James Tibbs III seems to have improved since joining the Dodgers. He changed his leg kick from being a “timing mechanism” to being a “metronome tap.” When he came to the Dodgers, they knew his swing did not need to be overhauled, like Justin Turner’s. The Dodgers reportedly encouraged him to return closer to the swing that made him a star at Florida State rather than chasing exit-velocity tweaks. Mechanically, that helps him to access his pull-side power, sync his hips and hands, and get the barrel out sooner.
Could he become the next Justin Turner? Well, not exactly, because JT was a RH hitter and JTIII is a LH hitter, but I think the answer is yes! They are similar in that they both have a “bat-first profile,” with strong plate discipline and the ability to make mechanical adjustments. Neither player is a standout athlete defensively.
Turner’s transformation was a mechanical reinvention plus swing-plane overhaul. Tibbs already has a polished swing and approach, so his ceiling is more likely to be a high-OBP corner bat with 20-25 HR power. If he learns to handle high velocity and left-handed pitching, he goes from a “useful platoon corner bat” to a “dangerous everyday hitter in a good lineup.” JTIII has a “slow heartbeat” at the plate, meaning that he doesn’t chase much, doesn’t panic with two strikes, and sees the ball well. These types of hitters age well and often overperform projections.
If everything clicks, Tibbs could become something like: .270 / .360 OBP / 25 HR corner outfielder. That is basically a middle-of-the-order complementary bat on a good team. Not a superstar, but extremely valuable.
| Skill | Tibbs profile |
|---|---|
| Plate discipline | Excellent |
| Strike zone judgment | Advanced |
| Contact ability | Above average |
| Raw power | Quietly strong |
JTIII is a player to watch. I would love to see him as a platoon option in LF to Teoscar. JTIII could hit when the tough RHPs are on the mound. He has a shot to make the team, either now or later this year.
Neen digging Tibbs too. When the inevitable Teo/Tucker hamstring arises, he’s in line to make his debut. Hit dingers, draw walks, run the bases well, field your position, play hard. That’s the Dodger way.
Remaining WBC Schedule (All times ET)
Date Round Matchup Time TV Location
Sat, March 14 Quarterfinal Puerto Rico vs. Italy 3:00 PM FS1 Houston, TX
Sat, March 14 Quarterfinal Venezuela vs. Japan 9:00 PM FOX Miami, FL
Sun, March 15 Semifinal 1 Dominican Rep. vs. USA 8:00 PM FS1 Miami, FL
Mon, March 16 Semifinal 2 QF 3 Winner vs. QF 4 Winner 8:00 PM FS1 Miami, FL
Tue, March 17 Final SF 1 Winner vs. SF 2 Winner 8:00 PM FOX Miami, FL
Recent Results
Quarterfinal 1: Dominican Republic 10, South Korea 0 (7 innings).
Quarterfinal 2: United States 5, Canada 3.
4:05 PM ET
Dodgers (93-69)
White Sox (60-102)
SP Justin Wrobleski L
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Mike Vasil R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
CF Andy Pages R
DH Kyle Tucker L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
3B Max Muncy L
2B A. Freeland S
C D. Rushing L
RF Zach Ehrhard R
LF Zyhir Hope L
87° Wind 5 mph R-L
Hope!
0-3 3 Ks
Levels to this game
JT3!
I can’t think of a single major leaguer with a Roman numeral in his name. (But wait… Is it Michael Harris II?)
I wonder if Tibbs was ever called “Trip.”
Tibbs is ticketed for OKC but could be an injury away.
Duke,
Just to add another name sitting in the waiting room.
Star Trek Enterprise had a “III” nicknamed Trip. One of my favorite Trekkie series.
Back to baseball: like the original JTIII, Erdhard is a RH but with less power and more speed than Tibbs. Let’s see where both of them are when the sprain, strain, pull or break happens. They are batting the same currently but Erdhard had more SB and 3 3Bs despite not being a “III”. And he can fit in CF. Not sure Tibbs has the speed for it.
Today there are two Dodger split squad games at 4PM ET and shortly after that major cuts will be made to the Opening Day roster.
