What About the Bullpen… and More?

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1. Mark,
   I would like think AF and BG will look at what it takes to pry Luzardo away from the Marlins along with your Brewers thoughts

   1. I like Luzardo, and he is a lefty that the team needs, but he will command a King’s Ransom in Prospects, as he has three years of control.

      Think: Rushing, Vargas, Busch, Frasso, Stone, and Bruns. Miami may not get that, but they will ask!

      1. Yeah. I think Rogers is more likely a target.

      2. Miami flipped Arraez for Luzardo. A straight-up swap, if I recall correctly.
         So having employed Luzardo for a year, perhaps Miami could be enticed to flip him for just a prince’s ransom.
         How about: Vargas, Grove, Knack.
         Vargas might be appealing to Miami because of his youth, potential and Cuban roots. If Miami prefers Busch, fine. Grove and Knack could step into the rotation. Knack is now 27 and needs his opportunity.

2. I’m still hoping for a Bryan Reynolds trade. It will probably take Busch, Vargas, Stone and B. Hudson.
   My hope for our 2024 lineup
   1. Betts,2B
   2. Ohtani, DH
   3. Smith,C
   4. Freeman,1B
   5. Muncy,3B
   6. Reynolds,LF
   7. Outman/Taylor,CF
   8.Heyward/Margot,RF
   9. Lux/Rojas,SS

   1. My fear is that Busch, Vargas and Stone all may be better than Reynolds. Bryan has been a .260 hitter the past two years.

   2. Why would the Pirates even consider trading a player they just gave a long-term extension to? A player who they consider part of their new core along with Hayes and Cruz? It isn’t happening.

      1. A rental… who’s a proven ace? A durable pitcher who based on his record slots at the top of the rotation ahead of talents like Yamamoto, Glasnow, Buhler and Miller?
         Burnes says he won’t sign an extension and that he wants to test free agency. But that doesn’t mean he definitely leave the Dodgers. If he played for the Dodgers and succeeded, he could decide that he wants play there rest of his career with a winner–even if Boras is his agent.
         If not, so it goes…
         I’m happy with Lux at SS, but I also see how Adames would improve the defense and add righthanded power. He’d be a “rental” too–unless he is extended. Perhaps he holds down SS next to Mookie until uber prospect Jeondry Vargas is ready.

3. seems like a common wish amongst majority of dodger fans on this site. a full time left fielder instead of a whole outfield of platoons! the bench is not what i would want santa to leave me under the tree for christmas! please santa clause, shore up the left field position and strengthen the bench! merry christmas everyone! safe travels and enjoy your families! my 2 sons and their beautiful wo are gifting us with 2 more grandchildren in a couple of weeks. 7 total now! wwhen someone asks do i have a favorite? i simply say the one sitting on my lap at any given moment! love them all! again , merry christmas!

   1. Merry Christmas DD. I would prefer a RH thumper for LF over a platoon. If not a full-time guy, at least someone with Adam Duvall’s pop and defense. As a matter of fact, Duvall would be a nice fit.

      1. Agree about Duvall. A lot of FA options out there.
         Another would be to sign Kiermeyer and move Outman to LF. (He turned down AF’s offer last winter to sign with Toronto.) Or maybe Michael A. Taylor. Or ???
         But I’m still fine with seeing what Vargas can do.
         Also fine with trading him.

4. I happen to think Gavin Lux is too talented to be some throw in in a trade for a rental. I happen to think it’d be idiotic to give up that much talent for 1 year of rentals and then let them walk, simply because we have a guy the Yankees just tossed away now in our system.

   I look forward to Gavin Lux actually out hitting Willy Adames this year. Seems people forget how good he was becoming, but I guess out of sight out of mind and now we can toss him in deals for rentals.

   1. I agree!

   2. Agree. Hope Lux is healthy and plays to his great potential this year. He was a top 5 prospect in the MLB not long ago.

   3. Lux was the second highest ranked prospect in 2020 right behind Wander Franco. He had a 70 FV rating, and completely destroyed the PCL with 1.197 OPS. He hit almost .400! He has the potential to be a “perennial all-star.”

      He is also Mark’s red-headed stepchild. Hardly a week goes by without Mark packaging him up in some deal for a bag of balls. If only the Dodgers could straight up trade him for Verdugo, then Mark would be happy.

      Adames is an elite defender for sure. He would be a good fit at SS if you can absorb his mediocre bat in a stacked lineup, but if you’re complaining about Rojas’s good glove/no offense profile, Adames is only a slightly improved version of the same.

