The State of the Dodgers

Posted By on January 9, 2025

MLB.com just came out with their first 2025 Power Rankings, and to no one’s surprise, the Dodgers are #1. The Phillies are #2, and the Yankees are #3. They said this about the Dodgers:

1. Dodgers (previously: 1)
The Dodgers are basking in the warm glow of their World Series win, and they’ve brought in Blake Snell, Hyeseong Kim and Michael Conforto, while bringing back Teoscar Hernández and Blake Treinen. Most of those pitchers who were hurt in October will be back at full strength for 2025, including, oh yeah, Ohtani. Yeah, suffice it to say, the vibes are good here.

— Will Leitch

Yawn! MLB Executives ranks the top farm systems, and this was the result:

#5 is not bad for a team that drafts at the bottom of each round!

THE ATHLETIC takes a stab at the Dodgers Roster.

There are no words to describe what is going on in HELL-A as we speak. All we can do is wish and pray that everyone is safe.

In the above picture, the house is totally gone, but the classic is barely harmed. Go figure!

This article has 46 Comments

  1. I had to evacuate my place here in Irvine about three years ago. Growing up near the foothills, fires were always an issue. I remember hosing down the wooden shake roof of my parent’s house.

    Going to school in Malibu in the early 90s, fires caused an evacuation or two. A college friend was burned out of her house. Laguna Hills was devastated in 1993.

    I tell people from out of state who comment about our earthquakes that it’s not the earthquakes that cause the damage. It’s the fires.

    Still, shocking to see the complete destruction in places like Pasadena and Palisades, which really aren’t that adjacent to undeveloped foothills and brush.

    And there’s the potential that a lot of these homeowners didn’t have fire insurance because companies like Allstate are leaving California.

    It’s really tragic.

    Strongest Santa Ana winds I’ve experienced in a long time. There’s upended trees and huge branches snapped off like twigs all over the place.

  2. Yeah, the Palisades are 75% gone. That’s staggering.

    I don’t understand people’s anger at the Fire Insurance debacle. Voters, in their wisdom, passed an ordinance (I think that’s what the noun is) that doesn’t allow Insurance companies to use forward projections in determining insurance costs. That is a non-starter for any businessman, and they all stopped writing fire insurance policies.

    Sometimes you reap what you sow.

    I love California, and have really settled in. But the proposition process is completely bonkers.

    And don’t get me started on the coastal commission.

    But enough politics.

    Back to baseball:

    FWIW

    On the YouTube broadcast I cited yesterday there was a little bit of love for Jung, who also has spectacular stuff+ ratings for his pitches, it’s just control that’s a problem (some of his pitches sail to the backstop.)

  3. I know this pales in comparison to what people are dealing with but:

    I really hope they dont move the Rams game from SoFi monday night.

  4. Having worked for over 30 years with the US Forest Service, I have some thoughts on the LA fires and forest management. I started with the USFS in 1964. At that time it put money into the treasury through it sales of timber. Its forest management was guided by the philosophy of Gifford Pinchot “The greatest good for the greatest number over the long run”. As environmental groups grew in number and strength, laws were written that severely restricted what the FS could do without public approval. The most restrictive was NEPA (Nat’l Environmental Planning Act), and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With NEPA any project of significance has to be studied at length with input from numerous disciplines The FS always tried to stay out of politics, and pretty well did until Bill Clinton became President. He fired the Chief of the FS and installed a wildlife researcher as chief. Also, NEPA and ESA made cutting timber and managing fire fuel much more difficult. The environmental organizations have a list of over 5000 endangered species that they use to control activities they don’t like. Not only from the USFS, but the Bureau of Land Mgt, (BLM), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), et al. It has severely effected the economy of many small towns, as sawmills were forced to close. At this point I consider the FS to be an extension of the Park Service.

    There are millions of acres of lodge4pole pine in the west. When lodgepole gets to be 8″ in diameter, it is ice cream to the mountain pine beetle. The longer the FS goes with an abbreviated timber cutting program, the more disastrous wildfires become. In California, restrictions are even worse due to additional state regulations. A small private land owner has so many hoops to jump through that a timber sale is almost impossible. As a result of the extreme regulations, the fuel load keeps building until nature takes its course. It will only get worse until our political leaders have the will to return to sensible forest management.

    1. Thanks for the excellent take on the growing crisis in California and the tale of unintended (?) consequences.

    2. It’s a shame that the foundation of political reform tends to be tragedy itself. It is being reported that actors who have traditionally supported some of the policies you cite have begun to turn on the political machine they’ve helped establish.

      This beautiful state has been plagued by a group think mentality that at times loses touch with reality. Preserving nature is imperative to the survival of our future generations, but at what cost? At the expense of putting millions of people at risk? The answer to this complicated, yet delicate dilemma, does not lie within the extreme postures of our political landscape.

      Sending my thoughts and prayers to any and all impacted by these tragic fires.

    3. This seems to jibe with a lot of what i’ve read, but controlled burns would not be done in densely settled areas. Right?

