A few days ago, Jeff Dominique thanked me on his blog (www.LaDodgerChronicles.com) for just passing on some information from Bear (Michael Norris) to him. It was not even a big deal. Just something you do for a friend. Michael did not have Jeff’s phone number and did not have his computer. Bear and I talked for a while and I passed on the information. Easy Peasy!
A few years ago, on this blog, a commenter wrote this:
“Mark gets impatient with repetitive foolishness, as do I. You don’t hesitate to repeat endlessly the canard that the FO are incompetent “fried brains.” You and others complain and whine and criticize and use salty pejoratives to leaven your criticism, and what Mark does is just take exactly what you dish out and shove it right back in your faces. You don’t like it. You don’t agree with it. Your ego can’t and won’t brook conflicting arguments and evidence, so you label Mark as the problem.“
Three people responded to Jeff’s comment and it was right on cue. The commenter was right, I do not suffer fools well. I also do not play well with people who are passive aggressive and love to argue for arguments sakes. I proved this once by taking a certain position and was challeged by a certain commenter who wrote an eloquent response about how I was wrong. About six weeks later, I took the opposite position and this same person came back and made the argument that I made in the first place. That was when I lost what little respect I had left for this person.
Some people can dish it out but they can’t take it. Last year, I made it a point to run all the morons away or ban them. Life is too short to have morons like that in my life. I am not going to name names, but one commenter said: “Mark and I were friends once as well. At times he can be very generous and supportive. That’s the Mark I like. It’s a shame our friendship deteriorated the way that it did. He can be a great friend when he wants to be. I hope this is the Mark we see in 2025.”
It’s amazing to hear that from a person who I had to ban and block and who sent me some of the vilest of the vile comments, you have ever read. I think Bear read them as well. Maybe I should have left them up, but I took them down and some commenters have no idea what was said.
I just had to get that out of my system. To those that think I do not like people who disagree with me, well you are either really dumb or you have no common sense. Disagreement is just fine… especially when you can put together a cogent argument or explanation. We have a great group of commenters here and frequently some disagree with me. Cool. I am not infallable. Evaluating talent is a crapshoot! Who ever thought Will Smith would be an All-Star? In evaluating talent, you will get some right and some wrong. That doesn’t stop you from trying.
I do want to thank everyone here for your commenting. We have a great group – very respectful! I should have done this sooner. I don’t know how long I will do this… but I am doing it now. I am putting the finishing touches on my book and that is taking a lot of my time. The Grandkids are a hoot and family time is most precious. I may have mentioned it, but we are taking in a homeless couple and their 2 and 7 year-olds for six months until they get back on their feet.
We want them to bank all of his paychecks for six months so they can get a fresh start. They could not make it in California. They were living with his parents, but his parents moved back to Mexico a few months ago and they were living in their car. We have a garage full of furniture that we were going to sell, but are now giving it to them. The only pay we want is to see them be successful. That is the best reward! No amount of money equals that.
“Nothing can give you greater joy than doing something for another.” – Coach John Wooden
Last year, we took in my wife’s alcoholic older sister who was homeless and helped her get back on her feet. We helped her get her own place and she is now a productive member of society and works at US Water Systems in data entry and is a great employee. We also took in an 85 year old woman who scammers had bilked for over $250,000. She had lost her house and was still sending them hundreds of dollars a week. My wife intercepted one of the phone calls and the scammer said he was coming to get the money. He said that he was going to shoot her if she didn’t have it. My wife said, “Try setting foot on my property and I’ll blow you away, you God______ Mother_______er!!” You don’t want to mess with my wife!
We changed her phone number and got her a nice apartment in assisted living and we take her food every other week. This is our latest rehabilitation project and I have great confidence it will be successful. Wish us luck!
