This time two years ago, and again, this time last year, the Rabid Friedman Bashers (RFB) were predicting that Clayton Kershaw would opt out of his contract due to the Dodgers failures in the World Series. The Bashers look for anything they might spin their way to make Friedman look bad and when that fails they move on to something else. I’m not sure she meant it as a compliment, but yesterday MJ said “Mark is more the ultimate optimist, when it comes to the Dodgers, and the front office.” I take it as a compliment because for a long time, I was roundly criticized for having an optimistic opinion of the Dodgers since Andrew Friedman was hired. I saw what he was doing and felt he was on the right path. Now, my optimism has been ratified. What they said about Clayton wanting out was 180 degrees wrong… as usual!
So, here we are: Two World Series Appearances Later. The pessimists say “Two World Series Losses Later” and they are correct (miserable that they are), but you only get there two years in a row if you are a really, really good team… especially when your All-Star Shortstop misses the entire season. We all are trying to think what the Dodgers need and what players the Dodgers need to trade for, but the reality of the situation is that the Dodgers don’t need Zack Greinke, Corey Kluber, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Craig Kimbrell or JT Realmuto. Don’t get me wrong, if the right situation presents itself, they would jump, but they are pretty dang good and just need to improve incementally… when it makes sense… and where it makes sense.
They won’t break the bank for Bryce Harper, but if he falls in their lap for the right price, they will jump, just like the Red Sox would not pay $200 million for JD Martinez, but when he fell in their lap for about half that, they jumped! If Adam Ottavino falls in their lap, then they will sign him, but not at the price he expects. Relivers are very fickel and the price you pay for them might very well be “INVERSE” to the value more often than not. Friedman will dabble around the fringes and maybe trade for or sign an undervalued reliever… or three… or ten.
Too many times, fans are in on the “flavor of the week.” The relief reliever that was “lock down” in 2018 might need to be “locked up” for impersonating a relief pitcher in 2019. AC has suggested some relief pitchers who were/are good candidates, but we never know what other teams are asking for from the Dodgers. Here’s what I know: If it makes sense, Friedman will be in on it. In the meantime, improvments will have to come from within. We have talked about the prospects for the bullpen…. and there are a multitude in the Farm System, but I believe the biggest improvement will come from within:
Chris Taylor
Lot’s of Dodger fans want to dump CT3 and/or Kike Hernandez, but it’s not happening. That’s the Dodgers “depth” and they are only looking at last season. Chris Taylor had a nice season in 2017 with a .288 BA/.354 OB%/.850 OPS. He dropped in 2018 to .254 BA/,331 OPS/ .775 OPS. He didn’t drop to .190/.290/.625, but to hear fans talk, you would think he did. He can play just about every infield and outfield position with skill, as can Kike. You don’t dump players like that! Consider this:
- In 2016, Player X hit .273 but rarely walked and had a .314 ob% as he struck out 108 times! He also hit 14 HR.
- In 2017, Player X hit .273, but rarely walked and had a .317 OB% as he struck out 144 times! He also hit 23 HR.
- In 2018, Player X hit .290, but rarely walked and had a .326 OB% as he struck out 167 times. He also hit 34 HR… and was an MVP Candidate.
Player X is Javier Baez, and I can see a comparison with Chris Taylor. I also think CT3 is a candidate to take “two steps forward” after one step back in 2018. In some respects CT3 is better, but Baez is more aggressive in not taking pitches. I think Taylor is likely to up his OB% by 20 to 30 points and cut down on his strikeouts… and especially… those looking. I’m not saying CT3 is Baez, but I do think he will be a lot better in 2018. Why? Because he is “driven.” That’s why!
Enrique Hernandez
Kike Hernandez was a semi-regular in 2018 and hit 21 HR with a .256 BA/.336 OB%/.806 OPS. He shouldn’t hit in the middle-of-the-order but he had 120 more AB’s in 2018 than in 2017 and reduced his strikeouts by 2. This is a guy who will grow even more in 2019. A lot of Chase Utley rubbed off on him this year and I think he will incrementally improve again in 2019. His versatility is unmatched and he plays “plus defense” at every position. He also has tremendous power in his swing. I would not be afraid to have Kike as the starting 2B in 2019. I don’t think Brian Dozier is the equal of Kike and for the price required, I would not sign DJ LeMaheiu either.
