Trea Turner is a Very Gifted Player and I Would Trade Him

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1. Bad loss to a horrible team at the worst time.
   With two games down and both Urias and Walker needing an extra day off badly I would go with a bullpen game today. Tomorrow is an off day anyway so you can empty the pen today.
   I do not think we will catch the Midgets for the West crown looking at the schedule and the way they are playing so better to give our top arms some extra rest and hope the pen and the offense can take care of todays game.

   Looking ahead to next season here is a good site for the Dodgers salary situation .
   https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/yearly/payroll/

   A lot will depend on the TB situation. If the Dodgers could get rid of his contract it would give them a lot of money and salary cap space to work with. MOF a lot of money will come off the books in 22 and in 23 the albatross of Price´s contract will come off too. So there could be enough money to resign Scherzer and Seager , those two guys are cleary Nr. 1 and Nr. 2 on my agenda going forward.
   I see Clayton not returning at least not much north of 10 million a year on a 1 year contract. It hurts to see him out there trying to get guys out with junk. That fastball is just way below average now and is getting crushed. Hitters spit on the breaker and the slider and wait for the fastball in the zone and it gets hammered. At this stage of his career with is decreasing velo and all his stays on the IR he is a Nr. 4 or 5 starter. Sentimentally I want him to finish his career with the Dodgers but not for the amount of money he has been making in the past. There is just no way with other players way ahead of him in the urgence of being resigned this offseason or little later down the road.
   Kenley: Two years for 25 million would be probably okay.
   CT3:Would make him a qualifying offer and if he walks so be it.
   TT: Keep him. He has won a WS with the Nats and he is a difference maker on offense.
   Kelly: Clup option for 8 million is a bargain the way he has pitched lately. Keep him.

   My lineup would look like this:
   TT, 2b
   CS, ss
   Mookie, rf
   Muncy, 1b
   JT, 3b
   Belli, CF
   Smith, c
   AJ, lf

   Lux is my new super sub who can play all over the infield and outfield making sure he plays 5-6 games a week , especially should there be a DH.

   A rotation of Scherzer, WB, JUlio, Gonsolin and Clayton would be still formidable and May should be back around the All star break too.
   With Kenley, Treinen, Kelly, Brusdar, Bickford we have 5 big RHP in the pen. Kahnle will be back too in 22 giving us another big arm.
   From the left side VGone, Bruihl, Nunez, Vesia is not bad and Ferguson will be back also. If we can trade Price I would do it in a heartbeat , if we have to carry him on he can provide depth for the rotation or long relief as a swing man.

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

2. I agree with much of this. I’m ready to move on from Kershaw. But, I don’t think there’s any reason to trade Trea Turner. His play does not inspire confidence in winning a World Series? I can’t agree less. He makes some great plays and messes some up. It evens out over the wash. Remember, he did win a World Series, so there’s that.

   The Dodgers have looked a little flat all year. It’s understandable. They basically haven’t had their main guys healthy all year. It sucks. This was going to be the best team of all time and we’ve lost player after player to injury and lost a player to injury after injury.

   The Giant’s success is surprising to everyone. They weren’t supposed to be here. They need a rude awakening, but it probably won’t happen during the regular season with the schedule as it is. We may just have to do it ourselves once the season ends.

   I hate to beat up a player after one game, but Clayton sure picked a bad time to be a boner. I would feel worse for him, but I hold a grudge for never getting his back fixed. At the same time, I’m not sure I’m ready to say goodbye if he still wants to continue pitching.

   I’m not in the get rid of Bauer at all costs camp. I’m in the ride this out and see what happens camp. There’s no denying that he’s a great pitcher when right. There’s no doubt that what he did was beyond stupid. But, I firmly believe in life and in baseball that people deserve a second chance if they truly want to make amends for their misforgivings.

   I’m disappointed in the results from yesterday. The Rockies rolling over and we ran into a talented young pitcher that was on his game. It’s baseball, that’s how things go sometimes. But, I don’t feel like the season just ended for us.

   You’re right, the Giants have to lose this thing, but we have to be in position to help them along. Keep up the pressure and don’t give them anything. You have another day off tomorrow, then just six games, all at home to finish this thing off. You rest players when you’re eliminated. However, I would have allowed the pitchers to get an extra day of rest by going with Mitch White in this game, then come back with the Big Three for the Padres series. I guess the Dodgers figure they can always go with White during the last series and keep option open to have Urias and Scherzer available for the last two if it comes to that.

3. I really like the dynamics of TT, but now that I have seen him more, I prefer Saeager, I think Corey is the best hitter on the team and although he is not a “wizard” with the glove, if we include his bat and the fact that he is a “Dodgers town boy ” there is no better “SS package” for the team. I like the trade between TT and Yankees, but first I would try to keep Turner on because of the spark that gives him his speed and his bat.
   Anything can happen, but I think Roberts should start thinking about that game against SL.

   The team yesterday played as if they wanted to lose, defense mistakes, bad hitting and bad pitching. maybe it was an explosion of the pressure built up in trying to catch up the Giants.

   By the way, I hope the guy who stopped taking his wife to dinner to watch the game , could make her happy again.
   Go Dodgers !!