Why am I telling you this? I don’t want your praise or acolades. We just belive in paying it forward. We aren’t religious. We don’t go to church every Sunday, but we do believe that since we are so wonderfully blessed, we need to pay it forward and believe me, there is not a better feeling than to help someone realize their potential. Not all baseball prospects pan out, but you keep developing them anyway. Not all people we help pan out… but enough do that it is a very satisfying way to live our lives. It doesn’t matter what your religious bent is, what this wise man said still rings true:
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’
— Jesus
If the Dodgers win another championship in the next 3 years, would that be considered a success or a failure? I guess winning 2 out of 3 would be wonderful, let alone winning 3 out of 3….
I ask because there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t read that they’re the best team and the best management and the best players and the best fans and one of the best stadiums…. Someone mentioned that if they don’t win another ring, they’ll be worse than the Braves.
It is so much harder to win a World Series now than ever before in the history of baseball.
You can try and be the best team, but the best team does not always win. The playoffs can be a crapshoot. Statistically speaking, the odds are stacked against you. Look at the Dodgers last year: they barely had three healthy starters at the end of the season.
If anyone assumes that will happen again… well, that’s silly. The Dodgers know the team is aging, so that have a lot of options on the major league level and the minor league level. The Dodgers have won two World Series in the 2020’s. That’s still a great run and I like our odds this year.
The ’25 Dodgers look like a significant upgrade from the ’24 champs, adding Snell and Conforto, as well as Edman and Kopech for the full season. (Sasaki would could raise the volume to 11. As for Hye-Seong Kim, I was pleased to hear that the contract allows the Dodgers to option him to OKC. Spring training should be interesting.)
Meanwhile, the dangerous Padres seem to be taking a step backward, especially if they wind up dealing Cease.
Still, it’s quite a gauntlet to the championship, and injuries are always a factor. But right now, the Dodgers should be heavy favorites against every team they face.
FWIW, I’m still bullish on an deal for Robert Jr.–in part because I can’t think of a plausible alternative deal that could improve the Dodgers. Adding Cartaya’s name to the package was a lot sexier before his DFA
One out of the three is not a failure unless that turns into one out of ten. Need two more during Ohtani era.
Since we’re talking World Series, I’d like to raise a question that has to do with the 2017 theft by the Astros. That one still hurts because is was my father’s last World Series (he died in early ’18 at 96 years old). He was a lifelong Dodger fan and the reason I am a fan. My mother’s last World Series was in ’88, and I thought it would be a nice symmetry for them both to end their days on this side of eternity with WS wins. That was a bitter pill in ’17. But here’s the thing: I seem to be more upset than most of the Dodger players and front office about it. I don’t know that this is true, but their response was way more measured than I would have had. It’s a thing that has rattled around in my head every now and then ever since.
So my question is this: Is the reason the Dodgers didn’t go scorched earth on the Astros because – to some extent – every team cheats? Was the Astros cheating just a few steps up the ladder everyone is on, or was it really bad, but the powers-that-be decided it was better to live to fight another day?
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Also – this is my only real go-to Dodger blog! I can get information anywhere, I come here for insight.
Steve,
Of course every MLB team pushes the envelope, but the Astros blew up the envelope with their level of cheating. All authority to sanction the cheaters lies with the Commissioner. There is no appeal process. Manfred is the Dictator that the owners put in charge… and they had to abide by his decision.
I suppose he could have vacated the Series win, but there is no way he could have given the Dodgers the trophy, so he did what many deemed best. We all know they cheated and that is that. We will win more Championships in the next 5-10 year. They are done.
If I was king for a day, my solution would have been to ban the Astro’s from the playoffs for a minimum of one season perhaps two.
That would have been a good start!
