The News Gets Worse for MLB

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1. Mark, you closed the comments for the prior post but in answer to your comment, I was not comparing the last two years to anything–I was just saying that the Dodgers performance over the last 11 years has been much worse than their regular season record. That doesn’t have anything to do with Manfred or the playoff format. Or, for that matter, the Astros cheating, or the “crap shoot” theory, They are all just excuses.
   You guys keep coming up with all sorts of bogus reasons to avoid facing the fact that the Dodgers have sucked in the playoffs.

2. Mark

   From your writing up top yesterday it was obvious that you were talking about me because you have told me several times that I only look at stats.

   From your 2nd paragraph yesterday “I never called you a moron, but if you identify as one. I can’t stop you.”

   What? You have called me a moron plenty of times. So that’s a lie.

   From your 2nd paragraph yesterday “why is Cartaya in the Top 30”

   He’s in there because the experts or whatever you called them put him there. And as I said yesterday I will have him either barely in my top 10 or barely out of my top 10 list when I make a new one.

   From your 3rd paragraph “I never called you a moron, but if you identify as one by only using statistics, that is on you!”

   There’s moron again and there you go again telling me I only use statistics and that makes it obvious that you were talking about me in your writing up top yesterday.

   By the way, I take in consideration from the experts and I also rely heavily on stats.

   1. Oh yeah there’s another thing I use to make a judgement on prospects. I’m not going to say because I’ll get blowback.

      A perfect example that I don’t just look at stats. I will be putting Cartaya around number 10 on my prospect list. So if I only look at stats and his horrific year I would have to make a top 30 list of prospects so he could be on a list of mine.

      So I would appreciate it if you would stop telling me that I only rely on stats. Because it’s a lie and defamation of character.

      1. Same thing goes about defense. I would never suggest Muncy play CF for example. I’ve already explained that I think defense stats are flawed and I would never give up offense for a little bit of “better defense” according to what I consider flawed stats.

         So I would appreciate it if you stop saying I care zero about defense.

         1. Defensive stats are flawed, but with guys like Rojas and Perdomo at SS you can see the difference. You don’t need stats.

   2. Using stats as a method of evaluating prospects is a tool, but to rely on that to any degree is moronic. Period! Baseball is a game where you can hit the ball right on the screws and make an out, while you can hit a dribbler and get a triple. Stats don’t disclose the difference . When a hitter has a high BABIP, it can tell you something, but if you don’t use your eyes too, then you will see a very incomplete picture.

      You can look at Josh Hader and say, “WOW he has great stats”, but stats don’t show that he can be a cancer in the locker room!

      1. “Baseball is a game where you can hit the ball right on the screws and make an out, while you can hit a dribbler and get a triple. Stats don’t disclose the difference”

         It all pretty much averages out in the end player by player. There’s no big difference. And how many dribblers will I guy hit that turn into triples in a season? Triples are the most rare that occur.

3. Bruce Bochy has won 15 of 16 playoff series. His playoff record is 49-21. That’s a .700 winning percentage. He is 6-0 in elimination games. I may be out of my rabbit-ass mind but you refuse to look at his results. If the playoffs are a “crap shoot” then Bochy ought to move to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, over the past 11 seasons the Dodgers are 48-45 in playoff games and have won 14 series and lost 12. That’s a far cry from their regular season results.
   You can keep coming up with excuses but you can’t change the factual history. Remember the definition of insanity!

   1. You make some good points. Crapshoot might be the wrong phrase. But winning the World Series is harder than it has ever been. When the Dodgers won in 20, they accomplished something that had never been done before. They had to win 13 games after the regular season was over to become champions. Well, Texas matched that this year. Being a wild card team means you have a longer road to the title. Just getting to the playoffs is not easy. It is a feather in their cap that the organization has been able to go to the playoffs for 11 straight years. No other stretch in Dodger history comes close to matching that level of success. And just look how long the franchise has been around. They won 2 titles in the 50’s, 2 in the 60’s and 2 in the 80’s before winning in 20. How many teams have no titles in their entire existence? Padres, Mariners, Rockies, Brewers. Padres have been to two World Series, Brewers and Rockies one each and the Mariners have never been.
      Excuses? I don’t believe the Dodgers need to make excuses for anything. But it is obvious that the 5-day layoff affected them both years. It is also obvious that their star players disappeared in the playoffs both years too. Same thing happened in 21 when they were the wild card team. They played well against the Giants but were pretty much run out of the building by the Braves. And the reason was that the Braves mid-season pick-ups outplayed the Dodgers. Pederson, Soler and Rosario, all had huge clutch hits during that series. Bellinger, Pollock and Taylor were the only guys who showed any offense at all. Taylor hit four homers and drove in 12 runs in the postseason. Bellinger had the game winning hit in game 5 of the NLDS and a clutch game tying homer in game 3 of the NLCS. Pollock hit two homers in game 5 of the NLCS. But the guys you expected to get production from, Betts, .174 no homers and 1 RBI. JT, .200 no homers, no RBI’s, Trea Turner, .240 no homers 1 RBI. Smith hit .217. Seager hit .167 even though he had 2 homers and 4 driven in. You don’t win many games when the meat of your lineup is held in check like that. But give some credit to the other teams coaches and pitching staff. They had LA’s number. Yep, Bochy has proven that when he gets to the playoffs, his team wins most of the time. But he also loses a lot and never makes it to the playoffs. 21 of his 27 seasons as a manager, he missed the playoffs entirely.
      Betts, and Freeman screwed the pooch this year. Those guys get shut down, the Dodgers don’t win much.

