Many Dodger fans jump to conclusions and assume something is true without knowing the underlying facts. They get a certain narrative in their mind, decide what they want to believe, and make statements as if they were fact. Frequently, they try to accuse me of something based on the simple-minded and erroneous facts they have concocted in their minds.
“Vargas and Busch are not very good in the infield. It would be Clownville to put Vargas or Busch in the Outfield.”
Really? How many games have you watched Miguel Vargas play? I would bet the number of MiLB games watched is ZERO. Some people like to parrot that he is a bad defender because BA said this about him: “But he’s still a below-average defender whose actions, footwork, throwing accuracy, and focus need improvement. He is raw and inexperienced at first base, second base, and left field.” Notice that it does not say he has a bad glove, just that he is inexperienced and needs improvement. That was written in the Winter of 2022. Since then, he has played extensively at 2B, as well as some 3B and LF. He is a hard worker and has proven to be a tireless worker.
BA went on to say this about Vargas: “The Future: Vargas earns frequent comparisons to countryman Yuli Gurriel and has similar potential to be a premier hitter who contends for batting titles. The Dodgers will try to find Vargas’ best position to get him in the lineup every day in 2023.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 65. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55“
It seems that many fans are down on Miguel Vargas because he hit .195 in his rookie year and then was sent back to AAA, where he got his fingers healthy and began to restore his confidence. After a slow start back at OKC, Vargas hit .288 with a .407 OB% and a .886 OPS. He finished the season with 17 HR between MLB and AAA. Even though his broken fingers affected his swing immensely, he still had a .305 OB% in MLB in 2023.
I watched Vargas play seven games in LF, and he was fine. He’s also fine at 2B or 3B. He’s not Gold Glove Caliber there, but he could play 2B, although 3B would be better, and LF is fine. Vargas was the best pure hitter in the Dodgers farm system, a gap-to-gap slugger who hit .313 with a .878 OPS, 49 homers, and 265 RBIs in 410 minor league games. Only a moron would sour on him after he had a bad debut due to two broken fingers. He’s still the same player, even though he is no longer a rookie. Why would someone be down on a guy who tried to play through two broken fingers and who lost confidence as a result?
What about his defense? On June 28, 2023, Mike Digiovanna of The LA Times wrote this:
“Every day the Dodgers play, hours before first pitch, Miguel Vargas works in front of the dugout with third-base coach Dino Ebel, who puts the rookie second baseman through a series of agility drills to improve his instincts, quickness and athleticism at a position Vargas rarely played before this season.
— The LA Times
The results are tangible. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Vargas — who is taller, with longer levers, than most big-league second basemen — looked awkward going to his left in April and May, but he made three superb plays, including two diving stops, to his left against the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants in mid-June.
“I see his reads, his first steps, and he’s getting to a lot more balls,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “I think that’s from all the hard work he’s been putting in with Dino. I mean, it’s hard to learn a position that you’ve never played before, and to do it in a big-league season is extremely difficult.”
It appears that 2B is a moot point, as Mookie Betts is set to move there permanently. I have not read anything that suggests LF is going to be given to Vargas or Busch, and it seems likely that one could be traded, but that is not a foregone decision. Vargas is not a platoon candidate, as he has hit both LH and RH pitchers very well. He has above-average speed, and while he does not have a cannon, he has a very good arm. I think he will be given the opportunity to play in LF as well as 3B.
On the other hand, Michael Busch has hit very few HRs against LHP, so in my mind, he is a platoon candidate. I believe that if you leave either player in a position, they will play it in a credible fashion. Ideally, Busch will play 1B and will be a guy much like Max Muncy.
Recently, Brandon Gomes was asked about Miguel Vargas. Here was his reply:
“His swing was in such a good place coming into spring. Watching him hit with JD, it was, ‘Oh, God, this guy is dialed in.’ Then having the multiple finger issues – the cascading effects of those things I don’t think we ever could account for them.”