4. Interesting ideas pro-offered.

   It was my feeling that this series was the make/break for 1st place. The damn Giants have not faded in the mountain air. I have to agree it’s time to consider Scherzer in the WC game and rest the weary. I love Clayton but worry about his effectiveness. I don’t think I’d start him in the playoffs but use him in relief. Price needs to be left off the roster for the playoffs, at least for the first round. Gonsolin looks better than Clayton right now and I wouldn’t mind Mitch White getting a chance, certainly over Price. I know hope isn’t a strategy but here are my two hopes….

   Cody’s hair cut is the reverse Sampson plan and he magically can hit the ball squarely and with great power.

   The Giants hit their season slump as they come into the series with the Dodgers….

5. What about if Dodgers win and Giants lose today??

6. The Dodgers lack of consistency on offensive can be maddening. They lead MLB in run differential yet it’s either zero to 2 runs or double digit production. St Louis is on fire right now and the Dodgers are playing well most of the time, but have losses where the offense is a no show and the defense is very concerning. Their track record of beating #1’s or 2’s has not been good this year. Especially, considering they will win over a 100 games. If they do play the Cards in the WC and come out victorious I like are chances with the Giants. Our advantage will be our starting pitching.

   It should be a very interesting off season for the Dodgers and MLB. Let’s hope Manfred can expediate a quick solution like he tries to do with other important issues. Any strike and the game may never recover to where it is today. With all the incredible young talent throughout MLB it would be a shame to see it diminished over greed by either party.

   As far as Dodger player moves there should be plenty to analyze. I agree with Mark on most of his predictions above including the trade of Turner and Bauer to the Yankees. To be able to get any salary relief and remove the stink of Bauer would be huge. I, too, am not thrilled with Trea’s lackadaisical attitude and actions on the field. It reminds me of Kiki when he was handed the 2B job. They both made some head scratching plays on defense which surprised me. But, both are fun to watch. If they can get Seager signed to a market value deal then it would be smart to look for a new home for TT. He prefers the east coast so will not resign with the Dodgers and play 2B. Taylor will most likely be gone which will be hard to fill his spot. We can’t resign everyone.

   With Kershaw I too think he should retire. I hope he does. It’s money we can use to sign Scherzer for 2-3 years. It’s interesting to see Scherzer still having Cy Young seasons at 37 and yet Kershaw, being 3 1/2 years younger, having back and arm issues. He has had back issues for several years now. Backs rarely get better over time and it surely was the beginning of the end for Clayton. He has been a warrior for the Dodgers.

   And, finally, Cody Bellinger. I feel he should stay on the IL for the remainder of the season. Rib injuries are very painful and many times slow to heal. With the violent way Cody swings the bat it’s not good for a broken rib recovery. Then ,again, I don’t know the extent break. We’ll see what the medical staff has to say. He has had so many injuries this year. It would be good for him to spend the off season healing and then continue working on his swing and prepare for next year. I think 2022 will determine if the Dodgers sign him long term or make him a trade candidate in 2023.

   Bear, why the name change? At first I thought we had another 72 year old bear in the woods. I read the remarks and realized you were one in the same.

   Carry on.

   1. Sign in glitch. Site did not recognize my password. SO when I changed it, for some reason it locked me out on both of my computers and I had to start over..my lack of tech skills is amazing. And I am 73 thank you…..lol.

      1. Don’t beat yourself up Bear. You’re not the only one who lacks tech skill. When I first got my laptop, it took me 15 minutes to turn it one and #2 when I type, I hunt and peck and sometimes still hit the wrong letter. LOL wait till you are my age (79 in December)

         1. Thanks Richie, I appreciate it. Longevity in life is not something I thought would ever happen. Especially with all the dumb shit I did back in the day. And I was electrocuted when I was trouble shooting my radar in the Army. Had there been no one there to pull me off, I would have surely bought the farm. I use the bible typing method. Seek and ye shall find! Sometimes, and this was the case this time, you just hit the wrong damn key on the keyboard.

7. Admittedly yesterday was a flat tire at a bad time but I’m not ready to concede. I know it sounds ridiculous but the odds still don’t like the giants. I don’t like them either.

   As for next year, there’s a lot of time to figure it out. A quick analysis tells me Corey Seager is a 3-4 WAR shortstop who is down the list defensively. From what I’ve seen even with his quickness Turner wouldn’t be an improvement but overall he’s more WAR so I want him on the team. If Seager wants to stay I’d keep him but I’ve already made a bet, that wasn’t accepted, the Dodgers won’t give him $300 million and if someone else does, he’s probably gone. He’s 28 next year. Paying him to 35 is risky but makes sense to me. 8 years at $30 million for a 4 WAR shortstop is plenty. You want more WAR and a better defensive player sign a younger Correa. Marcus Semien would be a good fit here too.

   Trevor Bauer. Easy guy to dislike but I’m willing to let the legal issues play out. So far I don’t believe he’s an abuser, but I’m willing to proven wrong. If he’s guilty of bad taste and embarrassing behavior then fine him and suspend him, which they’ve already done. Whatever the Dodgers decide to do I’ll live with.

   Kershaw. I think he’s done but I hope I’m wrong. That game last night, against the worst team in baseball in a pennant race was enough to convince me. More rest? I don’t believe that’s it. I think he needs a procedure, and at 34 will he do it?

   Lux will get better, Cody will heal, I want to see where Rios is at, not sure which minor leaguers might be ready, not sure where payroll will be, not sure what free agents will be available, but this is a 100 win playoff team that had health issues. Things will need to be addressed but we don’t need an overhaul, just a tune up should do it.

   For now? One game at a time.