What Steve Cox brings up in his comments hits me where I’ve looked myself wearing the same style of sneekers. I’m still standing friends even though a couple doctors gave the impression that me seeing the close of the season wasn’t real certain. Maybe they fooled me or themselves but I’m not dead yet. I didn’t hang around just for a final championship victory and then and now tell myself there’s more important things to focus on. My second time of hospice might end the same reevaluation and discharge. If so then a third will be that charm. Haaaaaa. What bothers me most about the 2017 championship is the cheaters to this day are credited as winning it by sports media without bringing up the fact of the matter. LIKE THEM PUKES HAVE A RIGHT TO BE PROUD. MLB doesn’t try to make things right. Doesn’t right it’s ‘wrongs. If they did then it’d be time to finally pardon Buck Weaver. That bothers me more than 2017. Weaver was cut of a finer material than MLB and behaved the way to teach kids proper respect. Faced a no win situation. Well, he won in my heart……at least. I’ve been reading here everday but it’s been difficult to put together any comments of any merit. I’ve tried many times but haven’t clicked ‘post’ after reviewing what I put down. Seems all I can do is rattle on…..sorry, strong sign I’m losing it. I’m still a fan of Dodgers and this site. Thanks always Mark…..really.
Will the Dodgers sign Tanner Scott? That’s my only question at this point.
Sasaki? I would think he would sign with LA. But I’m tired of the speculation. His agent said this or that. I don’t care. Make a decision and announce it.
Until then …
So far, a pretty good off-season.
I am not holding my breath on Scott. He is a good LHP, but last season was his best… by far. Maybe he is the real deal. Maybe he is not. Don’t break the bank on him.
Sasaki can’t sign until Janualy 15th. Look for him to sign shortly after that. I have no predictions, but the Cubs might be too good of a match to ignore.
i’m never going to get over 2017! sure there has been cheating for as long as we can remember. BUT, it’s not so much about the cheating as it is about the cheaters! It pains me to see fans who post “we should trade for Corea, we should sign bregman, we should trade for springer”. NO! we shouldn’t. Bonds And Mcquire cheated and are paying for it forever. So why shouldn’t the AAAASSSSTRO cheaters? As far as i can tell, every player onnthe 40 man roster is well liked and respected, no matter their status as a player. Alex Bregman has no place on this roster! NONE! Sorry, got caught up in the moment. Let Bregman join his cheating manager in Detroit. Or his cheater coach in Boston. …. Everyone be safe if you’re in a location that has winter storms! …. Mark, you and your family are. shining examples of what people should try and be in life. Was in walmart this morning and saw a shopper ridiculing 2 young shoppers who weren’t shopping fast enough to suit him. they weren’t doing anything wrong, they just looked a little different than him. People are people. Not everyone is good, not everyone is bad. not everyone can help others. But civility doesn’t cost a thing. Sorry, this is a baseball site. Once again Mark, bless you for sharing your being blessed with others who aren’t as fortunate. Financially i am not rich. As far as my life, i’m as rich as anyone! …. One baseball note. ( i know finally). If Rojas doesn’t win a spot in spring training, will Kike still be around? With Edman able to to rest Mookie at shortstop, who’d you rather have ? Kike or Rojas. i’ll take Kike!
Manager Dave Roberts tells a Japanese outlet that Ohtani won’t start pitching until May as he comes back from Tommy John surgery. They want him healthy for another lengthy playoff run.
“Dodgers part-owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Orioles principal owner David Rubenstein were among 19 people who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday from President Joe Biden.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, is the United States’ highest civilian honor. It is presented annually to “individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
these Nolan Arenado rumors won’t stop! Now this is pure speculation on my part. With the signing of Kim, the Lux rumors are coming strong. If Lux is traded, is it possible for the dodgers to go ahead and trade for Nolan, move Max to second? With Kim becoming the super utility guy, it would be build a triangle involving Nolan, Max , and kim rotating. Nolan needs a day, max goes to 3rd. and Kim to second. Max needs a day, Kim tto second. Now I’m not a big fan of max playing second full time, but in this scenario, it may be worth the risk! Just playing GM for a day!
