We learned a lot about Tyler Glasnow yesterday and why he is unquestionably now the Dodgers’ Ace. Lest we forget, he has had a singular injury problem, not plural problems. He has had just one injury that was undiagnosed for four years. It was fixed and he now looks healthy as a horse! Actually, he is horse – just check out his mane. Tyler is now the Dodgers’ Ace. End of story. As it stands, this is now the Dodgers rotation:
- Glasnow
- Yamamoto
- Miller
- Paxton
- Stone
- Yarbrough (when needed)
However, there is a problem. Buehler and Kershaw will allegedly be back and where do they fit? What a great problem to have. Here’s what is really interesting: Other than Bobby Miller, not one of the Top Six starters were in the rotation at the end of last season. What a difference a few months makes. Now, it’s easy to surmise that James Paxton comes out of the gate and pitches outta’ his mind and then blows something out. Here comes Buehler and Kershaw to the rescue.
Keystone Props
Mookie Betts is the Dodgers shortstop and I do not think for one minute that he will be there at the end of the season. Gavin Lux needs a change of positions and teams. I like his bat, but the YIPS are horrid for him and everyone else. It’s not rust. It’s the damn YIPS! Willy Adames is a possibility and you can list every bad stat about him, but he is a better option than Miguel Rojas. Mookie need to be at 2B. The move to SS is just to buy time. Gavin Lux is gone.
I am going to purpose a better solution: The Dodgers trade Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas, Alex Vesia, Landon Knack, and maybe (if needed) Miguel Vargas to the Cincinnati Reds for Matt McLain. It’s an Overpay because McLain is good. Very good. The Reds would like to move Elly De La Cruz to SS and this opens up the way. I would rather not include Vargas in the deal, but I would. Oh, and then the Dodgers re-sign Justin Wilson to a MLB Contract to take Vesia’s place.
Teoscar is Quietly Becoming a Beast
What would you say if I predicted that Teoscar Hernandez will be in the Top Ten in the MVP Voting? If you look at his Spring Stats, you can’t argue, but Spring Training is not the end-all, be-all. I believe that this is a guy who is going to respond to his surroundings. Robert Van Socyoc and company have his undivided attention and I see him as a player who will hit .280 with a .870 OPS with 35 HR and 110 RBI. Does that sound like a Top 10 MVP? It does to me. Then don’t forget Max Muncy and Will Smith. Also, if James Outman can build upon 2023, LOOK OUT!
Lineup:
- Betts 2B
- Ohtani DH
- Freeman 1B
- Hernandez LF
- Muncy 3B
- Smith C
- Outman/Hernandez CF
- McClain SS
- Heyward/Taylor RF
Holy Mackrel!
The Reds don’t need Lux or Rojas. They are flush with middle infielders. Mb moving India to first. They did lose one to an 80 game suspension. Mb a 3 team trade would work. I’m sure they would want Knack. McClain would be nice but can’t c that trade.
There’s no logic behind the idea, it’s just whimsy.
Yes, just whimsy.
And I think McClain is already at 2B with De La Cruz at SS.
But the fact that the Reds still have former ROY Jonathan India to play 2B could put McClain in play–for the right price. (That said, the PED suspension doesn’t help matters.)
Who should AF be targeting? Adames is obvious, and McClain might be possible. Who else? The rise of Jackson Holliday could have the O’s putting Jorge Mateo on the market. He’s a younger, faster, more spectacular Miguel Rojas.
Is there a sure-fire, near-ready SS prospect worth considering? How about a top C prospect like Rushing for a top SS prospect like ???
After Will Smith gets extended, that is.
Rojas, Knack, Vesia, Vargas, Cartaya for a top of the rotation or number 2 type starting pitcher.
Pitching wins championships.
Actually a number 2 type starting pitcher and a closer and if that’s still not a good return then add a set up reliever.
Pitching wins championships.
Dodgers don’t need to get rid of Lux and don’t need to add offense. Pitching, pitching, pitching.