   1. I believe we have to put the chips in on the wild card all in. We don’t really have much of a chance taking the division at this late stage and it could work out for the worse to tie Giants for a division one gamer even though that would taste better. At least by fielding our best players for that elimination game wild card will put us even at that point forward. Sure play hard with every effort in every game with formulating a plan to have the best players at their best shape for that damn one game bout. I sure don’t want our best to be gassed at the point when we need them the most. Dodgers can beat any team but also can be beaten by any team.

8. We had beaten AZ 15 of the last 17 games, so we were due for a loss.

   If we can win today, we’d take 2 of 3. We can’t help what SF does. So just win today.

   If we win 100+ games, we clearly did our job to win the division. What can you do if sf has this crazy magic regular season??

9. I’d be thrilled to be wrong about 1st place and anything can happen. I like Badgers analysis on the players. I also wouldn’t mind Mark’s idea on the Yankee trade but think that’s vaporware. As these games pass by, I know the brain trust is preparing for all scenarios. I am happy our team will be home for the last two series. Except for the new fathers, they should be better rested sleeping in the own beds and with home cooking.

10. You’re right. 100 win season isn’t chopped liver. Especially if your a Trojan fan which has now sunk to Bellinger level play! Now how does Urban look Catol?

    1. haha. I heard some sports talk folks saying Deion Sanders would be a great fit as USC coach. What do you think?

       1. I’m not a USC expert by any means, I’ll defer to Jeff for that, but I don’t think you really need to be to know what they need – who can recruit Southern California successfully? From my chair I like Bienemy or Franklin. Bill O’Brien will get a look. Sanders? Can he coach? What connection does he have to Southern California? Is a connection to the area necessary? Stoops? Maybe. Does he want to come back? Fickell? He’s gotta be at the top of the list. All that said there are some younger guys out there being mentioned, like Matt Campbell from Iowa State that could surprise.

          1. “Coach Prime”. Just what SC needs. Another bad hire for 3 more years of life in the toilet. Who comes up with these rumors? The guy has coached all of 4 college games as a Head Coach at Poodunk U and he’s ready for the USC job? Maybe Neon Dion could hire Snoop Dogg as his Offensive Coordinator.

11. Maybe the Gamecocks

12. I disagree with Mark on Trea Turner and on Kershaw.
    While I love Corey Seager, especially as a hitter, in my view Trea Turner is a better overall player. Turner is the more flexible and durable player and can do everything on the baseball field. Trea has accepted playing out of position at second base without complaint and admittedly he has not been great there. But he impacts a game like few players in the entire MLB. And given the DH next year, I think there is room for both Seager and Turner on the team next year.
    In terms of Kershaw, for me he plays for the Dodgers as long as he wants. His ERA this year despite injury is 3.38 and still competitive. He should retire a Dodger whether it is this offseason or in 5 years. I think Mark and others are too quick to write off the best pitcher of this generation at age 33. If the Dodgers are willing to commit $85 million for 2 years to TB, an average pitcher with a 4.00 ERA, and no history with the Dodgers, then clearly they can afford Kershaw for another year or two. The Dodgers franchise should reward the excellence and the character that Clayton has brought to this team.

    1. Well stated RC

       “The Dodgers franchise should reward the excellence and the character that Clayton has brought to this team.”

       I think they already have. He’s made over $250 million in his time here. I think they will give him another $50 million to finish up a Dodger.

       I wonder how the team feels about Turner? Sometimes the dugout appears a little cool around him. He is an East Coast guy, so what does he want? I could easily see both he and Scherzer ending up back in Washington. I hope not, but won’t be surprised.

13. I said similar about TT quite awhile ago. Hey, I actually like him A LOT, even with some of the errors on D. But I have noted, that unless he really wants to be here & actually says so, even IF we do not sign Seager, we have no guarantees he would re-sign. His best value for us if we do not know which way he would swing is to trade early in the offseason to get maximum value, if we use him next year & he does not want to stay. We get nuttin;.

    1. Nailed it. The Dodgers need to be assured of signing Seager or Turner long term.

       Another $50M for two more years of Kershaw? No thanks. He will have earned $93M the last three which was an overpay, but understandable. His stuff can be still good (if arm doesn’t need TJ) but availability is the problem. But, it’s the Dodgers’ money.

14. Morning gang. I turned the game off right after JT sailed that throw over Muncy’s head. I knew right then and there is was not their day. As for the Rockies, they did not just roll over. They played hard and the Giants did what they have been doing all year long. They got the big hit when they needed it, and they stopped the other team from getting theirs. The Rockies had 11 hits and a walk, and scored only 2. You do not do that much at Coors. And they got a double dose of Belt as in Brandon. Belt is having a career year. He is hitting .270 with 29 homers. He had never had more than 19 in any season in his career before now. And the Giants used 7 pitchers to get the job done. DeSclafani only went 4 innings. Their bullpen has been their salvation, especially this month. Rockies had the bases loaded in the 9th and did not score. The Giants have played consistent baseball all year. The Dodgers have not, and they both have had injury issues. The Dodgers do not control their playoff destiny. And Mark is absolutely right. The Giants can either win or lose it. Considering the rest of their schedule, they have the inside track to win the division and wait to see who they play in SF when the playoffs start. The Dodgers on the other hand know that the wild card game would be at home. No matter what, they need to play all these last 7 games hard and try to win them all. The Giants are not feeling pressure. They are feeling like they have the division in the bag and they are playing like Champions Play.

