Dodger’s Weekly Roundup

Posted By on November 21, 2021

As we all know, just before the Rule 5 Deadline, the Dodgers cut ties with Billy McKinney and Zach Reks while adding Jacob Amaya, James Outman, Eddys Leonard, Jorbit Vivas, and Michael Grove to the 40-man roster. On a team with plenty of LH bats, Zach Reks and Billy McKinney were expendable. You do not get to this level if you are a chump, so it is possible that one or both will become useful major leaguers. It was just a numbers game. Luke Raley made the grade and I would advise everyone to not judge him by last season. He has prodigious power. Adam Duval never amounted to anything until he was 27. I see similarities.

Eddys Leonard and Jorbit Vivas have never played above A-ball, but both are interesting prospects. Leonard has the profile of a utilityman who can play all over the diamond and might have some pop, while Vivas is most likely a second-baseman or trade bait. Jacob Amaya could break with the team in 2022… if he can continue to hit as he has in the AFL. I have heard that the Dodgers have been working on his swing, but have not seen it… only the stats to back it up. James Outman could be a 4th or 5th outfielder soon as he has great speed, developing power, and can play all over the outfield.

Eddys Leonard

Jorbit Vivas

Michael Grove dropped out of the Dodger’s Top 30 prospects, but he has some filthy stuff… if he can control it. The Dodgers think he can and believe he could help the team in 2022. It has certainly taken him a long time to come back. I wonder if it might be best to put him on a reliever’s path, rather than a starter. Maybe there is yet hope for Morgan Cooper…. nah!

The Dodgers are still re-tooling Kody Hoese’s swing, though the results are not apparent… as yet. One scout told me that he expects Kody to respond very well to the re-tooling and that his swing is becoming much quicker… he called it, “whip like.” I have not seen that either. Progress is not linear.

Trevor Bauer broke his silence to comment on the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal in Kenosha, Wisconsin (home of Gavin Lux). He tweeted this:

I think Trevor is itching to tell his side of the story. The fact that the media were total lying monsters in the above case should shock no one. There’s more to be told about Bauer and shame on you if you believe the media! We all know that Prosecutors lie, but we should expect more from journalists. OK, I am jesting. You can’t expect much from lying scumbags… but why don’t I just tell you how I really feel? BTW, Kyle Rittenhouse is not a hero! He does not deserve to be made a hero any more than George Floyd! OK enough! A person here who shall remain anonymous wrote this:

What I find interesting is this: people are all for the rule of law, unless it diverges from their narrative. Then they want “justice”. Regardless of law. I see that on both sides. They want law to to agree with their “feelings” on any given issue. I want consistency. For the rule of law. Not people freaking out every time they don’t like an outcome. Just like the last election. 50+ court cases in countless States confirmed there was no fraud in the election. The courts are solid. Rittenhouse got a fair trial. So did Trump. On every election challenge. My argument is largely based on if we believe our court system is fair. Or not. I believe it is. And Rittenhouse received a fair verdict. And Trump received a fair hearing in all the various State and Federal Courts. What I can’t handle is the picking and choosing. Either our court system is fair, or it’s not. And I’m tired of both sides claiming it isn’t based on the outcomes they LIKE or dislike. That is what I’m tired of. We have one of the most independent and functional court systems in Western civilization. Yet I hear a vast number of people negatively judge our court system based on their political and ideological perspectives. Which also tells me it is working. If nobody is happy, ideologically, then it’s working.

Boo-Yah! Amen! Move on folks, nothing to see here.

Would You…

  • Trade Eddys Leonard, Miguel Vargas, Edwin Rios, and Landon Knack for the two Matts – Chapman and Olsen? It might take another Top Prospect as well. It is reported that the A’s want a very high Price for Chapman and Olsen, so…. I would have to think about it. Olsen would move Muncy to 2B, and Seager would be gone. (I wrote this last night only to find MLB Trade Rumors suggested the exact same thing…. well it was only Olsen). Chapman is a comeback candidate and Olsen would really make the lineup so much more productive. I hate giving up Vargas… but look at this powerhouse lineup:
    1. Betts RF (R)
    2. Bellinger CF (L)
    3. Turner SS (R)
    4. Olsen 1B (L)
    5. Smith C (R)
    6. Muncy 2B (L)
    7. Chapman 3B (R)
    8. Pollock/ Lus LF (L-R)
    9. JT DH (R)
  • There are lots a trade possibilities, but most of them are just talk. Steven Matz allegedly wants to sign before December 1st!
  • The Red Sox are talking with CT3. Kike, CT3, Verdugo, Wong, Jeter Downs… sounds like Dodgers East!
  • I still say that if Clayton does not retire, he will be back with the Dodgers even though Ranger Blogs are blowing up with “Clayton is Coming to Dallas!”
  • Tsutsugo is still out there… 😉

Other News

  • I hear that it is a sure thing the DH and Shift Banning are coming to MLB. The Pitch Clock is getting much consideration but Electronic Balls and Strikes is at least another year away. I happen to like limiting the number of throws to 1B. Back in the day, hitters and pitchers did not study film and learn all the “little personal tendencies” which indicated what was coming. This would add more excitement back to the game.
  • If the MLBPA and MLB do not reach an agreement by December 1st, it appears that the Owners may lock out the players… or… they could not. It might be smart for the owners to say “As a gesture of good faith, we are going to continue the bargaining process. All we ask is that you do the same.” A conciliatory tone might help seal this deal.
  • Did you see that the Rays traded former Top Prospect Brent Honeywell to the A’s for cash? Wow. It wasn’t that long ago that Honeywell was rated as one of baseball’s elite prospects. Along the way, a slew of elbow injuries derailed his progression and pushed him down Tampa Bay’s depth chart to the point where he became stuck in a roster crunch.

Grace Slick recently turned 82!

Reggie Jackson Adirondack Pro Ring Bat

This is my granddaughter, whom I call Rey Skywalker (she calls me Obi Wan). She was in my office and insisted on playing with my rare (very used, but uncracked) Reggie Jackson 35″ 38 oz. bat from 1971 or 1972. Of course, it is an ash bat and I used it a lot over 35 years. It is really beat up, but unbroken… kind of like me!

I kind of like this… posting one day a week on Sunday suits me fine.

This article has 160 Comments

  1. Have I missed something, ha of course I have, but haven’t heard from Badger lately. Do hope you are well sir.

        2. Ok, I’ll weigh in.

          I’m a UCLA guy. Was going to enroll there, instead I joined the Marines to stop the communist menace. Obviously I wasn’t going to UCLA on an academic scholarship.

          “We have one of the most independent and functional court systems in Western civilization.“

          I hear a lot of dumb shit here but that’s right at the top of the list. You should first read what countries are considered part of Western Civilization then read the stats. The US Justice system is a bought and sold multi billion dollar business built on felony convictions. Cops and prosecutors are allowed, even encouraged to lie in court in order to secure convictions. Lock ‘em up. There’s money to be made. Juries are just too uninformed (stupid) to get this. As is, juries have been proven to be wrong approximately 12% of the time. Add in the b.s. that goes on in court we lock up a lot of innocent people.

          As for what was decided recently in Wisconsin, when a hopelessly ignorant 17 year old kid is allowed to cross state lines with an AR 15 and kill unarmed civilians we have a problem. And that problem is only going to get worse.

          Much of the Baseball writing is still good here, I read maybe once a week. Jeff – outstanding. I really enjoy reading your stuff. The shit show that often follows? I’m no longer interested.

          Ok. Im done. As you were.

          3. unarmed civilians? The evidence was clear that one of the persons shot by Rittenhouse was armed with a semi-automatic handgun and admitted on the witness stand that he brandished the weapon at Rittenhouse first. Details, damn details getting in the way of your false narrative

          4. The two murdered people were unarmed. The third, carrying medical supplies and a pistol, was wounded. All thought the kid with the assault rifle was an active shooter. And, they weren’t wrong were they.

            Again, this is why debating issues like these here is just not worth the effort. We have serious problems that require serious people address them. It just doesn’t happen here. Mark brings up the topic and nobody disagrees. And so it goes.