      1. I agree with what you are saying for the most part but I think two things contributed to the team being run out of the building against the Braves. First, Kershaw and Muncy got hurt at the very end of the season which means the team couldn’t replace them via trade like the Braves were able to replace Acuna. Who knows if we would have gotten good or bad Kershaw but both losses had an impact. Second, they were gassed from the 7 game series versus the team with the best record in baseball. Neither was the Braves problem and they beat the team they were facing.

         1. I agree. Losing Muncy was a huge blow. Kersh also.

         2. Good points by Stevie and Jimbo.
            One minor correction. In 2021, the Dodgers beat the Giants in a 5 game series, not 7. Although the Dodgers also had to win a wild card game.
            The injuries to Muncy and Kershaw hurt the team, and also Scherzer pulled up lame in the last game. Max cited his sore arm and chose not to pitch on full rest in game 6 against Atlanta which was an elimination game. Instead Buehler had to come back on short rest for the second time in 3 starts, something he had not done in his career. Buehler took the ball for the team and only lasted 4 innings and they lost 4-2. Great effort by Walker, but the playoff innings probably contributed to his TJ injury early the next year. And Max was a free agent after that series and got paid $130 million for 3 years.
            I love Buehler’s competitiveness and hope he can come back healthy next year. It would be nice if the Dodgers could extend Buehler this off season to provide him with some security while the Dodgers lock him up for another year or two. Maybe add 3 years for $60 million with an opt out after the second year or with incentives. Of course, I haven’t seen his medicals, and the Dodgers have.
            For his first 6 seasons with the Dodgers from 2017-2022, he was paid $10 million total salary and $3.8million in a draft bonus. He made $8 million in 2023 and the arb estimate is $8 million in 2024. So in 8 seasons he will make about $26 million salary compared to Scherzer who is making $43 million per year.
            Buehler has been a great Dodger player and the team has received more than their money’s worth so far. I would prefer to invest in a known quantity like Buehler rather than high paid carpet baggers like Scherzer or Bauer.

   2. This is like arguing – what came first – the Chicken or the egg? 60 years of watching baseball (a lot, around people like Walter, Tommy, Logan White, and many others), leads me to believe that players make managers look like geniuses, not vice-versa.

      I think Bochy is a Hall-of-Fame Manager because of his record in the post-season, but if you are being honest, what in the hell did he do THIS year that was so outstanding except shut up and get out of the way? And, by the way… that is important too!

4. I think we all understand it is not that easy to win Championships. I have said this several times over the last few months, Dodger fans are spoiled. They expect to win, and those high expectations don’t mean results. I think most of us were surprised this team did as well as it did with all the injuries and basically a rotation full of question marks. I for one was proud they even got where they did. At my age, I learned a long time ago that the game tosses you a lot of twists and turns, ups and downs, and sometimes, daily surprises. For one, I thought for sure after his struggles in May and June that Outman was going to be sent down. After all, he struck out 60 times in that period over 146 at bats and had 2 homers. But he turned it around in June, hit about .280 over the next two months with 8 homers and 24 driven in, and cut his K’s down by 7. He slumped in September and October but hit 6 more homers. His finishing with a .248/23/70 line and an OPS at .790 was not expected.
   What killed the Dodgers in the postseason in my eyes was them not getting a top of the line starting pitcher to go along with their talented kids. Lynn did ok, but he is too homer prone.

   1. Well said.

      Ask any Angel fan about how much the Dodgers suck. Angels have made the playoffs 10 times. Since 1969. Dodgers have done it 11 years in a row. We are spoiled.

      And I don’t really care to hear Dodger fans go on and on about “excuses”. It’s harder to make the World Series now than it ever has been.

      Ask Tiger fans. Rockies fans. Seattle fans… the list goes on and on. Dodgers had an extraordinary season. It ended badly, sure.

      But so many people here are acting like winning a World Series is something owed to us. It’s not. We’re fortunate our team gets a shot every year. Few teams can say that.