15. Now to address what Mark said. I like Turner, I think he is an extremely talented ballplayer. I also think that sometimes his head is not in the game. Tim pointed out that when the Dodgers win, Turner hits well north of .400. When they lose, he is down around .220. I think he has done ok moving to a different position, but I also get the feeling he feels more comfortable at SS. The couple of games he has played there, he looked much more relaxed. As far as Seager goes, I do not think they make any decision on signing or resigning until they know absolutely what the new CBA is going to look like. He, and Taylor will definitely get QO’s. But the Dodgers cannot trade Turner until they know exactly what Seager wants to do. And that cannot happen until after the World Series. Kersh is not the same guy he was a few years ago. That is more than obvious, but he is still better than most of the number 4 pitchers on most rosters. Everyone keeps talking about velo. But it is more about location. Kersh can get guys out with a 91 mile an hour heater and his breaking stuff as long as he locates it correctly. Or did you all forget about how Davies no hit the Dodgers for 6 innings with a fastball that can’t break glass. Jansen on a short deal for a lot less money, fine with me. Kelly a little less money, same length. Taylor is going to get at least a 5 year deal in the range of what Zobrist got and I do not think LA goes that high for him especially until they know what the LUX tax threshold is. I do not like Torres glove, and I am not trading for that guy. As for Bauer, we all are in a wait and see mode. But I will say this. I think that him returning to the Dodgers is not only highly unlikely, I think that backlash PR wise is going to be unreal. At most, he is guilty of extremely bad judgement. To his credit, he has kept his mouth shut.

16. Okay, I’m not sure if Mark really believes what he has written above. Maybe some of it, but not the rest. It may be like a Jim Bowden piece, stir things up, create something to talk about or consider.

    I just renewed my season tickets on the day of the new deadline set by the Dodgers, but not without considerable thought. One of the reasons was Trea Turner. He just brings some excitement onto the field. Other people I talk with feel the same way. Now Mark wants the Dodgers to trade him. My reaction is simple. If they trade Turner, I want the money back.

    Hey, it’s exciting to see someone stealing bases again, go from first to third on a hard hit single, even score on a single, not to mention on a double with less than two outs, beat out infield singles. How many players can do that? People are still talking about the slide.

    We’re talking about the entire offense in yesterday’s game

    Now Mark will mention defensive skills. But Turner is basically a shortstop learning to play second. Andrew Friedman said the other day that he was pleased with Turner’s improving play at second.

    As to base running miscues. Who on the Dodgers haven’t had lapses at one time or another time or another? Even periods of multiple lapses. Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager to name a few.

    Ask any other contender if they would like to have Trea Turner on their roster in 2022, would any team say no.

    As to his play, Max Scherzer raves about him, the pressure he puts on other teams, the offense he generates.

    It’s what I see, what Friedman and Scherzer say.

    As to Mark’s other offerings, I have no idea about whether Clayton Kershaw needs surgery. There hasn’t even been a hint of that from Bill Plunkett or Jorge Castillo, both covering the Dodgers for the last few years. Usually they toss out hints if there something in the wind. Even during the summer of 2020, there was talk about Bellinger’s shoulder and maybe the possibility of surgery. The World Series sealed that deal.

    Look, I think you need to look at precedent with regards to Trevor Bauer. Baseball doesn’t need the player to be arrested, charged or found guilty to suspend them. That will be the case with Bauer. Hey, the Dodgers do not want him back, according to Plunkett, Castillo and Bill Shakin — all with good clubhouse sources. The national writers have said the same.

    I’m less certain about keeping Kenley Jansen. Guessing Chris Taylor is gone, although there have been rumors that the Dodgers have interest in keeping him. I’d definitely bring back Joe Kelly..

    Now as to the having enough money to sign Seager and Scherzer. Seriously? If the Dodgers want to do the deal they can do it. Considering that the Dodgers are better with Seager than without him and he offers a consistent bat and is a clutch performer, that’s a deal that simply makes too much sense to not get it done.

    As to Bellinger, talented athlete, the hitting can be fixed once the shoulder is sound and he stays away from fractures to his leg. Who thought Mike Trout’s calf injury would end his season? Four to six weeks, right? Remember Matt Kemp. Yet he eventually came back and became a very productive hitter. Even after the severe ankle injury.

    Okay, I’m going to say this, but I agree with others, the Dodgers have looked flat this season. I know it seems like a weird thing to say about a team that will win over one hundred games. Maybe it’s World Series hangover or reading the press clippings about being the best team in baseball. But there is just something missing which can’t be explained away by injuries. It’s lack of consistent hitting, being unable to win extra inning games for the better part of the season, players not being able to put the ball in play when scoring opportunities come into play. Both Nomar and Orel have repeatedly noted this.

    It’s losing two out of three to the Rockies at home or Kenley’s two blown saves against the Giants or not being able to beat the hapless DBacks yesterday.

    In case you haven’t noticed, the St. Louis won their 15th straight yesterday.

    Fun read today, Mark.

    1. Solid take sbuffalo. In fact, there are a lot of good takes this morning.

       I just cannot give in to giving in until we are officially eliminated. Now is the time to hit the gas, not the brake. We need to play to win all 7 and take that momentum to whoever is in our way come October. The only caveat I would add is if and when eliminated from Division I sure hope there is a way to have Scherzer or Buehler rested and ready for St Louis.