      The Brewers are going to ask for Bobby Miller in any package for Burnes. Burnes is still under team control for the year, so they’re not desperate to sell yet, they think they can compete in that weak division this year, and don’t have Woodruff.

      Pepiot was the most major league ready out of the bevy of Sheehan/Stone/Knack/etc. and he was the going price for a Glasnow with depressed market value b/c of an injury history and with a Rays team that was really eager to shed his 25 AAV.

   4. Bobby I find myself agreeing with you A LOT.

5. Love how Mark still wants to demote Outman (to a platoon role) and promote Miguelito straight to a full-time position that would be on-the-job training. He also wants his boy Vargas to bat ahead of Outman in the lineup.
   A foolish consistency?
   Just to review, Outman just finished third in ROY voting after strong performances on offense and defense. He overcame a midseason slump and finished with a .790 OPS, 23 HRs, 86 runs scored and a mighty fine OBP of .353. He was one of the reasons Mookie set a record for RBIs for a leadoff hitter. (While Outman showed little power against lefties, he had an OBP of .357. )
   Vargas, meanwhile, got ample opportunity and finished with a .195 BA, a .305 OBP and a .672 OPS. The only good thing about his play at 2B is that prompted Mookie’s move. Vargas, of course, finished the season in the minors, falling behind Busch in the depth chart.
   Perhaps Mark should provide proof that he’s really from Missouri. If he says we need “vision,” perhaps we could recommend the optometrist.
   Look, I’m fine with Vargas getting another opportunity to prove that he’s more than a really good minor league. If he put up the exact same numbers Outman put up in ’23, that would be a rousing success, right?
   These Dodgers are so loaded that they can try him in LF. The brass may not have the faith it once had, however.
   I’m also fine with Vargas getting packaged in a deal to bolster the lineup (Arozarena?) or pitching (Luzardo?). There are still some interesting possibilities out there.
   But his trade value ain’t what it used to be.

   1. All I can say is “watch and learn”.

      1. Ahh yes, oh wise sage from Missouri!
         Just for fun, let’s review a few hits (on Outman) from the Book of Mormon:
         –He’s got a short, ugly swing. Vargas and Busch are clearly far superior with the bat!
         –He was just “lucky” to start his career with a homer. (Well, sort of. But he was hitting HRs at a rate of 1 per 20 ABs, and roughly continued that pace in ’23.)
         –He’s a 4th or 5th outfielder at best–and an overrated defender to gets poor reads on defense and runs poor routes. (From a postseason review on MLB Trade Rumors: “Beyond the offense, Outman was also a stellar center field defender in the view of the Outs Above Average metric (+9), and the UZR/150 (+1.8) and Defensive Runs Saved (+1) metrics at least had his glovework slightly above average.”)
         –Outman will be sent down to OKC before Vargas is. (Outman was never sent down and rarely sat games. Only two Dodgers played in more games: Freddie and Mookie.)
         –He should be platooned with Kike, Taylor, Marisnick, DeLuca, Margot and who am I forgetting? (His OBP against both lefties and righies was about .350
         –Lux can’t play SS, so he should be shifted to centerfield…

         Nice to see Bryan Reynolds name come up again. Remember a year ago when we were proposing deals for him? Seemed like a good idea! I was willing to put Outman into an offer. But the deal never happened and Reynolds signed a 7-year, $100 million extension. Nice work if you can get it.
         Fast-forward fun fact: Outman finished the ’23 season with comically similar numbers to the $100 million man. They both finished with a .790 OPS. Reynolds had 24 HRs, and Outman 23. Outman scored 86 runs and Reynolds 85. The biggest difference, by far, was their salary.
         I sort of admire Mark’s stubborn refusal to admit when he is wrong.
         But sometimes it seems he watches with that special “vision” he has…. and doesn’t learn a damn thing.

         1. Duke

            Excellent response to Mark.

            Mark.

            You said the other day that I’m trying to change your mind about Vargas. NO I’m not. I’m responding to your dissing of Outman and you’ll never get that apparently.

            A response to your writing up top is coming soon. I like you Mark, but damn nobody can’t get things through your head.

            1. Nobody can’t? So everybody can?

            2. It was suppose to say can. I’m using my phone instead of my PC that isn’t picking up my voice very good.

      2. I like Vargas, I like Outman too. We got a chance to “watch and learn” about Vargas for half a season last year and the results were not good. I’m willing to chalk that up to the broken finger(s) and give the man a chance but, sometimes, guys are just Triple-A All-Stars.