   2. Outman proved himself to be streaky. He also proved that he could battle out a severe slump. In the end, his numbers had him on the MLB.com’s All-Rookie team, flanked by Corbin Carrol (of course) and the Rockies’ Nolan Jones. All considered, I would rather have Carrol or Jones–but Outman established himself as a solid major leaguer. Now if he can only cut down on the Ks….
      Muncy signed a new two-year contract with an option for a third. The AAV is $14 million, which strikes me as a bargain for a guy who just had 36 HRs and 105 RBI. Yeah, Max has a crappy BA, but his on-base percentage was pretty good. Chris Taylor has significantly lower production and a better contract.
      We often assume that players just seek the highest $$, but in interviews Max comes across as a guy who wears his heart on his Dodger uni sleeve. He often expresses his gratitude for the Dodgers giving him another shot at a time he was considering retirement after his frustrations in Oakland. Max has spoken about how AF took him aside during the midseason amid the chatter of an Arenado deal to assure him that there no plans to trade him. Max clearly loves being a Dodger.
      Still, I find myself thinking that at some point AF might put him in a deal. His salary is far from outrageous, and he’d be a great middle-of-the-order bat for a team that needs a first baseman, his best position. His defense at 3B has gone from OK to below-average–but there’s now little reason to think Vargas or Busch would be better.
      Anyway, I assume that much-maligned Max must be happy about his new deal, and so I’m happy for him… even though it puzzles me that a few years ago he didn’t get a better deal, while Chris Taylor did.
      Now what about an extension for Will Smith?
      Or is the idea to let him walk as Cartaya and Rushing move up?

      1. Actually, his AAV is 12. Two years, 24 mil.

         1. Good catch, Bear….
            But I hope there are incentives for more $$!

5. When your team scores 6 runs in 3 games you better have a bunch of Koufax clones pitching.

6. We just need to suck less in the postseason.

   1. And how do you suggest they suck less? Getting to the World Series three years out of four, 17-18-20. Most teams would kill to do that.

      1. I would’ve fired the manager after his 2019 gross incompetence against Washington.

         1. Well too late for that idea and there is no guarantee his replacement would be any better. And who would that have been????

         2. 

7. The Dodgers only shoot crap in October

   1. Snake eyes.

8. What the LAD need is for their starting pitchers to stay healthy and/or stop beating their wives.

   1. Cold dude. Allegedly beat. I put the health part on the strength and conditioning people. But throwing a baseball puts a lot of stress on one’s joints since it is not a natural thing to do. I blew out my arm when I was 11. I threw a ball from center field to home plate on the fly in a little league game. My arm was never the same. It didn’t help that when I went to Korea, I slipped and fell on an icy pathway from the barracks to the mess hall. Landed on my left shoulder. Never has had the same movement it had before that.

      1. Didn’t intend to come off as cold. Basically, want to point out that factors outside of the LAD is what doomed them.

   2. I like that! 😉

      Allegedly…

9. Mookie Betts lowered his asking price for his Encino mansion to 8.4 million dollars. He bought it from Chip Kelly for 6.4 million in 2020. Cody Bellinger won the NL Comeback player of the year award.

   1. Coincidently, Mookie is in a bowling tournament today in Las Vegas.
      He just bowled a 227 game. Surprising how small he looks in person, but a great athlete. And he sure keeps busy in the off-season!

10. Yes dodger fans are definitely spoiled for wanting their first full season championship in 35 years and how dare them for being upset over getting completely embarrassed last two years

    1. You are entitled to your opinion. That is cool. But 20 counts just as much as any other year. All the teams played under the same rules. I don’t think they have anything to be embarrassed by. They ran into two hot teams. It happens, it is over and done with. They got outpitched and outhit and outplayed both years. No embarrassment in that. Fans worry about that stuff more than the players. They come back with more incentive to do better. But if you want to know the real reason why they lost, just check the stats. In 22, their so-called clutch players, JT, Betts, Will Smith, all hit under .200 in the three-game series, so did Bellinger. Freeman and Trea Turner hit over .300, and Muncy hit .286. But they couldn’t score. Freeman, Muncy and Turner accounted for the only homers in the series for LA. They scored 5 runs in game one, and only 7 over the next three games. You are not going to win doing that unless your pitchers throw shutouts every game. They were 5-34 with runners in scoring position. That is awful. 35 years boo hoo. Chicago waited over 100 years. Boston 86, And those four teams I mentioned have never won any in their entire existence. How do you think their fans feel when they make the playoffs and do not advance. Yeah, Dodger fans are spoiled. They think getting to the series is a birthright. It isn’t that easy. 44 years for the Mariners, 55 for San Diego, 40 for the Rockies and 55 for the Brewers. I do not think the fans of any of those teams have any sympathy for Dodger fans. They have never had a parade. LA has had 5 and six titles.

