Everyone thinks that Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman are the key to the Dodgers’ offensive success in 2024. I beg to differ. Of course, the Dodgers need the three former MVPs to step up and do what they do, but there are a few other players who could also be the linchpins of their success, namely Teoscar Hernandez, Jason Heyward, James Outman, Gavin Lux, and Will Smith.
Teoscar Hernandez – Baseball America said this about Teoscar:
Hernandez and Seattle’s T-Mobile Park were a mismatch made in heaven. The veteran slugger reported not being able to pick up the ball out of the pitcher’s hand in Mariners home games, and the park tends to suppress righthanded power in general. As a result, Hernandez hit just .217/.263/.380 at home last season. Dodger Stadium is much friendlier for righthanded power, meaning that Hernandez’s one-year, $23.5 million deal could turn out to be a bargain, much like J.D. Martinez was for the Dodgers last season.
I look forward to Hernandez having a big bounceback year. 2021 was Teoscar’s best season when he hit .296 with 32 HR/116 RBI and a .870 OPS. I would not be surprised if he eclipses those numbers this year and parlays that into a 4-year deal for Big Bucks.
Jason Heyward – The Dodgers need Jason to put up another season as he did in 2023. He will star in RF against Right Handed Pitchers, while Teoscar will slide over to RF against LHP. Jason plays excellent defense, and if he can just )PS .800+ as he did last season, all will be fine. I am somewhat skeptical, but he deserves the opportunity. Whether he continues to platoon in RF with Teoscar depends upon three things:
- How he hits;
- How Andy Pages hits at OKC; and
- How Miguel Vargas hits at OKC.
James Outman – At this juncture, Dave Roberts says that Outman is not platooning within Kike, but he really is. James will get an occasional start against LHP, and if he can make the best of it, then he will get more. However, Kike (after he came over from the Red Sox) showed that he can still be a factor against LHP. Kike’s stats for the past two years (against LHP, in particular) have not been great due to injuries, but he is healthy now, and this platoon could be very effective. For his career, Kike has a .800 OPS against LHP and has the same number of HR against LHP as he does against RHP… even though he has about 800 fewer ABs. James Outman could hit 30 HR against RHP, and Kike could add 15 against LHP. That would be a dynamic duo in CF.
Gavin Lux – Right about now, Gavin is in a platoon, but as he progresses in his recovery from a knee reconstruction, I think Gavin will be an offensive force as well as a very good 2B. I like Gavin Lux a lot. Some of you think I hate him, but that was never true. I was just convinced that he could not play 2B, and it turned out that I was right. I had suggested that Mookie move to SS last year, but it seemed to me that Andrew Friedman was committed to Mookie at 2B. So if Betts was not going to play SS, he had to be traded, and I said so…. much to the dismay of many fans. I am glad he is the 2B, and I am looking for big things from him.
Let me settle this once and for all: Gavin Lux will not go back to SS… EVER! Mookie can play it for two to three years, and hopefully, by then, Sweeney, Miller, Morales, or Vargas can be his replacement. The question is: Where does Mookie go then? 3B… maybe! He has the arm. That is to be decided. Patience Grasshoppers!
Will Smith – Perhaps no player on the Dodgers has as much pressure to produce as Will Smith, who (right about now) is entrenched in the cleanup spot, batting after the three MVP’s. If, Will can stay healthy, I believe this will be the year he solidifies his position as the best catcher in baseball. Yes, I said THE BEST. He’s capable of 30 Big Flies.
Last Night…
was a typical Dodger night where no one could jump out of a boat and hit water. Max Muncy had two hits, and Freddie hit a nice double… but that was it! Some days, they just show up and agree in the lockerroom before the game that they are not going to hit… PERIOD! It happened against the D-Backs last season when they all decided they weren’t going to hit in the entire series. Let’s hope that Shohei, Teoscar, and Gavin can make a difference. This is a troubling pattern!
When the bell rings Thursday to open the season I hope we see a Teoscar Hernandez who plays much better than we have seen in the Korea games and the last two games against the Angels. He hasn’t battled at the plate at all and left some very important RBIs on the bases.
I agree with the Ohtani issue. He did a good job in his statement and now it’s time to focus on the 2024 season and play ball!!