          5. Badger, the reason that debate is so difficult is because unserious people like you can’t write a sentence without misstating the truth. In addition to your other falsehoods Rittenhouse was not an active shooter by any sensible definition of the term. The people he shot, including the man who raped five boys aged 9-11, were not murdered and one was armed with a skateboard he was using to attack Rittenhouse. Try letting someone bludgeon you with a skateboard sometime and then tell us he was unarmed.

          6. Unserious people like me?

            Thanks for the attempt at dialogue KLD. Why begin with an insult?

            I read the account of witnesses. Everything I said came from their testimony. What I had wrong I admitted to.

            The problems are the laws that allow this to happen. Until we address them, this will continue to happen. An untrained, uneducated immature 17 year old patrolling with an AR 15 is inherently dangers as well as colossally stupid.

            Thanks for responding. Happy Holidays.

          8. Badger, my writing that you were not a serious person was not an insult, it was a description; and I’m not being cute. On other issues you may very well be a serious person but your brief description of the Rittenhouse situation was so riddled with falsehoods and unsupported assertions that nobody could call it a serious analysis. I did not call you a liar or make any other personal attack. I just wanted to make that clear.

          9. Armed with a skateboard. And you expect to be taken seriously?

            Rittenhouse went there looking for a fight, was way over his head and killed unarmed people. And that is apparently ok with you and the other right wing radicals in here. Well it isn’t ok with me.

            Clearly I don’t belong in this group.

          10. Watch the Tucker Carlson interview with Rittenhouse and you will have a different opinion.

            The kid was not a vigilante, white supremacist, racist, or anti-BLM (which I am). He was a kid trying to help who was very naive… and BTW, I do not think that a 17-year-old, let alone anyone, should carry an AR-15 in public. I have 2 AR’s but no one sees me with them. I am armed, but no one knows. He was/is a stupid kid and if the prosecution was not such a liar and grandstander and had charged him with criminal recklessness or some such felony, he would have had a better chance of winning… although I ultimately thought Kyle would have won on the facts.

          11. rodent ….. you seem to actually WORK at being obtuse with a dash of cognitive dissonance thrown in. People have been killed by skateboards A NUMBER of times. They are deadly weapons. Happy to thunk you upside the head if you agree to be a test subject. Not to mention Rosenbaum was a 5 time convicted pedo who was convicted of molesting 5 boys, including rape. Statistics would say he got away with many more. While in prison he had over 30 violation charges, most of them for violence. AND STILL had pending cases against him in WI of misdemeanor cases for battery with a domestic abuse modifier and disorderly conduct (domestic abuse).
            Huber also had a history of violent behavior & arrest, just not detailing all for sake of length of post. And the dude who lived also had a criminal history along with an expunged felony.
            Your love affair with phony outrage would be hilarious if it was not tempered by your lack of knowledge on the subject you pontificate on. ALL WRONG, ALL THE TIME. nice job there.
            https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2021/05/05/man-found-guilty-in-skateboard-attack-death-of-good-samaritan

          12. Would you refer to the two individuals who beat Bryan Stowe into a vegetable at Dodger Stadium as “unarmed civilians” as well? Rittenhouse had every right to be where he was. You have no idea whether he was looking to kill people or not but it fits into your radical left wing narrative so you state it as fact. My nephew was attacked by a thug who beat him just once with a skateboard and did extensive damage to his face and jaw with just that one blow. You know not of what you speak, sir.

  2. If you were the G M and could only keep one player long term who would it be ?
    Cody Bellinger or Corey Seager

    1. I wanted to type Seager right away but found it harder than I thought. After wavering a bit I still say Seager, but it’s not as much a slam dunk due to Bellinger’s variability. They are very different and very good players. Seager’s hit tool wins out long-term.

    2. That’s an easy decision for me, I pick the special player, the complete player, the player who can do everything on defense and offense: Cody Bellinger.
      I let go of the one who has a 40-45 defense, the one who is just a good player, just a good hitter: Corey Seager.

      2. Could not agree more. Belli is WAY more important to the team’s future than Cory is. Still like to keep Cory, but no way would I break the bank for him.
        cheers
        pb+

  3. Seiya Suzuki To Be Posted Tomorrow Morning
    By Darragh McDonald | November 21, 2021 at 9:41am CDT

    MLB has told teams that outfielder Seiya Suzuki will be posted tomorrow morning, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. That will open a 30-day window for teams to negotiate with him, with the deadline being 4:00 pm CT on December 22. If he doesn’t sign a contract by then, he will return to the Hiroshima Carp, his team in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

    It was reported weeks ago that Suzuki was going to be posted, but the official timing of the posting is significant. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and MLBPA is set to expire at 11:59 pm ET on December 1. Due to the fact that it seems unlikely a deal will come together by then, the expectation around the industry has been that December 2 will see the implementation of a lockout and transaction freeze that would last until a new agreement is reached. Commissioner Rob Manfred discussed this scenario recently and seemed to point to its likelihood.

    There’s a ten-day span from Suzuki’s posting tomorrow until that potential lockout day. Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirms that a transaction freeze would indeed apply to Suzuki as well, meaning no team could sign him while the freeze is in place. It had been previously reported that MLB and NPB were discussing an agreement wherein Suzuki’s 30-day clock would be paused during the freeze. That agreement seems to have been reached, as Sherman also reports that Suzuki’s 30-day clock will not move during a lockout. That means Suzuki is going to have to decide between hastily working out a deal in just over a week or dealing with the uncertainty of waiting out this winter’s labor strife and then having around 20 days of negotiating time on the other side of that.

    Suzuki came in 20th on MLBTR’s list of Top 50 Free Agents and was predicted to get a contract of $55MM over five years. The 27-year-old seems capable of stepping right into the middle of the lineup for an MLB team, along with providing a strong arm and competent right field defense. Any big league team that signs Suzuki would owe the Carp a fee equal to 20% of the contract’s first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM and 15% of any dollars thereafter. For example, if Suzuki were signed for $55MM as MLBTR predicted, the signing team would have to pay the Carp $10.125MM, bringing the total bill to $65.125MM. ,

  4. Yeah, it’s pretty fun to talk about offseason trade possibilities, but it doesn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense to have three left handed first basemen on the same team. I guess they really need to replace Chris Taylor’s epic strikeout numbers with Chapman? Muncy is not a second baseman. If he was, we all would have seen Albert play more 1st base with Muncy at second base last year.

    It’s not often you see two stars traded to the same team in the same deal. But, Scherzer and Trea showed us that it is as least possible, but not probable. The difference is that Grey and Ruiz were a perfect fit for the Nats. They were also at the tippy top of the Dodgers prospect rankings at the time. This package is not.

    I guess there’s a couple of ways to approach trades. You trade for a player to fill a need, or you trade for a player as an opportunistic move to acquire elite talent, then wedge them into the lineup and in the field the best you can.

    I guess we are now identifying both 3B and second base as a need? If that’s the case, I would say the Justin Turner signing last year was a mistake. They should have signed a more capable third baseman to bridge the gap. However, JT wound up playing the second most innings at 3B in his entire career. He also had a very good year at the plate except for the non existent postseason. Since all this is true, I can’t really call 3B a need.

    It seems to me, it would make much more sense to not give away your best third base prospect who is probably about a year away in a trade to get someone who strikes out 200 times a year even if he’s a great defender to fill a need that doesn’t exist. They should probably just focus on acquiring that second baseman instead. Maybe it would make the most sense to go after a guy like Whit Merrifield or resign Seager or another shortop instead of trading a lot of prospects to get a first baseman you don’t need and a third baseman you don’t need.

    1. I find myself in agreement with B&P. This fascination of the two Matt’s with Oakland makes no sense me. There is not a need for a defensive 3B with no stick. I have no need for a 3B with 202 K’s, and an OPS+ of 100. That is replacement level. That is not an upgrade. If Oakland packages him with Chris Bassitt or Sean Manaea I might be interested. But by himself…hard pass.

      Matt Olson would at least be of interest were it not for the fact that LAD has Max Muncy at 1B. 1B is not a position of need. Max is holding it down very well and is less expensive than Olson with a very team friendly option while Olson figures to get an even bigger payday with his 3rd arbitration for 2023. He is projected for about a $12MM arbitration salary for 2022. Max is due to earn $11.5MM for 2022 with an AAV of $8.667MM, and a $13MM option for 2023 ($1.5MM buyout). I acknowledge that Olson is a superior defensive 1B, but not enough to trade Max or move him to 2B or 3B.