— Brandon Gomes on Miguel Vargas last month
My choice going into 2024 would be to keep both Vargas and Busch and see how it plays out. Rhys Hoskins cannot play LF for the Dodgers. He is a hack. He’s merely OK at 1B, but there is no way he is going to play there. With Vargas and/or Busch, you may have a much better player than Hoskins. The Dodgers have ZERO interest in Hoskins because he has not played LF since 2018. He is really a DH, and I doubt he will unseat Ohtani. Stop it with the Hoskins talk already!
Dodger fans talk as if Corbin Burnes is ripe for the picking. Not so fast! I suggested that trade long ago, but the Brewers have given no indication they are interested in throwing in the towel. I have heard that if they were to trade with the Dodgers, Bobby Miller would have to be the centerpiece. End of discussion. Yet, some of you continue to beat that drum as if it were true. It was simply an idea I floated out there, and it now seems unlikely… if not impossible. Move along… there’s nothing to see here folks!
The Tyler Glasnow Story
Thanks to STB for posting the Interview with Tyler Glasnow yesterday. It turns out he probably hurt his arm in 2018, and he has been working his way back through rehab, surgery, rehab, and more rehab for the better part of four or more years. That is why it is so foolish to point out his past and playoff records. The dude has not been right for four-plus years! Evidently, he is now, and to criticize the Dodgers for getting him is just a display of lack of information or lack of common sense… maybe both!
According to Glasnow, his UCL was “off the bone,” and was never properly diagnosed. I will stop short of saying the Rays did not treat him properly, but what occurred has to raise eyebrows. Technically, he had UCL surgery, but it was not torn. Maybe “misaligned” is a better description. At any rate, he is a different pitcher now. You can throw the rest of the stuff out the window. He was saying that in the past, it sometimes took him an hour and ten minutes to get loose. The tendon was “off the bone.” It’s a wonder he could even throw!
After hearing all of the story, I think the Dodgers got their Ace. Now, if Walker Buehler can make it back, the Rotation will be solid. Andrew Friedman is not going to pay $300+ Million for a pitcher… nor should he. Yamamoto is no Shohei Ohtani! The Dodgers could do an inexpensive rehab project (not Giolito), but it is not necessary. A rotation of Glasnow, Buehler, Miller, Sheehan, Knack, Kershaw (in August), Frasso, Stone, Ryan, and Yarbrough is more than enough. There are plenty of arms to choose from, and Landon Knack could be the biggest surprise.
Why the Hate for Manual Margot?
Dodger fans wanted a Mercedes Benz, and all AF got a Ford! When Margot was signed to an extension before the 2023 season, the Tampa Bay Ray’s GM said this:
“Manny helps us in many ways and we’re thrilled to reach an agreement with him on a multi-year extension. The quality of his at-bats, his outfield defense, and aggression and instincts on the bases make him a well-rounded player.
– Peter Bendix – Ray’s GM
“In addition to how he helps us on the field, he’s a great teammate and clubhouse presence, and has grown into a leadership role on our club.”
Yes, he was a salary dump, but the Dodgers got $4 MM back from the Rays, so do the math: He is owed $10 Million, and you subtract $4 Million from it to come up with $6 million for a guy who “might” get 250 ABs. The Dodgers want him as a platoon partner for Outman or Heyward. Margot was injured for much of 2023, but is a good hitter against LHP. Here are his career stats against LHP:
- .281 BA
- .341 OB%
- .760 OPS
He is aggressive and speedy on the bases and in CF and is a perfect platoon player for $6 MM. I am looking forward to seeing him play as a Dodger. Of course, James Outman deserves the chance to play every day in CF, but I saw too many weak attempts by James when hitting against LHP last season. I do not think it is fair to put him in that position. He is a fit, athletic Joc Pederson – who can’t hit LHP but mashes RHP, same as Jason Heyward. I expect James Outman to hit 30+ HR in 2024. Also, I would not write off Andy Pages as being a platoon partner for Jason Heyward in RF. BA has Pages ranked as the Dodgers #4 prospect. In fact, here’s what they say about him:
“The Future: Pages’ power and approach give him a chance to be a low-average, high on-base percentage slugger. He began hitting again in mid-October and is on track to be fully ready in time for spring training.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Speed: 45 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 70.“
Corbin Carroll hit .287 in AAA Reno in 2022 before becoming the NL ROY. Vargas and Busch have numbers that are very similar to Corbin’s. Let the youngsters play. It’s time to blend them in. Here is Baseball America’s Dodger Top 10 Prospects:
Great insight on the kids thanks and happy holidays to you and family Mark
Thank you. U 2!