         1. Sometimes they are, but Vargas was a star at every step along the way. His only setback came after he broke two fingers.

            Talent evaluators are not always right. Frequently, they are wrong. I get a lot of them right, but I also have my share of being wrong.

            I took a lot of heat for calling Joc Pederson a 4th or 5th outfielder when he came up. I took a lot of heat for saying the same about Outman.

            I was right about Pederson (even though I wish he had not left). We shall see if I am right about Outman, Vargas and Busch as well.

            I think Busch and Vargas both have a higher ceiling than Outman.

            1. As a Dodgers fan, I hope you’re right about Vargas.

            2. I don’t know what Outman’s ceiling is, but he established a pretty impressive floor in his rookie season.
               Vargas and Busch are still struggling with the foundation.
               Can Outman build on his success?
               What was most impressive about Outman was how, after a strong start, he battled through a bad slump and rebounded with a strong finish. Yes, he strikes out too much, but he kept getting on base. Did any of his proposed platoon partners have an OBP of .350? He was often praised by coaches and teammates for his work ethic and attitude.
               If we reel back to when the Dodgers drafted Outman–expressly for his raw, unpolished athletic ability–he proved coachable and hard working. He improved year after year.
               If the pattern continues, he could be an all-star.

            3. I don’t agree that Joc has been a 4th or 5th outfielder in his career. Sure in his 10th year he is not a great OF anymore, but he does have a career OPS of 800, 186 career HR, 5 seasons of 23 or more HR, 2 all star appearances and 2 World Series championships. His postseason OPS is 814 with 12 HR in the postseason in 195 AB.
               For comparison, Mookie Betts has a postseason OPS of 710 with 4 HR in 231 AB.
               If Outman can put together a similar career that would be great.

   2. I’d suggest trade for Robert jr and platoon Vargas and Outman in LF.

      1. White Sox are not trading that guy. If they move anyone it is most likely to be Jiminez.

6. I am still one who uses the eye test. Granted, the old peepers are not what they used to be, but I still trust them. Miguel Vargas had some good moments last year, and a lot of down ones. But I also understand that he was way behind everyone else since for the first two weeks of spring training he could not even swing a bat because of his injury. I have to believe this carried over into the season. That being said, I do not believe he can be a full-time left fielder. I am though more than willing to see how he performs during spring training and where the Dodgers plan to use him. I have to give the team the benefit of knowing the player better than I do. That being said, Margot, Outman and Heyward, are all natural outfielders and all provide solid defense. Outman and Heyward both have significant power. Taylor can play anywhere, but he is not an everyday player. I would like some pop on the bench.

   1. “OldBear48
      December 23, 2023 at 11:47 am
      Merry Christmas DD. I would prefer a RH thumper for LF over a platoon. If not a full-time guy, at least someone with Adam Duvall’s pop and defense. As a matter of fact, Duvall would be a nice fit.”

      And we all thought you hated Ks.

      1. I do, but Duvall can be a monster.

7. Fully agree that the bullpen is in fine shape.
   A lot of talent, a lot of depth. So much that Shelby Miller signs with the Tigers and we yawn because Hurt and Vanasco can step in.
   With so many SP spots locked up, more SP prospects will see action in relief. (I was just thinking about how frustrating must be for guys like Knack, Stone, Grove and Frasso to watch the Dodgers bring in top-tier SPs that figure to limit their opportunity to rise. But a relief role could be ideal for some.
   Would a brand-name closer like Hader or Clase help? Not sure. Roberts seemed to like the security and structure that ace closer provided–even running Kimbrel out there too long. Maybe Roberts should be saved from his bad habits.
   A megabucks offer for Hader? At some point AF needs to rein in the costs, right?….Right?
   A trade for Clase? From what I’ve read his contract status is team-friendly. We could test the theory that a very good closer on a mediocre team could be a great closer for a great team.
   Interesting that the possibility of Burnes and Adames continues to percolate. And then there’s the question of who plays LF too….
   Varland does seem more like trade candidate than a bullpen mainstay.

8. Let’s understand one thing:

   I do not really have a “Favorite” player. I may like a player’s side story, such as Alex Freeland, who was born with a clubfoot, and it was thought that walking could be an issue… let alone playing SS. He is now a prospect with Great Lakes. I do not believe he will be a big-league SS, but he has defied the odds already. If I had a favorite player, it might be him.