      Are the Dodgers really ready to just pass on the chance for Edwin Rios? He may in fact bomb, but then again maybe not. Let it play out. Of course, he will not have the defensive chops of Matt Chapman. But I suspect he will put up better offensive numbers than Chapman.

      The Dodgers do not need a CF. Belli is a GG out there. If he proves to be a 2021 offensive version rather than the 2019 version, then I am sure it will be addressed accordingly. I suspect AF and the Dodger brass figure Belli for a bounceback year offensively.

      The Dodgers need starting pitching. They have two in Buehler and Urias, maybe a third in Heaney, and hope in Gonsolin, White, and Jackson. Unlike many here, I am not counting on Trevor Bauer. I was not a fan before and am even less of one now. If the team is looking for upper 80’s in wins, that might be acceptable. But if they are looking to stay around 100 wins, they are going to need to improve. Free agency seems to be the easier path. There are a number of free agent pitchers that should elicit some form of excitement from AF.

      With all of this talk on defensive wants without any corresponding need, why is there no discussion on trying to lure the very good defensive 2B Kolten Wong away from Milwaukee? The Dodgers may prefer Lux in the CT3 role in which case they will need a 2B. Wong is earning $8MM in 2022 with a $10MM 2023 team option and a $2MM buyout.

      The team also needs bench help, and the best bench role player IMO out there is Josh Harrison. Not only is he a quality role player, but EVERYTHING I read about Josh says he is even more of a quality human being, a fantastic clubhouse presence, and someone who smiles and has fun.

      1. Just a question here Jeff, why does no body mention Price? He is still on the roster, he is an experienced starter, and easily could fill the role of a #5 as long as they stretch him out in spring. The guy is being paid 16 million samollions. Let him earn it. Unless they plan to pull a Carl Crawford and release him and eat the money. 16 mil is way too much for a swing man.

        1. They should pitch Price until his arm falls off. Nice guy? Go play with your family. We need innings.

        2. I just do not think they see him as a starting pitcher anymore. I would like to be wrong .

      2. It’s a rare occasion when I don’t find myself agreeing with your comments Jeff, and today is no exception. As both you and BandP have stated, we don’t need either of the A’s Matts, especially for what they would cost.
        Muncy is an above average first baseman and a below average second and third baseman. Why spend a lot to get Chapman just so you can move Muncy off his best position?

        We’re both Harrison fans and I think he would add a lot to the roster. Would also like to add Solano, as I have mentioned before.

        What I’m not sure about, however is all of you who are touting Lux as a CT3 replacement. Until he gets his hitting straightened out, meaning he’s a threat every time up rather than going through periods of ineffectiveness, why put the extra stress of moving him all around the field defensively? If it’s my call and we don’t have Seager, I put him at second base to start the year and don’t move him for at least half the season. Eventually, he might be fine in a CT3 role but until he firmly establishes himself as a hitter, put him at one spot and leave him there.

        1. Let me be clear. As I wrote yesterday, if I were making LAD decisions, I would stick Lux at 2B and leave him there at least thru the AS break. I only suggested Lux in the CT3 role because of this apparent affinity by some for defensive minded infielders. If there is a desire for the two Matts (why???), then why not go for the defensive minded 2B, in Kolten Wong? The Dodgers can very much live with the lineup they presently have:
          C – Will Smith
          1B – Max Muncy
          2B – Gavin Lux
          3B – JT
          SS – Trea Turner
          LF – AJ Pollock
          CF – Belli
          RF – Mookie
          They have a good backup up catcher (Barnes), a power hitting 3B/1B off the bench (Rios), a utility player in Zach McKinstry, and a LHH PH in Matt Beaty. Add Josh Harrison and Donovan Solano, and the bench is set as well.

          The winter should be spent on trying to fix the holes on the team (starting pitching/bench), not create more (as the two Matts would do).

      3. Hi Jeff, I totally agree with you when it comes to those nonsensical changes that someone proposes for the athletic players.
        And yes, it deals with starting pitching, Stroman, Matz, Jon Gray, Gaussman? someone of that caliber that is not that expensive and high chances of fixing it with the Dodgers pitching staff, (Like Heaney).
        As for Wong, it might be interesting to bring him in and he wouldn’t punish us as much as he almost always hits us.
        And to strengthen the bench Harrison is right, supplemented by another bench player.
        Finally, although delayed a new congratulations for his brilliant chapter “the game has changed and not for the better” and agreed, let Edwin Rios have his real opportunity at third base for the Dodgers and at a certain age of maturity explode as he did this Altanta’s third base year. A warm greeting from a distance.

  5. Geez Mark, if Rey Skywalker keeps hefting Reggie’s telephone pole 35-38, she’ll have no trouble catching up to anything when she’s older. She’s darling.
    Jeff mentioned yesterday about my impressions of Jacob Amaya in fall ball.
    I really like this kid. As we all know, hitting will be his question. I love his actions at Short and think he has the arm to stay there. Really solid and smooth actions.
    I saw him hit at the top of the order and DH as well, to get more at bats. I see him as a bat-to-ball guy who needs to cut down on strike outs. I did not see him chase this fall which has been a problem. I also see gap power until he grows up. I see no need right now for him to try to lift and power the ball. His goal should be to swing at strikes and improve his contact rate. He hit the best he’s ever hit in Fall Ball, which was refreshing to see. He did not look over-matched with velo.
    To me, I see a very prototypical middle infielder at 6’0″, 180 who starts out as being valued for his defense and who’s hitting comes around with time, as he gets comfortable with PT at a position. Kinda like the old days when a guy was valued for his SS defense, got comfortable, and improved at the plate to become valued as a hitter.
    I wish he switch hit. I think he’s trade bait with the Dodgers however.

    1. Thanks Phil. That was my impression of Jacob this past year in Tulsa. He was chasing the high strike to try and lift it out. This is the Dodger way, and like you, I see no reason for a middle infielder to try to go this route. I have not had a chance to see him play in Arizona, but since his K rate is down and equals his walks, maybe he has turned the page. I suspect we will see Jacob in AAA to start 2022, and hopefully he will get back to that gap to gap line drive hitter he was. He has enough bat speed to get the ball out, but he does not need to look for it. Let it happen.

      1. I absolutely agree Jeff. I’d love to see him stick in AAA and see what he can do. I’d love to see him be a Nick Madrigal contact guy type hitter who’s power will just happen without forcing it.

        1. DL, I don’t see Amaya as a utility guy……………………. yet. Maybe someday. I think bringing up a skilled defender as a utility guy is a waste. It’s like bring up a kid earmarked only as a DH at a young age. Let Amaya play it out at Short and see how he does at the plate. I would not add the burden of trying to hit in the Bigs while trying to play 7 positions. In fact, I think Lux’s bat may have improved without the pressure of 2nd base.
          Hell, I could speculate that every athletic kid that comes up could be a fine utility player. But a utility player can be made because a kid really doesn’t have a position he excels at. We’ve been spoiled with CT3 but he lost his SS job at Seattle because he couldn’t hit. The Dodgers saved his career helping him hit and found a position for him; everywhere.
          If McKinstry has value as a utility guy, some want Lux in that role and now Amaya. How many utility guys do you actually need.
          A couple of these guys might have value to get something we need more than utility guys. Like starting g pitching!

    1. I’m not aware that Amaya has a brother in the majors.

      Could you possibly be thinking of the Ahmed brothers? Nick plays for the D’backs and his brother Mike was in the Dodger system at one time, then in the Mariner system and I believe is now out of baseball.

