I fully endorse Dave Roberts and the Dodger Braintrust’s decision not to waste the bullpen last night. I guarantee it was not just Doc’s decision but an organizational decision to focus on Sunday’s Game Six, which will be a repeat of Game four with San Diego, where Doc asked for nine pitchers to get three outs. Actually, Brasier, Vesia, and Phillips got one or two more than that, so it only took eight pitchers. The Dodgers sacrificed Flathery and Honeywell in order to fight another day. The leash was long last night after it became apparent that the Mets were Jacking Flaherty. Sunday, eight or nine relievers will be asked to get three outs each… again!
Allegedly, Flaherty was under the weather, but at gut check time, he didn’t check his guts. His control and velocity were down. I counted one fastball over 91 MPH. His fastball generally is 92-94 MPH. A year ago, I felt that he needed Tommy John, but that evidently was not the case. Maybe it’s getting close… At any rate, you turn the page and call on the bullpen, which has been a very successful thing for them to do this year. The Mets are not going away, and Sean Manaea is the “X-Factor.” The Mets solved Flaherty. Can the Dodgers solve Manaea? That’s what it boils down to.
Arizona Fall League
- Zyhir Hope – 28 AB – .286 BA/1.043 OPS – 3 HR13 RBI
- Jake Gelof – 21 AB – .286 BA/1.019 OPS – 2 HR/7 RBI
- Sean McLain – 18 AB – .333 BA/1.000 OPS -1 HR /3 RBI
- Eriq Swan – 6 IP – 3 H/10K/0 BB – 1.50 ERA/0.50 WHIP
- Jerming Rosario – 12.46 ERA – That’s all you need to know
Sneak Peak at 2025
I think 2025 is the year Mookie takes over 2B. Lux will be traded over the winter, and Miguel Rojas will assume a role in the Dodgers Front Office or a Roving Instructor Role. However, he will stay in good shape and could return if there are injuries. Tommy Edman will likely be the SS unless Willy Adames is still a possibility. That will depend upon who is involved in the bidding. Andy Pages will assume a bigger role, as will Dalton Rushing. I put the Odds of signing Teoscar at 75%. CT3 and Kike will be back for one more season.
…. and so we wait for Sunday!
I guess it would be very difficult, but I hope that instead of signing Adames, the Dodgers went all out for Soto, for SS there is Edman, and with Taylor for one more year, the SS is covered…. But it is also true that the main thing is to sign at least one starting pitcher, I think that is more urgent than another batter.
Last season AF signed Martinez to a one year deal to DH. He then signed Ohtani long term. This year, AF signed T Hernandez to a one year deal to play the outfield. Did he do so to sign Soto to a long term deal this coming offseason?
I agree with you about Adames. I also think the Dodgers need to sign Corbin Burnes.
For Flaherty, I hope the next report is NOT that he has ‘forearm tightness’. For Teoscar, I don’t think we will give him the long term deal he will want.
Agree about letting Flaherty and Honeywell take the beating yesterday, in preparation for tomorrow. I predicted Dodgers in 5, but what do I know! I’ll take Dodgers in 6 (or I guess 7 if need be).
Agree Mookie goes back to 2b
Agree Lux gets dealt, hopefully a young outfielder who has potential
Re SS, if the brass thinks Alex Freeland is the real deal, and close, then they keep Rojas/Edmon to begin at SS until Freeland is ready.
If they don’t feel Freeland is the real deal, then yes, perhaps a Adames type (or maybe Lux goes for a SS )
Dodgers and everybody else as well were somewhat comfortable with a game 5 loss. Game 6 will be completely a different attitude. I have serious doubts there’ll be a game 7 regardless of what the Mets bring to the ravine. I expect seriousness from Mets but that Dodgers will beat their best. 2024 doesn’t have a crapshoot feel at this stage
I’ll bet you a signed dollar bill that Lux is a Dodger next year and we will be glad we kept him.
I absolutely agree.
It seems most are saying Keep Kerhaw, Lux, Teoscar, Kike, Muncy, Edmon, Rojas….. Not much room to sign anyone else
Anyone know Flaherty’s contract situation? Do we have him next season? I think Mark is right and he will need TJ surgery and be gone.
I don’t see AF signing Adames nor Soto to as long/rich a deal as it will take to get either of them. Lux – ultimately I think the Dodgers move on from him. Most likely at the trade deadline to maximize the return. Any chance CT3 is moved for a prospect, albeit he won’t bring much as he is currently hitting and for his contract value.
Flaherty will be a free agent.
Ohtani’s contract was structured to provide the financial leverage to pursue free agents. I expect the Dodgers to be in play in Soto, Adames, etc. this offseason. After all, the commitment the LAD made to Ohtani dictates they should.
Soto wil be a Yankee or Met in 2025. Bet it!
I pretty much think that’s true. Soto has said he’d like to play for the Dodgers AND he’d fit in right field if Mookie goes to 2B. Is Soto represented by Boras? If so, ain’t gonna happen.
The upside is that a multitude of good branches are stronger than one expensive dude
Is this still a Dodger forum and not a NYY or NYM site (sarcasm)?
If there is something we know for certain regarding AF is that we cannot reasonably predict what that man is planning. That man literally plays chess while the rest of us are playing checkers when it comes to Dodger acquisitions.
While there is no guarantee that AF et co. will pursue Soto or Adames, there is no way of knowing for certain that he will not.
Some food for thought, do you believe Ohtani agreed to the deferred money so the Dodgers can remain stagnant when it comes to pursuing the top free agents in the league?
Next year I’m rolling with Betts in RF, Pages in CF & Rushing in LF.
Play Edman at SS for a year before Freeland is ready in 2026.
The decision to start Flaherty made sense to me, as well. I figured Dodgers would score with Peterson and the Mets’ pen covering the game but did not foresee Flaherty getting shelled. Five innings and 3 to 4 runs would have been okay. Hopefully, seeing Manaea with his lower release point for the second time in a week will help.
Don’t see Dodgers signing Soto or Flaherty. I would be in favor of signing Buehler to a one year deal as opposed to signing Flaherty to a 3 to 5 year deal. Whatever they do, I would make room for both Rushing and Pages to get regular at bats (not a platoon) and not block Freeland at short beyond next year. To make room for Pages and Rushing, seems like either Mookie goes to second base or we don’t sign Teoscar, or both.
Go Dodgers. Win one out of two in LA and it wil be on to the Series.