With Aernado, you are getting a shell of the player he used to be. Look at this:
His HR totals have been declining greatly and an average MLB Player’s OPS+ is 100. He’s 101.
I don’t say no. I say HELL, NO!
Can’t wait to see the Dodgers visit the White House in April!! 🙂
VIVA AZUL!!!
😉
Where are there ANY Arenado rumors?
Any?!?!?!
I’ve seen a report; can’t remember where…. So the idea is still percolating a bit.
Seems like pure fan-based speculation. The proposal I read had the Dodgers offering Chris Taylor and Gonsolin for Arenado….
Who saw the Hyeseong Kim deal coming? Not I.
Totally surprised
Probably a surprise to the teams that offered him more $$.
But it’s known that he sought our Shohei’s advice, and no doubt Shohei gave the Dodgers rave reviews. After Kim signed, Shohei put this message on social media: “Welcome my friend.”
Back home in South Korea, the Dodgers have a lot more cachet than any other team, having signed Chan Ho Park and then Hyun-Jin Ryu. And now the Ohtani Effect is hard at work, distorting the marketplace and attracting talent.
But I still suspect Sasaki may buck the trend, if only to stay out of Shohei’s shadow.
We’ll know in about 10 days.
who knows, maybe a change of scenery for Nolan and he’s rejuvenated! He wouldn’t be expected to hit 30 bombs, but 20-25 and 75 rbi? I would take it!
He hit 16 last year and had an OPS similar to Miguel Rojas!
I post because I love the Dodgers and the game. I do not come here or any other site to prove anything. What conclusions I come to are based on what I have seen AF do since he took over. His approach to building the roster has changed a lot. We all remember when he started it was guys like Brett Anderson and McCarthy. I can’t count how many fringe players he signed. His teams were always built to win the regular season and he added at the deadline. From what I have read, he wants to avoid that this season. Two years ago, one poster said they should trade for Amed Rosario to be the SS, I disagreed. This poster then crowed a lot when they did trade for him. He was right, I was wrong. But they got Rosario as a utility guy, not the starting SS. Thanks, Mark, for being a friend
Never in doubt! Godspeed to you, Bear!
hope you’re feeling better Bear! does it really matter if we’re right or wrong when we say we might do this trade or that trade? it’s fun! i know Arenado is not the same player as 2-3 years ago, but he’s still a good baseball player. AF always makes great decisions, not always 100% great , but great. The yankees are taking a chance on Paul Goldsmith. They as does paul, believe he has something left in the tank. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if AF did the same with Nolan. Probably a 25-45% chance of it happening, but still a chance. i wouldn’t mind it! we have family and we have sports to keep our minds from exploding in this batsh-t crazy world . So let’s go all “Bradley “ and get creative with our own crazy trades! Hell, Bradley was even right once!
A clock tht is broken is right twice a day. 😉
I asked AI if Arenado was still a good defensive 3B and this is what it said:
“While Nolan Arenado is still considered a good defensive player, his defensive prowess has slightly declined compared to his peak years, meaning he is not quite as dominant as he once was at third base, although he remains above average and is still considered one of the better defensive players in the league; however, some recent analysis suggests his defensive performance has dipped in 2023, with metrics showing a negative defensive impact in certain stretches.”
It also said this: “Though still an above average player defensively, Arenado has lost substantial power. By the time the 2024 season ended, Arenado had slugged only . 381 in his previous 205 games, a rate that was tied for 136th among 166 major-league hitters that had a minimum 600 plate appearances since July 19 of the 2023 season.”
I think we have a better 3B already on the team.
I don’t get the Nolan Arenado rumors. He’s a declining player with diminishing skills. Once upon a time I used to be a huge fan of his game.