11. 2020 is way more legitimate than 2017! played more playoff games and didn’t cheat to win it! that said, it looks pretty much like the Dodgers could (a) sign Ohtani and leave Muncy at third, or (b) go after a 3rd baseman and let Max DH. I know Bear you think Arenado isn’t available, but there’s a lot of buzz on internet he could be. if, and I say if that’s true could Dodgers sign Ohtani and move Max in a deal? just asking. I wouldn’t mind that especially if they have any idea of playing Max at 2nd. Read this morning they might kick the tires on Kyle Hendricks, why? They have Miller, Pepiot, Buehler (if healthy), Sheehan. they would need a left-hand starter (if Clayton leaves). I don’t believe the starting pitching is in as dire straits as some do. shore up the pen and strengthen the outfield. would Friedman change his mind about Tommy Pham? guy wanted to come to LA. do they bring Peralta back(no). I don’t know how the infield defense looks with Max and Lux on the left side of the infield. if they did bring Arenado in, they could let Lux play 2nd and give Rojas majority of starts at shortstop with Mookie staying in right. Max at DH and possible platoon in left. Outman in center. the Ohtani thing is fascinating! If I were placing a major bet in Las Vegas my money would be on the Dodgers passing on Ohtani now that Max has been extended. call me a redundant moron, but I believe Arenado is more likely to be a Dodger than Ohtani. lot of buzz around Glassnow and Burnes. if healthy, Glassnow would be a hell of 1-2 with Miller!

    1. Where is this “lots of Glasnow buzz”

    2. A couple of things. A, the Dodgers need to get younger. They have enough old guys signed already. Although there is a mutual interest between LA and Heyward to bring him back. Pham, even though he is a RH bat, is not that great on defense and he is going to be 36 next year come March. I do not want him blocking Deluca who could become a very good fourth outfielder. B. There is absolutely no buzz on Arenado or Glasnow. None on MLBTR or anywhere else that is considered a reliable source. Glasnow was injured this season and only pitched in 21 games. Last thing LA needs is another sore armed starting pitcher. And Glasnow has won 10 games exactly once in his career, this year. He is not that special. Burnes on the other hand is ace material. But most of the trade scenarios with Milwaukee involve taking on Yelich, and for me that is a deal breaker. He is not the same player he was in 19. Still has some speed, but the power and the OPS have been below .800 until last season when he had a resurgence. But the guy is going to be 32 and is owed 130 million over the next 5 years. Sorry, too much of a contract to take on. C. Kyle Hendricks if healthy would make a lot of sense. He is an innings eater, and his track record is better than some of the other pitchers available. And the starting pitching is a priority for the Dodgers. Don’t think for one minute that it isn’t. Nolan Arenado turns 33 about the time the season starts. He has 109 million left on his deal. Whether you believe it or not, Ohtani is the Dodgers #1 target. Whether they can sign him or not remains to be seen. Yes, they will probably need a lefty starter. Kersh is a huge question mark and will be until he decides what he wants to do. Gavin Lux is going to be the everyday SS until he proves he can’t handle the job. Rojas was never meant to be anything more than a utility player. He was forced into a more prominent role due to Lux’s injury. And again, some fans might not like it, but Muncy is going to be playing third. Especially if they get Ohtani. Mookie would much rather be in the infield. And anyone who wants him to be around and healthy should want that too. Less chance of crashing into a wall and sustaining a debilitating injury. Why would St. Louis even consider trading Arenado? Goldschmidt is in the last year of his deal. Vargas and Busch will both be fighting for playing time. Probably at second base.

12. Lot to take in here.

    Is baseball dying a slow death? We base that on TV ratings, right. Well, baseball is a regional sport. Fans in those respective areas care, but does the rest of the country? Probably not. It’s not like football, which is once a week, leading up to a single game championship, the Super Bowl. Gather everyone, have a party and watch the game.

    But baseball may go seven games. Yes, the games are stretched out in the playoffs, they play this day and not that day. It should be played like the regular season. Part of that is about television and the money. Always about the money. That’s why the PAC 12 will cease to exist next year.

    Plus no one network has the games. You have to search for them. Some people may not even have those channels, depending on your cable or satellite package. Many have basic packages, the network channels. How long has it been since a major network broadcast the World Series?

    Plus look at all of the other sports. Soccer, hockey, basketball, golf (both men’s and women’s) not to mention the growth of college sports on TV. You also have other entertainment options including all kinds of movies and series on paid TV services. Lot to choose from.

    Honestly, I mostly don’t care about the World Series, unless the Dodgers are playing. I watched some this year because Corey Seager was playing and I like Seager.

    For the most part, baseball’s biggest stars weren’t playing. No Judge, no Ohtani, no Trout, no Acuna. Quick, who is the superstar on Arizona? They didn’t have one. Does baseball do a good job selling star power? No, probably not. Besides in baseball, it’s all about the big contract, not stats or personality. Watch the winter meetings, pretty much the talk is about money, the size and length of the contract. Scott Boras even holds court, surrounded by media

    So why would anybody be surprised. We live in a different world today. More competition for viewers, more things to do and less recognizable teams making it on the big stage.

    Ohtani is the biggest thing to hit baseball in ages, but the Angels never made the playoffs. Trout isn’t particularly interested in promotion and now he has trouble staying on the field. He plays for the Angels, no World Series in his future.

    But give some credit to baseball too. The players are more accessible and cities like LA draw huge crowds.

    Baseball has made a big effort to bring minorities into the sport, but just look at high school. Football and basketball are the big sports, draw the crowds and excitement. Go to a prep baseball game and you might see 50 or a hundred people there.

