Dodger Coaching Staffs

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1. With the retirement of Kershaw, the most respected voice on the team (players only) belongs to Freddie Freeman. Close behind is Mookie Betts. Ohtani & Yamamoto are the two best players and Will Smith rounds out the top five.

   Glasnow & Snell are special but they need to stay on the field. Tucker is just joining. Muncy remains absolutely inner core and Teo is a clubhouse leader too.

   1. This is Max Muncy’s Team!

      1. He is now the longest-tenured Dodger, and what he said to MadBum was epic: “Get it out of the ocean.”

         Kike will be back at some point. Don’t look at last years’ stats. It was an injury season.

         He’s a star that shines in the postseason.

         Kike is also the heart and soul of the Dodgers and this is likely his last go-round. Enjoy the ride.

         1. Good call

            I also think Treinen is a big dog in any room

            1. what?!?!!

            2. Yup agree.

               I think he bounces back and has a solid season.

   2. If you are looking for a respected voice, look no further than Miggy Ro. As we saw in the WS, he walks the walk too.

      1. Damn straight

         1. Leadership is not an issue for this team. Hasn’t been an issue in a long, long time. Many leaders to choose from, and obviously a lot of mutual respect.
            But if I had to choose one as the de facto captain of this team, it has to be Marcus Betts. Shohei may be the GOAT, and Max may have succeeded Kershaw as the longest tenured Dodgers, and Freddie may be Freddie. But I’d say Mookie is the go-to guy, the one who is expected to lead.
            He assumed a leadership role his arrival as the new marquee superstar. He called a team meeting, introducing himself and his expectations on the team culture. He has walked the talk ever since.
            When Shohei was with the Angels, he was asked about the players he admired. He singled out Mookie and his willingness to move to the infield to help the team win.
            Back then we were expecting him to play 2B to ease his aging bones. But Trea Turner remembered how Mookie always took infield with him and Seager, seemingly just for fun–a part of his routine.
            Then Betts moved to 2B, but it became obvious that he and Lux should switch positions–and now the former rightfielder is one of the best shortstops in the game. He put in the work and became a gold-glove finalist.
            This move was unprecedented. Shortstops are supposed to age into other positions, like Ernie Banks moving to 1B, or Robin Yount to CF. The successful move to SS, in the center of the action, complemented Mookie’s leadership role.
            We saw this on the ‘wheel” play to shut down the Phillies.
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE5Dvmytn-c

2. The 2025-2026 MLB NL West offseason has been defined by the Los Angeles Dodgers once again making aggressive moves to maintain their championship status, while the rest of the division focused on targeted upgrades and rotation stabilization.

   Los Angeles Dodgers
   Offseason Grade: A
   The Dodgers fortified an already elite roster by addressing their primary weakness from the previous season: the bullpen. By signing arguably the best closer in baseball and a top-tier outfielder, they have positioned themselves for a potential three-peat.
   Notable Additions:
   OF Kyle Tucker: Signed a four-year, $240 million contract.
   RP Edwin Díaz: Signed a three-year, $69 million contract to anchor the bullpen.
   INF Miguel Rojas: Re-signed for one year, $5.5 million.
   CF Michael Siani: Claimed off waivers from the Yankees.
   Notable Subtractions: SP Clayton Kershaw (Retired), RP Kirby Yates, RP Evan Phillips (Non-tendered), INF Kiké Hernández.

   Arizona Diamondbacks
   Offseason Grade: B-
   Arizona focused on stabilizing their rotation and infield, notably bringing back a franchise staple and acquiring a veteran star at third base.
   Notable Additions:
   3B Nolan Arenado: Acquired via trade from the Cardinals.
   SP Merrill Kelly: Re-signed to a two-year, $40 million deal.
   SP Michael Soroka: Signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract.
   RP Jonathan Loáisiga: Free agent addition for the bullpen.
   Notable Subtractions: OF Jake McCarthy (Traded to Rockies), INF Blaze Alexander (Traded to Orioles).

   San Diego Padres
   Offseason Grade: C-
   Faced with significant rotation vacancies due to the departures of Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish (injury), the Padres prioritized keeping Michael King and exploring the international market.
   Notable Additions:
   SP Michael King: Re-signed to a three-year deal.
   INF Sung-Mon Song: Star KBO infielder (Agreement reached, pending finalization).
   SP Triston McKenzie: Signed to a minor league deal.
   RP Mason Miller: Expected to transition to closer.
   Notable Subtractions: SP Dylan Cease (Signed with Blue Jays), INF Luis Arraez (Signed with Giants), RP Robert Suarez (Opted out).