But only one guy can pitch at a time. There are eight other guys on the field.
Right now, the only pitcher that I think could clearly help the Dodgers is closer Devin Williams…. um, providing that his aching back isn’t a big problem.
The Dodgers pitching is deep, especially when you consider ace-quality talent like Buhler and Kershaw will be coming back to join Glasnow, Yamamoto, Miller and Paxton. As pitchers get injured, Stone, Sheehan, Grove, Yarbrough, Hurt , River Ryan and maybe Wrobleski could come forward. Dustin May is also expected back late in the season. Next season the SP possibilities ould include Shohei, Gonsolin and Frasso… and maybe Roki Sasaki.
The best way to improve every pitcher is to improve the defense. With the exception of catcher, no position is more important than SS.
Looks like we’ll get to see whether Mookie can handle it.
The best way to improve the pitching is often to improve the defense. A top-tier SS can make a big difference.
The pitching is deep, especially when you consider ace-quality talent like Buhler and Kershaw will be coming back to join Glasnow, Yamamoto, Miller and Paxton. As pitchers get injured, Stone, Grove, Yarbrough, Hurt , River Ryan and maybe Wrobleski could come forward. Dustin May is also expected back late in the season.
Lux, knack, feduccia, Ramos for McLain. Then the Reds could send a package to the white Sox for Cease.
Reds aren’t even talking to the Sox about Cease, but the Yankees and Rangers both are. Sox interested in Lorenzen too.
But it’s the Padres who Cease the day!
(Sorry.)
It’s interesting how the luxury tax is apparently discouraging the Yankees and Mets from making obvious deals. Even Steve Cohen is unwilling to pay double for a guy like JD Martinez, who would be a major upgrade in the Mets lineup. When I saw a projected lineup for the Mets, I didn’t even recognize the names of the guys listed at DH.
It’s hard to feel sorry for pro baseball players, but JDM did a great job for the Dodgers on the pillow contract to “rebuild his value”–and then he finds out that the demand just isn’t strong.
The Angels seem like a possible home for Snell, but not JDM. Right now the Angels have Drury penciled in as primary DH, but plan to cycle through Trout and Rendon to give them rest, and Miguel Sano is looking good after losing 50+ pounds.
Glasnow possesses some of the most dominant stuff in the league. Been a fan of his for a while. He’s one of those rare pitchers that can dominate even the best lineups out there. He can be special. As we know, his knock has been his inability to remain on the field.
In terms of Teoscar, he has shown stretches like this in the past. Just as you start to believe he is ready to take his game to another level, he’ll go into a slump and leave you wondering how someone with his talent can be so inconsistent. When he’s bad, he can look lost at the plate. Hope he’s ready to turn the corner though.
As to Lux, I have developed a bit of a soft spot for the kid. Hoping the young man can regain his confidence and have a productive career with the Dodgers. Let’s go Gavin!
Your line-up would be truly “holy mackrel” if Pages progresses enough to be called up by mid-season and bat 9th.
Nice thought….
There will always be injuries. So it will be fun to follow the progress of a variety of farmhands.
So who in OKC would be the next man (or men) up?
For the outfield, there’s Pages and then maybe Vargas, even if he’d only be trusted in LF.
For the infield, maybe Sweeney and possibly Gauthier. If he keeps walking more than he Ks, Gauthier could be a good “second lead-off” hitter. (If veteran Chris Owings is still with the Dodgers, he could be the first infielder up.)
Looks like Okey is ahead of Feduccia for backup catcher.
Who am I forgetting?
Look around at other teams who has a shortstop or second baseman that can hit and field. It has to be Addames or maybe the White Sox that have some infielders they also have Cease. Think those would be the two teams the Dodgers should look at for trades.