Cody Bellinger
Cody struggled at times, especially early, in 2018, but here’s all you need to look at: After two years, Cody’s 162 game average is 35 HR/95 RBI/.263 BA/.347 OB% and .869 OPS. Cody has proven to me he will adjust. He’s a Gold Glove first baseman and a very good centerfielder. I prefer him at 1B, but what happens to Max Muncy will determine that.
Austin Barnes
After an excellent 2017, Austin Barnes stumbled mightily in 2018. Why? Who knows? But it happens. After all, this is baseball. Austin Barnes is a good hitter (2018 be damned). He’s not a workhorse, but with 300 AB’s he can give you excellent defense and solid hitting (forgetabout 2018).
Corey Seager
I saved the best for last. There’s not a lot to say about this. I have heard good reports about his rehab and he will beginning baseball activities in January. Getting an All-Star Short-Stop who hustles is like winning the lottery! Nuff said!
Conclusion
The Dodgers will be ready, willing and able to sign Free Agents and Make Trades, but they won’t “Fall in Love” with a player and overpay. My youngest son fell in love with a monster truck a few months ago, that he just had to have. I told him it was a bad idea. He did it anyway and has lost about $6,000… maybe more… which is tough for a 19 year-old. Lesson learned. The same applies here: Don’t fall in love with a player because you will overpay. Consider “The Trade.” Kastren and Colletti were in love with A-Gon… Don’t let history repeat itself!
I would think that Puig, Wood and Muncy could be packaged for a quality RH hitting outfielder, prefferably a Center Fielder. I used to like Inciarte but he’s not the type of player the Dodgers need, in my opinion. Package a couple of prospects and get Mitch Haniger… the M’s are in a selling mood! Maybe a three-way deal (maybe a four-way deal). The Dodgers have Muncy, Puig, Maeda, Wood and some prospects to deal. I’d be all in for that.
Could the Dodgers live with this, or does Friedman need to find the next Mitch Haniger before he is Mitch Haniger? That is Friedman’s M.O. How’s this lineup?
- Verdugo RF
- Turner 3B
- Seager SS
- Bellinger 1B
- Haniger LF
- Taylor CF
- Hernandez 2B (with LH hitting Gavin Lux in the waiting)
- Barnes/Suzuki C
Bench: Pederson, Kemp, Freese, Toles
Disclaimer: This is simply a conversation starter. I may or may not do such a deal. Don’t try this at home.
Help Wanted
Luis Ortiz, the assistant Dodger’s hitting coach left to he the hitting coach with ChrThe Dodgers have several positions within the organization to fill. Some think this is a sign there is a problem within the organization. Actually, it’s just the opposite: The Dodgers are extrement functional and healthy and are training top-notch talent who are being offered better positions at higher pay. The Astros are experiencing the same thing. It’s part of the price you pay to be a Top Organization. Hire and train, hire and train, repeat, repeat!
I have seen Haniger play. He is good. That gives us the right hand bat we need.
I was sorry to read that Luis Ortiz is leaving for Texas, but it makes sense. He played for the Rangers, and he lives in the Dallas area. I went to college with Luis, and he was an outstanding person.
I guess he’s close with Chris Woodward too.
From Bowden in The Athletic:
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Must-do Move: Sign free agent Bryce Harper, OF
The Dodgers offered outfielder Yasiel Puig to the Nationals in exchange for Harper during the regular season last year, but were rejected by the Nats’ ownership. Although the Dodgers are saying they’re not planning on increasing the payroll enough to land a free agent at Harper’s level, it just makes too much sense for them not to change their mind. The Dodgers could use another impact bat in the middle of their lineup to go with third baseman Justin Turner and shortstop Corey Seager, and they could also use an everyday left fielder instead of their platoon of fourth outfielder types like Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp and Enrique Hernández. Harper brings the star power that’s required in Los Angeles and he would be a huge marketing point for the team with his hair, shoes and swag. Using Turner and Puig from the right side and Harper, Seager and Bellinger from the left side, the Dodgers would have a strong left-right balance in the middle of their lineup. Harper, 26, grew up in Las Vegas — a short plane or helicopter ride away — and the bright lights of La La Land would, in my opinion, be a great place for him to call home for the next decade.
