I don’t mean financially… I mean offensively! I don’t think it is any secret that he’s no power hitter. But he is a defensive wizard. I don’t know if I believe all the rumors, like Lux to the Yankees, but I do think it is a possibility that Hyeseong Kim could be the Dodgers’ second-baseman in 2025. Lux is below average as a 2B, while Kim has won the Korean Gold Gove at 2B three years in a row, and he is younger than Gavin Lux… albeit with less power.
With the Dodgers’ lineup, they can afford a Gold Glove 2B who hits .250-.260 but keeps the ball in play. Bat him #9, and forget about it! They say Kim is a utility man who will play all over the diamond, but this is not the first time they have tricked us. Freddie Freeman is Gold Glove Caliber at 1B. Having Kim at 2B would significantly impact Muncie and Betts’ games. That may not be Gold Glove Caliber, but I think Defense is contagious.
The Dodgers allegedly almost traded Gavin Lux in a trade for Devin Williams. Williams was told it was a done deal before being traded to the Yankees. We hear rumors that the Yankees, Brewers, Jays, and other teams are interested in Lux. I think the Dodgers would like a high-leverage reliever back… but I also think they would take a prospect like Ferris or Hope! I like Gavin Lux, but it seems that they are intent on trading him… and that likely means bringing Kike back!
I also think that Teoscar will play LF, not RF. He’s much better in LF, and Conforto and Pages are better in RF. I know some fans want Outman, but I don’t see much chance of that! Outman and Rushing are destined for the OKC Comets. What might the Comets lineup look like?
- C – Dalton Rushing
- 1B – Ryan Ward
- 2B – Austin Gauthier
- SS – Alex Freeland
- 3B – Kody Hoese
- LF – Damon Keith
- CF – James Outman/Jose Ramos
- RF – Austin Rhodes
Just a guess…
Jack Dreyer could be the equal of Tanner Scott… think about that one!
… and sure enough… Gavin Lux is gone… right on cue!
The Dodgers thinned out their glut of middle infielders on Monday, trading second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds for outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a competitive-balance Round A draft pick, according to a person familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly about it.
I was writing this article when the trade happened. So, here it is, in its entirety!
It’s a good deal for the Dodgers trading Lux. They open up a spot on the 40 man roster,pick up approx. 2 million in 2025 Draft money and a player they know,scouted and drafted in 2021 in Mike Sirota. Win,Win!!
We are sitting here playing Tic-Tac-Toe and the Dodgers are playing Magic: The Gathering
A card game where wizards use spells, creatures, and magic objects to defeat their opponents. A scientific study found that no algorithm can determine the winner of a game of Magic: The Gathering, making it the most complex real-world game. The game has over 19,000 unique cards and more than 2,000 rules.
Love MTG
Mike Sirota, OF
Age: 22
Sirota was a third-round pick in 2024 out of Northeastern. He entered the spring season as a first-round talent and arguable top 10 overall pick but had a poor platform season, hitting below .300 for the first time in his career and struggling to repeat the power surge he managed as a sophomore. Sirota has a well-rounded toolset that includes plus speed, above-average defense and arm strength in center field, but his offensive profile is now more questionable, and he’ll need to add more power and physicality. His offensive strengths include a strong batting eye and a 17.5% career walk rate. He has not yet made his pro debut.
2025 Supplemental First Round Pick
The exact draft order is not yet set, but the Dodgers acquire an extra pick in the middle of the first supplemental round. The 37th overall pick in 2024 came with a slot value just over $2.5 million. The pick itself and the bonus pool money that comes with it will be a nice addition for a Dodgers team that perpetually picks at the back of the first round. Supplemental round draft picks are the only picks teams are able to trade. Last July, the Nationals acquired the 39th overall pick from the Royals in a deal that sent Cayden Wallace to Washington and Hunter Harvey to Kansas City.
Welcome Roki Sasaki!
Did Shohei tweet that?
DODGERS TADE LUX TO THE REDS AND AQUIRE THEIR COMPETITIVE DRAFT PICK AROUND 37TH AND MIKE SIROTA:
AGE
21
BATS
R
DOB
06/16/2003
THROWS
R
HT
6′ 3″
DRAFTED
2024, 3rd (87) – CIN
WT
188
ETA
2027
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45
“Sirota was relatively unknown when he was selected out of the Connecticut high school ranks late in the 2021 Draft by the Dodgers, but he went on to play for Mike Glavine at Northeastern University in Boston. He had hit everywhere he’d been, from his first two seasons in college (1.060 OPS) to back-to-back turns in the Cape Cod League (.942 OPS), making the grand-nephew of Whitey Ford the best Huskies product since Carlos Peña went No. 10 overall in 1998. He failed to live up to top-of-the-first-round expectations by really scuffling for much of his junior season, though he righted the ship enough to land to the Reds in the third round and sign for right around slot value.
Lean, athletic and strong, Sirota has an intriguing collection of tools. He has plus bat speed with excellent bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate, though his timing was off for much of the spring, keeping him from squaring up the ball as consistently as he has in the past. There’s raw power for him to tap into — he had 18 homers in his sophomore season — and when combined with his plus speed, he has 20-20 potential at the highest level.
That speed makes Sirota a legitimate longterm center fielder. He makes good reads and routes and has a tick-above-average arm to boot, with his all-around tools and makeup giving the Reds confidence he can rediscover his consistency.”
In case you are wondering, Mookie is staying at SS.
I believe Mookie is damn determined to prove he can play shortstop at a very high level. In fact, he already did last season until his hand was broken. He fielded the ball extremely well for being thrown into the position half way through Spring. His only issue was changing his throw from an outfielder’s throw to an infielder’s throw but he WILL conquer that. I think Mookie has the goal of making the All Star team as a shortstop on his mind. I would never bet against Mookie Betts in anything athletic.
BANG!