  7. Good morning guys. Hope you all have a great Sunday. Baseball news at a minimum right now. And unless some sort of agreement is reached soon, there won’t be much after Thanksgiving either. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving with your family’s. Myself, I will most likely spend the day here doing research on some articles. I do not watch the NFL, so football on that day is not happening. But LA teams are taking it on the chin this year. Lakers look like a dysfunctional family of overpaid prima donna’s. Rams started out good but have been flat lately, Kings, middle of the pack, and USC needs a new direction 8 weeks ago. I have to believe if AF makes any trades they will be for a need. Your do not trade for a third baseman if you feel you can get at least 120 games during the regular season there from Turner. I think they probably feel they have plenty of players who can back him up since McKinstry, Rios, Muncy and Beaty have all had time there. The needs obviously are on the bench and starting pitching if they do not sign at least one more starter in free agency. The bench lacks RH pop. The pen will be rebuilt in some form or another. The thing about Suzuki is that not only are you going to have to pay the posting fee, usually a lot of cash, then you have to sign the guy to a contract. MLBTR says he is going to get 55 mil for 5 years. Since the outfield is well manned, I see no way they go after the guy, but that is just a guess. I have to believe AF is covering all his bases and looking at a bunch of free agents who might be good fits for the team and who will cost a lot less than others who might be traded for. I do not think Olson or Chapman are great fits here. Chapman strikes out way too much. He is a plus fielder, but how many runs is he going to leave stranded while he whiffs at 3 straight pitches, He hits it a long way when he hits one, but to me, the guy just does not make enough contact.

    1. If the DH becomes available 8n the NL, would Turner play 120 games? Rios could play 3rd but how well will he be coming back from surgery. The Dodgers will also need at least one more reserve who could fill in at 3rd (unless Seager signs and slides over).

      Jeff mentions Harrison. I’d agree he would fit well with the Dodgers.

  8. I find this interesting. There is a small town in Pennsylvania which has produced two of MLB’s best players ever. Both are Hall of Famers. Philadelphia has one native son in the hall, Roy Campanella. Same with Pittsburgh, Bobby Wallace. The town, Donora, birthplace of Stan ” The Man ” Musial and Ken Griffey Jr. Even stranger, they both have the same birthday. November 21. Stan was born in 1920, and Griffey 49 years later in 1969. Just think how much closer to 700 HR’s Griffey would have been if he had just been able to stay healthy later in his career. Musial got the nick name “The Man ” from Dodger fans. After a particularly great doubleheader against them, the fans would groan, here comes that man again when Musial came to bat. When he was coming up, he was known as the Donora Greyhound. He was back then considered more of a pitching prospect that a hitter. I also remember the day when Griffey Jr. and his dad homered back to back. Only time a father and son have ever done that in the majors. Happy Birthday to them both.

  9. I never believed Barry Bonds took steroids to generate more power. I always believed he took steroids to help him heal quicker. I would surmise had Junior took to steroids as did Bonds (and he did), we would probably be talking about Junior as the career HR leader, and IMO the greatest baseball player of all time. He was fun to watch offensively and defensively. Certainly the best talent I ever saw since Willie Mays. And no Mark, he did not need the mountains of computer reports to tell him where to position himself.

    1. You can understand Jr.s staying power since you still see highlights of him making some incredible catches. I still watch “the catch” that Mays made in the 54 series. That was totally incredible. But the screensaver on my computer is Mookie robbing Freeman in the NLCS in 20. Mays to me, is still the best I ever saw simply because I saw a lot more of him than I did Griffey. Aaron as a hitter was something else to watch. It seemed like everything he hit was a line drive.

      1. We agree. Willie Mays is the greatest baseball player I ever saw. I did see Junior quite a bit, and had he stayed healthy he would have definitely been in that discussion. Henry was an elite offensive player and a very good defensive player, but he was not at the level of Mays or Junior. I did not see enough of Mantle in his prime, but I would bet he would garner some very merited discussion.

        1. I agree that Mays was the best ballplayer, but Bonds was the greatest hitter ever. I don’t hold steroids against him as many others do since those great players in the 50’s and 60’s were also taking them, but without the media coverage. I got into it with Bear a while ago and posted some articles where Aaron admitted he took performance enhancing drugs and most of his teammates did as well. He said it was the wild wild west back then and guys were taking horse steroids and were taking things that they didn’t even know what they were taking. All they new is it helped them stay fresh and play better.

          Back to Bonds. Never saw a guy getting walked with the bases loaded before. His numbers were video game numbers with all those walks and still managing to bash 40 – 70 homers at the same time. OPS+ numbers in the high 250+. Just ungodly.

          As for Griffey Jr. The way I look at it is everyone was on steroids back then. I’m treating everyone from that era equally.

          1. Which is moronic. Not everyone juiced. That is about as narrow minded a statement as you have ever made. Show me evidence and I might believe you. No evidence, no smearing of someones good name. PEDS were a bane on the game. I do not want any player who is busted for that crap on my team period. One reason I despised Grandal and hated the trade.

          3. Plus, it is EASY to judge from the sidelines, & whether EVERYONE was doing it or just some is not the point. You have young athletes, who have big $$CABBAGE$$ waved at them & they see others doing it & know it will help them in some way & expect them to somehow say no. Tell me who ( and there may be some here ) who have ever had millions waved in their face & brushed it off? And then you have fans & media wanting stronger, faster, quicker healing athletes & make stars & “heroes” (they are not) out of them. I judge none of them. In the same position it is entirely possible I would do the same.

  10. Since it has been brought up…YES I was embarrassed as a USC Trojan after yesterday’s disaster. The one positive aspect is that we are now one week closer to a new coach, and UCLA is still going to be stuck with Chip Kelly. At 18-25 his record is very reminiscent of Clay Helton.

    Word is that a new coach will be made prior to the December 4 makeup game against the Cal Bears. The tea leaves are leaning towards current Baylor HC, defensive guru, highly disciplined, and SoCal native Dave Aranda. The team will still have the Helton stench for at least one season, but with the new portal system, problems can be minimized. The team will lose the disastrous coordinators in Graham Harrell and Todd Orlando, and hopefully retain some semblance of recruiting. Since this is LADT and not USCTalk, I will defer to RudyByrd and William for their bragging rights. Well for one year anyway.

      1. He is indecisive, but he is a freshman. The team is without Drake London so they need accuracy. He reminds me of Sam Darnold a bit with better legs. Slovis actually throws a better mid to long ball, but he holds on to it waaaaaay too long. You are correct that the team has NO offensive line to block for him. No matter what offensive coordinator the team ends up with, they have to get the best offensive line coach in the NCAA. Pay the man, whoever it is. They also need to recruit offensive linemen. That is why this will be a two-three year rebuild. They have been soft for the last dozen years, especially the last six. They are still USC, so I am confident with the right coach, they will be back.

      2. QUACK ATTACK! Reminiscing on tv commercials from the mid-80’s when I lived in Eugene for 4-1/2yrs. Also reminded that I had always wondered being a socal kid, what ever happened to all the hippies…… then I moved to Eugene & figured it out.
        cheers
        pb+

    4. Jeff. I am not feeling nearly as gratified about beating USC, given that it means that Kelly likely will stay. UCLA football is going nowhere with him, and his teams full of three-star players. It was nice to see us win so handily, and to play well, but UCLA needs a better coach.

  11. It will be interesting to watch the domino effect with all of the college football openings already. I don’t remember so many jobs open prior to the end of the season; USC, LSU, Wa, WSU, TCU, Va Tech and now Florida. Surely there will be more to come.
    We’ve all seen the usual cast of characters mentioned as replacements including Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss all ready for LSU and now Florida probably.
    One name I never see mentioned as a replacement for a brand name job is Kyle Whittingham. Maybe after 17 years with the Utes, he’ll have no interest elsewhere but he’s one of the best coaches out there if you want physical football.
    USC can’t get this one wrong.

    1. There is no doubt that year in and year out, Kyle Whittingham has one of the most physical and most disciplined teams around. There are a lot of SC fans who like Whittingham, including me. However, I am not convinced that he can recruit the type of talent to get to the Bama level. He reminds me a lot of Larry Smith. Can work with and develop the 3* players, but not the 5*. His teams will compete, but they will not be elite.

      You are right, USC cannot get this one wrong.

      2. SLC is a very nice town and Utah has nice high school football but it’s not a hot bed for 4 and 5 star recruits. I’m not lobbying for Whittingham but put him in a So Cal market and I’m sure he could recruit at USC.

  12. Watching USC yesterday was completely embarrassing. Defense, horrible. Offense, suspect. Undisciplined with tons of penalties. I don’t follow closely enough to have an opinion on who should come in and take over the reigns, but I can say that I really miss Pete Carroll, but not enough to be a Seahawks fan.