Damn, Bowden has been stealing my stuff. The funny thing is Machado is a better player than Harper and is going to get less. He’s a better hitter, better fielder, can steal bases, just a lower .OBP. and doesn’t consistently play as hard. The Dodgers need another big bat. Relying on Kike, Taylor, and Barnes will not cut it. All good players if you count the 2017 version of Barnes, but every time I saw all three in the lineup at the same time I cringed. I agree that either Taylor or Kike could play 2B for as much value as DJ. However if you want to see K’s drop or moving runners over when necessary, we can’t go with the status quo. The rest of the league will catch you if you’re doing nothing to get better. Bowden has it right the Dodgers need Harper in LF not RF. Time to move Joc who’s lower salary and more control will be more appealing to some than Puig. For the Dodgers it would be silly to move Puig unless they think he can’t function without Turner Ward.
Harper is the right choice for all those reasons. But, is he the right fit personality wise? He has a big ego to go along with his skills. Would he blow up the comradeship that the team enjoys now? Maybe that’s why the team has been mute about Harper. Or it could be as Mark has said, “they waiting to see if he drops into their laps.”
Harper being a Dodger won’t come down to the world’s biggest contract. He has to have the desire to be here, and then work with us contract-wise to make this work. If he wants to get paid, and get paid only, good luck in Chicago with the White Sox or SF with that terrible squad. Come here, get paid very well, and increase your marketing by 50%. Plus, even though Trout is better, Harper will be the face of baseball with LA on his head.
I think Harper signing won’t come anytime soon. This may not drag out as long as the JD Martinez thing did, but it will get done earliest in December, if not Jan.
We have tons of trade bait, and we can really help a decent team get much stronger with some of our excess talent.
My personal desire is Harper, Verdugo, Puig outfield. Bellinger and his gold glove stay at 1b. Muncy/Kike/Ct3 play 2b. CT3 also gives Seager many days off early on as he comes back.
Been busy with a herniated disk(s) and pinched nerve running down my leg to post, but as usual been reading all the informative posts on this blog daily.
“My personal desire is Harper, Verdugo, Puig outfield. Bellinger and his gold glove stay at 1b.”
100% agree.
I don’t see the Mariners parting with Haniger, he is pre-arb and is the type of player you build around. Harper in LF is the only way I can see Vedugo getting a chance to take CF. Verdugo is destined to rack up his frequent flyer miles this year until he proves himself and takes a job away from someone else. Bellinger is an extremely productive CF and will remain there until there is a better option. I think they can get by with CT3 at 2B until Lux takes his job, Lux looks like the real deal, potential All-Star and lead-off hitter, so they aren’t going to sign anyone to a 3 year deal to play 2B. Kike is more valuable as a super utility and a bat off the bench than he is as an everyday 2B or any other position. I don’t see any American League contender stepping up to trade for Kemp (Astros, Yankees, BoSox, Cleveland) this seems very unlikely. Certainly, the A’s won’t, ditto for the Rays. For these reason’s there isn’t any obvious changes to this roster IMO other than a catcher to split time with Barnes. The have a lot of Starting Pitching and 4th outfielder types and Rule 5 guys so trades are coming. It just isn’t very obvious who they will be able to get. Someone with 1-2 more years of arbitration, not a pre-arb guy.
This is our best lineup, barring the unforeseen deal that no one saw coming – classic Andrew Friedman.
Taylor 2B R
Seager SS L
Turner 3B R
Bellinger CF L
Kemp / Pederson LF R / L
Muncy / Freese 1B L / R
Puig RF R
Barnes C R
Kike All Pos R
Toles All OF L
Some Catcher
59, not that I disagree with you, or that you’re wrong, but that lineup still wins the NL west haha!
Bobby, I too agree that the roster 59inarow has put up is likely to be the one we see come ST. That lineup will win the NL West and could win the AL Central. But that is it. I do not see it winning a WS or NLCS or maybe even a NLDS. It is high on depth, but not much on elite talent after Corey Seager and JT.
Bobby – agreed! I think Barnes, Taylor, Muncy all deserve another look. We can use a big, reliable right handed bat right smack in the middle of the order. That would do a lot for this team. His name is Jose Abreu. Harper would also be great, but if you’re gonna spend big, I’d rather wait for Arrenado. I wouldn’t be opposed to signing Dozier on a short deal hoping for a bounce back season from the bone bruise. 1-2 years of Dozier with CT3 as insurance will bide time until Lux is ready. I think a reliever with experience closing is a must as well as a second catcher. Can’t wait for some sh!t to happen. Less than a month until the winter meetings!