You couldn’t resist the temptation to insert something about Vargas making his way into the Dodgers lineup this year, could you? LOL. You just will not let go of that dream.
How does that even work? Suppose Heyward completely craters this year – like, he can’t hit water if he falls out of boat. What? Do you just DFA him, slide Teoscar over and bring up Vargas? I don’t think you just DFA him. The Dodgers tend to stick with veteran players and give them the benefit of the doubt. More likely he just gets benched. You have three right handers already on the roster who can easily play right: Betts, Kike and CT3.
Vargas simply does not have the reps in the outfield to play consistently at the MLB level. He’s not an outfielder. He was ostensibly a 3rd baseman, and a very mediocre one. There is exactly a snowball’s chance in Hell that Vargas plays outfield for the Dodgers this year. His only chance to stick with this team is if he plays outfield at AAA every game this year and shows something. Then maybe he’s a consideration for next year.
Pages has about the same chance … except maybe September when they expand the roster. The Dodgers are pretty unwilling to hand keys over to unseasoned rookies.
Teoscar hit .295 with 14 home runs in away games last year. I’d say your projection for him is pretty close.
The odds are that Pages or Vargas becomes ready this year. It has to play out. I am high on both players.
They might this year, and can still play a big role in the team’s future. The issue is the 26 man roster. It’s full this year. Heyward and Teoscar are on one year deals, so maybe next year.
I agree the Shohei press conference answered the questions that needed to be answered. Time to focus on baseball.
Interesting article yesterday in the LA Times (Bill Shaikin) how Rob Manfred has stacked the deck against the Dodgers and other elite teams by adding so many teams to the playoffs. MLB hasn’t been able to control team spending so they create a gauntlet to reach the World Series by adding playoff teams.
No easy path for the Dodgers even with all their talent. Still, a team finishes 16 games behind a division leader, is that really the team you want representing baseball in a World Series?
The regular season should mean more.
Nothing to see here, folks!!! Hmmmmm………it’s not what you know……Sure as hell helps when Manfred and all of MLB are in deep ass damage control with a litany of attorneys to assist. Maybe it’s just a coincidence but the boys haven’t looked very motivated since the story broke in Seoul. Hopefully, they snap out of it by Thursday.
VIVA AZUL!!!!
The last four games Hernandez has looked really bad. He is piling up the K’s. Muncy’s hits both came off of a lefty. He is 6-7 vs left-handed pitching this spring. Outman has been popping the ball up a lot. Means he is underneath all the pitches. The whole team looked like they were sleepwalking. It will be interesting to see what kind of reception Ohtani gets in Anaheim tonight on his first return since he signed with the Dodgers. I would bet he gets a standing O.
That flight to/from Asian can be brutal. You essentially travel 2/3 of your day on the way back but only lose a couple of hours (depending of where you land) due to timezone differences. The body takes a while to adjust. The rule of thumb is for every 3 hours of flight time you need 1 day to recover. Keep in mind the Dodger players were likely still recovering from their flight to Korea when they had to come back home.
Been there, done that. Was in Korea for 13 months. But I was so glad to get home, I was too happy to be tired.
Agree with your assessment Bear. Especially the second game, both teams looked burnt-out. Hope they are fully rested for the opener! Love to see the boys get off to a good start especially against the Cardinals.
The Ohtani issue is DONE. I feel bad for him…
Lets settle in for the long 162 road….
Last week I was telling my wife how much I missed LADT! Then, I saw the link on my home page and thought, “well maybe someone has bought the site.” So, I clicked the link and boom! Like answered prayer, it was back with the same great content! So, happy! BTW, going Thursday to the opener, can’t wait… GO BLUE!!
I agree with Mark. As far as I’m concerned the Ohtani issue is now a minor concern. He didn’t hedge in any statement he made. While I am certain his lawyers reviewed the statement, it didn’t sound like something written by an attorney. If he had something to hide his attorneys would have never permitted him to read that in front of the press.
On a side note. I was talking to a friend yesterday after the press conference. He owns a business with a long time friend (the business is in sales). He confided in me that he has managed every detail of his friends personal finances for a decade (he’s quite wealthy and lives in Europe half the year). He said his friend doesn’t even know, or care to know, where his money is at. Never opens his statements. My friend has control of all his accounts, has every conceivable security question. His friend just has his bank card and credit cards. He’s done this as a favor to a business partner. He is now reevaluating the wisdom of being in that position. If he were ever to be accused of something. They are close friends but this Ohtani incident has scared him.
