Is that even possible? It’s never been done. Seven players on one team with at least thirty home runs? That’s not possible… is it? The Dodgers had four players with 30 HR once, but the 2019 Twins and the 2023 Braves are the only clubs in history to have five players reach the 30-homer mark. The Dodgers could obliterate it this year as they have seven (count ’em 7) players with 30 HR ability!
The Dodgers have five players who have hit thirty or more home runs in one season, namely, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Teoscar Hernandez. All of those players have hit 30 home ones at least once and several have multiple seasons with over 30 HRs. However, the Dodgers have two more players who have that ability as well, namely James Outman and Will Smith.
We know that Outman has the power. The only question is can he cut down his strikeouts and can he get enough ABs against LHP to make it so. Will Smith is a little more problematic as catching seems to wear him down, but he has two seasons with 25 and 24 HRs respectably. He’s capable too, but to have all seven hit 30+ HR would mean that the Dodgers had a relatively injury-free season. It’s probably too much to ask for… but it is possible. It will be a fun thing to watch. Oh, maybe the Dodgers could have four or five players with 40 HR? OK… who knows?
Yersterday’s Game
Well that blew my prediction that the Dodgers would be undefeated! Six games into Spring Traiining and they are just 5-1. What a disappointment! If only Roberts had not batted Austin Barnes #4. What was he thinking? š Here’s a few of my takeaways:
- It was only one play, and yes, Gavin Lux screwed it up in every possible way, but it was only one play. Move on… I have only one thing to say about it: I hope he proves me wrong! This is not the time to pile on or say “I told you so.” It’s early. I am not even going to show the play.
- Kody Hoese‘s bat looks much quicker this spring. In the past, he suffered from SBS (Slow Bat Syndrome). This year might make or break him.
- Miguel Vargas continues to look lost! Not sure what to make of this.
- James Outman is striking out at a 56% rate. Not sustainable… but it’s early.
- I hope Max Muncy is fine after being hit on the hand/wrist. That hurts! It is allegedly a contusion. Max is in great shape physically. Can you say “Career Year?”
- Andy Pages is turning heads. At this rate he could platoon it Heyward. He has a shot!
- Yoshinobu Yamomoto looks the part of an Ace… and more!
- CT3 is healthy and looks to be in great shape.
- Austin Gauthier is the heir apparent to Kike and CT3.
- Sources tell me that Striker Buehler is hitting 96 MPH consistently.
It’s still early!
Paxton is scheduled to start tomorrow
OK, I’ll believe it when it happens.
Steve Garvey
Several of my California friends tell me that Steve Garvey’s Campaign is gaining momentum and with each attack aimed at him, he gets stronger.
San Francisco
- The Giants are allegedly still in on Chapman and Snell – that could change what the West looks like a lot! Stay tuned.
- At my Company (US Water Systems) we have four salesmen who work remotely: Two are in Florida and two in the Bay Area. The two in the Bay Area are in Indy for two weeks of classroom training. One lives in Sonoma and the other lives in Mill Valley. I asked them how often they go into San Francisco and it was a hard “Never.” The term “shithole” was banded about. After the first week, both say they plan to move to Indy, where they can afford housing. My wife is from SF and we used to love the city, but it has been ruined. I will no longer walk to Giants games. Sad State to a Grand City!
- Is that part of the reason JDM didn’t go there?
Yammy looks like a beast. 16 strikes on 19 pitches is ace stuff and if he stays healthy I can see a CY, rookie all-star appearance and many more awards and accolades for him.
Pages just might get MLB playing time this year.
Hoping Paxton looks good tonight. Got to get the SP stretched out a bit and the BP looks solid.
You need new California friends, maybe some who are aware of things actually happening.
I guess it must be their lyin’ eyes?
Just the seventh word was needed.
Unnecessary
They are 5-1-1 Mark. They had a tie. No biggie. Night game, it will feel like the regular season the next two days. Free agents still signing, but no word on any of Boras’ remaining clients. I am a wee bit surprised that JD has not signed somewhere. Kike is supposed to play tomorrow. I was born in LA, and I have been to SF several times. But I do not live there anymore, I can only talk about what I see when I go back to visit. There are parts of the LA area that are very nice. But then there are parts of that city that are absolute pig styes. Less than two miles from where my sister lives, there are homeless people camping out on the freeway overpass. I have taken my brother to a record store in Hollywood called Amoeba’s. Hollywood Blvd is a zoo. There are homeless living on the street there. When we took our train trip up to Oregon, there were homeless camps all along the tracks in the bigger cities. Sacramento was awful. But I will admit the worst was Portland. But I have seen plenty of photos of parts of San Francisco. I would not venture to any of those areas. My sister works down on skid row in LA. It is worse than when I lived in California. Shohei took to Instagram and announced he is now married.
I was super bullish on Rick Caruso for mayor, but Karen Bass has been exceptional in getting the homeless of the streets since she took office.
I did not make it to LA last year due to health issues.
I will be back this year and am eager to see the contrast between cities like Sun City and Valencia. Sun City was full of homeless people, and there were none in Valencia. I wonder how it will be this year?
I typically see vendors in Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, Valencia, Sun City, and Beuna Park.
Have you been downtown? Or to San Pedro or Wilmington? There are homeless all over the place. When I took my sis to work in downtown LA, it looked like tent city. Take off the blinders and go drive around. They are even on the over passes on the 110 freeway. It is awful. Hollywood Blvd is a mess. People can’t even get into stores without being accosted by the homeless.