I think Kyle Hurt will be the biggest surprise of spring training next February. I watched the game where he struck out the side in his 2nd inning of work. He looked really good. Last year he had 152 K’s in 90 innings pitched. Don’t be surprised if he wins one of the openings on the starting staff. That being said, Sheehan has a great track record in the minors and looked pretty solid in the majors. Watching Hot Stove league, Harold Reynolds predicts we get Yamamoto. That would be amazing, but we REALLY need a guy like Bryan Reynolds for our left fielder. After all we get May back mid-season… possibly Clayton back about then too. Gonsolin and Ohtani back in 2025. I say give the young arms a chance. How about offering Busch, Vargas and Stone to Pittsburgh for Reynolds ?? His team friendly contract is just over $12 million/year.
Hurt will not surprise me. I would not be surprised if he breaks with the team out of Arizona, but at least by mid-season. I look forward to seeing him and Ronan Kopp as an L-R Multi-Inning Duo at least by 2025.
Bryan Reynolds is now somewhat of a rehabilitation project.
In his rookie season, he hit .314 with a .880 OPS.
In his next full season (2021), he hit .302 with a .912 OPS.
He was on his way to becoming a superstar.
Since then, here is what he has done:
2022 – .262 BA/.807 OPS
2023 – .263 BA/.790 OPS
If he produces what he has done the past two years, he is not worth the collateral it would take to acquire him, unless the Dodgers think they can “fix” him.
With that contract, he is not going anywhere. The Pirates consider him part of their core along with Hayes and Cruz.
I haven’t seen many minor league games but did see all the games Vargas played in the bigs. Maybe I’m half blind but just don’t get where all the negativity about his defense comes from. Seen a few times where inexperience and rookie jitters plus hand injuries and learning a new position got the best of him. The kid is loaded with baseball athleticism. There’s been many great players that didn’t do well first season up. I’m a believer and hope gets a fair runway to prove himself
All this is very interesting, but what I’ve read here in previous posts is that some folks are trying to create the perfect team. A couple may have suggested we’re not as good as the Phillies, on paper, at this point and we don’t match up. But the DBacks certainly didn’t match up with the Phillies, yet Arizona beat them and ended up in the World Series.
No matter what the Dodgers do or don’t do, trying to match up with other teams really doesn’t matter all that much. You have to play the game on the field and some non-star will step up and deliver, turning the tide.
Who knows where the Dodgers go from here. Maybe they sign Yamamoto or maybe not. Imanaga might end up with LA or maybe they trade for Cease or Burnes or some other starter not really discussed at this point. Perhaps Lucas Giolito will be the guy and become a key to the Dodgers season and playoff hopes.
Sheehan has incredible potential, so does Miller. All they really need in the playoffs are three reliable starters. They may have them already, if Buehler rebounds and the other pitchers stay healthy. Hopefully a healthy Kershaw returns. The offense should be pretty good. Better than last year with Ohtani.
I like both Vargas and Busch. They need a chance to play. Second, third or outfield. Everybody in the LA organization apparently believes both can hit at the major league level. Defensively, they’re fine.