  13. The “bridges”.
    The Dodgers need several “bridges” some are already on the team and others it needs to acquire.
    Pollock is the bridge for Andy Pages, he will come very young to MLB, he is a precocious player, he will play very good defense, hit HR and many RBI and a high number of strikeouts, nowadays if players can do all that teams don’t mind the strikeouts.
    Turner and Rios could be the bridge to Miguel Vargas, another precocious player who will get to MLB very young.
    Treinen or Jansen, if he returns, could be the bridge for Graterol in the closer’s position, Graterol is still a project and is in the best team to develop, he has the youth, character, personality and weapons to be a great reliever.
    The Dodgers need a bridge or two to wait for the arrival of May, who should be an established starting pitcher in 2023, and Miller a little later.
    Signing “bridges” this year on 1-2 year deals, max 3,( Kershaw-Scherzer ?)should allow the Dodgers to sign extensions, down the road, to Buehler, Bellinger, Julio and Trea, obviously, if they continue to play at this season’s level and in Bellinger’s case if he regains his level.
    A starting rotation for the next few years of: Buehler, Julio, May, Miller, Pepiot, if all goes well, could be fabulous.

  14. Calling Barry Bonds the best hitter in baseball history is just plain wrong. Ted Williams was the best pure hitter in MLB history. Had he not lost 5 seasons to the wars, he would have beaten Ruth’s 714 easily. we all know what Bonds did to get to where he did. He is in the last season of his eligibility for election by the writers because of that. BP, they were not taking steroids in the 50’s and 60’s. That type of drug was not even available to players then. Trainers then would regularly give the players greenies or cortisone injections. But anabolic steroids were not in use. And Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer had he not chosen to use. But the greatest hitter ever??? Pure bull puckey. Maybe the best in his era. but not even close all time.

    1. Funny, this is the second time I posted leaks about Aaron and substance use, both times in moderation. Anyways Bear, the gist of it is a pitcher on Hank’s team alluded to many on that team using the juice. You can look up some articles yourself. Choose to believe what you want, but don’t call me moronic because my opinion is different than yours. You know what happens when you open Pandora’s box.

      1. A pitcher on Hanks team. Not Hank himself. But putting all of the players from that era in with Bonds when there is no proof of that? Okay, maybe not moronic, but extremely short sighted. You like Bonds, that is great. Opinion is fine, but if you are calling out Aaron post facts. If Hank Aaron had juiced, it would have been all over the news faster than a speeding bullet. Hank consistently came out against those players being enshrined in the hall. Which means little except showing how he felt about using. We all know about greenies and the shots in the clubhouse. Those stories came out in the 60’s. Steroids came later. Players opened the box. Not the fans. I did not like them then and I do not like them now. If you are going to accuse someone, have proof. They had that with Bonds and Clemens. They had it with McGwire and a few others too. They accused Piazza and several other players of using also. First I ever heard of Steroids was when Caminiti died. Then Lyle Alzado. As good as Bonds was, he chose to use. That is on him. I do not think he should be rewarded for cheating. Same way I feel about the Astro’s cheating in the series. If someone in Hank’s family came forward now that he has passed and said he used PEDS to get an edge, then maybe. But Hanks stats went steadily down as he aged the way most players do. Bonds was better in his age 36-39 seasons than he was at 26-29. That is not normal.

    2. Saying Ted lost 5 seasons to the war is just plain wrong! He only missed three. Had he played in those three seasons, their career numbers would still have been close and debatable. Ted played in a hitters park and Bonds played in a pitchers park. Plus, defense was so much worse back then it’s hard to argue that you can compare numbers accurately.

      Anabolic Steroids have been synthesized and in use since the 30’s. You can believe anything you want to. But, coming out with such a hard line stance is ignorant. The fact is that steroids were used in Ted’s era and in Hank’s era. There’s no proof because it wasn’t investigated.

      The funny thing is I thought I said “Barry was the greatest hitter I ever saw”. It came out wrong when I wrote it. I honestly don’t think you can say this player or that player was the best ever. There’s too many facets of the game to think one player was so much better at every facet that they would have been the best ever.

      1. Bull shit. He missed most of the 52 and 53 seasons also. He only played 6 games in 52 and 37 in 53, and those in 53 were at the end of the season after he came back from Korea. Hardly worth talking about. Best you ever saw is a lot different than the best in MLB history which is what you wrote. And yeah, steroids might have been around, but available to ballplayers? No facts support that. Next thing you know you will be saying DiMaggio juiced. You investigate something if it is a problem. They did not even investigate uppers until the 60’s. I whole heartedly disagree with what you are saying. I respect your opinion, but you do not have any facts to back it up. Hitters park? If you are right handed. He did have the Pesky pole down the line, but you give him those 5 full seasons where he is at least as good as his numbers in his prime seasons, he hits at least 185 more HR’s based on 37 a year. He also drives in 650 more runs.

  15. Barry Bonds is a scumbag of a person to begin with, and he is for sure miles from being the best hitter ever.

    1. Got that right. Cobb was maybe the greatest hitter ever. His stats sure say so. He played in an era when the HR was rare. So he did what he had to do and played hard. He was a dirty player, that is known and pretty much was despised by most of the other players in the league. But after all these years, he still has the highest career BA of any player. .366. He and Rose are the only two players in baseball history with 4000 or more hits. He stole 897 bases. Ted Williams was a hitting machine. Had he played in a stadium like Yankee Stadium, he would have had well over 600 homers and might have beaten Ruth’s record himself. But he lost 5 full seasons to war. His career BA of .344 is 46 points higher than Bonds.

      1. So now were are going to just make shit up? Ty Cobb had 117 career homers, but he would have hit 600 if he played in Yankee Stadium? That is about as narrow minded a statement as you have ever made. Show me evidence and I might believe you…

        It didn’t take you long to step on that rake.

          2. Absolutely no offense b48, but you are WAAAAAY past simple “dislike”.
            And yes, we are polar opposites on this subject. As noted, ‘roids have been used since at least the 30’s and expecting people to avoid doing something that will make them possibly millions is A LOT to expect of mostly young men. Unless you can tell me you actually declined to do something similar that would have netted you millions, just not sure you are in the place to judge, though I respect your right to do so. For elite athletes it is usually thought to MAYBE give you a 1-5% improvement, which IMO is the diff between AAAA & the show.
            cheers
            pb+

          3. My reply to that is simple, never used them, never will. Roid’s may have been around, but there is no proof they were used in MLB clubhouses before all the PED stuff started. There was a wide spread use of greenies as they were called. Mostly to get players back on the field when they were pretty much gassed and cortisone was used a lot to relieve pain in joints and things like that. One of the more famous misuse of medication happened to Mickey Mantle in 1961. He was having problems staying on the field because of his balky knee. Someone talked him into getting an injection into his hip. He developed a serious infection which all but ruined his chances of chasing the HR record. I was in the Army when drugs were a huge problem. Many of my military friends used them. At that time, I was more into drinking than drugs, but I never went overboard with it. Never smoked grass dropped acid or any of the other things guys were using. I did not feel a need to get high. I had a family and kids to worry about, so I was not going to jeopardize that life by getting wasted. Had I been a ballplayer and someone offered me something that made me a better player, maybe I would. But even when I was driving long haul, I never used the uppers and other stuff other guys were using just so I could stay awake and drive longer. I guess my moral compass is different from most. If I think it is the wrong thing to do, or at least wrong for me, I will not do it. I have seen so many lives totally screwed up by drugs. Why would I do that kind of harm to myself? You made your choices. I made mine. As for Aaron, I read an interview he did while Bonds was chasing his record. He said that he understood the allure the PED’s would have to those wishing to make a ton of money. BP stated that a team mate of his said most of the players at that time were using. Ok. We all know that. But one of the side effects of Anabolic steroids is bulking up. It was obvious on Bonds. Aaron on the other hand, rarely got over 190 pounds. And you show me a single player who is better between 36-39 than he was when he was 26-29. The only one I could find was Bonds. Judge? Maybe not, but those guys disrespected the game. The thing is, it was not illegal at the time. Baseball was late to the dance in addressing the issue. Dislike might be too mild. I hate that kind of stuff. If I had my way, I would not even take the medications my doctor prescribes for me. Of course, my diabetes would probably be where I would need insulin, and my labs would be totally out of whack.