Wow, still 7 hours until game time. No big deal, but it makes for a long day. Finally got a call about my consultation for my knees. Maybe after all these years something will get done. I will admit I screwed the pooch on Kike. I thought for sure there was no way the Dodgers were going to bring him back.
8:05 PM ET
Dodgers (5-1-1)
Reds (3-1)
SP James Paxton L
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Graham Ashcraft R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Mookie Betts R
RF J. Heyward L
C Will Smith R
LF T. Hernandez R
CF James Outman L
3B Chris Taylor R
SS Gavin Lux L
DH Chris Owings R
1B Kevin Padlo R
74Ā° Wind 6 mph R-L
David Vassegh
@THEREAL_DV
Max Muncy said X Rays were negative
Thanks for the update AVF, been looking all over for this today with no luck.
You’re very welcome!
Youāre right about Garvey and his candidacy. Family members have told me that heās their choice b/c heās being unfairly targeted, and heās the only candidate that is talking about border issues and the economy . Watched a prime time show in CBS last night that had 5 anti-Garv commercials for one of the weasel competitors. Makes me wonder why heās being attacked so strongly since heās such an underdog.
A lot of Giant fans up here in Northern Cal are loathing Zaidi. The comment that heās a āDodger plantā is often bandied about in jest. Giants have so much going against them. Aside from the problems in the city, much having to do with the filth, +stratospheric real estate prices, -offensive minded players want nothing to do with that ballpark where stats go to die. Snell would be a good fit for them though. Chapman? they could use him but Iād expect lackluster #s. When Chris Bryant left a few years ago for helpless Colorado, that spoke volumes about offensive minded players and their desire to play in SF.
I remember meeting you at the Argonaut Hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf in 2021. It was starting to get sketchy then. We went back last year, and it was much worse. This used to be a wonderful place. Not anymore! My wife’s whole family (nieces, nephews, sisters, and the whole gang) live in the Bay Area, and when we visited, they always took us downtown and to Chinatown. They no longer want to go… at all. Napa is still great… except the part that is burned out!
This is exactly what I was fearful of with Gavin Lux. It’s all in his head and I am afraid he will not be able to get it out.
That is a horrible place to be and I wish they could Fix Him.
Itās worse than even you thought. Ouch! Canāt get any more routine than that ball
He’ll be fine.
Gowdy is really interesting.
Who is Gowdy and how is he interesting?
Oh, I get ya. Kevin Gowdy, the non-roster invitee… and you are correct. He is very interesting.
He has been in the Dodger System for a year, and with the Tulsa Drillers in 2023.
A lanky RHP, he was converted from a starter to a reliever 100% in 2023.
His fours seamer hits the high 90s, and he has a plus slider. He is working on a cutter and if he masters it, he could be a high-leverage reliever. The Dodgers have a ton of these guys.
What i notice about Gowdy was the high leg kick,reminds me of Juan Marichal
I see a lot of people here are high on Yamamoto. I said in the offseason heās going to be more important to the team than Ohtani. Not media and bringing in money stuff, just baseball. Yes thatās a bold statement.
Itās spring training, so it doesnāt mean much, but:
* Pages opening eyes.
* I still see deer in headlights when I see Vargas.
* Cartaya hasnāt had an at-bat. Are the Dodgers not high on him anymore?
* Feduccia hasnāt done anything to grab the back up catcher job.
* Rushing. Whatās going on?
Iām rooting for all of those guys though.
The Dodgers are re-tooling Cartayas’ swing. They did the same with Will Smith.
Rushing has problems with velocity and they are working with him as well.
Feduccia and Vargas both look lost!
But this is Spring Training where (sometimes) nothing is as it seems.
Ok. I didn’t know that about Cartaya and Rushing.
On the pitching side. Important names, Top prospects, guys doing bad with at least 2 innings pitched:
* Knack: 4 innings put 2 on and 7 strikeouts. Looking the best on this list.
* Yamamoto: 2 innings put 1 on and 3 strikeouts. Looking really good.
* Phillips: 2 innings put 1 on and 3 strikeouts. Looking really good.
* Vanasco: 3 innings put 1 on and 2 strikeouts. Looking really good.
* Stone: 2.2 innings put 2 on and 3 strikeouts. Looking really good.
* Paxton: 2 innings put 2 on and 4 strikeouts. Looking good.
* Brasier: 2 innings put 2 on and 3 strikeouts. Looking good.
* Miller: 2 innings put 2 on and 1 strikeout. Looking good.
* Glasnow: 1.2 innings (yeah not 2) put 5 on and 1 strikeout. Looking bad.
* Vesia: 2.2 innings put 5 on including a homer and 2 strikeouts. Looking bad.
* Grove: 2.1 innings put 5 on including a homer and 3 strikeouts. Looking bad. I said a long time ago that I see him traded sooner or later.
I forgot:
* Treinen and Hudson back. Where’s Feyereisen?
5-4 loss with a couple of high points. Homer by Mookie, Hernandez’s blast off of the wall for a double. Great catch in center by Vogel. Homer in the 8th by Sweeney. The bad, too many damn strikeouts 14, really bad route run by Swaggerty on the fly ball double that drove in the winning runs. Gonsalves can go back where he came from. ERA is over 7. Lux looks to tentative out there. But he did get an RBI single.
If we can have Ohtani pitch and hit, why can’t we have Lux and our new kid Noah Miller share the shortstop position. Lux hits, Miller fields. Problem solved.
Yeah I think Sweeney might be great at short
The Dodgers and a lot of other baseball people question whether he can stay there. He is average, at best on defense. Miller is a defensive wizard.