    As to the World Series, is anybody still talking about it, other than the playoff format and why the big winners weren’t in the Fall Classic.

    So where is the buzz. It’s centered on Ohtani. Big story in the Times today. Will the Dodgers sign Ohtani?

    1. All of that is totally true. I watched the last inning of game five and maybe one other inning during the whole series. I have no rooting interest. I watched SC play Cal, and it was a lot more exciting than any baseball that was being played.
       Besides, I can’t stand the D-Backs and Chase Field in general. It is a lousy place to watch a game. Like Coors, they use a humidor there.
       You are also right, there were no real stars playing in the series. Scherzer was the closest thing to a star, and he was hurt. The top jersey seller in the series was Seager, and he is listed at 29th or something like that. They need fewer off days, and maybe change the format of the wild card series and make them play a doubleheader on Tuesday after the season ends and have the division series start on Thursday. That way the bye team only has a three-day break. There are ways to make it less favorable to the wild card team and give the bye teams some advantages. Doing it that way would not allow the wild card team to line up their best pitchers for the first two games like what happened this year. Padres got to do the same last year.

13. With the Muncy signing, just don’t see an opportunity for both Vargas and Busch next year. One of them will get traded

    1. You could be right, or it could be that if they sign Ohtani, they will need both of them to play a position.

       Maybe they make the play for Yamamoto and Ohtani, and sign a couple of reclamation projects?

       I could see this being the lineup:

       1. Betts RF (just let him play there)
       2. Lux SS
       3. Freeman 1B
       4. Ohtani DH
       5. Muncy 2B
       6. Smith C
       7. Outman CF
       8. Vargas 3B
       9. Busch LF

       Vargas and Bush could flip or Muncy could play 3B and one of them would play 2B.

       Barnes, De Luca, Hernandez, Taylor, Rojas

       1. Need a lefty bat on the bench. Heyward probably.

       2. Like this

       3. That’s a very good lineup and only requires signing two free agents.

       4. That’s a plausible lineup….assuming that Lux shows he can play SS and his on-base skills would earn the spot behind Mookie.
          I agree that 3B and 2B might flop between Vargas and Max, but I don’t think we can expect any gold gloves from this pair. Or Lux, for that matter. (I agree that either Vargas or Busch or both will be traded, probably in a package to get front-line SP.)
          DeLuca and Taylor and Kike (if he returns) could be platoon partners for Busch and maybe Outman or Max. Rojas could be a late defensive replacement.
          My druthers would be to have Mookie-Freddie-Shohei at the top of the order. They are all high OBP guys (in the .400 neighborhood) with very good-to-great power. Let’s get them as many plate appearances as possible.
          It occurs to me that we don’t know what kind of hitter Lux will be. At his best he’s been a good on-base guy with occasional power. But before his injury he had added about 20 pounds of muscle. Will he be swinging for the fences or swinging to get on base?

14. I’m really dense. Can someone explain to me why we would want to shell out $400MM+ for someone who can’t play defense. can’t pitch next year for sure and maybe never again and may hit alot of homeruns? We have plenty of all of those already and they don’t cost $400MM+

    1. Because he’s worth it?

       Ok. That was snide.

       Here are some reasons:
       From Keith Law:
       He was worth 6 WAR this past year just as a position player, 10 WAR in total between his bat and his arm, and 6.2 rWAR in 2022 as a pitcher, so in theory, he could post a 12 WAR season and be the most valuable player ever if he comes back healthy from elbow surgery.

       He’s 29 and of unparalleled value as a marketing element.

15. Bluto, the key word, as always, is “if”. That’s a ton of money for “if”!

    1. Every player signed comes with an if!

       Every single one, for every contract signed.

16. yes, but only one costs $400MM+
    Clayton had shoulder surgery.

    1. Yes, but Only one is worth 400 million!

17. Kershaw announces on his Instagram account that he has undergone shoulder surgery, a repair of the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule. He hopes to return to pitching next summer.

    I’m sure this has been in the works for some time and I’d be willing to bet that if he comes back it will be in a Dodger uniform rather than the Rangers. I think his last performance left a really bad taste in his mouth and he feels he has unfinished work here.

18. The thing about Otani that no one’s talking about – he’s having his 2nd Tommy John surgery. The track record of starting pitchers who have had two isn’t very good. He’s not exactly a sure thing to come back as a pitcher.
    https://apnews.com/article/ohtani-tommy-john-surgery-c608cd334a5aaadc48ff105cf95b0f39

    1. Here’s a nice read on that.

       https://fantasy.fangraphs.com/pitcher-results-after-2nd-tommy-john-surgery/

    2. I feel like everyone is not only talking about this, but taking it into account

       1. Nate Eovaldi, who the Dodgers traded for Hanley Ramirez, had two TJs and just went 5-0 in the postseason. He’s not the only pitcher to recover successfully from two procedures.
          The Dodger brass has drafted guys needing TJ surgery, and the obviously have a lot of confidence in Dr. El Attrache and the advancement of procedures in general. Of course the Dodger overlords are taking all of this into consideration.
          We are hoping now that Walker Buhler, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin make successful recoveries–but I still think the Dodgers need to sign and/or trade for two frontline starters.
          I wonder if Yamamoto wants to play with Ohtani….