I’m sure they would rather sign a free agent, probably Yamamoto, than make a trade. They want to keep their prospects. Hopefully, the Yamamoto pursuit ends before Christmas so the Dodgers and other teams can move forward. I’m not comfortable paying $300 million to someone who has never played in the MLB, but everyone, the experts, seem to believe he’s the real deal. But hey, not my money, right?
Bottom line, the Dodgers want and need to add at least one more veteran starter. That’s the focus. Not trying to find an outfielder. If that happens, great. If it doesn’t, fine. The Dodgers do a good job mixing and matching to get the most of players. Margot may fit that bill.
Very interesting article yesterday in the LA Times, written by Bill Shaikin, on how the Dodgers may be able to pay Ohtani’s contract through new revenue streams. This was about more than just baseball. The big dollars are in sponsorship. Shakin outlined how this could happen.
It’s the way the ownership group looks at the future and new revenue opportunities. Remember they paid over $2 billion to acquire the team, an amount that mean’t no sense at the time. Then they sign a massive TV deal and add a couple of other revenue streams. All of a sudden they look like geniuses.
Prepare for the same financial surge after adding the iconic Shohei Ohtani. I will add this because I did watch him play for the Angels and there were times, his bat took over the game or even a series. The problem the Angels had was pitching.
It’s interesting that last year everybody wanted the Dodgers to acquire Reynolds, but he turned out to be pretty average. That’s often the case. Players not measuring up. Same for Nolan Arenado. He ‘s still good, but not as good as he once was and not worthy of that kind of money.
I agree with Mark that the Dodgers still have some pretty good prospects, including Kyle Hurt. Definitely an impact player in 2024.
Where I differ with Mark is on Outman. How does he learn to hit lefties? He gets to hit against them. If you want him to be a regular, you have to give him an opportunity to play against lefties and righties. Players improve offensively and defensively through experience.
Good write-up today.
I have said that JO deserves an opportunity to hit against LHP, but there are just some players (like Joc) who look lost against southpaws. If he can improve against RHP, he will be a beast. Keep him where he can succeed the most!
Outman has a higher BA and OBP against LHP!! Stop with this narrative that he can’t hit them… if he gets on base at a .350+ clip against them he plays every day.
It is not a “narrative” – It is FACT:
He is a soft “punch and judy hitter” against LHP.
He has one HR in 131 ABs against LHP. Against RHP, he averages a HR every 15.6 ABs!
His OPS against RHP is .857 – That is damn good.
His OPS against LHP is .664 – That is a lot worse than Punch & Judy Hitter” Miguel Rojas who has a career OPS of .722 against LHP.
Rojas averages a HR every 51.5 ABs against LHP. The Dodgers would be better if Rojas took Outman’s ABs against LHP.
Sorry, but your agrument is devoid of anything but HOPE – You HOPE Outman can do better.
There is a lot more to hitting then Batting Average.
There is a lot more to offense than hitting.
I’m reminded of that scene in the film Money Ball in which the analyst repeatedly praises players with four words: “He gets on base.”
You defend Vargas with this statement: “He finished the season with 17 HR between MLB and AAA. Even though his broken fingers affected his swing immensely, he still had a .305 OB% in MLB in 2023.”
Are we supposed to be impressed a .305 OBP?
Outman finished the season with 23 HRs and a .353 OBP, all on the major league level.
Against lefties, his BA was .254 and his OBP was .357.
(Rojas, btw, had an OBP in ’23 of .290.)
In other words, he gets on base. He gets on base against righties and against lefties.
As I’ve mentioned before, Outman doesn’t need a platoon. Against righties, he could bat 5th or 6th. Against lefties, he can bat 8th or 9th. He gets on base–and Mookie, Freddie and Shohei can drive him in.
You’re going by ONE metric. Hit him 9th against LHP and he will be fine.
There’s Mark going after Outman AGAIN, that’s not a surprise.