I’d be happy with a Harper, Verdugo, Puig outfield with Cody at 1B. And I also believe that Harper could leverage playing in LA into a huge marketing bonanza, for himself, Boras, and the Dodgers. Will it happen? Don’t have a clue. Too many variables.
Mark
I meant it as a compliment.
I understand your early back ground with the Dodgers, so I understand where you are coming from.
That is pretty ingrained in you.
And I you wouldn’t be where you are today, without the drive and optimism you have for things, so it isn’t surprising, you are like that with the Dodgers too.
I have been opining for months now that one of the problems with the Dodgers in 2018 was the assumption apparently made that players who played very well in 2017 would continue to play as well or better in 2018. This assumption was based, as they say in court, on facts not in evidence.
–
Cody Bellinger had a miraculous year in 2017; not so miraculous in 2018. By the end of the season, he was being platooned most of the time. His weaknesses at the plate were revealed in the World Series in 2017 and he has not really recovered from that. Our host has tried to paper over that by giving us a 162 game average over 2 years. His actual numbers?
2018 – .260/.348/.470/.814, 25 HR, 151 K in 632 PA
2017 – .267/.352/.581/.933, 39 HR, 146 K in 548 PA
How many times did we see Cody flail away at a low inside breaking pitch or a high fastball this year? Sure, he’s a good player but we will probably never see 2017 numbers again. Was 2017 a career year?
–
Chris Taylor came out of nowhere in 2017 but didn’t surprise anyone in 2018. I heard John Smoltz talk over and over again about his “grooved swing” – that he was looking for a certain pitch in a certain plain and if he didn’t get it, he would just miss. He swung and missed so often in 2018. The only thing that he did more often was to look at strike 3 down the middle of the plate.
2018 – .254/.331/.444/.775, 17 HR, 178 K in 604 PA. And yes, in a record year for Ks in baseball, Taylor lead the league in Ks in 2018.
2017 – .288/.354/.496, 21 HR, 142K in 568 PA. Can you say career year?
–
Austin Barnes is another one. He hit .207 in a small sample in 2015, .156 in a similar sample in 2016 and out of nowhere, hit .289 in 2017. Last year? .205 . WHICH OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS? Can you say career year?
–
Next year’s candidate for regression? Max Muncy. His 2018 numbers are not sustainable and he was overmatched in the postseason.
–
The problem? The Braintrust seems to bank on getting a career year every year from every player.
Rick, while I agree with your general analysis, I am not in agreement on a couple of specific players.
.
Cody Bellinger is 23 years old (will be 24 in July). To say that his age 22 season is a career year might be a bit harsh. Cody has shown an ability to change, but with all of the negative WS approaches, he still has a 2 year line of .263/.347/.522/.869. In 84 additional PA in 2018 over 2017, he only had 5 additional Ks. A .869 OPS is very comparable to Manny Machado at the same age. The only real difference was in their batting averages. What would Belli’s OPS be if he played half his games at Camden? Machado went backward at 24 before having his career year at 25. We need to see if Cody will make the adjustments as a 24-25 year old before we label his rookie season as a career year.
.
The other player I am not as down on as you may be is Austin Barnes. With the exception of 2018, every year that Austin has had significant PA, he has hit very well. I think that 2018 is the outlier, and that for 2019 he will be closer to the 2017 numbers than 2018. Barnes is not JT Realmuto or even Kurt Suzuki with the bat. But he is better defensively than both of them. In the long run, Austin Barnes can be the best back up C in MLB.
.
I agree that I have my rose colored glasses on when it comes to Belli and Barnes.
I don’t think it’s lamentable nor unreasonable to expect young players to improve.
I believe the “talk” that LAD will not surpass the Competitive Balance Tax Threshold, and yet that does not discourage me. After Hyun-jin Ryu accepted the QO, that decreased the potential FA coffers by $18MM, and thus, in my mind, ending any thought of Bryce Harper. I have never been a supporter of signing Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, or any of the other projected high cost FA’s, or trading for Giancarlo Stanton. With Ryu, Cots is now projecting the Dodgers 2019 CBT payroll to be $199MM before Maeda’s incentives.
.
Mitch Haniger would be a good addition, but if I am trying to poach Mariners, I am starting with Jean Segura and moving quickly to Edwin Diaz. But I would be more than okay with Mitch Haniger in Dodger Blue.