      Only, if ever, on hills and valleys and fed land. Sometimes in the vicinity of developments but the land immediately adjacent to private property needs to be cleared / thinned out manually.

      That’s the issue, from what I’ve been thinking. Dense chaparral that grows right up to property lines – which are close to structures. In most cases property owners are prohibited from clearing such vegetation that is not on their property.

      That’s the sin that’s toughest to absolve.

  5. Mentioned JARRETT SEIDLER yesterday, that sent me down a rabbit hole.

    Found this article ($$$$) on Cartaya that’s very informative.

    https://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/article/95818/guarding-the-lines-the-fall-of-a-low-a-superman/

    First of all, it has a great lede:
    Catchers are just weird.

    But goes on to really good stuff:

    “His swing is pretty as right-handed swings go… Low-A pitching got a whole lot worse coming out of the pandemic … and Cartaya destroyed it. Once the pitching got better, his quality of contact and contact ability both imploded.”

  6. The human toll of the fires is unbelievable. SoCal hasn’t had much rain and the winds were beyond fierce, gusts reaching 100 mph in places.

    The fact aircraft and helicopters were grounded because of the wind, water issues and mayor Bass cutting $18 million from the fire department budget all plays into this.

    Terribly sad situation. Yes they must figure out the insurance issue.

    No doubt this will be analyzed in depth, hopefully some changes will be made.

    As to the Dodgers, the most impressive element has to be the ranking of the farm system. That’s stunning considering where the Dodgers draft.

    Several writers, including those at the LA Times and Jeff Passan point out the Dodgers are serious about landing Tanner Scott.

  8. Is there a comprehensive report out regarding all the recent rule changes? Such as pitch and hit clock, base sizes, others I have forgotten. Will we hear anything about increased pitcher injuries and possible changes? Any new rules coming into play for 2025?

  10. Sometimes in these disasters the uninsured actually do better than those with insurance. I have seen when Hurricane Sandy hit in the Northeast. Seeing two houses on a street. One still not rebuilt a year later-still fighting with insurance company. The other owner got a no (or low interest) loan and gets to rebuild sooner. Crazy system!!!

    1. Interesting. Is it better to have to wait an indeterminate amount of time to rebuild one’s home or pay several hundred thousand dollars out of pocket to be able to return to one’s place of residence? Both options seem equally objectionable. Unfortunately, this scenario will continue to grow where hurricanes and wild fire proliferate.

  11. First, My prayers go out to all the people affected by the fires in LA and all the surrounding areas. From the films I see on the news, this is just unbelievable.

    Secondly, forgive my ignorance in geography in the area, but where is Dodger Stadium located
    in relation to the fires?

    1. This is what BA said about Eriq Swan when he was drafted:

      Swan is a huge, projection righthander with a 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame and the stuff to match, with a fastball that’s been up to 102 mph at peak velocity. He’s still trying to get his performance to match his stuff, and struggled with control in each of his three seasons with Middle Tennessee State. In 2023 he posted a 6.49 ERA over 61 innings, with a 24.6% strikeout rate and a 15.6% walk rate—the highest of his career. Swan averaged 98 mph with his fastball this spring, which was the hardest velocity of any Division I pitcher with more than 100 pitches in 2023. Despite that elite velocity, Conference USA hitters slashed .338/.476/.538 against the pitch. It has just average life and he’ll need to radically improve his command to make the most of it against pro hitters. Swan throws a mid-80s slider with short-breaking action that generated a 50% miss rate this spring, but it receives below-average grades from scouts. He also has a firm, upper-80s changeup. Swan is a polarizing profile, but could entice teams with his immense arm talent and velocity as a power reliever who could benefit from professional pitching development.

  13. prayers and thoughts go out to the people in California. Hopefully no one else loses their lives…….. saw a rumor earlier, this was really interesting, second baseman Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay rays, could be a target for the Dodgers. Guy hit 21 homers last year and plays good second base. This would throw Kim into that super utility role. May not happen, but I would like that one a lot.

    1. Yesterday I read that the Rays have no plans to trade Lowe or Diaz.

      Of course the Dodgers said they planned to make Lux the second baseman this year and then traded him 2 days later.

  14. Born and raised in CA. Spent several years in OR and TN, but here I am back in So CA. It’s the weather, period. I have no belief whatsoever that CA politics or management will change anytime soon. We have had serious fires for years now. This is just getting the publicity because Hollywood and Pacific Palisades. Yeah it is serious, but we have had losses or over 3,000 homes before, and the nightmare fire in Paradise, CA. As soon as spring arrives the CA Legislature (Super Majority Democrat) and the gov Newscum, and the greeny wackos, will forget about making changes. With every coastal big city, county, and the state solidly Democrat and with their propensity to lie, cheat, and steal in order to get their way with laws and elections, not much will really change. Hell, they will likely come up with another of their never ending batshit crazy ideas about forest management or water conservation or God save some other nuisance non-native pest or plant. Such a price to pay for great weather, I may be just as crazy as the Dems.