   Many of you have favorite players: Outman, Smith, and Lux come to mind. It’s fine to have a favorite player, but I tout a player based upon what I see as as well as what the statistics say. Both are equally important. So, what I am going to say is, “Lay off the childish name-calling about Vargas. He is not my favorite player.” He does, however, have the requisite talent backed up by the statistical analysis to be a better hitter and an LF’er than most players many of you suggest.

   Busch could play there too, but the Dodgers have a lot of LH bats. Still, I would not be afraid to go into next season with either player in LF.

   Most Talent Evaluators agree that Vargas and Busch will be very good MLB Players (not superstars). I do as well. It’s not about my favorite player – it’s about who will help the Dodgers the most.

   I hope that James Outman can grow into an everyday CF’er and improve, but there is a better chance that he regresses – he has a hole in his swing the size of Chavez Ravine. BTW, that is not my sole opinion. It’s shared by many!

   If Busch were to play LF, I think you would see 25-30 bombs and a .750+ OPS in his rookie year. If Vargas were there, think .270 with 15-20 HR and a .750+ OPS.

   I mean, only a moron (no let me change that to an IDIOT) would think that two broken fingers had no bearing on his play last year.

   1. BJD,

      That is the big question. I thought they were trying to re-tool his swing, because he was swinging differently. It turns out they weren’t. My opinion is that he downplayed the pain because he wanted to play. I think it’s that simple.

      I have played a lot of baseball, and when you have hand or finger problems, you do not want to start your swing as early because it hurts to check it. But, if you don’t start early, you will not hit as well. I think the Dodgers have just stopped talking about him to mitigate the pressure.

      He is similar to Alex Verdugo and Keibert Ruiz in that he has excellent hand-eye coordination. However, neither of those players have met my expectations, although they still may.

      1. Also, Betts’ permanent move to 2B means Vargas has no real position to play on this team. He’s NOT an outfielder, ..so he’s blocked, ..and the Dodgers know this. The writing on the wall is clear to me.

         They’ll trade him …IF they can, ..IF the right deal comes along.

   2. Thank you for another classic Book of Moron passage:

      “I hope that James Outman can grow into an everyday CF’er and improve, but there is a better chance that he regresses – he has a hole in his swing the size of Chavez Ravine. BTW, that is not my sole opinion. It’s shared by many!

      “If Busch were to play LF, I think you would see 25-30 bombs and a .750+ OPS in his rookie year. If Vargas were there, think .270 with 15-20 HR and a .750+ OPS.”

      Counterpoint:
      First, Outman has already proved himself as an everyday CF. Did you not miss that? He played 151 games in his rookie season, more than 90% of the time in center. Obviously, the Dodgers believed in him, as they stuck with him through a bad slump.
      Second, you predict that Busch and Vargas, if they played LF every day, each would produce a “.750+” OPS.
      Well, Outman produced an OPS of .790 in his rookie season.
      Sure, there could be regression. Perhaps he’ll slip down to the .750. It’s also possible that he will continue to improve, as he has done every season since the Dodgers drafted him.
      But offense doesn’t tell the whole story. Has any coach ever suggested that Busch and Vargas are better outfielders than Outman? The hope they’ll be adequate in LF, a less demanding position.

   3. I’m not sure why you don’t want to be accused of having a favorite player.
      I think most of us have favorite players. At any rate, it’s obvious that you, Mark, have been very high on Vargas all along while you were pessimistic about Outman. Just to add another example of your bias, there was the moment you described Vargas’s defense at 2B as “stellar” while Roberts was grudgingly calling it “OK” as he learned on the job.
      My favorite player for a few years now has been Mookie, in part because he’s a spectacular athlete in such a compact package. (Willie Mays was one of my favorites too–didn’t everyone love Willie?–and Mookie reminds me of Willie with his average size and 5-tool skills.)
      Just about every season, it seems, Mookie will have a slump and someone will say he’s not playing like a superstar. And I will rise to my Mookie’s defense, saying only a moron would say something like that, because sit’s just a slump–he’ll wind up in the top 5 in MVP voting. And then that’s what happens.
      Damn, I’m good!
      I’m hoping that Yamamoto will become a favorite–again, in part because of his size. If we wanted to genetically engineer a pitcher, we might come up with 6-8 Tyler Glasnow, all arms and legs and flowing blonde locks with ridiculous extension.
      A laboratory would also produce Ohtani, but not Yamamoto. At 5-10, Yoshi is 1/2 inch shorter than me–and 1 inch shorter than Pedro Martinez and Tim Lincecum. I keep reading that Yoshi’s size carries a big injury risk, but I think that’s BS profiling. Big guys get injured all the time–Kershaw, May, and Gonsolin come to mind. It’s true that injuries cut short Lincecum’s career, but for a while he was awesome, with two Cy Youngs. Pedro, meanwhile, pitched for 18 seasons, often over 200 inning per season, en route to the HOF
      A lot of us remember when Pedro was traded for DeShields–AKA, Worst Trade Ever. The Dodgers thought Pedro’s 6-3 brother was the keeper, and Pedro would remain a reliever. Ramon was good, but little Pedro turned out great.
      Sure hope Yoshi proceeds like Pedro.