Only Will Smith remains active at the WBC. Diaz ,Kim, Ohtoni and Yamamota all heading to Dodger camp after their recent losses.
His name is still Ohtani
About ready for real games
4:05 PM ET
Watch Now
Dodgers (93-69)
Cubs (92-70)
SP Emmet Sheehan R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Jameson Taillon R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
2B Hyeseong Kim L
DH Alex Call R
SS Mookie Betts R
C D. Rushing L
3B S. Espinal R
RF J. Suwinski L
LF Zach Ehrhard R
1B James Tibbs L
CF M. Siani
85° Wind 3 mph Out
4:05 PM ET
Rangers (81-81)
Dodgers (93-69)
SP Trey Supak R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP River Ryan R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
SS Miguel Rojas R
RF Kyle Tucker L
1B F. Freeman L
LF T. Hernandez R
3B Max Muncy L
CF Andy Pages R
2B A. Freeland S
DH Zyhir Hope L
C E. Alfonzo S
86° Wind 5 mph Out
Dodgers win both games today.
Tucker bomb
Ryan dealing
Team is ready
Suwinski with a long 3-run homer against the Cubs and Erhard continued to impress with a 2-run triple.
Suwinski was a nice pick-up…. but may be an obstacle for Tibbs, etc.
Erdhard’s speed is making a difference in his competition with Tibbs. Ability to play CF is huge.
Tibb is LH which is a leg up.
Let’s not forget at the time of the trade ESPN’s David Schoenfield (whoever he is) gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a surprisingly low ‘C+’ grade for their deadline day deal which sent Dustin May to the Red Sox.
Acquiring Tibbs and Ehrhard for Dustin May, AF committed highway robbery without a mask. That’s why he is heading for the HOF one day as one the best executives ever in the game.
4:05 PM ET
Brewers (97-65)
Dodgers (93-69)
SP Chad Patrick R
0-0 .00 ERA
SP Tyler Glasnow R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH Miguel Rojas R
1B F. Freeman L
SS Mookie Betts R
3B Max Muncy L
LF T. Hernandez R
2B Hyeseong Kim L
RF James Tibbs L
CF Zach Ehrhard R
C E. Alfonzo S
88° Wind 3 mph L-R
“According to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group, Ohtani and Yamamoto are both expected to pitch in a game before the Dodgers leave Arizona:
Ohtani and Yamamoto are likely to pitch in games before the Dodgers break camp on Saturday, but their schedules have not been determined yet.
Ohtani and Yamamoto won’t have much time to throw off a mound as the Dodgers have just five Cactus League games remaining before they depart Arizona on Saturday. It’s possible that one or both players pitch in a “B” game on a backfield at Camelback Ranch, but L.A. might prefer they face Major League competition instead”.
Ohtani has not pitched in a game this spring, so it’s possible that he will be limited to some degree when he makes his first pitching start of the regular season.
2026 Cactus League Standings
Rank Team W-L PCT
1 Los Angeles Dodgers 17-7 .708
2 San Francisco Giants 16-7 .696
3 Texas Rangers 14-10 .583
4 Chicago White Sox 13-10 .565
5 Cincinnati Reds 13-10 .565
6 Los Angeles Angels 13-12 .520
7 Cleveland Guardians 11-11 .500
8 San Diego Padres 11-11 .500
9 Colorado Rockies 11-12 .478
10 Arizona Diamondbacks 10-13 .435
11 Milwaukee Brewers 9-13 .409
12 Kansas City Royals 9-14 .391
13 Chicago Cubs 9-14 .391
14 Athletics 12-13 .480
15 Seattle Mariners 6-16 .273
GLENDALE, Ariz. — He got the final outs of the Dodgers’ successful title defense, and he’ll be the first to take the ball as the team opens its bid for a three-peat.
“Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start on Opening Day for the second straight year, manager Dave Roberts announced on Monday. The Dodgers’ regular-season slate begins on March 26, when they’ll raise the banner commemorating their 2025 championship before first pitch against the D-backs at 5:30 p.m. PT”.