    2. La mayoría de este blog admiramos a Trea Turner por todas sus habilidades beisboleras y su atletismo, solo que algunos tenemos la impresión que el no quiere estar aquí Búfalo ( tatanka ), y forzado ni los zapatos entran.

17. 2023:
    C Smith
    1B Muncy
    2B Lux
    SS T Turner
    3B Vargas
    LF Pages
    CF Bellinger
    RF Betts
    DH Bush

18. Why would anyone suggest trading Trea Turner if we are still trying to compete for a championship next year? I have no problem “just getting” a draft pick if he decides to move on afterwards. Even with the not optimal defense, he’s still a great and dynamic player and an asset for team with Championship aspirations.

    Assuming that the system is close to being the same system we currently have in place with respect to the rules and procedures under the current CBA, having him on next year’s postseason roster and a chance for a good draft pick by attaching a QO to him is more than enough to offset the value of a potential trade package.

    Dodgerram has next year’s lineup correct. Mookie might be coming off hip surgery, so that’s all the more reason to keep TT. Lux’s newfound versatility will allow him to be a semi-regular in the outfield or infield a lot like CT3’s current role, which I suggested long ago. It’s kinda funny how we went from two right handed super utility types to two lefty options all of the sudden. CT3 deserves to try to play every day. All good things must come to an end eventually. Maybe Rios can learn a little left field and be the corner guy with Z-Mack and CT3 handling the other off days.

    With so many solid players ending up on Tulsa’s roster, we might get a surprise next year with someone taking a huge step forward. It will be interesting to see what AF does if Corey and the Dodgers don’t come to an agreement. Perhaps something unexpected? With the CBA expiring, I would expect nothing less than a shit show this offseason.

    1. 10-4 on the shit show. It will also be something of a circus with all sorts of strange acts happening. St. Louis is a lock to be the opponent in the WC game. Scherzer-Waino or maybe even Flaherty, or just came off of the IL at Dodger Stadium. Who wins? Mets are idiots if they let Syndergaard try and pitch this season after all his problems. He is set to make his return sometime this week. deGrom is still iffy. Mets are a mess and have people jumping ship already. Just waiting for the axe to fall as soon as the season ends. I am looking forward to seeing how Rios looks next spring. The guy’s raw power is some of the best in the organization. Prediction: LA cuts ties with Raley and Reks. Beaty gets traded. Kersh gets a 2 year deal, 25 mil. Bauer is suspended a year, without pay, Dodgers off the hook for his salary, resign Scherzer for 3 years. Taylor signs with another team as does Seager. Jansen gets a 2 year 25 mil deal same as Kersh. Kahnle, and Ferguson become huge pieces of next years pen. Bruihl is no where to be seen next year. Alexander is gone. White, and Jackson spend significant time with the big club doing exactly the same thing they have done this season. Dodgers take their time with May and do not bring him back before August. Zack McKinstry becomes the LH Taylor off of the bench. Pujols goes back to the Cardinals on a one year deal to retire a Red Bird. James Outman is the breakout outfielder in the spring, adding speed and defense as Beaty’s replacement. Turner moves to SS and Lux is the 2nd baseman. Dodgers sign a RH power hitting type to be the DH on days when Turner plays 3rd. Rios is Muncy’s back up. Bellinger recovers fully and has a 40 HR season with a BA around .280. Rotation is Scherzer, Buehler, Urias, Gonsolin and Kersh. BP will be Kahnle, Knebel, Jansen, Treinen. Kelly, Vesia, Ferguson, and Graterol. Infield of Turner, Turner, Lux and Muncy, outfield Pollock, Bellinger, Betts. Bench, Barnes, McKinstry, unknown RH power hitter, Outman, and Rios. Smith the primary catcher…….SO much for my predictions acumen.

       1. Well done Bear. Red Bull this morning?

          1. Full pot of leaded coffee. Pissed off attitude at the lousy play of USC against a bunch of Beavers. Pissed off at the Dodgers for looking at so many cookies right down Broadway and sitting there like bumps on a log not swinging or protecting the plate. 6 K’s in the first two innings???? Terrible. Betts might have had a hitting streak going in, but he looked like he wanted to be somewhere else last night. Muncy, who kills fastballs in the zone let two go right by him. Turner at least struck out on a very good breaking ball. I expect those kinds of at bats from Taylor who has struck out 162 times in 494 at bats. He is only 16 away from his team record. The play in the field last night was frippen pitiful. And they knew that they needed to keep the pressure on. But they came out totally flat and let a guy who was 0-7 at home this year beat them. The pitching did not keep them close, and the offense was inconsistent again. Same old tune, different day. I care less about Urias getting # 19. I care about them getting the win. Urias has not done all that well against some of the D-Backs hitters and the Dodgers are facing a pitcher they have never seen. Giants face Senzatela today. Lets hope he is as good against them as he was against LA last week.

       2. Wow, Mr. Bear, I thought you just did history. Now you’re going into the future. Your talent has no bounds.

          1. Much better at singing than predicting. But I think they have some questions that won’t be fully answered until spring. If the DH comes back, it makes sense to sign some sort of RH power type for the role if Turner is at 3rd against a tough lefty. Ruf or Cron would be good choices since they can also play the field a little. Cron could easily give Muncy a day off. I do not want someone like Cruz who is pretty long in the tooth. JD Martinez would be a nice fit. But he makes way too much dinero. Ruf or Cron would be relatively cheap.