   Colorado Rockies
   Offseason Grade: B
   Under new management, the Rockies were surprisingly active in the trade market, prioritizing athleticism and defensive versatility.
   Notable Additions:
   OF Willi Castro: Signed a two-year, $12.8 million contract.
   OF Jake McCarthy: Acquired from Arizona via trade.
   INF Edouard Julien: Acquired from Minnesota via trade.
   SP Michael Lorenzen: Signed a one-year contract.
   Notable Subtractions: RF Yanquiel Fernández (Waivers), RHP Jace Kaminska (Trade).

   San Francisco Giants
   Offseason Grade: D
   The Giants’ offseason has been viewed as underwhelming by analysts, characterized by low-risk veteran signings rather than the major splashes many expected.
   Notable Additions:
   OF Harrison Bader: Signed a two-year major league contract.
   INF Luis Arraez: High-profile signing to improve contact hitting.
   SP Tyler Mahle: Signed a one-year major league contract.
   RP Sam Hentges: Acquired from the Guardians.
   Notable Subtractions: RHP Kai-Wei Teng (Traded), C Carlos Martinez (Traded).

   The NL West will be less competitive than last year with the team’s offseason moves

   1. Pitching wins games and nobody in the NL West has strong starting pitching compared to the Dodgers overwhelming depth of starting pitching. That is why the Dodgers should win the West easily even slow walking it and could possibly have the overall best record if they choose to do so.

   2. I don’t see any team in the NL West making the six team NL October tournament as a Wild Card. My six teams are the Dodgers,Phillies,Braves,Mets,Cubs, and Reds or Brewers will represent the National League.

      1. Someone stupid like Arizona could slip in

   3. My six team AL teams making the October tournament are the Yankees,Red Sox,Blue Jays,Tigers,Mariners and Orioles or Rangers.

   4. That was before the Padres signed Andejar. He will help…

      Jackson Merrill was on the way to being a star in 2024, and an injury derailed him in 2025.

      The Giants will also be better… from within.

      Don’t sleep on the West.

      1. And it all depends on injuries and available replacements and their worth but in that case, the Dodgers trump the rest of baseball in spades.

         1. The rest of the league has been bidin’ its time.

      2. The NL West will sleep on itself and be a non factor in 2026.

3. 2026 NL West Projected Team WAR

   Team Projected Total WAR Key Context
   Los Angeles Dodgers 51.3 Ranked #1 in MLB; includes 17.1 WAR from starting rotation.
   Arizona Diamondbacks 40.0 Projected for 26.0 position player WAR and 14.0 pitcher WAR.
   San Diego Padres ~32.0–35.0* Features top-tier individuals like Fernando Tatis Jr. (5.1 WAR) and Jackson Merrill (4.3 WAR).
   San Francisco Giants ~30.0–33.0* Batters rank 10th in MLB; projected to finish near .500 (81-81).
   Colorado Rockies < 20.0 Listed among the bottom 4 teams in MLB (90+ loss projection).

4. “Even if a salary cap is implemented as part of the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA), Kasten said the Dodgers will still do everything in their power to win the World Series each season”.

   1. I am not a conspiracy theorist, in the least, but if I was…

      I would theorize that the Dodgers spent so much in the past two seasons on BEHALF of the owners. The Dodgers get two titles, cost certainty (if a cap is imposed) and massive asset value inflation.

5. On this day in 1993, when I was still young, the late Layne Staley of Alice In Chains saw a man giving Nazi salutes in the crowd during one of his concerts. Staley invited the man on stage, and then proceeded to punch him twice in the face and have him ejected. Legend.

   https://x.com/travisakers/status/2020552652417904670

   1. I can dig that! The only quarrel I have with that is “why only two punches?”

      You can’t do that Stuff anymore.

6. The Los Angeles Dodgers begin their official 2026 Spring Training workouts this week at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Arizona. While exhibition games do not start until next week, the team has the following reporting and workout schedule for Monday, Feb. 9, through Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026:

   Weekly Schedule (Feb. 9 – Feb. 15)
   Monday, Feb. 9 – Tuesday, Feb. 10: Early reporting. Many players, including Shohei Ohtani, have already voluntarily reported to camp ahead of official dates.
   Wednesday, Feb. 11: Mandatory reporting date for pitchers and catchers participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
   Thursday, Feb. 12: Mandatory reporting date for position players participating in the WBC.
   Friday, Feb. 13: Official reporting date and first workout for all other pitchers and catchers.
   Saturday, Feb. 14 – Sunday, Feb. 15: Ongoing workouts for pitchers and catchers. Full-squad workouts are scheduled to begin early next week on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

   Upcoming First Games
   The Dodgers do not play any exhibition games this week. Their Cactus League schedule officially kicks off next Saturday:
   Saturday, Feb. 21: vs. Los Angeles Angels (Tempe Diablo Stadium) at 1:10 PM MST.
   Sunday, Feb. 22: vs. San Diego Padres (Peoria Sports Complex) at 1:10 PM MST.
   Monday, Feb. 23: Home Opener vs. Seattle Mariners (Camelback Ranch) at 1:05 PM MST.