I would prefer to raise the banner at the first home game against the Giants. Second choice: Padres.
“A Padres club already thin on rotation depth delivered some rough news for fans Monday, as manager Craig Stammen revealed that righty Joe Musgrove is expected to open the season on the injured list (video link via 97.3 The Fan). Musgrove hasn’t thrown in more than a week. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports that he didn’t recover as well as hoped following an exhibition start against Great Britain’s World Baseball Classic club”.
“Dodger Stadium has long been one of MLB’s most iconic stadiums, and its core has remained intact even as upgrades modernize it since it was first opened in 1958.
To this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers have avoided one trend that most teams across every sport follow: selling the naming rights to their stadiums, or wherever they play games.
Only seven other teams in MLB play at a stadium without a naming rights deal attached to them, the Baltimore Orioles (Oriole Park), Boston Red Sox (Fenway Park), Chicago Cubs (Wrigley Field), Kansas City Royals (Kauffman Stadium), Los Angeles Angels, (Angel Stadium), New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium) and the Washington Nationals (Nationals Park.But that list is dropping by one as the Dodgers have agreed to sell the naming rights to their field after reaching a deal with Uniqlo, according to Katie Woo of The Athletic:
At a time when the presence of Shohei Ohtani has transformed the global branding of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team has agreed to a deal with fashion giant Uniqlo to become Dodger Stadium’s official field presenting partner, multiple sources tell The Athletic, attaching a sponsorship to the historic ballpark for the first time in its 64-year history.
Woo also reported the Dodgers will not be selling the rights to their stadium name, and they were unwilling to do so throughout the process. Instead, they are likely to use two separate names for their field and stadium:
However, Uniqlo will hold the rights to the playing field, which will likely be named Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers are expected to announce the deal and reveal the official name of their field before Opening Day”.
Who is UNIQLO?
Japanese Fast Fashion Giant: Founded in 1949 as a textile manufacturer in Yamaguchi, Japan, it has grown into one of the world’s five largest specialty fashion retailers.
Core Philosophy: Known for its “LifeWear” concept—simple, high-quality, and functional everyday clothing designed to make life better for everyone.
Signature Technologies: They are famous for fabric innovations such as HEATTECH (heat-trapping thermal wear) and AIRism (breathable, moisture-wicking fabric).
Global Presence: The company operates over 2,500 stores worldwide, with massive footprints in Japan and Greater China.
Blech
$$$$$$
2025 Sponsorship Revenue Comparison
Team Est. Sponsorship Revenue
Los Angeles Dodgers $200M+
New York Yankees $100M – $120M
Boston Red Sox $100M+
Chicago Cubs $100M+
Atlanta Braves $100M+
Good to see Machado and Tatis lose last night. Machado being the captain of any team is laughable.
Kim vs Freeland for the final non-pitcher roster spot. Espinal is making the team Mark at least until Edman is back.
Interesting choices for the pen.
Locks-Diaz, Scott, Treinen, Vesia
Most likely-Wrobleski, Dreyer, Casperius
My Final two-Hurt, Klein
I think they wait to put River Ryan in the rotation until after the two off days. Henriquez is the odd man out but along with Ryder Ryan he becomes the rotating guy with options with Hurt and Klein. I love Wrobo but while they are still building guys up I think he’s most valuable as a swing guy.
Assets in waiting-Phillips, Stewart, and Bazooka
And I feel that Kim wins that job over Freeland. Espinal’s ability to play 3rd too and Kim’s ability to play CF as pinch run puts Freeland back at AAA to start the year. Interesting stat though. Freeland has had zero chases in spring training.
If Treinen is indeed a lock coming out of ST, I hope he has a short leash.
Dodgers aren’t afraid to cut ties when needed. Barnes, Taylor, etc.
Barnes would have been gone 3 years earlier if it wasn’t for his friendship with Kershaw and should have been.
Freeland has batted .118 with .480 OPS this spring.
Noah Miller has batted .270 with a .777 OPS–and he’s better known for defense.
More roster cuts after Monday’s loss.