Thank you, I appreciate it. I was able to write one story for Jeff’s site, but I will be here in the VA’s rehab facility until the 23rd. Probably will not head home until around the first of February. Maybe a trade would be best for Arenado, but I don’t think the Dodgers have much interest. Max has improved a lot as a third baseman, and he hit one less homer than Nolan in 340 less at bats.
i’m not sure i agree with you on this one. But, i like Max. Max makes very good plays, but he also botches routine plays at times. i have no problem with Max being the 3rd baseman. guess i have always been a big fan of arenado. maybe that ship has sailed! But it doesn’t hurt to dream!
I think that quote from that random poster from back in the day was me. That was back when I used lots of words like “brook” as a verb. Now I’m lucky if I use more than one syllable.
I noticed Jeff’s comment on his site. It was a nice gesture. I also noticed Badger’s comment, which wasn’t, and wasn’t necessary.
It’s odd that he claims he considers you a friend and then publicly posts that stuff, and yes, it’s passive aggressive and annoying.
But whatever. I think, deep down, he just has some generalized resentment at life.
I have a soft spot for Scott. Yes, he’s insane, but I enjoyed goofing on him, and he became a good sport about it. Maybe you should unblock him.
You are very quick at perceiveing your own writings. 😉
I am not a grudge holder and if Scott apologized and asked back, I would likely do it. Hell, I would let Eric back if he would stay on his meds.
Good to hear from you – I hope all is well in your world.
I read some of Eric’s most recent posts on Jeff’s site that I thought were really well thought out and insightful. It surprised me a little.
I didn’t care for his posts here. He was constantly being a martyr.
Wow. 2017 and the Trashtros. Even with the Astros cheating their way to a ring. The boys in blue played their asses off. They darn near won the series anyhow, y’all. Those games were epic. I still feel bad for Yu. And me. Back in the day, it used to be…….
Cheaters never prosper…wrong.
Now a days it’s ………..
It’s not cheating if you don’t get caught. True. But even if you get caught the repercussions are a lowly slap on the hand. Not much of a deterrence is it? It’s funny how Shoeless Joe, Rose, Bonds, Clemens, A Rod etc. got caught cheating and got lifetime banishment. But steal a World Series…no prob. They should have forced Icabod Crane to sell the team to Frank McCourt. Oh well.
And Mark, it’s very unselfish to help people in need. Very honorable. And thanks again for LADT. It is totally
AWESOME!
Book em
Glad to hear from you Bear. Glad you’re doing better. Sending blessings your way!
Mark, thanks for sharing those testimonies regarding your contributions to those in need. The world needs more people like you. The world can be a cruel place at times, but it is stories like these that remind us there simply more to life. Thank you!
Got up this morning and took my handy, dandy tape measure and stuck it in the snow: 8″ and it is still snowing like a goat.
We should have a foot by noon.
My F-150 goes through up to about 18″ with it’s knobby Toyo Mud and Snow Tires. I may have to go pick a few key employees up so that we can keep the plant rolling. My son drives a F-350 so he can pull our dump trailer and other stuff. He can go through about 2 feet of snow, thanks to higher ground clearance.
You have to understand that the Dodgers are negiotiating from a position of strength. They don’t have to trade for anyone, or sign anyone. They don’t have to trade Lux… but if the right deal presents itself, then they would look at it. Teoscar took less to sign with the Dodgers, Blake Snell probably did, Kim absolutely did. Players want to win and no team in baseball presents them with a better opportunity than the Dodgers. Tanner Scott? Wanna’ win? How about three years/$30 Million?
rumors are everywhere! most have no legs. Some might. it’s not like we make our own. as far as Gavin Lux, i would love for him to be the dodgers 2nd baseman for the next 6-7 seasons, i get the feeling he won’t. you just know he goes somewhere else and becomes a stud. We saw glimpses of what he can be this past season. The big question is can he do it for a entire season? i don’t see him as a bench guy. See the yankees and mariners as being interested in Lux. hopefully he never becomes a yankee! …. See that Buehler is recruiting Bregman to join him in Boston. Oh well, nobody’s perfect. …. Nice truck Mark!! probably buying a F-150 next myself. been driving a tacoma for 14 years now. good vehicle, not much of a “truck “! …. everyone be safe!
