While it is clear that Yamamoto has some very filthy stuff, he finished Spring Training with a 8.38 ERA. In 9.2 IP, he allowed 15 Hits and 9 ER. He walked 4 and struck out 14. It also has been rumored that he is tipping pitches. I heard someone say, “It doesn’t matter if he ‘s tipping pitches – they still can’t hit him!” YES THEY CAN! Now, understand that he has only thrown 89 pitches in Spring Training Games, so this is a small sampling. It is also very obvious that he has excellent control and some pitches that are very, very good.
Contrast Yamamoto with Tyler Glasnow, who has a Spring ERA of 0.90. He has 10 IP, allowing 4 Hits and 14 Strike Outs to go with 3 Walks. What is interesting, is that prior to this season, his Spring Training ERA was over 6.50. For the time being, it seems that he is a different pitcher. I did not expect Yamamoto to come in and be the Dodgers Ace. He has the stuff, but he is assimilating into a new culture, a new team, new teammates, and a new way of playing baseball. I am a little concerned, but here’s what I see for Yamamoto this year: 15-10 with a 3.25 ERA. He will be Top 5 in ROY, but not Cy Young… not yet!
Bobby Miller will have the opportunity to take another step forward as the #3 Starter and if James Paxton can stay healthy (he usually doesn’t), the Dodgers will have a very good TOP FOUR. Gavin Stone put on 15 pounds of muscle and is now showing the promise we all saw. He should be solid in the #5 Spot. Then Ryan Yarbrough can be the occasional 6th Starter/Opener when the Rotation needs an extra day. It’s not a true six-man rotation because certain off days do not mandate it, but Yarbrough is at the ready.
Probably in Early May, Striker Buehler will return and depending upon how he has recovered and his stuff, he could slot into any Hole in the rotation, including the Ace Hole! It will be interesting to see him come back. Later in the season, the Old Man, Clayton Kershaw will allegedly return, and of course, Landon Knack, and Emmet Sheehan are also at the ready. There are rumors that even Dustin May will be back as a starter (I find that hard to believe, but OK).
What About the Bullpen?
So, starting the season, the six pitchers I mentioned above (Glasnow, Yamamoto, Miller, Paxton, Stone, and Yarbrough) make up the starters. That leaves seven open spots and here’s who I believe will make it:
- Phillips
- Brasier
- Kelly
- Treinen
- Hudson
- Feyereisen
- Vesia
Feyereisen could go down for a while and and Michael Grove or TJ McFarland could take his place… or maybe AF signs Justin Wilson whom I like a lot. At any rate, The Bazooka will allegedly be back in a few weeks and then there are Matt Gage, Ricky Vanasco, Tanner Dodson, Kevin Gowdy, Kyle Hurt and several others at the ready in the Minors. This will be a deep bullpen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers made a quiet, yet notable move on Wednesday, renewing the contract of former outfielder Andrew Toles, according to the Associated Press.
Toles, 31, has not played in the majors since 2018. He’s been on the restricted list since March 2019 because of mental health issues. (He was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.) There’s no reason to believe he’ll ever take another swing, for the Dodgers or anyone else. Nevertheless, the Dodgers have continued to renew his contract each spring so that he maintains his health insurance. It’s a shockingly decent act in an industry that too often loses touch with humanity. RJ Anderson
Bravo for Dodgers!
But, it is a pox on the MLBPA which should have something to help guys like this. He’s not the only one.
correct. In the big picture, this cannot be that much of a cost.
I donāt think the Union can or should do it, but they should and can facilitate a foundation or charity for such things.
I have learned Iām wrong.
Ignore the above.
May starting, no. Relief, yes. Could he be the Dodgers new closer? Maybe.
I don’t think he really profiles as a closer. He hasn’t shown true swing and miss stuff in spite of the fact that his two-seamer has that wicked arm side run. I just think he needs to just calm down and methodically attack hitters with his multiple pitches and proper sequencing.