All guess work at this point. Lux will be your starting second baseman come next week. How long he stays there depends on how well he plays. He could be a disaster, or he could improve enough to stay there. Trading for anyone at this point is a knee jerk reaction, and unnecessary. Adames would be nothing more than a rental, and his defensive starts are not nearly as good as Rojas, who also has a higher career BA than Adames, and strikes out a whole hell of a lot less. No, he does not have Adames’s power, but he is a positive influence in the clubhouse and why trade for a player and upset what is a really good clubhouse culture? There is not a single SS on the White Sox I would trade for. They have Paul DeJong, who has been with three teams in the last two years, Nicky Lopez, who is nothing more than a journeyman, and Danny Mendick. Lopez right now is penciled in at second with no back up listed on their depth chart. As for Cease, the White Sox are talking with Texas about him. Texas needs a starter. Depending on what happens with Cole’s MRI, the Yankees are thin at the position and are talking with the Sox also. White Sox showing interest in Michael Lorenzen. I am not for spending prospect capital on a rental like Adames. If the Dodgers make any trades at all, they will come at the deadline, not during spring training. They will know what they have by then. LA has made one major trade in spring in the AF era, when they sent Pollock to the White Sox for Kimbrel.
Update above!
Shout out to Dylan Campbell for that catch. Houston Strake Jesuit and University of Texas representing!
I was thinking Lux needs to spend some time in OKC but now I’m thinking Rancho would be better. Just play Rojas at SS and let’s move on to the season. It’s not rocket science.
Glasnow is definitely our ace. Imagine if Buehler comes back healthy. All of a sudden there is an embarrassment of riches in the rotation. Hard to believe after that brief playoff “run” last season.
love tyhe McClain idea. make the call Mark! Glasnow looked magnificent yesterday. lineup could be deadly except for days barnes is playing. i’m beginning to think mookie shouldn’t be shortstop every day. a trade is inevitable.
We are woefully thin on infield prospect hopes. Overall a lot of pitching and catching talent at the expense of other positional players. We need either Vargas or Pages stepping up to grab one of those OF spots next year.
The Dylan Campbell highlights are really impressive… even if he did misplay another ball out there.
What level will he be at this season?
Nice to have some more prospects to follow.
He had about 40 ABs at Rancho last season and hit .205 there so I would expect he would go back there.
What about trading some pitching and catching prospect talent for some infield prospect talent? I know it’s not done much but why not?
They have traded for two SS this winter alone, Sweeney, and Miller. They just traded for a third baseman, Lipcius, and signed Ownings, who is a SS by trade.
Trade for a high ranking prospect with star potential. Those guys are all depth pieces.
Both are in the Dodgers top 30 prospect lists, and both were first round draft picks of their respective teams. They are not depth pieces. Owings is.
Right on cue, BILL PLASCHKE blasts the Dodgers for moving Mookie:
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2024-03-09/mookie-betts-dodgers-move-to-shortstop-misguided?sfmc_id=652825d924b2ea18e6b025c2&skey_id=7bbdfd9cbe1301503072197e6c9c692b971ed37b162989ebedb59108f4b7046f&utm_id=34663441&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NLTR-Email-List-Dodgers%20Dugout&utm_term=Newsletter%20-%20Dodgers%20Dugout
I said all Winter that I did not believe Friedman really believed Lux could play SS, but it looks like he did.
The Orioles have an embarrassment of riches in terms of infield prospects and could end up being a natural trade partner given the Dodgers pitching depth.
“A trade to a team that needs a second baseman or shortstop could allow Westburg to have more success in the majors and clear a path for Mayo if he wins the starting job. A prospect of Westburg’s caliber would likely bring in the biggest return to either strengthen the pitching staff or replenish the prospect pool that they’ve begun to dip into.“
https://birdswatcher.com/posts/how-orioles-can-make-room-coby-mayo-opening-day-roster-01hrap9wg23f
Westburg for Sheehan!
He has experience at SS, and maybe… but do the Dodgers want a Maybe?
McLain would be a huge get but that’s a lot of moving parts to make it work. Lux does need to go for his own sake so let’s see what Af can pull off after getting back from Korea.
There is a better chance of the Reds trading India than McLain.