19. Kershaw just announced that he had shoulder surgery.

20. Mark

    My question is why is Hader a clubhouse cancer?

    I googled it and all I found is that he refused to enter the 8th inning more than once.

    Forget the money aspect.

    Since the Dodgers have Phillips, Brazier, Graterol under contract and I think they should keep S. Miller and all of them were dominant this season, those guys can handle the innings leading up to the 9th inning and then Hader.

    Forgive me for my philosophy of having as many shutdown guys in the bullpen as possible so you pretty much know that you’ll win if you can get the lead by a certain inning depending on how many shutdown relievers you have. I love that philosophy.

    The hitters and starting pitchers work their ass off to get a lead by the 6th inning lets say and then turn it over to your dominant relievers. What it also does is save innings on your starting pitchers.

    1. Eric,

       There is a substantial part of what happens outside the lines that writers know, but can’t or won’t write about. This has been true forever. Some things just cannot be discussed.

       1. Mark, that goes with everyone.

          Do you know the scoop?

          1. Some…

    2. I wish Brazier was under contract. He’s a free agent and he’ll no doubt have lots of offers.

    3. The history of paying big money for bullpen arms is really bad. Shut down relievers generally have short half lives. Kenley was un hittable, until he wasn’t. The list of guys like that is long. Hader will likely demand 4 or 5 years and $100m or so. I wouldn’t pay big money for any bullpen arm for more than 2 years. The likelihood that any great reliever has longevity like the HOF closers is incredibly small. That’s why there are only half a dozen in the HOF.

       If we are going to drop big money on any players, closer would be my last choice.

21. I’m utterly shocked about Kershaw’s surgery.

    Next, somebody is going to tell me congress can’t agree on anything.

    Jokes aside, it’s obvious Kershaw wants to play again next year. Question is, with the Dodgers? Or the defending Word Champs?

    1. I honestly hope Kershaw does not come back to the Dodgers. It’s time to move on.

       One thing Bochy has also been able to count on is his ACE. His ACE has always been there when he needed him… in starting or relief. Roberts has never had that luxury.

       1. I agree. Time to move on.
          Kershaw could do a farewell tour with his hometown team. The Rangers could come to LA and the fans would shower him with love.

22. He’s coming back to Dodgers! And Mark, your lineup needs a bigger RH bat than Deluca on the bench. That’s a lot of lefties in that lineup and a lot of question marks. But I’d love to give Vargas and Busch a real shot next year. Ohtani and two good starters. And I’m moving on from Barnes!

23. This may not go down well for many of my Dodger brothers here, but i try to shoot straight in my thinking.

    I’m glad there is an asterisk next to our WS win several years ago. I believe there should be because after all, it was only a 60 game season. Our pitchers didn’t have enough time to break down like they usually do over 162 games. I’m still waiting to see us win a “normal” World Series but I think maybe we should make it our goal to come in 2nd place in the West.

    Until we win the WS in a 162 game season I do feel that win is somewhat tainted and not really worthy of me thumping my chest over. What Texas just did ….now that is something to be proud of and to thump one’s chest over. (Love you Corey Seager)

    Okay, let me have it.

    1. You must like circular thinking. I can’t help you!

       One could say that the rules were changed in 2022 and 2023, which allowed teams who had the worst records to get hot for a minute and win, but you have your own worldview.

    2. Disagree

24. Discrediting the Dodgers WS title due to a 60 vs 162 game regular season makes as much sense as discrediting wild card teams like the Rangers, who likely depended on a dominant 60 game stretch, or less, to eke into the playoffs. As LAD fans are well aware of, WS titles are not won in the regular season. Titles are won in the playoffs. Like the Rangers this year, the Dodgers won their title with their performance during the playoffs.

    What is becoming evident is that teams no longer need to build dominant teams to dominate over a 162 game season. The goal should be to build teams, in particular pitching staffs, who possess the ability to dominate over the short term.

25. If the Dodgers sign Ohtani and others and payroll gets to 280-290 mil in 24 what would be the penalty? They’d have to be in the highest penalty bracket.

    1. They would have to play a $60 or $70 Million Dollar Penalty. Don’t worry about it. Not going to happen.

26. To Buffalo Dodger – plain and simple you are a jacka—!!

    This in response to your comment the other day about Bear.
    Did it make you feel good?
    Are you such big a loser you needed to say what you did?
    I do know there isn’t a chance you are a decent person who has any empathy.

    Nobody forced you to come to this site and read the posts.
    It is people like you that probably makes Bear and Mark wonder why they put up with some of the s—t.

    I have no idea how often you post, but if this blog was mine – it would be 1-strike and you are out!