Mookie wants to win another MVP. If he pulls it off, he’d be joining Shohei and Frank Robinson as the only players to win both the AL and NL MVPs.
He was a contender last season before the pitch that broke his hand.
11″ inches of snow in the last 24 hours. We had 8 inches all winter last year!
Shadrack… the snow dog! He loves it!
You seem pretty confident about Sasaki.
No question the Dodgers want another top shelf reliever.
Not totally surprised about Lux. Hey, when they said that Lux was not going to be traded, that means he’s gone.
I hope you’re right about Dreyer.
Nice chess move….
Even if Sirota and the player to be drafted later fail to blossom, it’s good to create room for Kim and enable some of that “optionality” the Dodgers like.
While we can’t expect Kim to equal his KBO stats, his offensive profile may not change:
–He’s a contact hitter with a good eye who hits both lefties and righties.
–He walks nearly as much as strikes out.
–He adds extra speed to the bottom of the lineup.
Maybe he won’t achieve the .380+ OBP he had in Korea, but .350 would be terrific for a fast guy batting in front of Shohei and Mookie.
The Korean “gold glove” isn’t strictly a defensive award, but goes to the best all-around player at a position. But yes, Kim is a quality defender.
New likely lineup:
Shohei DH
Mookie SS
Freddie 1B
Teo RF*
Max 3B
Smith C
Conforto LF*
Edman CF**
Kim 2B
*I saw an interview in which Gomes said that Teo prefers RF while Conforto prefers LF. So I think that’s the likely alignment. (Either Pages or Taylor could platoon with Conforto.)
**The Dodgers can maximize Edman’s UT value by shifting him between CF, 2B, 3B and SS. With a strong spring, Outman could play his way onto the roster again, just as he did as a rookie. An injury to just about any starter or reserve (such as Rojas and Taylor) could create some opportunity and musical chairs.
It’s still the offseason but if Kike’ is signed, and I believe he and Kershaw will sign at the start of spring training when the 60 day IL opens up. Outman and Pages will be in OKC.
That’s possible.
But I think it’s “play me or trade me” time for Outman. He’s a few years older than Pages.
In other news, the Padres management is in turmoil. Seidler’s widow has sued her late husband’s brothers in a bid to take control of the team.
I like the move. Kim did not seem to fit the super utility role because of the number of utility infielders already on the roster even without a return by Kike. Taylor is a better outfielder than Kim just due to experience and Betts is going to play almost all games at short. Not to mention Kim and Lux are both left handed hitting 2nd basemen, at their best. I was skeptical that Lee was truly going to be a super utility guy. This move of Lux makes more sense. This trade has the feel of the Michael Busch trade with Cubs. Kim now gets to play his best defensive position though I can see a Pages/Kim platoon of sorts where Edman plays second against left handed pitching and Pages handles center.
Last. Key move to make is bring back Kike. He’s not gonna cost a lot, he loves being a Dodger and was HUGE in the post season this year.. I don’t care if the dude hits under 200 all year, just let him do his thing in the playoffs, he is just one of the few guys who shines when most guys get the pucker factor. When he dropped the F bomb on national TV and asked if they were live before he said it, right then and there I said there is the Dodgers Alpha Dog, he won’t stop until he gets a parade . He is one of the few energy guys the Dodgers have, big time glue guy .
Agree just wish they would have brought back Walker as well. Maybe at the deadline, Sawks will be sellers!
GO RAMS!!!
Jim Bowden of The Athletic had this to say about Rooki Sasaki:
Seven teams have reportedly met with Sasaki and his agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, in Los Angeles, including the Dodgers, Padres, Cubs, Yankees, Mets, Rangers and Giants. Other teams still could be added to the list, but in all probability Sasaki is probably going to sign with one of those seven.
Of that group, most in the industry believe he’ll end up signing with the Dodgers. However, I’m not in that camp because I think endorsement deals with Japanese companies are going to be important for him financially since he won’t be eligible for arbitration for three years or eligible for free agency for at least six years. In Los Angeles, he’d be in the shadow of both Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, lessening his endorsement ceiling. And there are other reasons I don’t believe he’s destined for the Dodgers.
(Sasaki can only be signed through each team’s international bonus pools, which range from roughly $5.1 million to $7.5 million.)
I don’t think the Giants make a lot of sense for him based on their weak farm system and mediocre major-league roster. I view the Rangers as a long shot, though they would be a good fit because of their strong pitching room and leadership group. The Cubs also seem like a stretch to me. That leaves both New York teams and the Padres.
Wolfe recently provided an update on the 23-year-old star’s unusual free agency, but none of us know how this ends or what exactly Sasaki is thinking. His favorite player growing up was Masahiro Tanaka, which would lead me to guess he was at least somewhat of a Yankees fan. He considers Yu Darvish a godfather-type influence, and the Padres veteran mentored Sasaki during Japan’s championship run in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Therefore, for no other reason, I’ll predict he signs with either the Yankees or San Diego.
Bowden is an idiot….
Every prediction Bowden makes is wrong! Dodgers sign Sasaki! Bet it!!!
What do you mean EVERY Prediction? 😉 Here’s his November 1, 2024 predictions:
1. The Yankees match the Mets’ and Dodgers’ best offers to Juan Soto, signing him to a $622 million contract that keeps the Soto-Aaron Judge tandem in New York’s lineup for years to come.
2. The Mets focus on starting pitching in free agency and manage to sign both Corbin Burnes and Max Fried to long-term contracts while also bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso, dropping more than half a billion in future salary commitments to land the trio.
3. Roki Sasaki is not posted by his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines. The talented Japanese righty has to wait another year to become a free agent and join the major leagues, disappointing the Dodgers (among other teams), who wanted to sign him this offseason.
4. The Dodgers sign shortstop Willy Adames to a six-year, $150 million deal. The World Series champs also re-sign left fielder Teoscar Hernández (three years, $75 million) and righty Walker Buehler (two-year contract with a club option; base salary of $12 million per year plus incentives).