1. I really do not believe the Dodgers will keep Mookie at SS all year.
2. I do not have a lot of hope that Gavin Lux can overcome his throwing problems.
3. I think the window has closed for Adames as Lux has no place to play for the Brewers.
4. De La Cruz is currently the Reds SS.
5. The Reds have India and McLain for 2B and could trade one. McLain can play SS, while India is a 2B only.
6. The Reds need pitching.
7. Maybe AF can move Lux in a 3-way deal to a team that needs a speedy LF’er. I think he has to change positions or move Lux to LF.
8. How about Knack & Sheehan and another reliever to the Reds for McLain? Shoot, I’d throw in Rushing to get an SS like McLain, who has five years of control.
McLain would cost a lot, but he’s worth it!
India is penciled in as the Reds first baseman.
This situation doesn’t make any sense. With an INF of Muncy, Betts, and Lux, they are weak defensively at 3 positions. This is not a championship INF.
As smart as the Dodgers’ front office is, they must have foreseen the possibility that Lux couldn’t handle the starting SS job. I guess that’s why they have Rojas, Taylor, and Hernandez?
Lux is a so-so offensive player so far in his brief major league career. He had an OPS+ of 109 in his one full season, 2022.
Here’s what Steve Buckley of The Athletic had to say:
“It doesn’t make sense that the Dodgers would work so hard to assemble a powerhouse team for 2024, highlighted by the 10-year, $700 million contract that inspired Shohei Ohtani to make the move from Anaheim to Los Angeles, and then decide, after spring training begins, they don’t have a shortstop.”
And “The way it’s supposed to work: Aging shortstops move to another position, not the other way around. Ernie Banks moved to first base. Robin Yount moved to center field. Cal Ripken Jr. moved to third. Rico Petrocelli was the shortstop for the pennant-winning 1967 Boston Red Sox and the third baseman for the 1975 pennant-winning Red Sox. John Valentin moved to second base during spring training in 1997 so the Red Sox could make Nomar Garciaparra their shortstop.”
And Betts is a 10 year veteran and is 31 years old. How will his body hold up?
There’s an easy solution – play Rojas most days at SS – the Dodgers have plenty of offense and can carry one bad hitter. Either move Betts to 2B and leave Hayward in RF, or move Betts back to RF and Lux to 2B.
Excellent ideas. Rojas is a great fielder and along with Taylor and Kike can handle SS. For now that is the backup plan to Betts as a full time SS. Mookie will get better at SS but it is not reasonable to expect him to be a good MLB SS with so little experience.
The Dodgers have the luxury of a great offensive lineup and starting pitching depth to compensate for possible fielding concerns.
Despite the Lux concerns, the Dodgers have played great in spring training, especially Ohtani, Glasnow, Teoscar, Stone, and Betts. They still look like the dominant team in NL West.
4:05 PM ET vs Mariners at Glendale
Mariners 5-12
Dodgers 13-4-1
SP Casey Lawrence R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Y. Yamamoto R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
RF J. Heyward L
LF Chris Taylor R
CF James Outman L
2B Gavin Lux L
3B Chris Owings R
73° Wind 11 mph Out
This is a good article to bookmark for the end of the year. Glasnow certainly looked like an ace yesterday, but after two good spring training starts, it may be a little premature to proclaim him the unquestioned ace. I would like to see him pitch a regular season game with the Dodgers or pitch over 120 innings in a season first. And Teoscar is a top 10 MVP finisher? I will take the over on that one.
Bill Plunkett had a good article on Walker Buehler today. Plunkett surmises that the Dodgers gave Glasnow the extension that would have gone to Buehler if not for injury. Buehler is a homegrown Dodger who just wants to be a great pitcher and win. He seems to love being a Dodger but understands it is a business. I hope that Walker regains his form and becomes the ace of the Dodgers staff again.
https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/13/dodgers-walker-buehler-i-just-want-to-be-good-and-win/
Padres now talking with Sox about Cease. Yanks lose Cole for 1-2 months.