9. With MLB owners being a tight fraternity, could teams like the Brewers, Marlins and ChiSox get peer pressured behind the scenes into avoid trading with the Dodgers?

   I realize it takes talent, health and luck to win it all, but a potential acquisition of Burnes could give the Dodgers the equivalent of an all star starting rotation. I have a hard time seeing teams like the SFG, NYM and NYY not raising a concern to the rest of the ownership fraternity. Which would be ironic coming from the NYY but I think teams could be pressured into finding alternate trade partners.

   1. Truth

10. If we have a hole in the outfield , why not leave Mookie out there and try Busch and Vargas at 2nd and see who survives. Wouldn’t that be better defensively and think about the Mookie move next year or at the trade line if they fail?

    1. I think it is possible

    2. I think they have made up their minds on this. Mookie feels more into the game at second, and it lessens the chance of an injury crashing into the outfield wall. Personally, I totally agree with the move. Good outfielders are easy to find. Corey Dickerson signs with a team in the KBO. Outfield defense is not the problem. Only if Vargas or Busch are playing there do I see a real defensive drop off. Margot, Heyward, Outman and Taylor are all excellent defenders.

       1. Agree. Roberts had no need to announce the move, yet he did.
          Mookie thrived on offense while playing 2B, and it positions him to be more ofa vocal leader on the field. Perhaps he’ll be named captain, or co-captain with Freddie.

11. 100%

12. Mark, I liked your piece until the MIL trade.

    We have stunned the baseball world with two massive FA deals. We made a risk/reward trade in which an extension factored in heavily. Now we still have some gaps to fill but the heavy lifting is over.

    The rotation, which was a massive problem, has been overhauled with two new TOR guys; we could probably use another back-end FA option.

    The lineup still has some issues in the OF; we either need to commit to an internal option in LF [CT3, Vargas or Busch] or add a RH bat to play there.

    The bullpen looks deep, but it always does. I bet you we add a high-end guy there to round out the squad.

    So sit back and wait. Let the market come to you. Three big strikes are enough. The rest is patchwork. Giolito is the level of talent we should be looking at.

    1. Worst outfields? Not defensively. All the true outfielders are plus defenders or close to it. Margot is the weakest offensive link in my opinion. I think Outman improves as he plays more. Heyward is an excellent outfielder and has power. Taylor is an excellent defender and on occasion gets hot offensively. If he can cut down his swing and miss some, he is also more than adequate. What they do not have at this point is an All-Star caliber player out there. I would not want to see Vargas and Busch out there all the time. I think the lack of experience they both have at the position would hurt the team. If they can provide decent defense and some offense, they might be the way the organization wants to go. But there are plenty of free agent outfielders still on the market.

13. I don’t know why we can’t just give Vargas/Busch first shot at LF next year. It’s not like we need either guy to get to the playoffs. And LF is not a big defensive position. It’s all about October. If they don’t deliver then there is always the deadline. I’m betting one of them will produce

    1. And Muncy is one more burger away from being too heavy not to get injured next year and then we’d wish we had Vargas or Busch to play third. I think both guys easily capable of reaching the numbers Mark put out there.

    2. BJD,

       You must be really old because you live life in the rearview mirror. Life is best lived in the windshield. To say neither can field and neither can hit brands you as a dumbass of the highest degree. Did someone hack your account because I thought you were smarter than that!

14. ok gentleman, i think we all agree the bench is fairly weak. so can we all agree if barnes is hitting almost next to nothing in spring training-and Hunter F is tearing it up , it’s time to make a change ? that bench is weak, though AF might not be finished.

15. If memory doesn’t fail me, didn’t Roberts recently state that Ohtani has made himself available to play LF once he’s medically cleared?