He says there’s a lot more to hitting then batting average and ignores Outman’s OBP against LHP, all the while that’s all his boy Vargas is that he touts all the time against both RHP and LHP with very little power IN THE MINORS. It’s not surprising that when Vargas was sent to the minors last year after sucking with the Dodgers he all of a sudden starts hitting good. Did his hand injury all of a sudden heal at the same time he was sent down to the minors?
Then he says sorry, but your agrument is devoid of anything but HOPE. Yeah there’s a lot of hope about Vargas along with the word vision he uses a lot, that’s hope too. Mark is the biggest hope guy there is here.
Then he says the Dodgers would be better if Rojas (he knows I can’t stand Rojas and it’s probably a shot at me) took Outman’s ABs against LHP. That’s the biggest garbage I’ve heard in my life. He always says players decline in their 30s and Rojas is 34.
Must be because I was right about both Outman and Vargas before the season started when I predicted Outman would make the team and stick as a starter and Vargas needed AT LEAST another half year in the minors. Got alot of shit from Mark that I would be wrong about my predictions. All the while he predicted Vargas would hit .300+ and was capable of hiting 20-30 home runs and definitely would win rookie of the year all the while Outman finished 3rd in rookie of the year.
And now he’s being trigger happy with Outman.
None of this is a surprise.
But but his broken fingers!!!
You’re right on Eric….
No one is saying Outman is Freddie freeman against lefties but he’s not Joc Pederson either and he’s certainly not hurting the NLs best offense by playing every day.
“And Outie only hits weak pitching.”
Give me a stat for that.
Eric,
Pile on while you can, because I play the long game, and you might cry when I get done.
You did exactly what I predicted: “Frequently, they try to accuse me of something based on the simple-minded and erroneous facts they have concocted in their minds.” Thank you for proving me right again!
2023 Hernandez against LHP .215/.293/.338/.631
2023 Peralta against RHP .253/.290/.384/.674
Those are both of those guys strengths and Mark didn’t have a problem with them and up until the Dodgers acquired Margot he wanted Kike Hernandez back.
There you go again – looking at numbers but not able to see the forest for the trees.
Actually, when Kike came back to the Dodgers, he was almost exclusively platooned against LHP, and his OPS went up quite a bit. I’ll look it up later and post it.
David Peralta was near elite against RHP until he tore his flexor tendon (he had surgery after the season), and in June, his OPS was .962. He tore the flexor tendon around the Al;l-Star Break, and all of his stats went to hell, but I wish you would look more than stats as it makes you appear really dumb.
Don’t forget, sometimes appearances can be reality. Just sayin’.
A couple of things Joe. A Vargas exceeded the limits for Rookie status during the 23 season, so even though Mark wishes it so, he is ineligible to be the ROY. B. He had 50 plate appearances in 18 games in 22. That does not constitute a chance. That is the proverbial cup of coffee. Lat season was his first extended stay in the majots.
Eric, just out of curiosity what is your long term goal with all of this victim mentality and see I got you ?
I’m trying to understand the purpose long term.
I get you don’t agree with Mark but what’s the end gain? You both have opinions and if they differ can’t you just live with that?
When I mention something about his boy, James Outman – he takes it personally. Maybe he’s James’ dad?
I hope James does well – 30+ HR is doing well, but he has the same problem he did in the minors, only it’s worse here: He makes weak contact against LHP. I hope he can fix it, but I doubt it.
Of course Eric likes to mock me for saying what I did about Vargas. It’s childlike and I just consider the source. He is obviously a novice because he thinks I should change my opinion of Vargas – I have seen too much baseball to think that small. I doubt that he has ever watched a minor league game… let alone thousands!
There is no long term. There is no victim mentality. It’s in my post if you think there is victim mentality. I like Mark, I defended him when people were piling on him after Ohtani was signed.
He kept dismissing Outman over and over while touting Vargas in the offseason and I defended Outman and got a lot of crap from him and he continues to do the same to this day. It’s in my post.