    1. Wow! Just read that post. Nasty. Sorry that you have to put up with that Bear. Appreciate all the hard work you and Mark put in!

       1. Thanks Cassidy, but if you read my reply, it does not bother me at all. I was teased and bullied a lot when I was young. Being overweight can cause that. But the first time I fought back and kicked the guy’s ass, it stopped. I am not that violent anymore and comments from a poster I do not know do not bother me.

27. I’m never worried about spending other people’s money! How can you say not gonna happen when you had him in your 24 lineup earlier?

28. Queston:
    Out of these names, who are still considered prospects?
    Sheehan, Pepiot, Stone, Busch, DeLuca.

    Because I looked at the top 30 prospects list on the Dodgers website and only Stone and Busch are there.

29. Stone and Busch are technically the only ones who still have rookie Status.

    I had not looked at the calculations.

    My mistake, I will remove the ones who are no longer eligible.

    Thank You!

    1. If Busch is technically still a prospect, why isn’t DeLuca?

       1. On the IL for extended time which counts are being on the roster.

30. Stevie D

    Don’t wait another 79 years to post

    You SO understand it

31. 1981 and 2020 were both truncated and shortened seasons. But the wins there are no less legitimate than a full season. Should we discount all of the Champions during WWII because all of the best players were in the service? Stars left during WWI too. All the teams played under the same rules. All the teams had the same chance to win. Only the fans bring up the legitimacy of the titles, not the franchises. And it pisses people who hate the Dodgers off because in both of those years, they prevailed. And in both years, the Dodgers had to do something no other team had ever done. In 81, they had to beat the 2nd half champion Astros in a 5-game series. They did, 3-2. Then they had to beat the East Champion in the NLCS, which they did in dramatic fashion 3 games to 2. Mondays 8th inning homer off of Steve Rogers won it. Then they played the Yankees and won in 6 games. In 2020, they had to play 3 series before they even got to the World Series. They played the entire season and the first two postseason series with no fans in the stands. Hard to get motivated by piped in fan noise. Then they played the NLCS in a neutral stadium with 12,000 fans allowed in and were down 3-1 and came back to win. Then they played the World Series in the same ballpark with limited fans and won a 6-game series for the Championship. Is it their fault that Covid hit? They all played under the same rules both years. If anyone should be pissed about 81, it would be the Reds. They actually won the most games in the NL and did not get to the playoffs. Simply because they did not win their division in either half. Reds lost the first half to the Dodgers by half a game. They finished second to the Astros in the second half by one and a half games. But the Reds won 66 games. Dodgers, 63, Astros, 61. By all accounts, they should have let the teams with the two best records play for the West. Montreal led all the East teams with 60 wins. But they decided to do it like the minors do and have split half champs.

    1. Excellent!

32. Infielder Justin Turner has declined his $13.4M player option in favor of a $6.7M buyout.

    Hummm…

    Could there be a re-union?

    1. Maybe JT decided he doesn’t want to play for Boston.
       Does this mean he can take the buyout bucks and then sign an FA contract?
       If so… sweet.

       1. Yep. That is the crux of it.

33. 1. For some of you, every season that does not end in a World Series title for the Dodgers is a disappointment and either the manager or GM needs to pay the price. No need to go through the reasons they did not win this year but I do wonder if the Braves fans are clamoring for Snitker to be fired or for Anthopoulos to be kicked to the curb after two straight first round flame outs. With a better roster than the Dodgers had this year. It is competitive sports – at the end, there is one winner. The numbers don’t lie. The best team(s) in baseball fail to win the title way more frequently than in the NBA or NFL.
    2. Glad Kershaw got shoulder surgery. Admirable that he pitched through that the last six weeks.
    3. I agree wholeheartedly with Bear and others who have said enough with signing older veterans. The Cardinal third baseman I would like for Dodgers to get is Nolan Gorman, who is blocked by Arenado. Cardinals need young starting pitching. I would not trade for Adames from the Brewers but I would trade for one of their young outfielders like Sal Frelich and put him in center field.
    4. I think the Dodgers may be going through a transition in both personnel and even philosophy. More contact and bat to ball skills, more athletic players, emphasis on speed and stolen bases, defensive range, etc. . Their draft this year, on the surface, seemed to have a different emphasis than past drafts.

    1. Very astute!

34. Dodgers declined the option on Lance Lynn. No surprise there. Liam Hendricks wins the comeback player of the year award in the AL and the White Sox declined his option and cut him loose. Trayce Thompson and Mike Clevinger are also free agents now. One very intriguing name now a free agent, Domingo German, the Yankees starting pitcher who threw a no-hitter. Kersh will be out until mid-season at least.

35. One thing I see fans continually complaining about is that it is all about the money. Well kiddos, that has been the case, at least for the owners, from the very beginnings of the game. You think O’Malley moved to LA because he liked the climate? The man was a native New Yorker, and those people are notoriously loyal to the city. He moved because Ebbets Field was a disaster and falling apart.