The way the Cole news is reported is so poor:
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will be out at least 1-2 months and has an appointment to fly to LA to see noted surgeon Neal ElAttrache @nypostsports has learned.
WTF does at least 1-2 months mean? At least 6 weeks? At least 4 weeks? At least a maximum of 2 months?
It might be the official statement an organization makes as a euphemism for “We have no fucking clue.”
The Yankees are worse than the Dodgers in how they handle injuries to the Public!
To say the responses here have been knee jerk is an insult to involuntary reflexes.
You’re right. Let’s include Lux in a trade package for players that aren’t available because how a player performs in Spring training is really important.
Apparently it’s much more important than the fact that Lux played 2nd base for the entirety of the 2022 season just fine, but this Spring training proves that Lux isn’t very good at playing baseball and should just quit and sell commercial real estate or something.
A trade for McClain? Sure. Maybe we can trade Vargas to the Diamondbacks for Corbin Carroll.
Actually, now is really the time to unload Vargas if the Dodgers are wise. His value is only going to go down. He has not proven himself an offensive MLB player, and can’t play defense at any position. He’s a skinner Willy Calhoun.
I would include Vargas in a deal for McLain, but I don’t think the Reds need him.
Ellie De La Cruz sees himself as a SS and is borderline pathological about it. McLain is a pretty good SS but can also play 2B and CF. It will cost a lot to get him, but the Reds have a glut of infielders and need to move someone.
You will have to overpay for McLain, but I would do it for five years of control.
Maybe it has to be a three or four-way deal. The Reds are thin at C. Start with Rushing. Then include Knack, Sheehan, Lux, Vargas, et al in the deal… not all go to the Reds.
McLain is damn good and the Dodgers will have to pay out the Wazoo… they can do it.
I agree with the premise that Lux has to go. Probably, Vargas too. Maybe they both need new starts.
AF, just get McLain! Five Years! Solid SS. Championship Caliber!
This may take months to play out!
“Dodgers will have to pay out the Wazoo… they can do it.”
Give me that hit of dope! It feels so good!
McLain got 3.2 WAR last year. In his last season in 2022, Lux generated 3.0 WAR.
So, you’re saying you’d expend all of that prospect capital for .2 WAR? … for a guy who has a half a season of MLB experience?
https://youtu.be/oO3wTulizvg?si=m8a6X1JyncxPXMKv
Sign me up for the 5’Oclock Crack Giveaway!
I’ll take McLain over Lux and throw in more players… all day long.
I have always said that Lux deserved a shot at the SS job.
I don’t think AF would have given him the opportunity last year if he thought he was physically incapable of playing the position (lacks the arm strength, ect).
Well, he got his shot. And while it wasn’t much of one, he didn’t make the best of his opportunity. And I agree that it is a mental issue. Mechanics can be corrected relatively easily. The YIPS, not so much.
All the trade talk is premature. One, the Dodgers will give a Mookie/Gavin SS/2b combo a legit shot. If it works, it may be our middle infield for the remainder of the season. Two, AF doesn’t sell low. Lux’s trade value has cratered over the last two weeks. If Lux can show the ability to play a decent 2b and hit like we all know he can, that would bring a much better return going into the trade deadline. Trading him now would bring limited value in return. If this shuffling of the infield doesn’t work out so well, the deadline will be where it will be corrected. I don’t think a below average middle infield will impact the Dodgers to the point where they won’t run away with the West. However, that bird won’t sing in the post season. With Kershaw and Walker coming back, the Dodgers could have a substantial log jam of starting pitching, baring a 2023 type injury storm. That could make for a lot of trade capital to acquire a potential star SS at the deadline. Or fill other issues that may arise. This is only spring training. AF isn’t going to make any rash moves.
This is the sensible take.
What? Sensible?
Call me a cab!
OK, You’re a cab!
Let me know when you’re in Rancho. We can settle the issue in the Quakes parking lot! Unless it’s over 90 degrees. In which case it will have to be rock paper scissors.