.
You want to forget 2018 for CT3 and believe he will return to his 2017 production. Maybe he will. Not unless he changes his approach. I have no justifiable argument to dissuade any thought that a player can have an off year and return to prior years (or a prior year for CT3). And yet for many it is not conceivable that DJ LeMahieu will be able to hit away from Coors because of his splits of last year. In 2017 away from Coors DJ hit .294/.352/.401/.753, and in 2016 away from Coors he hit .303/.353/.395/.747. Plus, he is a former NL batting champ with a .348 batting average in 2016. I find it much easier to believe that DJ will hit away from Coors and provide GG defense more than CT3 or Kike’ being nearly as productive on an everyday basis. As I have previously stated, I would limit my interest to two years with a $9MM AAV.
.
Another player with a questionable 2018 but a much more productive 2017 than CT3 was Ender Inciarte. In 2017, Ender had a 201-hit season with a batting line of .304/.350/.409/.759 and has never struck out more than 94 times in a season. I cannot be convinced that while CT3 may in fact be able to return to his 2017 production, but that DJ LeMahieu and Ender Inciarte cannot. Two three-time GG winners.
.
CT3 and Kike’ are utility players that you want to put in the everyday lineup. Why stop with those two? Maybe Andrew should go out and get Marwin Gonzalez and keep Tim Locastro on the 25 man and keep Drew Jackson a phone call away at OKC. Can you imagine the lineups that Doc can put together with 4 or 5 utility players? Maybe the game is passing me by when it is preferable to not only keep 2 utility players, but put both of them in the everyday lineup, and yet turn a nose up at GG defenders like DJ LeMahieu and Ender Inciarte.
.
I also have no problem believing that Austin Barnes can return to his previous offensive production. He has always been productive with the bat except for last year.
.
As an aside, my new target for CF is Braves #6 prospect Cristian Pache. He is considered the best defensive CF in all of MiLB and is a year away. It will cost, but he just might be worth it. He is the best CF prospect for Atlanta since Andruw Jones. Pache doesn’t come close to the power of Jones, but as good defensively as Jones was, Pache is better. Pache is the reason that Inciarte may be tradeable.
I may be wrong, but I see Tim LoCastro as a AAAA player and Drew Jackson as a AAA player. I changed my mind on Gavin Lux last year so I am open with these guys too. I see more than “utility” possibilities with Kike and CT3… but I have been wrong before.
–
I don’t think any of the payers DodgerRic k mentioned have had their career year. It may be good that Turner Ward moved on. A new voice could help immensely.
I do not disagree with your assessment with Locastro and Jackson. They are AAAA utility players. But you think more highly of Kike’ and CT3 than I do, and that is where the disconnect is. I see them as virtual clones. Average bat with with good but not GG glove who can play all over the field. Extremely valuable as a utility player. Other than Javy Baez who else can play all 7 non pitch/catch positions well. Defensively, both CT3 and Kike’ are better than Marwin Gonzalez. I just see the Dodgers being better with LeMahieu at 2B and Inciarte at CF with one of CT3 and Kike’ playing all over. I think there is a better chance at LeMahieu than Inciarte, so maybe CT3 is CF and Kike’ is utility. But the likelihood is that Andrew will not sign DJ or trade for Inciarte and Kike” will be 2B with Muncy and CT3 will be CF.
I contend that not only have Taylor, Barnes and maybe Bellinger had their career years in 2017, so did Alex Wood, Kenley Jansen and Brandon Morrow. My beef with 2018 is that there seems to be an assumption that everyone has a career year annually.
–
As to Bluto’s comment about young players getting better, I agree that this applies to Bellinger. But Barnes was 28 in 2018; Taylor was 27 as was Wood. It’s always possible that any player could improve from year to year but at some point you look for a track record and at some point age suggests that a player has plateaued. You are talking about a 29 year old Austin Barnes in 2019 and a 28 year old Chris Taylor. It seems like if these players haven’t plateaued by now that they will soon.
Cody had 186 at bats against lefties last year, so I don’t think his overall numbers were as bad, as some think.
Cody did have a slow start, but he did adjust, and come back.
But I don’t think those extreme platoons they had toward the end of the season, are good for any young hitter, including Cody.
I believe Cody makes us a better team when he is at first, because he makes everyone else in our infield better, with his glove.