       3. I like everything except I think it’s time to move on from Barnes. Always liked him, always pulled for him, but time to move on.

          1. I get that, but, he has one year left on his deal, and they have no real option in the minors yet. Cartaya is a couple of years away yet, Ruiz is in DC, all of their catchers at AAA are journeymen guys. And the free agent crop is not that great. AAA C, Anthony Bemboom, Tony Wolters, Hamlet Marte, Juan Zabala, AA Hunter Feduccia, Andres Noriega, High A. Chase Barbary, Ryan January, and Carson Taylor, who might jump way up next year. Low A. Diego Cartaya, who is 20 now, Wladimir Chalo, Yeiner Fernandez, and Marco Fernandez…Cartaya finished the season on the IL> So my friend, there ain’t much there. Pitchers love throwing to Barnes and as long as Smith is kept healthy and productive, they can live with a backup who sometimes contributes to the offense. If the DH is brought back next season, his weak bat will not be a factor as much as it is now.

             1. Wants vs Needs. I want something better but as you succinctly present the reality of the situation, I have to agree with you. But I have to admit I forgot K-Bear is gone. Darn it!

          2. Reasoning? I don’t think there’s better options at the backup catcher position and it’s not like you’re gonna break the bank on a trade package. I’d have a different opinion if K-Bear was still around.

             1. Same here, but like I pointed out, no real options in the minors yet, and free agent catcher pool is very thin.

19. Estoy totalmente de acuerdo contigo sobre Trea Turner Mark, desde hace semanas me habia dado cuenta de su falta de entusiasmo, no me atreví a señalarlo porque tenia dudas, pienso -por su actitud- que el siente que no pertenece a este grupo de personas, no se siente cómodo aquí quizá por no jugar shortstop o algo pasa también veo cierta displicencia en el juego, aunque no es el único. Definitivamente me quedaría con Cory Seager.
    PD Dany Estrada un favor, me podrías ayudar a traducir al ingles?

    1. https://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=TT

       1. I can’t figure out how to do it on my phone, but if I’m here on my PC, all I need to do is right click and I get an option to translate. No need to go to Google.

          1. You can install Google Translate as an app on your phone. It also does voice translation pretty well. That’s not gonna fix your inability to right click on your phone though.

       2. Gracias B P, ya tengo la liga conmigo

20. For those of you who have a problem with Trea’s enthusiasm, please show me where Seager’s is any different. Both those guys are just very low key. They both produce on the field and all I know is that we had better make sure at least one of them is playing shortstop for us next year.

    Since both guys look like they’ll be capable of playing shortstop for the next few years, I don’t see any way they both wind up on this team since neither one of them will be happy switching positions and both would have any easy time finding a team to pay them big bucks in free agency to play shortstop.

    If AF’s preference is to have Seager long term and if he can actually sign him, I might consider Mark’s idea of finding out what Trea would bring in trade, but only after Corey was signed. I think it’s more likely that Trea stays and Corey leaves.

    1. I want to keep them both. I don’t know how to do it but they each bring a lot to the offense. Defense? Meh. Average. I’ll take it. Between the two it’s 8+ WAR for years to come…. if Seager can stay on the field.

       1. Ohtani was asked today or yesterday about whether the Angels have approached him about an extension. No, there have been no discussions, but Ohtani said he is very happy with the Angels and basically signaled he’d be very open to an extension.
          I bring this up because I’ve never heard Seager express any sort of special allegiance to the Dodgers. Perhaps I’ve missed something, but my impression has been that he never warmed to the organization the way that others have. Maybe he’d like to stay, but I assume the Dodgers acquisition of Turner and it’s previous efforts re Lindor may have him feeling unappreciated and ready to seek more $$ elsewhere. Similarly, I’ve never heard of Seager expressing a willingness to move to 3B.
          Hey, perhaps the Seager brothers could go somewhere as a package deal. I would wish them well.
          All considered, I’d say that locking Taylor up at reasonable market rate is a higher priority than paying too much for Seager. Looking back, I’d say AF was wise to lock up Muncy early.
          My projected ’22 lineup with no DH:
          Betts–RF
          Muncy–2B
          T. Turner–SS
          J. Turner–1B
          Belli–CF (fingers crossed!)
          Smith–C
          Pollock–LF
          Rios–3B (we can dream, can’t we?)
          Bench of Taylor, Lux, Barnes, ???
          With a DH, Taylor and Lux would get many starts in the field, and Justin Turner would most of DH starts with Muncy moving back to 1B. Will Smith would also get more DH time when Barnes starts. (With Keibert gone, he won’t be moved to 3B.)
          Let me pause now to praise Muncy a bit more. When he arrived, he said his favorite position was “batter,” but he’s turned himself into a darn good first baseman and is competent at 2B too, providing a lot of power at that position. He signed a 3-year extension for a reported $26 million in 2020, putting in Dodger blue through 2022, plus a $13 million team option for 2023. Quite a bargain in today’s market.
          Taylor, like Muncy and Justin Turner, was something of the diamond-in-the-rough who got cut and polished in the Dodgers organization into an All-Star. Maybe he’ll just feel a bit more loyalty for that reason.
          Oh, I hope AF works out extensions for Julio and Buhler too.

    2. Who wants someone on the team that gets a $275M contract and won’t play where he best helps the team or where he has the best chance of staying off the IL?