For the record, I agree with dodgerpatch in his post, 3 posts above this one about Vargas.
Also for the record, I don’t think the Dodgers need to make any trades. Lux will be fine at 2B. He’ll at least get a little better than he is right now at 2B and that’s all the Dodgers need out of him. If he gets a lot better then that’s icing on the cake.
Mark, I finally caught on about what you’re doing wanting to trade Lux or Rojas for that matter. It opens a spot for Vargas to play 2B.
I don’t understand all the worry about the defense. How many errors can happen that cost games. Don’t you guys think that the Dodgers have enough good hitting and pitching to compensate if there is actually a need to compensate for the defense?
There’s going to be a lot more blowout games that the Dodgers are going to win during the season than normal. The Dodgers are going to win their division running away with it. What’s the problem with the defense in that scenario? As for the playoffs, there’s still enough good pitching in good hitting to compensate. I’m really excited about the Dodgers chances for a championship.
I don’t see Vargas as a 2B.
Errors are Killers.
I’m using my phone and I usually use my PC and it’s not picking up my voice very good. When I mentioned, Mark, that one sentence was supposed to say….. I finally caught onto what you WERE doing wanting to trade Lux AND Rojas for that matter. Obviously, I see that you’re willing to include Vargas in a trade.
By the All-Star Break:
1. Betts – 2B
2. Ohtani – DH
3. Freeman – 1B
4. Teoscar – LF
5. Muncy – 3B
6. Smith – C
7. Outman/Hernandez CF
8. Pages/Heyward RF
9. McLain SS
Or, let’s see how Lux does at 2B.
Wishful thinking on McLain being a Dodger.
So Kirsten interviews Lux and he says he’s getting used to playing second base again because most of his reps the last two years have been a short. What a blatant lie. Kind of lost a little respect there with that statement. He didn’t play last year and the year before he pretty much only played second.
He played SS during spring training last year. Give the kid a break.
Maybe things just need to settle down for a while.
ChiSox just traded Dylan Cease to the Padres.
Huge move!
For basically nothing too. Devin Williams to miss 3 months with back issues. Good thing the Dodgers did not trade for him. Profar injured in yesterday’s game. Most likely will miss Korean trip.
My immediate reaction to Cease and the Pads. I am glad it wasn’t Texas. With the Padre staff, Arizona staff, and Webb in San Francisco the Dodgers will have to earn their division championship. They need to face the best. The Padres definitely have talent but depth will come into play.
Good to see the Dodgers do the right thing:
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dodgers-renew-contract-for-andrew-toles-maintaining-ex-players-insurance-while-treating-mental-health/
(I am withholding commentary about how sad it is that the Dodgers need to do this in order to facilitate medical attention for Toles)
Reliever Blake Treinen threw 15 pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday, four days after experiencing a bruised lung from a line drive to the ribs in a game against the Rangers. Roberts said Treinen felt “residual soreness” but expects for him to travel with the team to Seoul.
Graterol is going to open the season on the IL along with Sheehan. Opens up a spot in the bullpen.
Is anyone here concerned at Yamamota’s last two Spring Training outings. He looked very hittable on his first pitches to the batters at yesterday’s game against Seattle. Batters weren’t waiting for deep counts and his unhittable splitter. Adjustments will have to be made.
Not at all, he is adjusting to the American ball, larger than the Japanese version and without the stuff on the ball that allows you to grip it better. He was also working on a new position of his hands when he is in the stretch. I am sure when the games have meaning, he will be the kind of pitcher they expect him to be. Talent like that does not just disappear. I never worry about spring performances. That is why it cracks me up to see people losing their minds about Lux’s troubles. Muncy has lost 10 pounds battling his illness. Reports now say, Buehler should be ready by May. Too small a sample size to get worried about anything. Don’t leave it all in spring training, old baseball saying. We got snow again this morning.
I have to fly into Denver next Tuesday afternoon for a meeting, and then I will be back in Indy on Wednesday morning.