      1. Speak for yourself. I personally think a long discussion on the long term health of the delta smelt population is in order.

        1. Touché. If we can throw in Croney capitalism at the LA Board of supervisors, I’m down!

    2. Hey Dan. Glad you got that off your chest but we don’t do politics here. It’s a Dodger blog. As in baseball.

      P.S. Florida has nice weather. Maybe you’d feel better there.

        1. Everything you said about California, is the opposite in FL. We don’t get fires or earthquakes, just hurricanes and street flooding during high tide due to sea level rise. Highest insurance rates in country, but law passed to make it harder to sue Insurance companies. Pick your poison !!

      2. Yeah, I suspect a lot of people who have political axes to grind still believe that the industrial revolution and the rising levels of greenhouses gasses have made zero impact on the planet’s atmosphere and climate. Surely a coincidence.
        There used to be a “fire season” in California but now it’s year-round.
        Sorry, but I just had to offer that big-picture reminder…

        As for the state of the Dodgers, well…. pretty damn impressive!
        Just a couple seasons back, the brain trust headed by AF had strangely convinced itself that a keystone of Lux at SS and Vargas at 2B would be a winner. This, even though Vargas has proven zilch at the major league level. (This isn’t Monday morning general managing; I made this point often at the time.)
        Many fans here had their doubts about Lux or Vargas or both. Took a while, but the brain trust eventually figured out that Lux would be better used in a 2B platoon and Vargas would be better off on another team.
        Now the Dodgers roster seems practically bullet-proof.
        When the Dodgers signed Snell, AF and BG said that he was the ace they really wanted, implying that Burnes and Fried were not. Given the inflated price of pitching, Snell’s contract seemed relatively fair.
        Signing Conforto to a one-year deal strikes me as a sneaky-good move. AF knew they’d want another proven outfielder, especially if Teo moved on. There were a lot of good outfielders on the FA market–many still out there–but they saw that Conforto would be the best fit. While he may not require a platoon partner, a Conforto/Pages combo could be strong.
        Kudos, also, for extending Edman and bringing back Treinen.
        Replacing Lux with Kim should also pay off.
        For starters, Kim is a better defender and a faster runner. In the KBO, his bat was effective against both lefties and righties. He’ll probably struggle some against stronger competition, which could lead to a platoon.
        If Kim flops he can be assigned to OKC. Worst case: Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor get actions at 2B. Or maybe it will be Edman, who won a gold glove at 2B a few seasons back.
        A lot will be decided in Spring training.
        The best plausible CF for the Dodgers would feature Outman rebounding to his rookie form in a platoon with Edman, Taylor or Pages. In replacing Lux with Kim, the Dodgers can take full advantage of the roster’s versatility. If Mookie struggles at SS or gets hurt again, Edman, Rojas, Kim and Taylor are all options to replace him.
        I’d love to have Kike back, but I don’t think that’s happening.
        Even if there are a couple of injuries to starters, the Dodgers have the talent to adjust.

        1. Forgot one more bouquet for the front office…
          While we debate whether the Dodgers should sign Tanner Scott or maybe Kirby Yates, they just re-upped workhorse Anthony Banda for $1 million.
          Just about every season it seems that the front office finds an unpolished journeyman gem and then Mark Prior’s staff turns him into a stud. Banda had bounced around to eight teams before he reached arbitration. Now Banda seems to cemented himself into the bullpen for the champs.
          The Dodgers are just in great shape.
          Given the team’s talent at scouting, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sirota and the future draft pick they got for Lux make it to the bigs.

          1. I would say the Dodgers relief core was their best attribute last year, and really got them through the playoffs and WS. That’s not something you can just throw $$$ at and buy, like an Ohtani (even though that signing was really savvy in its own way). Assembling all the miscellaneous parts to create a really solid relief corps is a good measure of a great GM, because it’s more than just the sum total of money = performance. You gotta find the hidden gems.

        2. “Yeah, I suspect a lot of people who have political axes to grind still believe that the industrial revolution and the rising levels of greenhouses gasses have made zero impact on the planet’s atmosphere and climate. Surely a coincidence.
          There used to be a “fire season” in California but now it’s year-round.
          Sorry, but I just had to offer that big-picture reminder…”

          To use Bluto style phrasing, this was silly.

          Thank goodness you don’t have a political axe to grind and are not biased in any way!

    3. Nice one Dan F!!

      It’s a slow baseball news day. Verdugo is a punk and loved that he made the last out! Is the Dodgers’ 2024 WS championship, a real WS championship, Alex?

  15. Former Dodger #6 in MLB’s top relievers:

    “Across 30 appearances in 2024, Edwin Uceta went 2-0 with a 1.51 ERA, 0.816 WHIP, 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings, five saves, seven holds and a 1.9 WAR.
    It marked quite the breakout season for the right-hander, who was designated for assignment, waived or released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs between 2021 and 2023.”

    1. Relievers are a crapshoot and lots of them come into their own as they near 30.

      Here’s Jose Vasquez:

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