5. The Astros sign center fielder Cody Bellinger, after he opts out of his contract with the Cubs, to a four-year, $112 million pact. Houston also re-signs third baseman Alex Bregman for seven years and $185.5 million.
6. Lefty Tanner Scott signs a four-year, $60 million deal with the Phillies, who say goodbye to high-leverage relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency.
7. The Nationals ink outfielder Anthony Santander for six years and $142 million, landing the power bat in the first big signing of their rebuild in a deal that’s reminiscent of their past signing of Jayson Werth.
8. The Guardians are able to bring back ace Shane Bieber and also sign veteran righty Michael Wacha for three years and $45 million.
9. The Royals sign lefty Sean Manaea to a three-year, $68 million deal to replace the departed Wacha.
10. The Mariners sign first baseman Christian Walker (three years, $72 million), improving offensively and defensively at the position. Seattle also lands second baseman Brandon Lowe (two years, $24 million) after Tampa Bay doesn’t pick up his option.
11. The Padres re-sign both left fielder Jurickson Profar and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim as they opt to “run it back” with largely the same team in 2025.
12. The Red Sox sign righty Jack Flaherty to a three-year, $68 million deal and lefty Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year, $42 million deal.
13. The Rangers re-sign righty Nathan Eovaldi (two-year, $42 million deal with a club option) and land reliever Carlos Estévez (three years, $33 million) in free agency.
14. The Tigers sign right-hander Nick Martinez to a three-year, $40 million contract.
15. The Orioles ink Blake Snell to a three-year, $105 million deal and then trade three strong prospects to the Athletics for flame-throwing closer Mason Miller, whom they convert back to a starting pitcher.
16. After exercising his $22.5 million player option, Jordan Montgomery is traded by the Diamondbacks to the Braves for two minor-league pitchers, with Arizona agreeing to pay half of his salary.
17. The Diamondbacks exercise their $15 million club option on Eugenio Suárez, bringing back the third baseman after a 30-homer, 101-RBI season.
18. Veteran starter Charlie Morton announces his retirement from baseball after 17 seasons.
19. The Pirates sign outfielders Tyler O’Neill and Joc Pederson, adding veteran offense to their lineup.
20. For the second year in a row, no players accept the qualifying offer.
21. Ichiro Suzuki is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. Billy Wagner is elected in his 10th and final year on the ballot. And Andruw Jones, the greatest defensive center fielder I ever saw, also gets the call to Cooperstown.
22. The Rays start the season playing in the Blue Jays’ spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., staying until a fix is in place for the Tropicana Field roof to make the ballpark playable again.
23. Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are named MVPs of their respective leagues. Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale win the Cy Young awards.
24. Luis Gil and Paul Skenes win Rookie of the Year honors … and I once again complain about there not being dedicated awards for the best rookie pitcher and best rookie position player, as two of Colton Cowser, Austin Wells, Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio should also have been recognized for their strong seasons.
25. Stephen Vogt of the Guardians and Pat Murphy of the Brewers are named the managers of the year after guiding teams to division titles in their first seasons. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is voted the MLB Executive of the Year.
He is just a writer of FICTION.
Reading the name Andruw Jones and Hall of Fame in the same sentence made me want to throw up in my mouth just a little bit.
For 10 years he was the absolute best CF in the game. Yes, he sucked in LA mainly because he came to spring training way out of shape. Over 400 career homers and a 62.7 career WAR, 20 points higher than 2-time MVP, Dale Murphy who most believe belongs in the hall.
Wow!!
Since when did conjecture become fiction?
Very hard to predict player movement through trades and free agency.
Did anybody here have Lux going to the Reds?
BTW, the spin on the deal from Cincinnati is summed up in a hilarious headline on mlb.com:
“Reds Trade for Versatile Dodger Infielder Gavin Lux”
My only gripe with Kike is that he was involved in wrecking Cody’s shoulder
Cody had actually dislocated it before Kike did his high arm bump in the series which dislocated it again. Those with prior dislocations are prone to suffer them again.
There are a couple of others who project that the Yankees or San Diego will sign Sasaki.
Most of this stuff is probably writers or pundits trying to create something to write about. Do they have inside information? Probably not. They twist a word here or there, take a sentence and spin a story.
It seems logical that Sasaki would sign with the Dodgers. California is the gateway to the Pacific and the Asian market. The Dodgers are the most successful organization in baseball. The marketing opportunities are endless. The weather is exceptional. The crowds are amazing, even on the road. The Dodgers don’t rebuild. They sustain success. What’s not to like?
But maybe Sasaki isn’t focused on that. Maybe none of that matters. We’ll know in the next couple of weeks. But I wouldn’t bet against the Dodgers.
I really have no opinion, but I would not mind if he signed with LA.
If I’m Sasaki, I’d be leaning towards the Padres. Being on a rival team to Ohtani and Yamamoto would give him exposure, and Darvish was his mentor at the WBC. The question marks about ownership would give me pause, however. I wouldn’t want to sign and then have the owner’s wife take control and go all Georgia Frontiere and blow up the team.
I’m curious about the Seidler family rift. I believe that many readers here are unaware of the Dodger roots that family has. Peter Seidler was the grandson of Walter O’Malley and learned the baseball business along with his brother Tom in the Dodger organization as young graduates from Notre Dame.
Walter believed that if they wanted to enter the baseball business, they needed to learn it from the ground up. Concessions, publicity, groundskeeping, programs, radio broadcasting, seeking out sponsors, laundering uniforms…you name it, they did it. Starting in the low minors that’s where he sent them…such places as Great Falls, Bakersfield, Caracas Venezuela and Vero Beach.