   Workouts at Camelback Ranch are generally open to the public and free for fans to attend. You can find additional details and ticket information on the official Dodgers Spring Training site.

7. Based on FanGraphs’ latest projections for the 2026 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers feature the highest-rated starting rotations in baseball. These projections account for significant offseason movement, including the Red Sox’s acquisition of Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray.

   The following are the top 12 MLB teams by projected starting pitching Wins Above Replacement (WAR) for 2026:
   Rank Team Projected Starting Pitching WAR
   1 Boston Red Sox 18.3
   2 Los Angeles Dodgers 17.1
   3 Atlanta Braves 17.0
   4 Seattle Mariners 16.8
   5 Detroit Tigers 16.1
   6 Philadelphia Phillies 15.8
   7 Pittsburgh Pirates 15.1
   8 Toronto Blue Jays 15.1
   9 New York Mets 13.9
   10 Miami Marlins 13.6
   11 Cincinnati Reds 13.4
   12 Houston Astros 13.0

   Key Rotation Highlights
   Boston Red Sox: Led by Garrett Crochet (projected top-three starter) and newly acquired Sonny Gray, the Red Sox rotation is projected to improve by 6.7 WAR compared to 2025.
   Detroit Tigers: Features the highest-projected “1-2 punch” in MLB with Tarik Skubal (6.3 WAR) and Framber Valdez (3.6 WAR).
   Los Angeles Dodgers: Despite being narrowly passed by Boston in some metrics, they remain elite with a deep staff led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
   Seattle Mariners: Maintain a top-tier projection primarily through a young, homegrown core led by Logan Gilbert.

   There is NO starting pitching staff represented in the NL West besides the Dodgers.

   1. Aint no way Bostons staff is better than ours, I dont care what the advanced metrics say…..

8. Based on FanGraphs’ 2026 preseason projections (updated as of February 2026), the following teams feature the highest projected Wins Above Replacement (WAR) for their lineups (position players). The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets lead the league, with the Mets significantly climbing the rankings following the off-season acquisitions of Juan Soto, Bo Bichette, and Luis Robert Jr..

   Top 12 MLB Lineups by Projected WAR (2026)
   Los Angeles Dodgers: 32.1 WAR
   New York Mets: 31.2 WAR
   New York Yankees: 30.8 WAR
   Toronto Blue Jays: 29.5 WAR
   Atlanta Braves: 28.4 WAR
   Philadelphia Phillies: 27.6 WAR
   Baltimore Orioles: 26.9 WAR
   Seattle Mariners: 25.4 WAR
   Houston Astros: 24.8 WAR
   Cleveland Guardians: 22.5 WAR
   St. Louis Cardinals: 22.0 WAR
   Tampa Bay Rays: 21.3 WAR

   Key Lineup Insights
   New York Mets Surge: After entering the off-season with the 6th highest overall WAR, the Mets now boast the 2nd best projected lineup in MLB and the best in the NL East.
   Individual Leaders: Aaron Judge (NYY) remains the top individual projected position player with a 6.7–7.0 WAR, followed closely by Bobby Witt Jr. (KCR) at 6.5 WAR.
   The “Juan Soto Effect”: Now with the Mets, Soto is projected for 5.5 WAR, combining with Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette to create one of the most formidable infield/outfield cores in the league.
   Depth Charts: The Toronto Blue Jays maintain a top-5 position due to high-end projections for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the addition of NPB star Kazuma Okamoto.

   Again there is NO lineup represented by the NL West besides the Dodgers.

9. https://x.com/i/status/2020870924476547462

10. Caleb Durbin traded to the Red Sox from Milwaukee in a six-player trade. One of the players heading to Milwaukee is LHSP Kyle Harrison, obtained by Boston in the Devers deal. Pittsburgh signed Marcel Ozuna to a one-year deal. With a couple of days left until spring training starts, the Dodgers have no outfielders on the roster at OKC.

    1. Tibbs III, Ehrhard, Siani, and maybe Ward could end up there. Sirota is a long shot.

       Senzel also plays OF.

       1. Ehrhard is a fun follow. I think those first three are your AAA OF. Ward could move to 1B.

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