My point is, yea. There are people out there who don’t want to deal with their finances. Don’t want the hassle and don’t care to understand investments and banking. Very wealthy people. Now this guys isn’t Ohtani wealthy, but he’s “can travel around the world and never work another day in his life wealthy”. And he trusts everything to his friend/business partner of 15 years. So when I hear people go on and on that it’s “impossible” that Ohtani’s interpreter could have access to his accounts without his knowledge, well…. No it’s not. Stupid? Yes! But certainly not impossible.
9:07 PM ET
Dodgers (1-1)
Angels (0-0)
SP James Paxton L
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Chase Silseth R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Mookie Betts R
DH S. Ohtani L
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
LF T. Hernandez R
CF James Outman L
RF J. Heyward L
2B Gavin Lux L
64° Wind 9 mph Out
Looks like the Opening Day Lineup
Game is being broadcasted on the MLB Network
Dodger News
The Athletics announced that they have acquired left-hander T.J. McFarland from the Dodgers for cash considerations and selected him to the 40-man roster.
Dodgers’ Emmet Sheehan to Face Live Hitters This Week
DBac’s make a statement! NL West just got a lot tougher!
This division (sans Colorado) will be tough.
Montgomery takes them over .500 for sure!
Well, our starting pitching looks ready – for October!
So Mookie can’t field and Lux can’t throw at SS. And Muncy can’t do either. Gonna be a long year for our pitchers.
Big whoopee. It counts now. The more reps Mookie has, the better he will get. Muncy made some nice plays over there at third the last couple of games. And Lux looks relaxed and ready at second, so cool your jets dude. By the way, Muncy has a great arm over there at third. His throws to Freeman are bullets. Montgomery won’t be in the rotation for at least a month. He will have to go to the minors to get his work in. Kelly pitched exactly one great game against the Dodgers. His career record against LA is 0-11 during the regular season. Gallen is 1-4, Pfaadt 0-2. Rodriguez 1-3, Montgomery 0-2. If your counting, that is a combined 2-22 record against the Dodgers in regular season play. If that worries you, I suggest a bucket of Tums.
I do not think Teoscar will beat his 2021 stats this year. And very unlikely that he will be as good a bargain as JD Martinez was last year. JDM only made $10 million last year while Teoscar is getting $23 million this year. JDM was an all star with 33 HR and 893 OPS last year. Doubt Teoscar can beat those numbers for twice the money.
Considering what I have seen over the last five games, I tend to agree with that. I do not think Hernandez will hit more than 25 homers and certainly not 30 plus. Too much swing and miss. Thing about Muncy is that he might swing and miss a lot, but when he does get into one, it is gone. He and Duke Snider, five consecutive 40 homer seasons, are the only Dodgers ever to have 35 or more four times. On the other hand, I don’t see Ohtani hitting 40 plus either. At least not the way he is swinging right now.
1. Teoscar has never worked with RVS and Company before and they are in the midst of working on his swing. It would be a mistake to think this is how he is going to look all season. All you have to do is look at his splits AWAY last year and realize it was the park! We saw what RVS did with Heyward. Teo doesn’t need an overhaul. Patience!
2. Ohtani has been rehabbing his elbow and I would expect him to get stronger by the day. His arm can’t be 100% right about now.
3. Mookie will have a few errors early on… but will get much better with repetition. If not, a trade for a SS will happen.
4. And if Spring Training mans anything, Jared Karros is our Ace!
In case you haven’t read it, here’s what Houston Mitchell Chronicles:
Monday, March 18: ESPN contacts Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo, and asks about Ohtani’s name appearing on two wire transfers totaling $1 million. The transfers were sent last September and October to alleged illegal bookie Mathew Bowyer. A crisis-communications spokesman for Ohtani hours later says Ohtani paid the debts on behalf of Mizuhara. He says Balelo, the agent, went to Mizuhara, who “finally came clean to him and said that was the truth,” and that Ohtani told Balelo he had covered Mizuhara’s debts in $500,000 increments. The spokesman quotes Ohtani as saying: “‘Yeah, I sent several large payments. That’s the maximum amount I could send.’”