I’m reading that the contention in “Padreland” today is between the late Peter Seidler’s wife (Sheel) and siblings Matt and Robert. Not sure what Matt and Robert’s position is with the team, but it certainly wasn’t at the level of Peter and Tom. I thought with Peter’s passing that Tom would be in the lead role, since his last position in the Minor Leagues as owner/President of the Visalia Rawhide where he was Minor League executive of the year twice. He was no slouch. He knows that intricacies of the game and how to run a ball club. I was actually hoping that when McCourt had his troubles, these guys would swoop in and buy the Dodgers.
I was looking at Tom’s bio and he’s currently with the Padres as VP of International and Community Impact, essentially promoting the team with youth groups and marketing in nearby Tijuana. So it appears he has had a lessor role with the team.
The Seidler’s are a very interesting family. If you look at Dodger Yearbooks in the 60s and 70s, their mother, (Terry) is shown as co-owner with her brother Peter O’Malley up until the sale of the team to the Rupert Murdoch group. She is 91 years old now. Terry’s husband Rollie, who died in 2006, was a high level executive with the team. They had ten children, so the in-fighting is amongst them.
I visited with Tom when he owned Visalia back in 2011. Spent an afternoon with him. Saw the whole Minor League organization from top to bottom. He was preparing for a game and allowed me to follow him around for a day to chronicle what he did. The Dodger Minor League affiliate was playing Visalia that day, so as a promotion, he was grilling Dodger Dogs for the fans. Anyway, just thought I’d share a bit of the Seidler family history and their connection to the Dodgers. That family at one time was all Dodgers through and through.
Thanks for the background info, Evan. I was certainly familiar with Peter’s ties to the Dodgers but not some of the other facts you brought up.
What a shame that Peter passed at such a relatively young age. He was great for the game (even if it was as owner of the Padres) and from what I’ve read, his players really loved and respected him.
As others have pointed out, this legal action could definitely have an effect on Sasaki’s decision.
I really wasn’t aware of any of this. Thx for sharing.
Would much prefer the Padres to remain a competitive organization and not turn into a dysfunctional mess of infighting.
Rivalries are good.
AZ will push the Dodgers the most for division lead.
Good point about the ownership mess in San Diego. The instability has to deduct a bit from San Diego’s appeal to Sasaki. If the Ohtani Effect brings him to LA, that will piss off every other fan base in the MLB.
For Sasaki, I think it kind of boils down to whether he’d rather be Shohei’s little brother on the Dodgers or Darvish’s son on the Padres.
Or he may prefer to blaze his own trail with the Yankees or Cubs or ???
I’m going to be a contrarian and say I’m not super excited about the trade and the signing of the Korean kid.
I think you have to start with what the Dodgers expect to be getting by signing Kim to a long-term deal. I think they’re hoping to get a younger version of Miguel Rojas who can play great D all over the infield, but will predominantly play 2nd base while Mookie plays SS, perhaps eventually sliding over to SS as Mookie gets on in years and presumably slides over to 2nd.
Kim is a gold glove caliber 2nd baseman, but when he played SS for his Korean team he had 35 errors, perhaps because of his unorthodox side arm throwing motion. He can’t play 3rd (Rojas saved Kershaw’s no-hitter playing third, so he definitely can) So, defensively he might already be limited to 2nd base unless he figures out the throw from SS to 1rst.
Can he hit? Again, realistically the comp is Miguel Rojas, so no. I think Kim’s wRC+ in the Korean league was 118, which would be above average in the MLB, but the Korean league is not MLB. His career high in home runs in Korea is 11, so no thump whatsoever. He can run. His steal percentage is over 85%, but he has to get on base first.
So, he’s probably a good to great defensive 2nd baseman, but there are question marks about his ability to play anywhere else, and he will likely not be much more than an average major league hitter.
Lux is about the same age. He’s probably destined to only play 2nd base, which he played pretty well last year. He’s not a gold glover there, but he’s passable and not too much of a liability. Kim definitely has the edge defensively.
A little bit like Mark’s unrequited man love for Miguel Vargas, I will be forever tantalized by Lux’s AAA performance in 2019, where he hit nearly .400, was described as a future “perpetual All Star” by Fangraphs, and had like a 70 rating for power. He just never got traction at the MLB level. Covid in his rookie year screwed him over somewhat. A major knee injury obviously set him back a great deal. He showed he didn’t have the arm for SS. He had to deal with a case of the yips.
His bat definitely showed life last July and August after a horrid start to the season, but he tailed off a bit in September. I still think he’s a .280/15 HR hitter. As far as 2nd basemen go, I think he still has a higher offensive ceiling than the Kim kid. Maybe.
As far as what the Dodgers got for Lux, Mike Sirota seems like a defensive-first outfielder. Depth. The 37th pick is the 37th pick.
If the Dodgers can get a comp to that other Hayseong Kim 2nd baseman for the Padres, then it’s a good signing and a definite upgrade over Lux. They both play fantastic defense at 2nd, but I’m not sure that the Dodgers Kim will be as good as the Padres Kim offensively, who’s above average and has more power.
If the Dodgers new 2nd baseman hits like Rojas, but can’t play SS or third like Rojas, then I don’t think it’s a great signing.
Time will tell.
I wonder if this signing is driven in small measure by a renewed emphasis by the Dodgers on defense. In the WS, we saw that defense, or a lack of it, can be decisive.
BTW, best wishes to Bear and hope he makes a speedy recovery.
It is a bit of a head scratcher. I was satisfied with Lux at 2B and thought he might have a break out year in 2025. He still could. I have included Lux in many trade scenerios over the years, but that was only because I kne whe could not play SS and I thought Mookie wanted to play 2B. With Mookie at SS, it’s a bit puzzling… unless the Dodgers see something in Kim and Sirota that they think they can improve on.
With Vargas it took a while to figure out that he could murder minor league pitching, except the occasional high fastball, but MLB pitchers soon discovered he could not hit high cheese. I never knew… Vargas can hit breaking pitches and changeups but that high fastball is his Kryptonite!