Just pointing it out.
Yes, Mark always disses Outman and defends Vargas to the hilt.
Mark, are you Miguelito’s dad?
The latest example of this is Mark’s insistence that Margot should platoon with Outman. Every article I’ve read suggests that Margot will platoon Heyward, and see action across the outfield.
One of Mark’s recent projected lineups envisions Vargas as the full-timer in left field while Outman is a platooned in CF. Bizarrely, Mark suggested Outman might hit 30 HRs if he had 200 fewer ABs.
None of us have a crystal ball, of course. But we can look back over the past two seasons and see that Outman was successful in the majors. He played in 151 games in ’23 and finished 3rd in ROY voting. When he slumped, he battled out of it. He was a slugger against righties and contact, on-base guy against lefties, with an OBP over .350. He played so well he just earned a nice bonus under the collective bargaining agreement.
Vargas, meanwhile, was not successful in the majors. He was given a much longer debut in ’22–and was even given a spot on the playoff roster. But the guy billed as a great natural hitter didn’t hit. Still, the Dodgers brass had so much faith in Vargas that he was given the 2B job despite injuries. His struggles paved the way for Mookie to move to 2B. Vargas was sent to OKC and fell behind Busch in the depth chart.
Now Vargas’s best hope for a starting job is in LF. This is also Busch’s best hope. A platoon is possible, but it’s more likely that one of these guys will be traded.
Maybe the Dodgers still believe and will give Vargas the job.
If Vargas in ’24 produces the exact same numbers that Outman produced in ’23, would Mark say that Vargas should be platooned?
Now now boys, lets play nice. We all love the Dodgers. We all have differing opinions on certain players on the roster. Several years ago, I had some very spirited conversations over two players, Pederson and Puig. Pederson’s inability to hit lefties, and the disruption Puig seemed to cause. Both were talented in their own way. Puig to me wasted a lot of his by being so un coachable for a large part of his career. When he connected with Turner Ward, he was a better player. Joc went from being a very good center fielder with speed and range, to the Michelien tire man with bad hair. I saw some good things and some bad things from both Outman and Vargas. But I also saw their potential. Busch never got that much of a chance. Wacha to the Royals is now official. Orioles have reached an agreement to stay in Camden Yards for the next 30 years.
Mark,
I’m all in on everything you said. Play the kids…they have been patient and deserve a chance. And now I’m really excited about our young new starting pitchers.
Ohtani+Glasnow=Big Smile
Oh, and happy holidays especially going out to Mark and Old Bear…and of course all the other regulars here. Thanks for this site, Mark. You are the purr-fect host!
Go Big Blue (Dodgers and NY Giants)
TM
I might as well weigh in. I was surprised how good Busch looked at 3B. He has soft hands and looked OK to me.
Vargas never looked comfortable at 2B. He moves really stiffly for an INF. His footwork isn’t good. I would be reluctant to play him anywhere in the INF. He might be better served in the OF.
Neither guy is a finished product. Both might be good major league players – or maybe neither of them will be.
It’s hard to hit with fractured fingers. Check out Roy Campanella’s stats some time. In seasons where his fingers are broken, he was awful – in 1954, he hit .207 with 19 HR. But in ’55, he hit .318 with 32 HR.
My opinion is that the Dodgers are an unfinished project at this point. They don’t have what will be their final rotation. They do have a starting INF (Freeman, Betts, Lux, and Muncy). I am not wild about the defense, but they will hit. Their starting OF is not yet set either. Perhaps either Busch or Vargas will spend time in LF. Their OF is a bit of a question mark, but I expect Hayward in RF (against RHP) and Outman in CF. The offense in the OF is a potential concern as well.
But they are not done yet.
For his Career, Kike Hernandez has a .801 OPS against LHP. CAREER!
That’s over 1,387 PA!
BANG!