I also think Cody might have a better season at the plate, if he is mainly just playing first, too.
Like I already said, there is no one on this team that can play first as well as Cody, but we have others on this team, that can play center.
And we already had to many outfielders before Cody was moved to center.
I think Barnes will be fine as the back up catcher next year too.
But Roberts is going to have to split the time between our catchers a little more evenly, so Barnes gets enough at bats, to stay sharp enough, to get a hit when we need a hit.
I also agree with everyone that our same old line up of players, are not going to do it.
We need much more balance in our line up next year, in order to have a more consistent offense.
Because waiting for a HR is silly, because that HR might not ever come, it is better to have more then one way, to score runs.
And that same old line up that couldn’t get the job done, in the most important situations in games last year, isn’t suddenly going to figure it out.
Most of those same players have had plenty of chances, to do better in high leverage situations.
But they have failed badly in these situations, in the last few years, and especially this last year, and in this last World Series.
I also think we do need another big bat in our line up, but I am not sure who that should be.
I don’t see this front office signing Harper, or any big free agents, unless the field clears out, and there are not many teams left for Harper to bargain with.
Like what Rick has often said, what has this front office did in the past, that is probably what they will continue to do.
Any of you Soccer fans watching England v USA?
–
What’s happened to your team?
Was good not long ago…
(see Ryder Cup)
Soccer was recently banned in the USA.
And for good reason too!
I’ll drink to that! My first words to my son when he was born was NO SOCCER! McClanahan’s play baseball.
Mostly agree with AC above, although I would consider a 3 year deal for LeMahieu. My best guess is that he sees a longer term deal blocking Lux at 2nd base. I’m not worried about that.
–
We really have no idea what the situation will be like in 2021. First off, we are doing nothing more than makings projections for a young player who still has no MLB track record. Also, we have no idea how well JT will age, nor if at some point his knee might become a problem.
–
So maybe by 2021 Lux will become at least a temporary candidate for 3B. And besides, would it be so bad if Lux became a temporary candidate for s utility job? I think not, at least not as long as LeMshieu was performing well.
And also, who’s to say that LeMahieu will not become a valuable trade piece himself by 2021.
–
In general, I am convinced that we are already a contender, but that changes are needed to push us over the top.
The Marlins’ early asking price for Realmuto this winter is said to be beyond staggering. Last winter, the Marlins insisted the Braves include Ronald Acuna Jr. in any Realmuto deal, and asked for Victor Robles from the Nationals — and this fall, rival evaluators report, Miami’s demands for Realmuto are even higher. This conservative approach is what other clubs expected, after the Marlins traded away a star-studded outfield of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna without netting a single player currently ranked among the top 100 prospects. Yelich is likely to win the MVP, and it might be that the Marlins will try to make absolutely sure they don’t make a mistake with Realmuto.
A good negotiator always starts high
In the 2nd sentence of the 1st paragraph of my post above, “he” refers to AC not LeMahieu.
Brooklyn, how come you never use the Edit button? :0)
Come on Watford… Youth soccer is an organized baby-sitting service till kids get in middle/high school… After that you know it’s chicks and the long ball or driving up the middle for the slam…
Now I’m all in Ireland vs New Zealand All Blacks Saturday..
Pete – hope the back is on the mend.
Watched the All Blacks v England last Saturday. What a game. Decided by the Video Referee overturning an England Try in the last minute.
I think Ireland will win, as they are better than England.
–
Absolute chaos here as the Brexit negotiations reach a climax.
Pound falling against every currency.
Prime Minister could well be on the way out. Interesting times in politics.
–
Just heard that there are now up to 600 people missing in the Malibu fires.
That is a shocking number. Hope everyone on here is not affected.
I think the 600 missing is in the Camp fire up north of Sacramento. But they are still missing with 90 confirmed dead.
The way Barnes declined offensively is a mystery to me. He went from being a huge contributor to an automatic out hoping for a walk. It seemed like he was just behind from day 1 in spring training with his elbow injury and never got up to speed. A year ago we all thought he would hold down the fort until the kids were ready. 2018 was just plain Fugly for him.
Stuff happens. Sometimes we Hear why… sometimes we don’t. Barnes has always had the hit tool. I think he can be solid.
He got married in the off-season. Maybe the first year of marriage affected his performance. Not totally beyond the realm of possibility. I think he’ll rebound.