Cartaya could hit that fatsball, but not the breaking and off-speed stuff. Go figure.
There is no current minor league player for the Dodgers that I am convined will be a star… other than DePaula. However, I do have a favorite now and that is Alex Freeland. No predictions, but I am rooting for him.
There were three recent Dodger minor leaguers that impressed me with their bat-to-ball skills in the minors, namely Alex Verdugo, Keibert Ruiz and Miguel Vargs. So far, they have all underperformed. I was also high on Cartaya a couple of years ago, but in 2023, his star was tarnished.
Talent evaluation is very difficult… but I keep trying.
While Kim’s arrival was bad news for Alex Freeland, creating more of a logjam in the infield, the Lux deal was good news.
Assuming that Freeland has a good spring and plays well in OKC, he might be just an injury away from a call-up. From what I’ve read, Freeland has the UT ability that Lux lacks. With Lux in Cincinnati, the Dodgers will be better able to exploit that “optionality” stuff.
But if the Dodgers bring back Kike, Freeland and others may have more waiting to do.
How can Mark not have access to a spell checker?
In this day and age.
I have Grammerly but it clashes with some of the company installed firewall stuff and no longer works properly. I am working on it.
Kim `is not going to be the starting 2B, not sure where that came from but it’s delusional.
Keith Law ($$$$) on the Kim signing and the Lux trade:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6043336/2025/01/06/gavin-lux-trade-analysis-reds-dodgers/
likes the trade for both sides, thinks Dodgers development will add lift and power eventually for Kim.
Well, it’s on that “delusional site:” http://www.Dodgers.com where it says:
“Now, it seems like Kim will see much more regular playing time at second base.”
I’ll believe it when I see it.
And when I see it, I’ll be wrong yet again!
Outman could end this discussion by winning the CF job back in spring training. That would move Edman to SS & Betts to 2B where he belongs.
The gods have truly cursed you, Bluto. You have been forced to endure the perpetual indignity of sharing a world with the rest of humanity and their “mind-boggling” poor grammar, spelling mistakes, “silly” trade scenarios and “delusional” opinions.
I can’t begin to imagine the pain you must suffer.
So, just to dissect a little further, the Dodgers DFA’d their former #1 prospect and traded away their starting 2nd baseman to clear a spot for a player whose primary position is 2nd base, but this player definitely won’t be starting at 2nd base, because that would be delusional, ya know, for reasons.
We know the Dodgers value positional flexibility and love utility players. Maybe Kim will strictly be a utility player … except he apparently can only play 2nd, which puts a bit of a damper on the utility part of utility player.
Definitely won’t be starting at 2nd, though.
Maybe the Dodgers got him to be a pinch hitter off the bench!
Life is grand! Don’t let my silly bravado dissuade you otherwise.
It’s all in fun and in the spirit of better communication.
As to your apparent confusion, I’ll share this which I stole from someone else on another board:
>>BEGIN PASTE<<
Much like the Michael Busch trade, the Dodgers are dealing a solid player, who will soon be entering his late 20s, for two lottery tickets with upside.
My guess is we’ve stacked our draft board and feel pretty good about the player we’d select around pick 37.
Sacrificing mid-level players to go after the best of the best is a recurring theme for us. Especially given our depth now.
For example, I like Lux at 2B. But is he really that much better than Rojas? Or Kim, after we’ve worked with him? Or guys at other positions who may spend time there, like Edman or Betts? Or an upcoming prospect like Alex Freeland?
It’s a calculated risk without much downside imo.
The copy/paste is all well and good, but it doesn’t answer the question:
Is this Kim kid going to get the majority of the playing time at 2nd base or not?
Apparently the assumption that he would be is delusional, but if so, who does, and what exactly is his role, then?
…and I don’t now that “best of the best” is really an apt description for a guy from the Korean league who hasn’t played a single MLB game. “Great upside for cheap” yes, “best of the best” no.
To be fair, if he approaches his Korean league offensive production and plays stellar defense at 2nd, then it’s a really good signing.
From what I have read Kim will become a regular if and when his hitting improves.
Until then he’ll be in the minors or a sub.
He’s definitely not a starter “now”
Could Kim add a some power?
Probably.
But what of the risk? The quest for power often leads to more Ks.
I like Kim’s high-contact, high-OBP profile just fine as the “second lead-off” hitter to set up Shohei and Mookie.
Kim’s speed and his proficiency against both lefties and righties are other assets that Lux lacks.
And if Kim flops–always a possibility–the Dodgers have plenty of alternatives.
BA had thi to say about Sirota before the Draft:
Sirota entered the 2024 season as one of the top prospects in the draft class from a mid-major college program, with a chance to be a top 10 overall pick. He had a well-rounded profile and set Northeastern’s single-season runs record in 2023, when he also hit 18 home runs. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound outfielder took a big step backward in 2024 and didn’t look like his usual self at the plate. Sirota hit under .300 for the first time in his career, and scouts thought his swing backed up and noted struggles to cover the plate middle-in. Sirota employs a crouched and wide setup at the plate without many moving parts and fires quick hands through the zone, though he’s more of a contact hitter with a level path than a power hitter. He’ll need to add more strength to a frame that still has some room to fill out. Despite his draft year offensive struggles, Sirota still managed an excellent 23% walk rate and has always made high-quality swing decisions. Multiple strong summers in the Cape Cod League will reinforce the idea that he’s a solid hitter. Sirota’s supplemental tools are strong, thanks to plus running ability and above-average center field defense with a strong throwing arm. Sirota is young for the college class and could still fit in the second or third round.
What’s wrong with CT3 at 2B.
I see a huge resurgence year for him…..
He might play there against lefties. He would probably fill in for Muncy at third, probably play the outfield. I think that’s where his value is.