          4. Except there are LOTS of peds that are not ‘roids. HGH, red blood cell injections, the list is long & likely grows longer every day. So yes, seeing some dude double his size is an easy call, but other peds?, not so much. Hell, most of what cycling does/did is simple “blood doping”. You take out your red blood cells, store them, and after you system has replaced them, you inject your own red blood cells back which give you a slight advantage for a couple days being able to process O2 since you are over loaded with your own red blood cells. Totally harmless, yet illegal in sports & no way to look at someone & see any diff.
            Anyway, cheers dude & Happy Thanksgiving if I do not post again until afterwards.
            pb+

          5. I know that, but it was not that sophisticated when Aaron was playing. He admitted to taking only amphetimines. I did finally find that. That does not bother me nearly as much as steroids. Most players were getting those and had been for years. Back in those days, your choices, especially in a MLB clubhouse were limited. Hell almost every driver I knew took speed. Not me. Ya don’t have to follow the crowd. In my humble opinion, Bonds is not getting in this time either. With Ortiz on the ballot, his chances are pretty slim.

  16. Somewhere we learn that what we do may be technically legal but still be unethical. Somewhere we learn that we can legally do some things that will ruin our lives and others’. Shining a spotlight on such things can hopefully help a few people to think a little more deeply before creating situations that were best not created.

    I don’t like strike outs. Chapman had too many in 2021 but not in his best year in 2019.

    I like defense and speed. I don’t know who would provide that at 3B so I will take defense.

    Given a choice, I would like to see Seager play third next year, Trea at short, Lux at second, and Bellinger at first. But if Seager leaves then I am looking for a third baseman.

    If Muncy is not the first baseman then he should be traded and not moved to another position. Maybe a Muncy for Gleyber with Gleyber playing 3rd.

    I still want Buxton in CF and Betts in RF.

  17. I dislike Barry Bonds period. I respected him as a player until all the steroid stuff came out. I do not like drugs in any way shape or form. I take mine simply because my doctor tells me I have to. If I had a choice, I would not take any of them. I do not like players who put themselves above the game. I don’t like Bauer simply because he made a bad choice and it cost the Dodgers a lot. To me, that is selfish. Bonds was a damn good player before he decided to juice. He would have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, because of his choices, this is his last time on the writers ballot. For the same reason I do not want to see someone like Correia on the Dodgers, I do not want to see Bonds in the hall. That is simply my opinion of the man. But to me, he is not worthy to carry Hank Aaron’s equipment bag, let alone have the all time HR title. Hank was more forgiving about it.

  18. For anyone that wants to argue about Bonds being the best hitter ever, 762! You may think batting average or hits makes you a better hitter, but being the all time home run king means he’s in the conversation.

    I hate the Giants and hated Bonds, but watching him hit was like watching a robot hit against humans. I saw what I saw and he was the best I personally have ever seen. It kills me to even think that about a Giant. That’s how good he was.

    The crowning moment to me was seeing him take Gagne oppo over half way up the pavillion when Gagne was at the top of his game. Bonds was a machine. Maybe if I saw Williams or Ruth play, I would think differently. But, it doesn’t make me wrong.

  19. OK, let’s play nice.

    Everyone has strong opinions about things that are both objective and subjective.

    There is no RIGHT answer… just opinions which are like… well, don’t be one!

  21. Bear, it seems that your love for Hammerin Hank is jading your reasoning skills. If you need hard proof, than you shouldn’t accuse Bonds of using steroids either. Bonds claims that he was given substances, but he didn’t know what they were. That smells like bull crap to me.

    Hank says he used amphetamines a couple of times (yeah right). And a pitcher on his team claims that nearly half of the players on his team used steroids. Hank’s best season was in his age 37 year where he hit 47 homers. Not a normal decline like most players. I put all those things together and I can make a rational decision about what I think.

    So, Hank actually admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. His teammate said a bunch of players on that team used steroids and his best season was when he was 37. That’s enough for me. But, I’m certain you’re going to dig your heels in because no one ever convinced anyone to change their mind on the Internet.

    So, go ahead and be certain that Bonds took steroids even though he never admitted to it and ignore that Hank actually admitted to doing amphetamines and justify some how, some way, that a guy that took amphetamines would pass up the chance at taking steroids even thought his teammates were.

    As a former drug user, I know from personal experience that it’s unlikely that Hank would take speed and then draw the line at steroids.

    1. And in fact, IMO being in the same boat, once you cross the alcohol/weed line, there is not much to stop you but death or finally waking up in time to save yourself.
      cheers
      pb+

  22. I respect Aaron. I have zero respect for Bonds. Respect is a lot different than love. I saw both of them play many times. If you were to ask me who the best hitter I ever saw was, it would be Tony Gwynn. With Rod Carew a close second. Best ballplayer, Mays hands down. Best pitcher, Koufax. Next best, Bob Gibson. Bonds never admitted anything, that is true. Neither did anyone accused of that stuff except one, Jason Giambi. Two guys accused of using or at least linked to it will be on the Hall ballot for the first time this year, Rodriguez and Big Papi. I just think we will never see eye to eye on this subject and that is fine.

    1. Best hitters I ever saw:

      1. George Brett
      2. Mike Piazza
      3. Will Clark

      Gwynn, Boggs & Puckett are deserving as well but I admit to personal biases.

      1. All great choices. Brett was a monster. But I saw Gwynn so many times and he always seemed to get that crucial hit that would beat the Dodgers. Pete Rose was one of those not blessed with great natural skills. But I always admired the way he made himself one of the best in the league.

      2. The first time I saw Piazza was at Dodger Stadium against the Astros. He hit a ball off of Nolan Ryan that was a missile to the CF fence for a double. The sound that thing made off of the bat was unreal. Only one I ever heard that was louder was when I saw Stargell hit one over the RF pavilion off of Alan Foster.

  25. Some movement happening around the MLB now. Angels signed Aaron Loup. Jackson traded by the Giants to the Braves and the Giants signed DeSlafani to a 3 year 36 million dollar deal.

  26. MLBTR also reporting that the Giants are close to a 2 year deal with Alex Wood that would pay him 10 mil a season. Saw a picture of Caleb Ferguson with his new bride. Boy did well. Girl is a 10 plus easy.

    1. Giants also in deep discussions with 34 year old RHSP Alex Cobb. If they do in fact re-sign Gausman (as many expect), that would bring the 2021 SFG rotation back with the exception of Cobb replacing Cueto. With all that money to spend and they are targeting back of the rotation pitchers…DeSclafani, Wood, and Cobb.

      I am somewhat surprised that AF did not check in with Cobb. Alex was the Rays 4th round draft pick in AF’s inaugural draft as GM. The same year AF drafted Evan Longoria #1.

      1. Seems they have a lot of interest in Matz. I am surprised he did not check in on Cobb either. But there are a lot of those kinds of guys on the market. Pirates signed Quintana.

  27. The best hitters I ever saw were

    Pete Rose
    George Brett
    Tony Gwynn
    Rod Carew
    Ichiro Suzuki

    The most prolific hitter I ever saw was Barry Bonds. I am not talking about his character, but his hitting prowess. I also have a different take on attitudes directed to Bonds. Mine is more personal as he went out of his way to have a very long conversation with my son at the San Jose Airport. While on a college weekend series in Santa Clara, the team had a couple hour wait for a return trip to Reno. The team saw Bonds and dared my son to go up to him and talk with him. He did, and Bonds spent the next 30-45 minutes just talking with him. Andy said that Barry was one of the easiest people to talk with that he encountered in baseball. Never asked for an autograph or anything, and nothing was ever offered. Just two guys sitting in an airport BSing.

  28. Great story. Of course the public and the press had their own impressions of him. I felt that way about Tommy Davis who I had a long discussion on hitting with when I was 11. He was just as patient and nice as could be. Asked to see my stance and how I swung. He gave me a couple of pointers which I never forgot and used over the years. Talking to Norm Sherry was pretty easy too. He had a way with us kids and made us feel special when we shagged balls. Larry was a lot more reserved. Of course Wes and I had more than a couple baseball discussions. He was one of those guys ya just felt you could go out and have a beer with.