21. JT and Smith sit. Barnes catching and Taylor playing 3rd, Lux in CF. Raley optioned out, Vazquez recalled. 30 minutes to game time.

22. I’m glad I chose to go to a Judas Priest concert over watching last night’s debacle. Two errors, no offense, the bullpen gave up three runs, and Clayton didn’t pitch well in a park where he’s ALWAYS struggled. It would have been nice if he were lights out after months on the DL considering no one other than T.Turner bothered to show up. Whether Clayton is a four or five he should return a Dodger. I’m sure the Dodgers front office and Clayton can figure out an appropriate contract for the # of innings he’s been throwing.

23. Why would we want Seager. All he does is rake at an MVP level in September and October! Who wants to win more WS’s?!!!!

24. And yet another defensive gaff by Turner. He had the runner at second hung out. Run him to third and if Ramos breaks nail him, or just take the out. He gets nothing on the play. Urias gets lucky

    1. He certainly could have run at the runner on 2nd and forced Ramos to go or even froze Ramos and got the out at first. I’m chalking it up to being on the other side of the diamond but should I? If you can play SS you should be able to play 2B

       1. Yes. Turner’s head seems to be elsewhere a lot. Still, what a talent. It’s just often frustrating to watch. The Dodgers don’t appear to stress defense.

25. US wins the Ryder Cup…hooray USA…but I still detest golf. LOL.

26. Rams 2 TDs up on Brady and the Bucs 3rd quarter.

    1. Giants up 6-2 in the 9th. Cardinals win their 16th straight.
       As far as CK is concerned perhaps his less than stellar performance had something to do with not having Barnes catching and everyone in the Stadium(LA fans) knew his 1st pitch of the game would be a fast ball and so did Marte.

27. Love silly predictions!

    Mine: (from most confident to least)
    Bauer suspended
    Seager leaves
    Scherzer stays
    Taylor leaves
    Jansen leaves
    Kris Bryant signed
    Archie Bradley signed

    I also expect:
    Lockout
    DH for NL
    Pitch clock

28. Even though we’re up I don’t like the way this offense is playing.
    Don’t think it’ll get it done against the Cardinals or the Giants

    1. I agree. It’s like they aren’t that hungry. Can they turn it on when it counts?

29. 100 wins and they might play a one game playin game. System is flawed and needs to be addressed. Dumbest move in my mind, The Rays wanting to play 1/2 of their games in Montreal and actually thinking that it would work and be good for the franchise. Get a decent ball park where you do play. Same with the A’s. That situation needs to be addressed soon. Outside of the 3 HR’s, they did not score. That is not going to cut it against playoff teams.

    1. I heard some fun ideas.

       Like a three game series, but the 1st Wildcard only needs to win 1 game, and the other Wildcard team needs to win 2.

       Tampa is ludicrously well-run but their attendance has been and probably always will be woeful down there.

30. So, our magic number is 8 at this point, huh? Giants is at 6. 6 games left and there is still some hope but not a lot. It could happen easily if the Giants would lose 4 of their remaining games and Dodgers losing 2. I don’t have a lot of confidence that will be the case but is isn’t that far fetched. Actually what’s come to past was further far fetched that Giants would over achieve this much. Got to tip the hat to them on that AND their fans haven’t been their usual obnoxious selves this season……..well at least not so much. So weirder things happen all the time.

    1. Our magic number is 8 just to force a game 163. Nine to win the division outright.

       But hey, who would have predicted the Cards would win 16 in a row.
       I’m going to be the first to predict the Giants lose 6 in row.

31. So I’m clearly not the only one in a pessimistic, premature wait-til-next-year mode….
    But for the near term, Roberts could have an interesting decision to make regarding Urias’s next scheduled outing.
    Not 100% sure, but I think Urias would be slated to start in the Dodgers 161st game of the season, with a chance to get his 20th win.
    But if the Dodgers are already locked into the do-or-die wild card game against the Cardinals, I think Julio either sits or is very limited–say no more than 50 pitches.
    He is clearly the best lefty option club right now–ahead of Kershaw, Vesia, VGon, Price, etc. ….

    Now as to wait-til-next-year mode and Mark’s unflagging infatuation with Seager. (Is it a big guy thing? Do 6- oot, 4-inch guys have a bias for their oversized kind?)
    I’d have more faith in Seager if he was a bit more like another big guy–Cal Ripken. Now, Cal was an indestructible freak, but I assume that “injury prone” is not just matter of chance (and, sadly, it applies to Cody as well.) Why invest $275 million in a SS who seems like to miss 30-40 games a season over the course of a contract? To me that is the biggest minus on Seager’s record, followed by the mediocre fielding and lack of versatility.
    So Trea > Corey for a few reasons. I’ll rate them as equal with the glove at SS–but Trea can also play 2nd or CF. Trea has superior bat-to-ball skills, with roughly the same HR power. Trea will win 4-5 games per season with his speed alone,. If you trade him, you better get a mammoth haul. I don’t expect AF to commit monster bucks to Seager precisely because Trea is under contract for 2022.
    Plus, we’ve seen this year how a bargain SS like Willy Adames can have a big impact on a team. Some folks here dis Brandon Crawford–now have a career year in his mid-30s. He’s the Giants’ version of Justin Turner: always underestimated, but very reliable.