It’s like saying that Max didn’t hit LHP last year – Yeah, but he usually does. His OPS is over .800 against LHP.
Outman is .664 for his (short) career!
.801 OPS and sinking look at his last 2 years.
He wasn’t with the Dodgers then.
“He wasn’t with the Dodgers then.”
.801 career vs LHP and it’s sinking, look at his last 2 years.
What does what you just said in the first paragraph have to do with what I said in the second paragraph of this post?
In all fairness to Max Eric, He was not fully healed in 22. But he did regress a lot in 23. But his power number almost doubled. He went from 6 dingers in 22 to 11 in 23 off of lefties. More concerning to me was his splits at home and on the road. He hit .227 at home and .198 on the road. And most of those parks are more hitter friendly than Dodger Stadium. He also spent some time on the IL last year, so that affected him also. But Muncy is what he is, he walks a lot, hence the high OBP. He hit the same number of homers, 18, in the first half as he did in the second.
Kike last year hit .239 against LHP and .235 against RHP. But his OPS was higher vs righties. He had 8 homers off of RHP and only 3 off of lefties. OPS vs RHP .648 OPS vs LHP .642.
With all of the youngsters, unless Kike takes a less-than-market value, he is likely gone and I can only see Vargas or Busch on the team. I prefer Vargas because he is RH and the Dodgers need more RH Bats.
I would love for Gavin Lux to prove me wrong about being a SS.
Dodger Blue website thinks both of them are on the market and could be traded, especially for a starting pitcher. Gomes was on High Heat today and said pitching was the number one priority.
Trading one would not surprise me. Trading both would be a surprise.
Something that was lightly discussed during the season but can’t recall it coming up this winter is looking at Will Smith at third or perhaps second. If the Dodgers are committed to having Betts playing second, it would be wise to get Smith some reps at third. Smith’s bat is to good to let him wear down during the season. Maybe getting Smith 20-25 games this season at third against left handed pitching would be something I hope the front office would consider. Merry Christmas to everyone.
I’m all in.
On Foul Territory, Adam Jones said his former teammate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, wants to go to a team that has someone with whom he’s familiar.
He knows Shohei! He also knows Senga!
I’m beginning to believe Yamamoto is going to the Mets. Cohen is not afraid to spend stupid money. Bear posted above that Vargas and Busch could be traded add Outman, Frasso and Knack for Cease and Robert you might get Chicagos attention.
I would do that deal: Outman, Vargas, Busch, Frasso, and Knack for Cease and Robert, Jr…. in a heartbeat!
I do not think Yamomoto will go to the Mets. Maybe Yankees!
Yamamoto will announce who he is signing with tomorrow and it will be the Dodgers.
From your mouth to God’s ears!
This involves a pivot:
1. Betts RF
2. Ohtani DH
3. Freeman 1B
4. Robert, Jr. CF
5. Muncy 3B
6. Smith C
7. Heyward/Taylor LF
8 Lux 2B
9. Rojas SS (no big deal with his bat here)
Rotation:
1. Yamamoto
2. Glasnow
3. Cease
4. Buehler
5. Miller
6. Sheehan
7. Kershaw
Oh, Yeah!
1 – 6 BO would be SIC!
Get ‘er done!
I’d stick with Mookie at 2B and go with Lux at SS.
If he succeeds, great. If not, use Rojas.
Margot could play LF.
Twins are thinking about making shortstop /second baseman Jorge Polanco available in a trade. He’s a switch hitter and has two years left on his contract.
Plays second more than he does SS. Mookie is going to be there. Not that great of a defensive player. Some pop, but not nearly enough.
I love the idea of Cease + Robert.
If I ran the White Sox, I would insist that either Rushing or Cartaya be included.
And if ran the Dodgers, I might pull the trigger
Yamamota will sign with the Mets because Steve Cohen,the owner will offer whatever money he wants and because of his relationship with the other Japanese Met pitcher Kodai Senga. Bet it!