    The team was not drawing that well and when he proposed a new site in Brooklyn for the team, they wanted him to build it where Shea Stadium was later located, in Queens. O’Malley did the fiscally sound thing; he bought the Cubs PCL franchise thus gaining rights to the city of Los Angeles. When Robert Moses, who disliked O’Malley immensely because he was Catholic, blocked all his ideas, he made the deal and moved the team west, convincing Giants owner, Horace Stonham, to move to San Francisco so it would make approving the move more attractive to NL owners.

    Moving west did a couple of things, first, it opened up the major league market to the west, and it also made air travel pretty much mandatory. No more train trips except on short hops. The Dodgers then bought their own plane. But O’Malley wasn’t in it because he loved the game. He was in it, as all owners are, to make money. That is why the reserve clause binding a player to a team for as long as they wanted him was in effect for so long. It kept salaries down and until the MLBPA came along, it kept salaries low.

    Players had to work in the off season, or like Roy Campanella, they owned their own businesses. When you pay 2 billion dollars for a sports franchise, you don’t do it to lose money. The Dodgers are since McCourt was deposed, a cash cow. No matter what some publication might say, the team makes money. And they have a huge local TV deal. So, when a guy like Corey Seager, or Trea Turner leaves for an obscene amount of money, it is just the way it is now.

    One poster asked, how can a guy who doesn’t play the field be worth 400 million, or more, over a 10-year period. In Ohtani’s case, it is because at this point in his career, he is one of a kind. Ohtani ranks second to Acuna in jersey sales, and he plays for a losing team. Imagine if he was in Dodger blue. Four of the top 20 jersey sellers are Braves, Acuna, Olson, Riley and Albies. Three Dodgers are on the list, Betts, Freeman and Kershaw. And of course, two Angels, Ohtani and Trout. Jersey sales alone would be in the millions.

    Ohtani bobblehead night would be sold out probably. Fiscally, it might not make sense to you, but on the field and in the cash register, it makes a whole lot of sense. Valenzuela put 10,000 extra fans in the seats when he pitched. Ohtani would be doing close to that each time he played. And if he does come back and pitch, even more would come and watch. Plus, the center of the Japanese media would focus on LA. LA has never had that kind of presence from a foreign media even when they had Nomo. They have never had a Japanese offensive player as a star on the team.

36. Very astute!

37. Monday, November 6th is the day the Qualifying Offer has to be extended to players.

    I am interested in what the Dodgers do with JDM… and what some other teams do.

    1. I hope they extend him a QO.
       I would guess the odds he rejects it are about 70-75%. He should have no problem getting something like 2 years and 30 mil.
       We could always use another pick.
       If he surprises us and takes the offer, Andrew can always figure something out (in case he signs Ohtani).

       1. There seems to be a wide range of estimates on the market for JDM.
          I have heard estimates like STB at 2 years for $30 million, or 1 year at $20million.
          But Jim Bowden projected 1year at $12 million, while Keith Law projected 1 year at a slight discount to $10million.
          It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers give a qualifying offer to JDM, although based on The Athletic projections it would be doubtful.

38. Watford thanks for your kind words. Everybody keeps whistling past the graveyard. I’ll post more if you will too!

    Bear if the Dodgers sign Ohtani because they need to sell more jerseys as opposed to fielding the best team then we need new ownership. And they certainly don’t need him to put butts in the seats. They have the highest yearly attendance in MLB by miles and couldn’t fit another 10,,000 people in Dodger Stadium let alone the parking lots!

    I can’t conceive that the Dodgers would commit $400MM+ for a player having his second Tommy John surgery. If he can’t pitch you have the most expensive DH in the history of the game. Sign JDM and save the organization $375MM.

    1. You totally misunderstood. I did not say they would sign him to sell jerseys, I was just using that part of his appeal to fans as an example of one of the ways they would make money. If they commit 400 mil plus, it is because he is a generational player. He is one of a kind. And his bat is explosive. Put him in a lineup where he actually has some people who can hit besides him and Trout, and you have an offensive monster. Expensive DH, you bet, but there would probably be clauses or conditions where the salary escalates if he indeed can pitch. Ohtani when he had the surgery which was to reinforce the UCL and add tissue for the long run. Dodgers surgeon, Neal ElAttrache performed the surgery. His opinion is that the surgery will allow Ohtani to resume pitching in 25. JDM is a great hitter. But he is 36 years old. You add Ohtani to Freeman, Betts and Muncy, you have well over 120 homers right there. Martinez put up a 1.9 WAR last year, Ohtani, 10.0 No comparison. By the way, their average attendance was 47,371 in a ball park that seats 56,000. You might sell out with Ohtani on the mound, and not every one comes to the stadium in a car. But where the difference would really be felt is their attendance on the road. The average crowds there when the Dodgers visit is about 37,000. That would definitely go up if Ohtani is signed.

39. Ohtani’s WAR is 3.5 as a DH–JDM’s is 1.9. Apples to apples. Blake Snell’s WAR is 4.1 and he can pitch next year.

    1. According BE his war is 6.

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