I’ve had this one 5 years. It has 78,000 miles and I will keep it a couple more years.
Yanks are allegedly looking at Luis Arraez as well
Interesting, he can’t really play 2B, and he just goes from one team to another.
If there’s a player whose game I dislike more than any other it’s Arraiz.
There was a time on Jeff’s site where the talking point du jour was “slug.” The Dodgers were too reliant on slug. All they did was slug. AF had a flawed draft and player development program because it preferentially emphasized slug
Slug, slug, slug.
The Padres were praised because they went after a classic contact hitter in Arraiz.
It was annoying.
Arraiz doesn’t walk, so his OBP stinks. He’s not a great runner, so not a classic lead-off hitter. He absolutely can’t hit for any power. He’s a subpar defensive player at any position, so he’s a liability at any position other than DH, and he doesn’t have the power to be a DH.
That he denied Ohtani the first triple crown in decades makes his batting championship even more unsatisfying.
He does one thing and one thing only: he hits singles.
His actual contribution to run creation as measured by wRC+ is barely above league average.
I think a lot of our septegenarian Dodger fans think real baseball is when Pee Wee Reese got a bunt single, stole 2nd and 3rd and scored on a ground ball.
That’s an old school bias. Arraiz represents this blind spot.
There is a reason he has bounced from team to team to team to team….
100% agree. Many fans do not like the three outcomes, but an argument can sure be made that it is the best scenerio.
BTW, Peter Seidler’s Widow, Sheel, filed for control of the Padres, suing Peter’s brothers. Info here:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/peter-seidlers-widow-files-lawsuit-against-peters-brothers-for-control-of-padres.html
This is not good news for the Padres!
sounds like Soto in a couple of years! can’t field very well but he can hit!
Looks like Lux is heading over to the Reds according to Jeff Passan.
DODGERS TADE LUX TO THE REDS AND AQUIRE THEIR COMPETITIVE DRAFT PICK AROUND 37TH AND MIKE SIROTO :
AGE
21
BATS
R
DOB
06/16/2003
THROWS
R
HT
6′ 3″
DRAFTED
2024, 3rd (87) – CIN
WT
188
ETA
2027
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45
“Sirota was relatively unknown when he was selected out of the Connecticut high school ranks late in the 2021 Draft by the Dodgers, but he went on to play for Mike Glavine at Northeastern University in Boston. He had hit everywhere he’d been, from his first two seasons in college (1.060 OPS) to back-to-back turns in the Cape Cod League (.942 OPS), making the grand-nephew of Whitey Ford the best Huskies product since Carlos Peña went No. 10 overall in 1998. He failed to live up to top-of-the-first-round expectations by really scuffling for much of his junior season, though he righted the ship enough to land to the Reds in the third round and sign for right around slot value.
Lean, athletic and strong, Sirota has an intriguing collection of tools. He has plus bat speed with excellent bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate, though his timing was off for much of the spring, keeping him from squaring up the ball as consistently as he has in the past. There’s raw power for him to tap into — he had 18 homers in his sophomore season — and when combined with his plus speed, he has 20-20 potential at the highest level.
That speed makes Sirota a legitimate longterm center fielder. He makes good reads and routes and has a tick-above-average arm to boot, with his all-around tools and makeup giving the Reds confidence he can rediscover his consistency.”
Good bye Gavin Lux. Another savvy move. IMO. Gomes isn’t done. Pretty cool offseason so far. I’ll take it all the way to the dance. And I don’t think too many 70 year olds on this site are pining for Pee Wee Reese baseball. The game has changed too much! Seriously?
Anyway, bat to ball skills, defense and speed are making a comeback but slug is king………so what’s the next move?
Book em
Trade Value Simulator doesn’t line the deal for LAD