32. My two cents about Trea Turner. I believe the criticism of his play is a bit over the top. Yes, there have been a few lapses defensively and on the base paths. They are magnified due to the pennant stretch. Overall though, in my view his contributions have been positive.

    When Turner runs the bases or steals a bag, we don’t have to worry about him pulling a hammy, or sliding too late and suffering a game altering contusion, or breaking a bone in his ankle. The man knows HOW TO SLIDE! A fundamental skill that has been lacking in the Dodger org. Let’s face facts, Dodger vets are putrid when it comes to sliding and base running. For three years now Justin Turner is forced to run gingerly out of concern for his hamstrings. Now the same can be said for Pollock, Bellinger and perhaps Muncy.

    Tell me who else could score from first on a single (perhaps Lux, come to think of it)? Who else will beat out a routine grounder to second base to salvage a run?

    The bonehead play where Blackman caught Trea off second base the other day was a big goof, but overall the contributions of Turner on the base paths have been game changing and season altering in the positive.

    He came over and accepted playing out of position at second base. Not an easy feat. No complaint at all on his part. He just accepted his new role. We are talking different angles, the pivot, all the awkward locations to play on the field due to these ridiculous shifts and honestly, it was a tough chore to take on. But he did it without complaint and has made some decent plays. The loss in SF where Smith failed to catch his throw to first was because we had a catcher playing 1B. Pin that on Robert’s who probably could have kept Smith behind the plate and move Barnes to the infield. You can’t pin that error on Trea Turner.

    Switch things around. Could Seager could have made the adjustment and performed better at 2B?

    As much as there is a lot of angst about losing Seager, we probably have to face that sad reality. He was a Yankee fan growing up. The Yanks are in desperate need of a shortstop and they have gobs of money. Add to that the Scot Boras factor and it is quite likely that we are seeing Corey play his last days as a Dodger. Trea Turner will likely be our shortstop next year, and that is a pretty good option to have.

    1. Won’t disagree with anything said there Evan. I’m critical of his lapses only because they seem so avoidable. I like the guy, but, sometimes it just seems the light isn’t on. I do think if he were to be the shortstop from Day 1 he could put up 6 WAR here, which I don’t believe Seager ever will just because of his injury history. Maybe that’s behind him, but can you count on that? Turner is an everyday player. His fielding % at short isn’t elite but it’s passable and it’s better than Corey’s. Yeah, I’d like to have both of them in my lineup but if their egos insist on playing shortstop it’s just not going to happen. If I had to bet I too think Seager will end up in NY. And will Turner extend? Who knows, but it will be interesting.

33. I’m not going to make off-season suggestions. Too many variables. But I’m too intrigued with the speed potential the Dodgers have with Trea Turner, Gavin Lux, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts, especially the first three. An outfield of Lux, Bellinger and Betts would cover an enormous amount of ground. And they can all throw. What pitching staff would not want to have that outfield behind them?

    Unless there’s stuff I’m unaware of, I am almost certain that the Dodgers are determined to cut ties with Trevor Bauer. And I doubt that they would be willing to sign Kershaw for anything near what he is making now. Kershaw may not be what he was, but is still certainly an effective pitcher. And I am also confident that he could make the adjustments necessary to become even more effective.

    There isn’t a single player I wouldn’t trade for the right price. But given that AF knows a lot more about a lot more players than I do, I’ll leave what trades to make up to him and the Dodgers’ front office.

34. I’m not going to make off-season suggestions. Too many variables. But I’m too intrigued with the speed potential the Dodgers have with Trea Turner, Gavin Lux, Cody Bellinger, and Mookie Betts, especially the first three. An outfield of Lux, Bellinger and Betts would cover an enormous amount of ground. And they can all throw. What pitching staff would not want to have that outfield behind them?

    Unless there’s stuff I’m unaware of, I am almost certain that the Dodgers are determined to cut ties with Trevor Bauer. And I doubt that they would be willing to sign Kershaw for anything near what he is making now. Kershaw may not be what he was, but is still certainly an effective pitcher. And I am also confident that he could make the adjustments necessary to become even more effective.

    There isn’t a single player I wouldn’t trade for the right price. But given that AF knows a lot more about a lot more players than I do, I’ll leave what trades to make up to him and the Dodgers’ front office.

    I completely forgot about Pollock. In that case I have no problems with Cody at 1B and Muncy at 3B, although Muncy at 3B is not as nearly effective as he is at 1B. But the unexpected could happen. Maybe AF could work out a package that includes Muncy bringing back the solution to that problem.

    As I noted in my opening, just too many variables.

35. I don’t know about you guys, but I feel very dissatisfied with this team, I already know that they will win more than 100 games and that is fantastic, but the way I see them playing does not inspire me, they do not motivate me to follow them , Even for a few moments I get bored to watch games, score some runs in one inning and then just stand in line to hit nothing the next innings. the absolute inability to come from behind and win the games to fight. The last season they saw the fire, the desire to win but this one I only perceive some robots that come out to play, without soul, without passion. We are supposed to have a super team with super stars but that has not been fun or exciting at all.
    I hope to see that passion in the playoffs but reviewing this regular season, I feel that way, empty as a fan, there were no emotions, there were no extraordinary reactions. empty.

36. The gist of the season: this is the midgets’ magical year, just as last year was ours. That coming from behind late in games thing. I doubt that it’s a lack of effort on our part, but it’s kind of spooky when all our starters start to wobble at the end of the season. And many other things throughout the year. Chalk it up to the supernatural.

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