Tuesday, March 19: Mizuhara speaks with an ESPN reporter by phone from South Korea. He says he met Bowyer at a poker game in San Diego in 2021 and started betting with Bowyer on credit shortly after they met, but not on baseball. He says he didn’t know Bowyer’s operation was illegal. Mizuhara says his debt ballooned to $4 million by early 2023 and that’s when he went to Ohtani for help. “I explained my situation,” he said. “And obviously he wasn’t happy about it, but he said he would help me.” Asked if Ohtani knew the person [Mizuhara] owed the money to was a bookie, Mizuhara says his friend “didn’t have any clue.” Mizuhara says the two of them logged into Ohtani’s bank account and sent eight or nine transactions, each at $500,000, over several months. Mizuhara says he told Ohtani that he would pay back the money and that Ohtani “thinks gambling is terrible. He sees that people, teammates would be gambling all the time, and he’ll be like, ‘Why are they doing this? Gambling is not good.’ He would make comments like that. People would ask him to go to casinos on road trips, and he would never go. No, he’s not into it.”
Wednesday, March 20: After the season opener against the Padres, the Dodgers hold a meeting in the clubhouse. Mizuhara apologized for negative stories about to be published and told the team he has a gambling addiction. ESPN reported Andrew Friedman said Ohtani helped cover Mizuhara’s losses. On the way back to the hotel, Ohtani starts asking questions about what had been said in the clubhouse, Ohtani said, and that’s when his representatives say Ohtani told them he didn’t recognize Mizuhara’s version of the events. According to the Dodgers official and Ohtani’s spokesman, Ohtani’s representatives had continued to rely on Mizuhara to communicate with Ohtani while they were dealing with the situation and Mizuhara did not tell Ohtani what was happening. According to the Ohtani spokesman, Ohtani discovers for the first time Wednesday that money is missing from his account.
—The Times was the first to report that Ohtani’s representatives accused Mizuhara of “massive theft” and said the star had no knowledge of the interpreter’s gambling debt. Ohtani’s representatives said they planned to report the theft to law enforcement but did not specify which agency.
—Ohtani’s spokesman advises ESPN not to publish its story. “Ippei was lying,” he says. “Shohei didn’t know.”
—Later Wednesday, Ohtani’s lawyers issue a statement to ESPN: “In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and we are turning the matter over to the authorities.”
—The Dodgers fire Mizuhara.
—Mizuhara tells ESPN he lied in his previous interview and says Ohtani had no knowledge of his gambling activities, debts or efforts to repay them. “Obviously, this is all my fault, everything I’ve done,” he says. “I’m ready to face all the consequences.”
Thursday, March 21: Ohtani’s representatives say they have submitted the allegation to law enforcement. The Associated Press confirms that Mizuhara and Bowyer are under criminal investigation by the IRS through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. Mizuhara could not be reached for comment, while the Dodgers and Ohtani’s representatives declined to answer follow-up questions about the issue.
Friday, March 22: MLB announces it “has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media. Earlier today, our Department of Investigations [DOI] began their formal process investigating the matter.” None of the reported bets have been tied to baseball, but the use of an illegal bookie is a violation of MLB’s gambling policy. Punishment is at the discretion of the commissioner and can include a fine or suspension.
Monday, March 25: Ohtani speaks publicly about the situation for the first time
So what does all this mean?
It has been interesting to watch all this unfold. By Ohtani going days without saying anything, it created a void. And rumors and conspiracies helped fill it. It has run the gamut from “Ohtani is 100% innocent and was just trying to help a friend” to “Ohtani makes Pete Rose look like a choirboy.” There have been members of the mainstream media who have written lengthy articles comparing Ohtani to Rose, which is way too premature. But judging people before the facts are in seems to be the American way, especially in the age of social media.
It seems to me there are four possibilities.
1. Ohtani helped his friend pay off a massive debt without knowing it went to a bookie.
2. Ohtani helped his friend pay off a massive debt without knowing who it went to.
3. Mizuhara stole money from Ohtani to pay off his debts.
4. Ohtani was the one gambling.
Coincidentally, during the last month or so I’ve been reading a lot about Richard Nixon. A couple of biographies, along with “All the Presidents Men” and “The Final Days” by Woodward and Bernstein. So my mind is primed for coverups and conspiracies. In other words, “What did Ohtani know and when did he know it?”