    Given the amount of influence Ohtani has had in the Glasnow acquisition and subsequent extension, as well as the recruitment of Yamamoto, would anyone be shocked if the Dodgers went into the season with a temporary solution in LF under the guise that Ohtani will eventually take over for the remainder of the season?

    Since he is not going to pitch in 24’ I can see the Dodgers committing Ohtani to LF through the end of the season. Opening the DH spot to Busch or a platoon of Busch/Vargas in that role.

    Ohtani is a gifted athlete, a freak for lack of a better term. Given what we’ve learned from this special young man I can see him taking a page out of Mookie’s book and diversifying his positional portfolio. At least this season when he knows he doesn’t have to worry about pitching.

    1. I do not think that Ohtani will play much LF as he ages. Pitching is hard and adding the burden of playing LF is a big ask. I know he can play there, but it certainly won’t be this year. You do not want to risk his arm.

       I would love to keep Gavin Lux – I like his bat a lot. I just do not think he can play SS at a high level. I truly believe Mookie can play SS at the MLB level, but I do not think the Dodgers share that view.

16. Unless they get another full time outfielder Mookie needs to be in RF with Rojas at SS, Lux at 2B & Vargas in LF or visa versa. Lux could play LF as well (might be easier on his repaired knee). Better defense this way; good defense wins, too. My opinion.

    1. Mookie is not going back to the outfield full time. He is going to play a majority of his games at second. Rojas’s bat is not good enough to be the everyday guy. That is not why they made the trade.

       1. I know; I can read; I understand! Just my (opinion) on what would make sense with what the (current) roster is. I know the roster will be a bit different come opening day, but right now with Mookie at 2B the outfield looks pretty mediocre! Happy Holidays all.

17. I had a very small baseball epiphany. I was thinking of Muncy, who is a likeable guy, and has had some great moments here, but who I did not want them to re-sign, as he hit .205, and he either makes an out four out of five official at-bats, or walks, or hits a home run. And batting fifth or sixth, or even fourth, as they did sometimes, does not often add to a rally, because there is little behind him.

    And then I thought, why not bat him ninth? Oh, he would probably not like it, but consider that if he can get a walk in that spot, he sets the table for the Big 3. A Muncy walk from the sixth spot, does little, but getting on base for our best hitters and RBI men, is a big deal. With this lineup, Muncy becomes like a lead-off man, albeit with less at-bats. Actually, I think it is a great use for him; would the Dodgers be inventive enough to do it? Roberts would not, probably, but maybe Friedman would? Just a thought. Teams are going to do everything they can to pitch around our three stars, make it difficult for them. Or bat someone ninth who hits .280, at least.

    1. I’ve mentioned Muncy batting 9th because he either walks or homers. Like you said if he walks there’s someone on base for the top of the order and if he homers he drives in the bottom part of the lineup especially Lux who gets on base a lot.

       1. At least last year before Lux was injured.

       2. Much-maligned Max gets no respect, even after multiple 35-HR seasons.
          He reached 36 HRs and a career-high 105 RBI in ’23, and also had 95 runs scored, third on the team. His OPS was a solid .808 despite his .212 BA.
          And he did this in just 135 games. With 20 more games, he might have reached 40 HRs, 120 RBI and well over 100 runs scored.
          So Max won’t bat ninth. He’ll bat 5th, right behind Will Smith.
          I think Max’s many critics forget how he and Outman carried the Dodgers during the first month of the season, before Mookie and Freddie started to heat up. Like Outman, he pulled through a later slump that had put his BA below the Mendoza line and ticked off a lot of Dodger fans.
          Who should bat at the bottom of the lineup?
          With the current roster, Lux seems like a good candidate. But against lefties, perhaps Outman should bat last. Outman is a power hitter against righties, and a contact/on-base guy against southpaws.
          But most pitchers are righties, so….
          Mookie 2B
          Freddie 1B
          Shohei DH
          Smith C
          Max 3B
          Outman CF
          Heyward RF
          Taylor (Vargas?) LF
          Lux SS

    2. William,

       BA is so yesterday!

       OPS is where it’s at.

       Get with the program.

18. Been nice reading all the comments and differing opinions thus far. One thing I’m sure of – AF is plotting to make moves this winter that (I believe) will significantly change the line-up for the positional players on this team. So until he finishes doing his thing, we’re all just guesstimating what we think the positional players and line-ups will be by opening day.

    But it’s still interesting to see our “fantasies.”