This trade involving Lux smells a lot like the Paul kenerko trade, though the Dodgers received a top reliever in the trade. I’m speaking of Lux and how he will develop into a well above average hitting second baseman. I’m afraid this trade will not age well. That being said I also believe Vargas will become a good MLB player.
Well, I hope you are right but when you can’t catch up to elite fastballs, MLB pitchers will eat you alive.
I’d be very happy for Lux if he blossoms the way Konerko did.
There was no NL DH then, and the brass chose Karros over Konerko.
Anyway, the goal shouldn’t be to “win” trades. The goal should be to create “win-win” deals.
I thought the Konerko comparison was apt when the Dodgers were trying to figure out what to do with Michael Busch.
So far, Busch is doing fine with the Cubs–and the prospects the Dodgers got back in that deal, Zyhir Hope and Jackson Ferris, are considered among the best in the team’s system
Looking like a win-win.
Kim brings something to the table that Lux did not. Elite speed.
Good point.
Lux is a much better hitter. Lux was coming back after one year of not playing. The Lux we saw in the second half is closer to his ability and he will go up from there. He brings that to the table. I guess we can agree to disagree.
Lux may have been, but he has not shown that in a long time. Granted, he missed a full year, but he also has not come close to becoming the player they thought he would be. He sucked as a SS with his yips throwing, he is at best an average defender at 2nd. His forays in the OF were awful. He doesn’t have the arm to play third. He is two years older than Kim, he does have more power, but Kim is a career .300 hitter who makes contact and does not K a lot. I do not see where Gavin is a better hitter.
RIP Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. Passed away at age 86.
2026:
C Smith
1B Freddie
2B Mookie
SS Freeland 20/20
3B Bichette JR
LF Teoscar
CF ???
RF Pages
DH Ohtani
Bench:
Rushing
Edman
Kim
???
I keep hearing from the pundits that Lux will play “all over the diamond”.
If that’s really what the Reds plan to do (and they haven’t actually said so), then I think they made a bad trade.
Our front office has used Lux all over the place since he arrived and came to the conclusion that he’s a very serviceable second baseman, but really doesn’t fit anywhere else.
He couldn’t cut it at shortstop, he didn’t work out well in the outfield (although he really wasn’t given much time out there), and with his questionable arm, I doubt he would make a good third baseman.
I hope the Reds stick him at 2B and let him play there every day, against all pitching. That way we’ll all find out if he can ever become the player we hoped he’d be when he was in L.A.
I think he will play 2B for the Reds and Matt McLain will move to the OF or 3B, but you never know.
The late and great manager was quoted “you don’t run the ball to home plate.” Earl Weaver said this when asked why he doesn’t run his pitchers more. I know we are not talking about pitching here but the only baseball sense of bringing Kim in to play second is his defense. No doubt defense is critical in having a great team but my unprofessional opinion is Lux was adequate at second base.
Again I’m not disillusional enough to believe I know more than our front office, but I don’t like this trade even a little bit.
I’m getting off my soapbox now. Bear I’m hoping your doing great. Mark I’m looking forward to meeting you at a ballpark near you next summer. As of Monday of next week I’m officially done with my current job.
John,
I am going to be in DC on the 20th.
I’m getting a new hip so I’ll be grounded for a minute. What MLB park is closest to you? I thought you told me Cincy is close. Also how far are you away from the Loons. I have a good buddy whose son will be umpiring in upper A. If he gets the Midwest I might take a road trip. Now that my chains have came off I’m going to do some trips. Hopefully meet up with Bear in Denver.
Cincy is 90 Min.
Chicago is 2 hrs.
Milwaukee is 4 hrs.
Great Lakes is a place I have never been. I would love to go there. I know the GM and get press passes when the Loons play in Ft. Wayne. Ft. Wayne is a great venue.
I might be the only guy thinking that Mookie is going back to second base. He’s always played on the right side, as in right fielder. Sees and anticipates the ball slicing off a right handers swing. Knows how left handers pull the ball. I admit , I had no idea Kim committed 35 errors at SS. But, I really think Mookie is more comfortable playing second and is better defensively there too. I’m high on Freeland and thought he had a chance at starting at SS THIS year. 4 of our top 10 prospects on most scouting lists play short. I don’t see any upside by putting Betts there. He’s moving back to second base, I hope. My 2 cents today.
Don’t want to belabor the point but I will. At the age of 24 Lux hit.276. At the age of 25 he had to sit out the season with an awful injury. Coming back at the age of 26 Lux absolutely sucked in the first half of the season. In the second half of the regular season he hit .304. Lux is still in his prime and after sitting out a season it’s hard to come back and do the hardest thing to do in sports hitting a baseball. Next season he will be 28, making less than 3 million. To me Lux was a grinder (dog), which is a compliment. History I believe will prove the Dodgers undervalued Lux.
Lux was a league average player at best during his time with the Dodgers. He has untapped potential. Will he ever achieve what he is capable of?
Kim is 2 years younger, they have more years of team control, he is faster, and a better defender. Lux has more power but not great power. And his platoon splits were more extreme than I thought. Last year he OPS’d .394 against LH pitchers vs .739 vs RH pitchers. for his career it was .552 vs .745.
The other thing that I have heard when Dodger players are interviewed – Lux likes the nightlife. I wonder if he is disciplined enough to reach his potential?
100% agree.
Can’t remember what year but didn’t Lux have maturity problems and got sent to the minors. Seems like behind the scenes there is way more going on than we know. I get a feeling the FO is trying to create a band of brotherhood where instead of small cliques of a few players each……get all 26 to buy into the idea. Put 110% effort in 24/7, team first, and produce multiple rings. Not sure if guys that like to go clubbing fit the new Dodger culture. They seem to be gathering talented players that are more about getting rings than garnering personal accomplishments. These opinions are the sole intellectual property of the writer.
