him into second place on the All-time playoff homers leaderboard with 27. Manny Ramirez had 29. Dusty Baker has told several people that he will most likely retire. He is 74 years old has won over 2000 games as a manager. 2183, or 90 more than Bochy. I think both are locks to get into the hall as managers. Dusty has also been manager of the year 3 times. Same as Bochy.

  26. Seager was named as a finalist for GG this year, but I have my doubts about the methodology. My impression is that stars on offense get extra consideration. Moreover, the O’s had two excellent SS gloves in likely ROY Gunnar Henderson and the spectacular Jorge Mateo–but they shared the position, with Henderson getting a lot of starts at 3B.
    I would certainly rate Miguel Rojas’s defense a full grade ahead of Seager’s–does anybody here really think otherwise?–but Rojas is not a GG finalist in the NL. Lindor, Swanson and the Rockies’ Tovar are.
    Anyway, the Seager ship sailed two seasons ago. He’s a heckuva player, a very dangerous bat, but he’s no Cal Ripken. He has trouble staying on the field. AF gave big contracts to two guys who aren’t injury-prone: Mookie and Freddie. I assume the risk of injury enters into AF’s thinking. (And I wish he would find a couple of workhorse pitchers. Do those guys still exist?)

    I’ve argued that signing Chapman would be a simple way to upgrade the Dodgers’ D, but I think Ohtani is the priority. If AF could snag both Ohtani AND Chapman, then Max would be pretty nice trade chip. His $14-million contract would fit a lot of small market teams. Perhaps Max could headline a package for Luis Robert or a front-line SP.
    Just read that the Giants and Mets could bid hard for Yamamoto. Makes a lot of sense to me, especially if they figure that Ohtani goes to the Dodgers.

    1. Chapman strikes out too much. He struck out more than Muncy, and Max K’s a ton. He will be 31 next season, so how many years will it take? But the biggest obstacle to signing Chapman, his agent, Scott Boras. Not a chance LA signs him. He is a great glove, but he does not walk much, and his OPS is below. .800. Chapman has struck out 537 times in the last three years. Pena, the SS for the Astros is an excellent fielder also. He earned the gold glove last year. Seager is injury prone. Lynn is the perfect example of a workhorse he just happens to be headed for the glue factory,

    2. No way Max could headline a package for Robert or a front line SP.
      Especially since he only has one year of control left.
      He could be part of that package, but headliner? No way.

  29. Input into the computers how we can become a 90 win wild card team. You guys have it all wrong trying to improve this team! A 100+ win division winning team is the wrong formula!

  31. Trashtros lose the pennant! Trashtros lose the pennant! Trashtros lose the pennant!
    So now do I root for the Phils or the D’backs, a true Cinderella team?
    It’s obvious, now, that AF should have dealt for Montgomery. Whatever he offered–assuming he did–the Rangers offered more.
    Oh well.

    1. Sure, your name isn’t Hodges???? Montgomery was never on the table for the Dodgers, they were in serious negotiations with the Tigers. Montgomery was traded on the 30th along with Chris Stratton for two minor leaguers and John King, a left-handed reliever. King got into 20 games for the Cardinals, had a sub 2 ERA and won one game. That was two days before the deadline. The Dodgers had picked up Lynn and Kelly on the 28th of July. I think AF expected the Rodriguez deal to go through. He pivoted to Yarbrough. Montgomery was 4-2 for the Rangers, Lynn was 7-2 for the Dodgers. It is easy to say who they should have traded for after the fact. Montgomery had almost no post season experience. Lynn and Rodriguez had a lot of it. They wanted that post season experience and Rodriguez had a better record at the time of the trade than Montgomery did. Montgomery actually ended up with a losing record.

  32. Wonderful news to wake up to.

    Trashtros lose, and my pre season wager on Texas to win the American League wins me £1970 or $2201.

    If they go on to win the World Series I win another £1120 or $1375

    Happy Days

    The .500’ D’Backs aren’t doing too bad either……

    £1800 or $2207 if they win it all. Great position to be in.

    First time in years that I’ve not backed the Dodgers, it being a “ transitional year” and all that. Gonna have a little “Saver” on the Phillies!!

  33. My choice if they sign a free agent third baseman is Jemier Candelario. Hit 22 bombs between Cubs and Nats, very good glove, left-handed hitter.

  34. Mexican League says Urias can pitch there once his legal troubles are sorted out. If he is prosecuted, he pretty much is done in the majors. Kid cost himself millions. Same with Wander Franco who is in a lot of hot water.

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