Some people who know Ohtani have come forward to say he is entirely focused on his career and knows little about other sports, making betting unlikely. He’s at the stadium early and late and is never rushing to a phone (the way Rose was) to check on how his bets were doing. It seems extremely unlikely he is the new Pete Rose. It seems extremely unlikely that he was the one actually betting.
Despite what some are saying online, it’s entirely possible for someone, especially someone as close to Ohtani as Mizuhara was, to steal from his account without Ohtani’s knowledge. It has happened many times to people, including other athletes and celebrities. That doesn’t make Mizuhara guilty, it just means that it can happen easier than some people think. Even here, there are a couple of mysteries. If he stole the money, how did Mizuhara have access to Ohtani’s account? Who is overseeing Ohtani’s finances where nine separate withdrawals of $500,000 escaped their attention? Is there anyone overseeing his finances? Ohtani makes at least $40 million a year from endorsements alone. How you handle that kind of money is very different than you or I depositing our paycheck into a bank account. So there are some things we just don’t understand about how wealthy people handle their money.
Then there’s the idea that, “There’s no way a bookie lets an interpreter run up a tab of at least $4.5 million.” I’m sorry, but everything you learned from “The Sopranos” and “Hill Street Blues” does not necessarily translate to the real world. If Mizuhara was paying off his debts every few months, then it’s possible. It wasn’t a $4.5 million payoff at one time, it was a series of smaller ($500,000 each) payoffs.
It also appears Mizuhara has had a tendency to exaggerate things in the past, such as saying he graduated from UC Riverside when the school has no record of him attending.
What it really comes down to is this: Do you believe Ohtani? If you do, then he was the victim of theft. If you don’t, then you have to ask yourself why? Is the evidence he is lying compelling, or is it a case of wanting the more exciting angle to be true? For me, I’ll wait until all investigations are complete. But the sad fact is, no matter the outcome, many people have already made up their mind. “Ohtani was gambling!” “Ohtani is innocent!” And nothing will change their mind.
And keep in mind, in a fast-moving story like this one, some of the above questions could have been answered by the time you read this. Keep your eye on latimes.com/sports for the latest news and follow our Ohtani story gallery here.
The other problem could be on the field. Will this be a distraction for Ohtani? Will his hitting suffer? Will his teammates grow tired of having to answer questions because Ohtani goes into media hiding? After the second game in South Korea, two of the Dodgers public relations personnel stood watch while Ohtani changed, then Ohtani was escorted away from media access.
Next
Don’t worry, every newsletter will not become “As the world of Shohei Ohtani turns.” We’ll only be covering major developments from here on out. It just seemed appropriate to bring everyone up to speed as I write this late Tuesday night.
Next, we will discuss the season opener and look at the season in tomorrow’s Dodgers Dugout. Friday or Saturday will be a newsletter devoted to the answers from Mike Scioscia. Then we go to our normal schedule of a new newsletter every time a new series starts, with occasional exceptions.
Still hard to believe his interpreter had access to Ohtani’s account and that no one noticed that kind of money missing from his account for months.
IDK, but I think the odds are it is probably a Brokerage Account, and Mizuhara was one of a few people who had access. I am also sure that they audited the account, but since Mizuhara wired money, it was not immediately flagged, as he was Ohtani’s trusted Richt-Hand Man. Such is the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Exactly. Those in Ohtani circle knew that Ippei was Ohtani’s trusted confidant, so they’d have no reason to question Ipei, especially if Ohtani made it known Ipei has some power and influence in the “Ohtani Circle”.
He most likely wouldn’t have been questioned because it’s been that way for many years now.
Roberts said that with Mizuhara gone, communication with Ohtani has become better. Seems Ippei kept distance between Shohei and the team. Things will get better. And I believe the defense is going to be better than most of you think.