I thought Bauer’s self-analysis here was a really good insight into how a pitcher thinks about sequencing and attacking hitters.
https://youtu.be/fMGjIMi8EUw?si=u_8N3pmcEundr4Vk
Yamamoto is also adjusting to the American baseball which is larger than the Japanese ball. He has also changed the position of his hands when he is in the stretch, possibly at the suggestion of the coaches so he does not tip his pitches. He has a lot of adjustments to make. The guy has some filthy stuff. They also noticed that the Mariners changed their approach in the 5th inning when they started first pitch swinging, not allowing Yamamoto to get ahead in the count. Teams also have used that approach against Kershaw the last couple of years.
Senga of the Mets had to make adjustments before he felt fully comfortable. So, as you say, this is nothing out of the ordinary.
His stuff plays āaceā. Heāll figure it out how to best attack MLB hitters.
I think he will do well, especially the first time a team sees him. He has one of the best pitching coaches in the majors and some of the best analysts in the game. He is going to do fine.
I think Yamamoto will be very good overall.
I do not see Ace written on him, but maybe #2.
I still think this guy gave a pretty straightforward, non-hype analysis. He throws a little bit of cold water on his first year projections, but he makes a persuasive case as to why.
https://youtu.be/GuKetbzZXsU?si=X9CIc8mbZm4MyGh6&t=577
He might not be an ace, and that’s a lot of money to spend on a non-ace, but the money is for the ability to rely on a solid #2/#3 consistently for the next ten years, IMO.
He might not be worth the investment. You never know.
Glasnow looks like Cillian Murphy. Wait. Has anyone seen them together?
I just noticed that, too.
haha I did not notice that until now! Good call.
Well, theyāre both capable of EXPLOSIVE performances.
Ok, in 2022 Lux was on pace to make 16 errors rounded up at 2B, IF he played every game and you know Doc, if you are not a top of the line superstar like Freeman or Betts you don’t play every game. For every 91.1 innings he made an error. Basically a little more than every 10 games. And there’s the possibility he could get a little better. Tell me that is horrible, considering the offense the Dodgers will have.
Now, I’m hearing here Yamamoto is going to be a number 2 starter in America, possibly a number 3. All based on a tiny sample in spring training just like Lux. I’m shaking my head right now. Hey, all of you have the right to your opinions and I’m not scolding you, but I just don’t understand based on a tiny sample IN SPRING TRAINING.
Adames made 14 in 147 games last year. The gold glove at SS went to Swanson of the Cubs.
And that translates to 1 error in 91.6 innings vs Lux at 91.1 innings. Barely better than Lux. We’ve always agreed about saying no to Adames. My reason is based on hitting and now I dig into Lux defense and you provide Adames and there’s not much difference.
My problem with Lux is not the stats. It’s the “eye test” and he looks scared when he has to throw.
If you have been around the game long enough like many of you have, is that body language that screams ādonāt hit it over here.ā
If know what to look for you can definitely spot that right away.
Dodgfan: Pedro Guererro at third had the same look. On another note, it snowed so hard here today that the power went out all over town. For the first time ever, I saw Wal-Mart closed during the day.
I think anybody throwing that kind of money at a pitcher are expecting an Ace. To me, in this Spring he looks more like Nomo with better control. Nomo I loved but he was not an Ace overall but had dominant stuff when at his best. Yamamoto has the āstuffā but has a learning curve here. By the end of the year he should be hard to beat.
Miller on the other hand has dominate pitches but does not dominate. His change looks exceptional, fastball giddyup, curve fantastic so mb location sequencing but he has the best mix of anybody. Glasnow has dominate stuff with the fastball n curve. If he is healthy and can maintain consistency he will be dominant. Paxton same thing just health. I just donāt have much confidence in Yarborough. Average pitcher who can help with a spot start/long relief/ or 3 batters.
But, with Stone, Hurt, Grove, Sheehan not to mention Buehler/Kershaw. Very dominant and deep. Now if we can play defense lol
Yarbrough is perfect against a team with a lot of LH hitters. Start him in and see how long he can go: 1,2,3 innings – then bring in the power righty.
Just think if the Dodgers would have traded for third baseman Arenaldo he would be at third Mookie at short Muncy at second base and Freeman at first put those four guys Smith and Ohtani talk about a lineup of hitters wow that would have been interesting Muncy instead of Lux at second base. Or they could have gotten Chapman to play third base much better fielder then Muncy.
That would be great Bradley…..except for the fact that Arenado was never on the market. That was pure rumor.