  29. AC, funny story about Bonds. I’ve only heard people say negative things about him. It’s enlightening to hear another point of view.

    There’s some noise that the Dodgers are interest in Suzuki. There’s a Scioscia quote out there in the Houston Mitchell article that says he’s got power that will translate to the MLB and has a rifle of an arm in right field. He’s also won a few of gold gloves in Japan and might be capable of some positional flexibility. Of course, the Houston Mitchell article comes with speculation about trading Pollock to hand Suzuki the left field job. I find that speculation nonsense.

    Anyways, he sounds like the type of player that the Dodgers would be interested in and there’s some buzz out there. I hope he’s a Dodgers’ fan.

  30. Rose, Bonds, Clemens, and all the rest: Let ’em in!

    He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone.

    MLB, the writers, and others all knew about the roids.

    It was part of the fabric of baseball, just like “greenies” – Move on. Nothing to see here!

        1. Maybe Eddie Cicotte too. Nope checked his stats. For his era he was average. Stats very similar to Big D though. 209 wins, 148 losses. 2.48 ERA. But a lot less strikeouts. None of the other Black Sox were as good as those two. Buck Weaver was a .272 career hitter. He had a career year in 1920 just before they recieved the lifetime ban. They were not guilty of the crimes, but Landis banned them anyway. Weaver did not receive any money. Lefty Williams, the other pitcher in on the deal, had his 2nd best season in 1920.

        1. Okay, but what are the stats in today’s game? Used to be 300 wins or 3000 hits were automatic. Now it is about whether you are dominant in your era. Kersh is not even at 200 wins yet, but everyone says he is a sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer. Pujols is too. Trout, if he stays healthy also looks like a lock. Anyone with 3 MVP awards is a shoe in. Scherzer and Kersh both have 3 Cy Youngs, so you have to think Mad Max is in. He also has I think 3 career no hitters. Gil Hodges played in 7 World Series and was on 2 World Champion teams. He was by far the best 1st baseman of his era. But he won no major awards, and never led the league in anything. He did win the first 3 gold gloves ever awarded in the NL for his position. He is second on the all time Dodger career HR list. He hit more HR’s than any other first baseman in the 50’s. And there are players already in the hall who’s numbers do not approach his. His character has never been questioned and he led the Miracle Mets to the World Championship. He died way too soon at 47 of a heart attack. I honestly believe he belongs in there with his team mates, Pee Wee, Duke, Campy and Jackie. But that’s me.

          1. Hodges led the majors with 19 SF’s one year. I’m not sure but it might have been a ML record at the time he did it. He also led NL (ML?) with 1001 RBI’s in the 50’s.

  31. First timers on the Hall ballot, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum, Jimmy Rollins, Justin Morneau, Carl Crawford, Mark Teixeira, Jonathan Papelbon, Jake Peavey, Prince Feilder, AJ Pierzinski, and Joe Nathan. Last shot for Bonds, Clemens and Schilling. Schilling was closest to election last year with 71.1 % of the vote. Bonds had 61.8%. Clemens, 61.6%. Holdovers are Abreu, Pettitte, Buehrle, Helton, Hudson, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Kent, Manny, Sosa, Sheffield, Vizquel and Billy Wagner. A new report says the Dodgers are really trying to bring Seager back. We will see. I think Schilling might squeeze in by a hair. Ortiz might make it on his first ballot. Rodriguez will most likely get the same treatment from the writers that the other suspected PED users have so far. Bonds needs to pick up 13 %. Not easy to do in a single voting cycle.

  33. Dodgers: LA Showing Interest in Japanese Star Seiya Suzuki, According to Insider
    by Adam Salcido
    The last time the Dodgers tried to recruit and sign a Japanese star player they came out swinging yet they struck out. They missed out on a once-in-a-generation talent in Shohei Ohtani as he made his way down the 5 in Orange County with the Angels.

    This time around the Dodgers are hoping for better luck as a new star from Japan hit the market for MLB teams to try and sign. Outfielder Seiya Suzuki was posted this Monday and will be available for all 30 MLB teams to bid on him. According to am570LASports host David Vassegh, Los Angeles has shown some interest in the 27-year old star. Former Dodgers Mike Scioscia who managed against Suzuki in the 2021 Olympics noted that he sees his power translating into MLB and has a “tremendous throwing arm from Right Field.”

      1. Still shows >>>Your comment is awaiting moderation. This is a preview; your comment will be visible after it has been approved.<<< right where badg was doubting the deadliness of being attacked with a skateboard. hmmmmm, I mean I can see it.
        thanks for checking though

        1. Okay, I found it, Mark is going to have to approve that one. I do not find it offensive, but Mark is the site administrator. Approval is up to him.

  36. Breaking news. Rays sign Franco to a 12 year 185 million dollar contract per MLBTR. The contract could max out at 223 million. Kid is set for life.

  37. Dickerson DFA’d by the Giants. Opening a spot for DeSclafani. Wood also close to signing. White Sox closing in on a deal with Graveman. Report by Rosenthal says Seager wants to sign before Dec 1.

    1. Graveman looking at a 3 year $24MM deal. More than reasonable for a reliever like him. If CSW cannot unload Kimbrel, they will have Kimbrel, Liam Hendriks, and Graveman. However, I am also guessing that Graveman might have been told that Kimbrel is on his way out.

      If Seager wants to sign before 12-1, I think that is good news for LAD. He knows the Dodgers. He is comfortable with the Dodgers. The Dodgers will undoubtedly give him a fair if not more than fair deal, and IMO, the only other team that is in the running, NYY, is not ready to decide who they want. A bridge to Volpe or Peraza, or a more defensive minded SS (Correa), or the LHH Seager? And they need pitching more than a SS. With their offense, I would be pursuing Andrelton Simmons.

      Dickerson being DFA’d surprises me a bit. While his 2021 was not great, his two previous seasons were very good, even in a reserve role. He is 31, and his arbitration hit is projected to be $3MM. I think someone picks him up. I guess they prefer the RH hitters Slater and Ruf much more for reserves.

      1. Yanks just released Clint Frazier. Between him and Dickerson, a team looking for outfielders could have a chance to buy low and wind up with a decent outfielder. Neither of those guys will make over 3 mil next year, probably less.

        With regard to Seager, if we assume the reports on the Yankees are true (they want to wait for their prospects and spend money on pitching and centerfield), that doesn’t leave many options for Corey. The Phillies need a shortstop but I can’t see them spending that kind of money. I would say the Rangers are the only other logical landing spot. They might feel with so much money available to spend, that if they convince Corey to sign, it will make others want to come as well. He and Woodward are tight and Corey has great history at their ballpark. So if it isn’t L.A., I’m guessing Texas.

  38. Bums has been pushing for AF to tab Oakland’s GG and Big K 3B, Matt Chapman, in a proposed trade. While 3B is not a necessity it is certainly a position with some question marks, especially with the continued health of JT. If the Universal DH becomes a reality, then perhaps a window is cracked and a new 3B could make for an improvement. I have been steadfast in my opinion that I want nothing to do with Matt Chapman.

    However I was reading Jim Bowden from The Athletic, and while I find his takes often somewhat speculative and head scratching, he did make an observation about the Guardians (I know I am not going to remember this name for much of the time) that I found intriguing. He intimated that Cleveland is not ready to contend, even in the weak AL Central. Detroit and KC are rising while Cleveland not so much. Cleveland exercised their option on Jose Ramirez for 2022 ($12MM), and will undoubtedly exercise it for 2023 ($14MM). He will not agree to an extension. Thus, this winter seems to be the ideal time to move him to a team that is willing to provide Cleveland with multiple ML ready players.

    What is even more interesting is that Ramirez came up as a SS/2B, and can still play2B well. He can also fill in at SS in a pinch. He is a switch hitter with fairly even splits. He has been top 6 in AL MVP voting in four of the last five years. He is 29, and would be an ideal candidate for a five year extension after this year. His career line is .278/.351/.501/.855. His career OPS is almost equal to Chapman’s best OPS of .864 (2018).

    Ramirez is one player I would like to see AF target.

    1. I’m with you on Ramirez but it would take a huge offer, plus at least 15-20 other teams would be competing with us for him.

      What would you offer for him?