19. I agree with you Mark. I don’t think they would put him in LF because of the chance of him injuring his arm. As a matter of fact, the Dodgers will have to decide whether it is indeed ok for him to swing a bat as DH come this spring.

20. I wonder if there is a team that has very little chance at the playoffs that has a star not superstar outfielder that would like to dump salary and would take any of Vargas, Pages, Cartaya, Busch and I’d add Grove too since he’s controlable for awhile and might be appealing and none of the top pitching prospects?

    1. Of course you would.

       Most sane people would not!

21. Mark mentioned “favorite player” and how he doesn’t have one. I’ve also never really had once since my first ever one (Pedro Guerrero in 1983 when I first started watching baseball). Kirk Gibson doesn’t count as he was everyone’s favorite player back in 1988!

    However, how Mark likes guys with nice stories (like Alex Freeland) , my “favorites” tend to be the young kids coming up and hoping they make it or non-hyped guys trying to make it. Last year it was Outman, Vargas, Gavin Stone, and DeLuca. In the early 2000’s, Dave Roberts was on that list, as he just played hard every time and reminded me of a Brett Butler type.

    This year, my “favorite” players will be guys like Emmett Sheehan, Kyle Hurt, whichever of Vargas/Busch gets a shot, and of course Gavin Lux to prove he still is a big time talent. Of course, should Pages prove he’s healthy, maybe add him to the list!

    1. Garvey was my last favorite. One reason I despised free agency for so long was Garvey leaving and us being force fed Greg Brock and Franklin Stubbs. But the Duke is still my all-time favorite Dodger simply because he played every day and was one of the best to ever patrol CF. Sandy was my favorite pitcher.

       1. My two favorites, too. We never saw Duke in his prime, but even so, he was elegant to watch. Sandy was the best pitcher I have ever seen.

    2. I would say Guerrero was my first favorite player. I used to copy the way he held his bat when in his stance – the barrel almost parallel to his back.

22. The OF is a weakness.

    1. Offensively I agree. Defensively, as long as Vargas or Busch are not in left, it is pretty solid.

23. I really want to take the time to wish all of you a absolutely wonderful holiday season. I hope you are blessed with peace, love and family. God bless all of you and our Dodger extended family.

    1. Same for you as well.

       1. Thank you, and best wishes to you too.

          1. Merry Christmas, Bear, and to Mark as well.
             What the heck, Merry Christmas to all!

    2. God bless you too Bear. And abundant well-wishes for you & your family.

24. Unfortunately, Dodgfan makes sense with his take that because the Dodgers successfully acquired BOTH of the Japanese stars this off-season, the other (sore-loser) MLB owners may “peer pressure” the less wealthy ones into avoiding any trade that would substantially help LAD, at least for the rest of this winter. So the earliest any attempt by AF for a “blockbuster” may not be until the mid-season trade deadline, and he’ll be forced to stand pat for awhile.

    1. Maybe or maybe not.

    2. I suspect the big-market owners are pissed, but the small-market guys know they never had a chance for Ohtani or Yamamoto.
       The potential blockbuster with Milwaukee seems as viable as ever, and I think the Brewers could get the coveted overpay for Burnes and Adames. As Mark has reported, the speculation is that the Dodgers could offer Lux, Sheehan, Busch and “a catcher of their choice”–OK, former top prospect Cartaya, perhaps. Let’s add RP Gus Varland for good measure.
       That would be a huge haul for the Brewers. And AF might be willing to do the overpay if he believes Burnes and Adames are critical to getting to WS.

       1. On paper, a Brewers/Dodgers trade lines up perfectly, ..maybe too perfectly.
          I hope it gets done.

    3. If the trade would help the small market team why wouldn’t they do it.’

       1. Brewers may think they have a better chance at the next playoffs with Burnes and Adames than with Lux, etc. That’s one reason for an overpay.
          If the Brewers get off to a slow start, they may deal Burnes and Adames at midseason–and receive a smaller return.

          1. Even if they don’t trade with the Dodgers, I believe MIL would be dumb to wait until mid-season to decide whether to trade Burnes and/or Adames. Sure, (barring a rash of injuries) the Brewers will almost certainly be in the hunt for a division title through the season ..BUT they ain’t winning a WS, ..regardless of how much the playoffs are a “crapshoot.” Burnes is surely GONE (and probably Adames too) from the Brewers next summer. So they should trade ’em both NOW, rather than later.