Sure hope you’re right, Bear. Cuz it ain’t looking good. Not saying Adames is the answer but Miggy Ro makes me feel a whole lot more comfortable with Mookie at 2B. Gavin looks much more comfortable right now at 2B BUT with him at 2B, the left side looks REAL weak and can mess with the SPs confidence in pitch selection during critical points in a game especially with runners on base. I guess the FO can try it for a month or so but I’m hoping Miggy Ro ends up being the everyday SS with Mookie at 2B. That way Max gets some protection and we can live with just one subpar defender instead of 2 possibly 3 subpar defenders. Then we can worry about a full time SS during the offseason. The west keeps getting stronger and yes, we have a potentially dominant offensive but in a short series, defensive holes will be exposed!!! Matter of fact, I’ll pull a Joe Willie Namath and GUARANTEE Betts WILL NOT get a start at SS in October!!!
VIVA AZUL!!!!
I think you are underestimating Mookie’s desire to be a good SS and Lux’s bat and the fact that he has been more than adequate at second. Miggy Ro is late inning insurance. And a good one at that. I would be willing to bet that it is going to be longer than just a month. If they make any changes at all, it won’t be until the deadline. They have enough offense to overcome most of the deficiencies the fans see in the field. I also think the FO and coaches and trainers have a lot more faith in these guys than the fans do. They have so many interchangeable parts. Hernandez, Rojas, Taylor, can all play SS. Betts, Rojas, Taylor, Hernandez and Lux can all play second, and so can Barnes. Betts will be the starting SS in the playoffs barring some unforeseen disaster. Adames as a fielder is fine. Too much swing and miss and why pay for him as a rental when you can get him as a free agent next year????
Dodgers and Will Smith working on a long term, 10 year extension worth $140mil
14 mil per season seems light to me. On the other hand, he’ll be 29 tomorrow and there’s no way they expect him to be catching until he’s 39. So maybe both sides are figuring this is actually about 7/140 which makes a little more sense.
Extension term is 10 years according to the story on MLBTR. He will probably change positions in a couple of years anyway. Maybe third after Max moves on. Cartaya, Rushing and others waiting in the wings.
You are going to make Bluto blow a gasket talking like that. 😉
Let him, good for his digestive system.
Notes from Internet:
Fangraphs (Please support with $$$$) ranks Bullpens.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2024-positional-power-rankings-bullpen-no-1-15/
Dodgers at #8.
“It’s fair to assume some of the young starters in the system, maybe Emmett Sheehan or Gavin Stone, could eventually end up shifting into a relief role, too. This group is good, and while it’s plausible any individual’s age and injury history might become a problem at the drop of a hat, the Dodgers seem able to find candidates of all ages to replace them, like rows of shark teeth moving into place.”
At Baseball Prospectus ($$$$) Patrick Dubuque takes a look at why it’s so hard for us to just wait for a story to unfold in this day and age:
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/89215/cold-takes-shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-gambling-theft-allegations-accusations/
Old Friend Lael Lockhart was named Detroit’s most improved Minor Leaguer for 2023.
Jonathan Mayo takes a look at the Dodgers pitching development system:
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/los-angeles-dodgers-spring-training-prospect-report-2024?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
James Dator writes the obvious, that some aspects of Ohtani’s story still don’t necessarily add up and could use some clarity:
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2024/3/26/24112532/shohei-ohtani-gambling-scandal-press-conference-mlb?utm_campaign=sbnation.socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_content=sbnation&utm_source=twitter
The ludicrously great Effectively Wild podcast previewed the Dodgers with Fabian Ardaya
Fabian talks about the surreal first meeting when the Ohtani situation was addressed in Korea.
He notes the difference between how this situation differs from Bauer’s and Urias’ because those two players were quickly removed from the clubhouse.
How enthusiastic Betts was about moving to SS. Ardaya admits Muncy at 3B hasn’t gone great, but they hope the offense offsets any problems.
Also talk about Ohtani’s possibly playing the OF, backup catcher, Freeman’s goal to strike out < 100 times, who are the regular OFs, and more…
Baseball America ($$$$) first Hot Sheet of the hear looks at the 20 hottest prospects from pre-season:
#16 is Gavin Stone.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-mlb-prospects-the-20-hottest-spring-training-performers-hot-sheet/
"… Stone earned the job by dominating every time he took the mound. These stats don’t include the 3.1 hitless innings he threw against Team Korea…"
Ben Clemens Chat:
Stu Shea: Is the Ohtani issue going to dominate this season?
Ben Clemens: Yeah 100%
Bill James: Ken Rosenthal said baseball GM’s aren't colluding, they just all have the same heritage and Wall Street backgrounds so they naturally think the same. Isn’t the lack of diversity in baseball execs concerning?