Book em
Ahhh rumors, a single player likes to go out. Probably the first player ever that enjoyed the night life. I have trouble believing that other teammates would call out a teammate publicly. In my opinion they are bigger assholes than the player that’s partying. To say Lux is an average player while he sat out one season and he’s going to be 27 plus he’s getting paid half of what Kim is being paid to say he’s average at this point is nonsense. Check back in two years then pass judgement. He may end up sucking.
Verlander signs one year deal with the Giants.
I was hoping he would go back to Detroit!
I’ve read all the comments and I am still laughing at unrequited man love.
For Kim or Lux?
Talking about players who liked to party:
Russell Martin=Party Animal.
It’s what will keep him out of the HOF.
He would have been twice as good, if he partied less. For real!
Time will tell, but 2B will likely be a platoon with Kim against RHP and Taylor, Rojas, Kike (maybe), and /or Edman against LHP.
Time to move on. Lux is gone
I like to bitch now and then.
😉
Here is the Long and the Short of it:
1. Lux is gone. I will check in on him from time to time (like I do ex-Dodger players), but he is out of my mind (come to think of it, maybe I am too)
2. Mookie is going to play SS in 2025. Only an Act of God will change that. Nothing has been decided for 2026, but CT3 and Miguel Rojas will likely be gone and if Alex Freeland does well, he will be the SS.
3. In 2026, if Freeland mans SS and Mookie Mans 2B, then Kim will be what Kike and CT3 were.
4. Food for Thought – 2026:
C- Rushing
1B – Freeman
2B – Betts
SS – Freeland
3B – Smith
LF – DePaula
CF – Edman
RF – Teoscar
DH – Ohtani
Bench: Kim, Miller, Pages, some catcher
As much as the Dodgers need to get younger, I just don’t see AF/BG going with 3 rookies in 2026. I agree Freeland could be the starting shortstop in 2026. I could see Rushing as the backup catcher and a platoon partner with Pages in left. It’s just a huge jump for DePaula to go from A+ to the big club in one year. DePaula most likely will be Teoscar’s replacement in 2028. I also don’t see them not picking up Muncy’s 10 million option for 2026.
I guess that depends upon what Max does in 2025. Rushing and Freeland could get the call in 2025, so they may not be rookies in 2026.
What happened to all our money?
You have got to weave some youth in… or you are going to be playing wheelchair baseball. 😉
The LA Times Ben Harris has a good article on how the Dodgers might look in 2025 (Hint: It’s that delusional stuff I told you):
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-01-07/dodgers-gavin-lux-trade-roster-versatility
In part:
“So far this offseason, the team has remained committed to giving Betts an extended run back at shortstop, where he started last season before returning to right field. In a perfect world, Betts will continue to develop defensively into a legitimate everyday shortstop. But if he doesn’t, the club will have a much simpler fall-back plan, capable of sliding him over to second base, which he has handled more capably in recent seasons.
In the meantime, Kim could take over Lux’s role at second base, at least as a platoon option against right-handed pitching. And if a need at shortstop arises, Kim also could contribute there — something the Dodgers seemed more hesitant to do with Lux, after his defensive struggles at the position.
Lux’s departure also could alter Edman’s role. Instead of being locked into an everyday spot in center, there might be more infield opportunities for the smooth-fielding utility man, who served as the Dodgers’ primary shortstop in last year’s World Series run.
Where second-year outfielder Andy Pages previously seemed boxed out of consistent playing time, he might now have a pathway to more at-bats against left-handed pitching. There also should be more playing time for Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor as well.”
Jack Harris?
This is actually a pretty good article. He even weaves in a couple of decent turns-of-phrases. I had written of the Times bc of Plaschke and Hernandez, but this ain’t bad.
Ben is his evil twin!
Let’s not forget all the people and Dodger fans who will be impacted by the Wild Fires. This is no joke.
Yeah, lots of friends have lost their houses.
I hope Gavin has a good career. I think Flaherty likes the night life too. And AF will not give big money to that type of player. It is impossible to maintain that high performance engine if you put too much antifreeze in the radiator. Bad boys, clubbers and selfish ballplayers need not apply. Fun Diego is 90 miles down the road. I remember when Pham got stabbed.Hmm. Out clubbing. I have nothing against Lux, he just didn’t fit the Dodger mold. Once Gavin reestablished his trade value, he was definitely on his way out the door. Thanks for the memories!
Book em
I can’t tell which is odder:
Making up stuff about a player’s lifestyle habit, and what impact they may have.
Or speculating about what light hitting Korean may be a starter on the World Series level team.
Yes, because speculating on a baseball fan site is definitely not allowed.
… even worse is if you make a grammatical or spelling mistake in the process.
“HOW DARE YOU!!!” (in Greta Thunberg voice).
Damn. You could be my wife.
But you’re too boring. But it was a great insightful take. Sarc. I’ll just keep on making stuff up and speculating if I want . I know you need the attention but I will not be responding to your ‘yawn’ comments anymore.
Book em
Lux is not a “Clubber”. More of a Video Gamer. Sad to see him go but it was a roster crunch.
I still hope they bring Buehler back at the deadline….
Don’t think that will happen Matt. Especially if they land Sasaki. AF has stated that the moves they are making are so they can avoid having to add at the deadline.
Will see, we thought we had plenty of Pitching last year and we saw what happened.
Wouldn’t shock me at all if he came back at the deadline to win his 3rd WS ring with us.
Sawks will be looking to get something back for him…
I think that major injuries to the staff would be the only reason. I also think if Boston is in contention at the time, no way they trade Walker, especially if the is pitching at the level he did during the post-season. His in-season stats were awful.
Bluto: It is really hard to let this one pass. You have consistently criticized others for spelling and grammar mistakes, and you come up with the sentence “Making up stuff about a player’s lifestyle habit, and what impact they may have.” Habit is singular and they is plural. It would be enormously better to make sure you are grammatically correct before judging others.
You have also consistently said each grammar or spelling correction was kind of a joke. That is entirely BS. I for one, am very tired of your condescending, arrogant attitude. Please have a little more respect for people in your responses.