             1. Oops, I meant AFTER next season is over in regards to Burnes and Adames leaving the Brews via free agency.

25. I am sure glad that AF does not consult the bloggers when considering a trade. The farm would be nothing but weeds.

26. That is absolutely correct.

    He talks to none of us dumbasses!

27. Isn’t Eddie Rosario a free agent and left fielder and Adam Duval a left fielder and centerfield and Jorge Soler a left fielder to three free agents the dodgers could get with some thump and pitchers left say a Michael Lorenzen or a Marcus Stroman or a Carlos Quintana they need a left handed starter. These players could all help the dodgers now if they do trade with someone I see the Brewers for Burnes Addames and Yelich gets the dodgers a Leftfielder a shortstop and a starting pitcher. But that’s how I see it. Any other Leftfielder we would want or a left-handed stating pitcher to trade for. I hope JD Martinez and Jic Pederson go to the Angels and Snell that would be good to see the Angels get those guys.

    1. Bradley, Burnes, Adames and Yelich are not coming to the Dodgers. That boat has sailed.

28. Shohei Ohtani has gifted Ashley Kelly — Joe Kelly’s wife — a brand new Porsche. This comes after Ashley started the #Ohtake17 campaign, trying to convince Ohtani to sign with the Dodgers. Ashley said her husband, Joe, would give up his No. 17 jersey for Ohtani if he came to Los Angeles — and a few weeks later, Ohtani is a Dodger.

    Merry XMAS and Happy Holidays to our Dodger family on this wonderful site! It’s going to be a fun 2024. Can’t wait.

    1. I really like what we’re learning about Ohtani since he signed with the Dodgers. He’s a team guy and appears VERY dedicated to winning a WS.

29. Carry on… with me, it’s family all weekend… and we are having a blast! This is my youngest granddaughter, Violet Rey
    

    1. Nice! Merry Christmas everyone and keep the interesting opinions flowing! Thanks to Mark and Bear for their continued efforts. Going to be a fun ride until October so let’s all hang on and enjoy! Btw, my favorite all time Dodger is Big D. Never saw him play but listened to him for many years on the radio along with Dick Enberg on KMPC 710 in the 1970s. Vin was the man and will always be #1 but those two were definitely 1B even if they worked for the JV Halos. Gene Autry was a solid cowboy and who could not like him after his hit song, “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer ” Ho, Ho, Ho!!!

       VIVA AZUL!!!

       1. Merry Christmas Blue! Best wishes to you and yours. I saw Big D pitch many times. One of the most memorable was a game against St. Louis at the Coliseum. He hit Joe Cunningham in the ribs with a pitch. Solly Hemus, the Cardinal manager went out to first base to check on his player. In the days at the Coliseum, the visitors bench was on the third base side of the diamond. Instead of going down the first base line and behind the umpire to get to the dugout, Hemus cut across the infield right in front of the mound. He said something to Big D and it was on. Both dugouts emptied. Awesome fight. Big D was 6’5″ Hemus was 5’9″.

          1. Nice story, Bear. Thanks for sharing! I understand Big D wasn’t shy about mixing it up with anyone and pity the batter that dug in the batter’s box against him. He often said that if a batter dug in against him then he would on the next pitch send a message to see if the batter could fit in the hole he just dug. 🙂 Ah, the good ole days! Merry Christmas, Bear!

             1. Merry Christmas Blue, wish you and yours the best Christmas ever. Miss Big D and Sandy. I would choose either of those guys in a must win game over any other Dodger pitchers ever.

    2. Merry XMas eve Mark, enjoy that cutie. Love all you do for this keeping this site up and running.

    3. Merry Christmas Mark!

30. Merry Christmas to everyone at LADT and their families. ❤️⚾️

31. Merry Christmas and a very Happy 2024 season to all!

32. Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

    Mark, that picture captures what is all about. Congrats on the beautiful family!

33. Beautiful granddaughter Mark. With grandchildren like that you should have a very merry Christmas. Hope all of the LADT family have the same.

34. Thrilled about off-season, go Dodgers, go freedman

    Great site, glad your enjoying time with your family Mark, still far and away the best site around.

    Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy Holiday’s

35. It is Christmas morning. About 2 o’clock. Not tired, just watched a Garth Brooks mini concert on Prime then Kiss the Girls, a Morgan Freeman movie. Everyone is asleep and I am checking out the window for Santa. Might be a long night. Garver signs with the Mariners for 2 years. Nice Christmas gift for Seattle fans.

36. Merry christmas to everyone on LADT from across the pond!

    Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Merry Christmas Ram

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