      1. I leave the offers to Bums.

        I am not very good at evaluating trade talent. But I would offer quite a bit.

        1. If we leave it to Bums it’ll be a 6 team trade and we’ll wind up with not only Ramirez, but also Gleyber, Buxton and Chapman.

          I just checked on baseballvalues.com and they say an even trade, value-wise, would be Ramirez for Lux, Miller, Vargas and Pages. No thanks.

          1. Thus Chapman!!!

            He strikes out less than Taylor and yet some of his biggest detractors like Taylor.

            Don’t even need to involve other teams as dull as that might be.

          3. Uh Bums, Chapman struck out 202 times this year, 35 more than Chris. He hit .210, Chris .254. He had 7 more HR”s but 1 less RBI. Sorry, that is no upgrade. In his 5 years he has struck out 641 times. Taylor in 8 years, 742. His career batting average is 18 points lower than Taylor’s. His OBP is lower too. He has more power and his OPS is higher, but he just whiffs way too often. According to Woodward, Rangers are in contact with Kershaw.

          5. No Bum, his K rate may be lower because he simply has had more at bats. He still strikes out way too much. Taylor does also. His batting average sucks. He has more power and is a good defender at one position. His OBP is lower. Taylor is a much more desirable player simply because he is more versatile. Chapman is a one trick pony. For a power hitter, his slugging pct is not all that much higher than Taylor’s.

          7. Come on Bear. Basically you are saying 5 X 6 is bigger than 4 X6 only because 5 is bigger than 4. Otherwise it wouldn’t be.

            Chapman is a premier 3rd baseman. His defense hits the high C. That is oohs and aahs defense. Taylor has yet to own a position.

            I’m looking for a 3rd baseman and not a utility player.

          8. We know he is a premier third baseman. That is a given. I don’t like the low OBP and the high strikeout totals. Why trade for him when you can sign Bryant? As a hitter he leaves a lot to be desired. Taylor’s value is in his versatility.

  40. MLB NAMES FIVE DODGERS TO ALL-MLB TEAM

    LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers led all Major League teams with five players named to the All-MLB team, which was announced today by Major League Baseball. Right-handed pitchers Max Scherzer and Walker Buehler were named All-MLB First-Team selections, while shortstop Trea Turner, left-handed pitcher Julio Urías and closer Kenley Jansen were All-MLB Second-Team selections.

    Scherzer receives his second career All-MLB selection after being named All-MLB First Team in 2019. The 37-year-old right-hander split the season between Washington and Los Angeles, going a combined 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA (49 ER/179.1 IP), recording 236 strikeouts against 36 walks in 30 starts. He finished the season amongst the National League leaders in ERA (2nd), wins (4th), strikeouts (2nd), batting average against (1st, .185), WHIP (1st, 0.86), FIP (3rd, 2.62), strikeouts per 9 (2nd, 11.91), SIERA (2nd, 2.90) and winning percentage (3rd, .789). He was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 30 from the Washington Nationals along with Trea Turner and in 11 starts to finish the season with the Dodgers, he posted a 7-0 record with a 1.98 ERA (15 ER/68.1 IP) and 92 strikeouts. The Dodgers went 11-0 in his starts and on Sept. 12 against San Diego, he became the 19th player in Major League Baseball history to record his 3,000-strikeout with a strikeout of Eric Hosmer.

    Buehler receives his first All-MLB honor after finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young voting. The Kentucky native posted a 16-4 record with a 2.47 ERA (57 ER/207.2 IP) and 212 strikeouts in 33 starts for the Dodgers. He set career-highs in wins, innings, pitched, ERA, and winning percentage (.800), while recording his second 200+ strikeout season and being named to his second All-Star team (2019). In his fifth season in the Major Leagues, he ranked amongst the National League leaders in wins (3rd), ERA (2.47), strikeouts (7th, 212), starts (T-1st) and Opp. Avg (2nd, .212). He was NL Pitcher of the Month in July after compiling a perfect 3-0 record with 38 strikeouts, nine walks and a 1.67 ERA over 32.1 innings pitched, while permitting 20 hits and not allowing a home run in his five July starts.

    Turner finished the season as the National League batting champion (.328) and won the stolen base title as he earned his first All-MLB selection. In 148 games between Washington and Los Angeles, he batted .328 (195-for-595) with 34 doubles, 38 homers, 32 stolen bases and 77 RBI and became the first Dodger to win the batting title since Tommy Davis won back-to-back crowns in 1962 and 1963. In addition to leading the league in batting average and stolen bases, the Florida resident led the league in hits (195), average vs. left-handed pitching (.392), multi-hit games (58), infield hits (33) and total bases (319). He was selected to his first Mid-Summer Classic in July and was the NL Player of the Week for the final week of the season after slashing .458/.480/.917 with three homers and nine RBI from Sept. 27 – Oct. 3.

    Urías was the Major League’s first 20-game winner since Scherzer in 2016 and first Dodger to win 20 games since Clayton Kershaw went 21-3 in 2014. Urías made a career-high 32 starts in 2021, going 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 195 strikeouts against 38 walks and recording his first All-MLB selection. He led the Major Leagues with a .870 winning percentage and became the fourth Mexican-born pitcher to win 20 games, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1986), Teddy Higuera (1986) and Esteban Loiaza (2003). The southpaw set career-highs in wins, ERA, winning percentage, strikeouts and WHIP (1.018) while finishing the second half of the season with a perfect 9-0 record and 2.04 ERA (18 ER/79.1 IP) and 76 strikeouts in 14 starts.

    Jansen completed his 12th season in Dodger Blue with a 4-4 record, a 2.22 ERA (17 ER/69.0 IP) and 38 saves in 69 games to garner his first All-MLB selection. The three-time All-Star finished tied with Liam Hendriks for second in the Major Leagues in saves, finishing one behind MLB leader Mark Melancon. In his last 30 games, he finished the season 3-0 with 17 saves and a 1.17 ERA (4 ER/30.2 IP) with 42 strikeouts and recorded his 350th career save on October 1st against the Brewers, which is an ongoing Dodger record and ranks 13th all-time in Major League Baseball history. His accolades extend past the regular season, as he passed Brad Lidge (18) and became the National League postseason saves leader with his 19th save in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Braves. His 19-career postseason saves rank second all-time behind Mariano Rivera (42).

  41. For the record, I think the Dodgers are fine at 3B with Rios and Turner… actually, they are more than fine!

    I do not want Chapman, although I think he might be an All-Star next season (too much to pay).

    Olsen would be a game-changer, but he would cost too much.

    I like the Suzuki move, but what I like even better is Clint Fraizer in RF!

    He has a huge upside, is a huge comeback candidate, and is just about FREE.

    His bat is lightning quick and he should be over his concussion issues.

    I would forget Suzuki and focus on Frazier.

    1. That is, if you believe this is the 2023 lineup:

      1. Betts 2B
      2. Bellinger CF
      3. Turner SS
      4. Muncy 1B
      5. Frazier RF
      6. Smith C
      7. Vargas 3B
      8. Pages LF
      9. Rios DH

      Supersubs – Lux, Outman, Raley, McKinstry, Amaya

      3. Pages won’t be ready until 2024 so let’s make Lux the left fielder.
        Counting on Rios and Frazier for two of the spots in the order is taking a major chance.

  42. MLB and the MLBPA agree to move the tender date to Nov 30th. Was originally the 2nd of December. This way those players will know before a possible lock out if they have been tendered a contract or not. Bum you are probably the only guy on here who wants them to trade for Chapman. I have seen no one else in that corner.

      1. Probably as soon as they agree on a CBA. They moved the tender date up to the 30th of November so the tendered and non tendered players would have some idea of whether they had a contract or no.

  43. Dodgers have signed Jason Michaels, an outfielder and Beau Burrows, a RHP to minor league contracts. Burrows was with the Twins organization and Michaels with the Rangers.

    1. Not that we’ll ever hear his name again but I believe it’s Jason Martin, not Michaels. Imagine signing an outfielder that the Rangers cut?

    2. Jason Martin not Michaels. I was shocked to see Jason Michaels was still playing. He wasn’t. He was drafted by the Phillies with my son in 1997.

      Jason Martin is an Orange County kid who is organizational depth. He will probably be in the AAAA group of OF with Luke Raley.

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