Eight (8) players over to the minor league side.
OF Michael Siani and reliever Paul Gervase are on the 40-man roster, so they were optioned down.
NRIs Ehrhard, Tibbs III, Miller, Hope, Cole, and (Ryder) Ryan were reassigned.
Espinal was player of spring, but Ehrhard was close.
Had another injection in my eye. Then found out I am going to need them in both eyes. Even though the MD in my right eye is what they call dry MD, there is a blind spot forming. If it gets to the center of the eye, I will lose my sight in that eye. So even though the game was on TV, I listened more than watched at least until Treinen threw two pitches, HBP, grand slam, ball game. Considering the beat down they gave LA, it was probably good I did not see it. Impressed with Erhart and Tibbs III. I think Espinal and Kim will share 2nd base until Edman and Kike are ready. After that, what happens is anyone’s guess. Call will be the 4th outfielder. Only real question is the starting rotation and the last bullpen spot. Henriquez has improved his stock lately. Treinen on very thin ice and Dreyer looked awful today.
Mark thinks lefty Tibbs is first in line but if Teo or Pages pull something, Righty Erdhard might have the leg up. Call had an excellent spring and seem to make it out of it healthy. Kim had a hit and SB yesterday and despite his terrible WBC showing, he should share duties with Espinal or Miggy, do some pinch running and maybe even some CF. If Trenien makes the team, get ready for late innings loses.
Sending best wishes and hope to you on your eye treatment.
Bear bless you and praying.my dad has it .He is a 88 and he has had It for a long time and lost one eye
Treinen looks done to me. It’s a question how long will the Dodgers put up with his non performances before they release him. He has been well rewarded for his gutsy performance in the 2024 World Series with a 2 year contract. Father time is undefeated and eventually catches up with all of us at some point.
Top 10 Most Valuable MLB Teams (2025)
The following valuations are based on Forbes’ annual report released in March 2025:
Rank Team 2025 Valuation 1-Year Change
1 New York Yankees $8.2 Billion —
2 Los Angeles Dodgers $6.8 Billion —
3 Boston Red Sox $4.8 Billion —
4 Chicago Cubs $4.6 Billion 9%
5 San Francisco Giants $4.0 Billion 5%
6 New York Mets $3.2 Billion —
7 Philadelphia Phillies $3.1 Billion 6%
8 Atlanta Braves $3.0 Billion —
9 Houston Astros $2.8 Billion —
10 Los Angeles Angels $2.75 Billion 2%
[Sources: Forbes (1.3.1), USA Today (1.3.2), Yahoo Sports (1.3.5)]
Blake Snell Hopes To Return To Dodgers Before End Of April
Hopefully Bear you get your eyes straightened out.
Loyalty sometimes is a detriment to an organization. Trienan is or should I say was a very important part of that bullpen. He may or may not be toast. His performance last season and in the playoffs was not even mediocre. I believe he gets every opportunity to regain some of his previous success. Barnes probably was around a couple of years too long. Conforto was allowed to play way longer than he should have. So if Trienan shows them he can still get the job done, great! But if his performance continues as it has since the end of the 24 season, I hope they do the right thing.
So far Teo looks healthy and completely energized! I said earlier that he is in line for a big rebound season! With Max looking healthy also, and Mookie getting back to being Mookie, this could very well be the best offensive team in dodger history! This team looks to be much better than the previous two world champions! Health seems to be the only thing that could derail the locomotive known as the Dodgers!
Can’t wait to see what the starting rotation looks like when camp breaks! I know River Ryan is probably headed for AAA, but I can’t wait to see him on the mound in LA! Emmit is also going to be fantastic again this season! Wrobleski hit a small bump in the road the other day. Gavin Stone is not ready for a while. Sasaki is the wildcard! Just hope he’s not helplessly wild!
Mark DeRosa gets a great opportunity tonight. A win tonight and people will forget how close he came to blowing this opportunity! Go USA!
Hey I’ve got a great trade idea! How about Steven Nelson, Joe Davis, and Jessica Mendoza to the blue jays for Dan Schulman? I like it!