I also have to comment about your continual criticism of the “light hitting Korean”. Once again, a clear example of your arrogance thinking you know more than the powers to be who run our team. Why don’t you wait to at least see what he brings on the field before saying what role he will play.
You bring a lot of positive to these blogs with your posts. It is entirely unnecessary to try to always be the “bad guy”.
Totally correct and I appreciate the grammar check!
Your penultimate paragraph is nonsensical, I readily acknowledge that I know nothing at all. I work in marketing for a video game company. The reason I call him a light-hitting Korean is not because I am a “bad guy” it’s because he happens to be from Korea and is light-hitting. You should also note that my position has tones of hope that the Dodgers hitting coaches can improve his performance.
If you think my calling Mark’s opinion as delusional is anything he should care about, you’re bonkers. I am nearly 100,00.348957834973% sure that Mark doesn’t give a flying fuck about my opinions. I wouldn’t be surprised if he chuckles over them. Well, I hope he does.
Get over yourself.
You have the wrong attitude, Jay.
Look at Bluto’s ostentatious pearl clutching the same way we look at Bradley’s trade scenarios: as a kind of comic relief to be laughed at.
YES!
This is so much smarter.
True, but I will say that Bradley’s kooky trade scenarios and barely understandable prose do tend to grow on a person in an endearing way. You grow on people like a fungus.
key distinction
Yeah, here we differ. To me there is nothing worse than that type of prose.
Bluto used to be an asshole and one could read he was proud to be such. But nowadays he adds a thumpnail of of insightful opinions and has softened his attacts on others opinions and even of those less educated. He adds many valid points. Perhaps it’s me and my thick skin but I see the world needs an asshole sometimes leastwise to avoid constipation. When I don’t like what he posts I find the words in my head ‘Fuck him’ but not too often. He is nicer than he used to be.
Patch: I certainly appreciate your input, although I don’t agree with it. I don’t post very often and it takes a great deal for me to engage with someone. You find Bluto to be comical. I find him to be condescending and arrogant. He unfortunately uses comedy to put down others. I’ll leave it at that.
Bluto: I understand that Kim is Korean. However, his last 2 years produced batting averages/OPS of .336/.326/.842/.841. Hardly light hitting by anyone’s definition. You have continually said his role will be limited, and I believe you also said he will be optioned to AAA. My argument is focus on facts and let it play out before forming such a “know it all” opinion when you actually no nothing about this.
In case you have missed some of my non-condescending posts, here are some links I have previously shared which define Kim as Korean and light-hitting:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/dodgers-open-january-transfer-market-sign-hye-seong-kim-from-kbo/
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6043336/2025/01/06/gavin-lux-trade-analysis-reds-dodgers/
Alas, my response is under moderation.
Bailed out!
Jay, I wasn’t necessarily offering advice nor minimizing Bluto’s behavior, but was mocking him. Sometimes that is the best response to someone who uses condescension and arrogance to make himself feel important. Getting angry just feeds that ego, but the one thing a self-important person hates more than anything is to be mocked and minimized.
Exactamundo.
Not that I’m innocent, either.
Yeah, I tend to ruffle feathers and can be arrogant sometimes.
I’m a jerk. I admit it.
I can’t help it, though. It’s fun.
Mark I think Bluto reminds me of Ruben Sierra. You officially have a village idiot. Affectionately of course.
Book em
Tommy Edman is a slightly heavier lite hitter who happens to be be part korean! baseball needs to start before you guys post each other to death!! And i do miss Bradley and his almost never close trade proposals! Glad you’re back Bear! I saw, ( didn’t make it up) , dodgers may be up to another significant trade! Maybe a second baseman? Maybe a certain white sox center fielder?? Which would then move Tommy to second base. who knows?
Jarrett Siedler of Baseball Prospectus on the Dodgers farm system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG7lqCIJFlg
I would much rather read Jarrett Seidler than watch and listen to him. In fact, I considered gouging my eyes out!
Yeah, I lasted about a minute. I couldn’t do it. Actually looked for his Twitter account just to get a written Cliff Notes version. He just posted a link to that interview.
I remember watching a podcast with Nosler, and that guy was cringey, too.
Revenge of the Nerds
“Cringy?”
That is very kind!
I must see things a bit differently. Russell Martin is said to be a party animal. He played 14 years and had a great career. Some of his personal decisions may have cost him but at the end of the day Martin is a grown man and as long as he isn’t breaking the law he should be able to be or do what he feels is right. I understand that Ruth, Mantle, Ted Willams and Stan Musial loved the social life of being a star, yet they produced between the lines. I really can’t see a correlation of being a socialite being a factor in the locker room unless the player comes in and it affects his play. That is where leadership steps in and guides young players to moderate the after hours activities. When I was a basketball assistant at a University our head coach really didn’t care what a player did, he just wanted to make sure they got plenty of sleep. The players seem to understand this and our off the court problems were minimal. We treated the players as adults, when we had a problem we would ask a senior or an upper class man to have a chitchat with that player. If you guys have inside information that Lux’s partying effected his play or his relationship with teammates do tell.
I have no information on Lux, but I have plenty of information on Martin, who was frequently seen at 3-4 AM in bars around visiting towns like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee.
As a rookie, at Vero Beach, during the week that I was there, Russell was the first one on the field and the last one to leave. He never repeated that!
In his first three years, he hit .282, .293, and .280. The rest of his career was not even close, except for one year in Pittsburgh when he hit .290.
I have talked to a number of people who partied with him.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martiru01.shtml
I’m not mad at him – not everyone wants to be a HOF’er!
One reaps what he sows
Close
Everyone here is safe, right?
Not sure where in LA (other than Mark, obviously) people live.
It’s the opposite of LA here. I woke up to 9 degrees. Yikes.
I hope all are safe.
The news is calling Los Angeles HELLA