Ben Clemens: It’s extremely concerning, it’s a closed ecosystem, so in theory if everyone just sticks with the same antiquated and/or suboptimal ideas forever, it’ll be fine. That’s kind of what’s worrying about it. there’s no forced innovation in MLB as long as the teams control the hiring and firing
Duff: Pretty depressing seeing fan reaction online to the Shohei scandal. One silver lining, I guess, is it should be pretty straightforward to find out if bets were made on baseball, right? Assuming the answer to that is no, do you think that will take a lot of the air out of this scandal?
Ben Clemens: I’m not sure that this illegal bookmaker has perfectly annotated and definitely not altered records to look through, you know? That doesn’t really feel like the way things go in real life
6 man rotations: When will baseball bite the bullet and embrace 6 man starting staffs? It would help save arms and keep these guys fresh. The only drawback is the need to expand rosters
Ben Clemens: I don’t really agree with this, particularly the expanding rosters part. ‘Oh let’s let teams use more pitchers’ seems like an awful plan to me, just chop everything up worse than it already is. Teams should use six man rotations anyway, even with roster restrictions
Somebody named Christian Romo takes a look at the MiLB players who were part of the Freeway Series
https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/freeway-series-brings-special-opportunity-for-dodger-prospects-5b3067f527fe
"The preseason Freeway Series against the Angels offers Dodger Major Leaguers one last tune-up before the home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. But for young prospects like Hope — Minor Leaguers who aren’t likely to make the Major League roster during the 2024 regular season — this series provides an early opportunity to put on a Dodger uniform in the Dodger Stadium clubhouse with Major League teammates. Just two years ago, Bobby Miller was the Dodgers’ №2 overall prospect and starting against the Angels. He struck out Shohei Ohtani and threw three scoreless innings on April 6, 2022."
Also mentioned are: Thayron Liranzo, K. George and J. dePaula
MLB is changing some aspects of the relationship between its clubs and foreign (APAC) baseball leagues:
https://www.nikkansports.com/baseball/news/202403250001174.html?mode=all
Don Szymborski Chat:
Jack: With RSNs going under and MLB finally embracing in-market streaming, will the league have to start subsidizing even big market teams to maintain competitive balance? It seems like if you don’t already have a lucrative TV deal like the Dodgers, Phillies, etc, you’re screwed.
Dan Szymborski: I’m really not sure how it’s all going to shake out, honestly.
Say what you will about Frank McCourt, but this story about the Gondola project captures everything that's wrong with Environmental Anaysis and how it has become a tool to stop progress, development and building.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-26/dodger-stadium-gondola-lawsuit-backlash
So some big Dodger news, from Juan Toribio of mlb.com
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers have a core in place, one they believe will lead them to multiple championships over the next decade. On Wednesday, they made sure star catcher Will Smith plays an integral part in that pursuit.
Smith and the Dodgers agreed to a 10-year, $140 million extension, keeping the star catcher in Los Angeles for most — if not all — of his career.
The deal includes a $30 million signing bonus (Smith will receive $15 million of the signing bonus in November 2024, and the other $15 million in January 2025), and the pact will also include a portion of deferred compensation — $5 million per season — which will be paid out annually between 2034-43, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
Will Smith signs 10-year extension with Dodgers
Mar 28, 2024 · 2:40
Will Smith signs 10-year extension with Dodgers
With the deal, Smith will become the fourth Dodger to be signed through at least 2032 after Mookie Betts’ 12-year extension, Shohei Ohtani’s historic 10-year deal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s record 12-year guarantee that made him the highest-paid pitcher in the Majors. Other key pieces of the Dodgers’ core are Freddie Freeman and Tyler Glasnow, who are locked up for the next four and five years, respectively. The 10-year pact is the longest ever given to a catcher.
“I’ve loved being here since I got drafted in 2016,” Smith said Wednesday. “I don’t think I would be the player I am without being here. So for me to probably finish my career a Dodger means a lot. I couldn’t be happier and more excited moving forward. There’s no better organization that’s more committed to winning a World Series and that’s most important to me when it comes to baseball. I’m looking forward to these next 10 years.”
Good deal for both sides. Great to see Dodgers reward and keep the homegrown players.