It’s probably too early to make roster predictions, but I am going to make one right about now: ANDREW TOLE HAS MADE THE TEAM… and not only that, he is going to be a big part of this team moving forward. Alex Verdugo looks ready too, but he will go down to OKC, at least for a while. It has been said that there will likely be only 12 position players on the roster on opening day, but I do not believe that. There are 5 off-days in April so the team will likly go with 12 pitchers and 13 position players in April.
Barring trades or injuries, there are the locks:
- Grandal
- Barnes
- Bellinger
- Forsythe
- Seager
- Turner
- Kemp
- Taylor
- Puig
- Hernandez
- Toles
The last two spot boils down to Farmer, Peter, Thompson and Utley. Hopefully, Chase will develop a hangnail and have to go on the DL. I like Trayce Thompson and he deserves to have a shot on a major league team, but it won’t be in LA. Kyle Farmer can play multiple positions and I like Jake Peter – he may not have Utley’s clubhouse presence, but Chase doesn’t have Jake’s bat.
So, I pick, Peter and Farmer to be the 12th and 13th position players on the team. The opening day lineup looks like this:
- Taylor CF
- Seager SS
- Turner 3B
- Bellinger 1B
- Kemp LF
- Puig RF
- Forsythe 2B
- Grandal C
- Kershaw P
We have another televised game tonight.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Discussion (32)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Houston,
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I think we have our #2: Alex Wood! He has looked very, very filthy!
I don’t remember who wanted to see Kemp go oppo, but that was hit pretty hard to the right side!
Anyone looking to get into an NCAA basketball pool next week let me know. I’ve been running one the last two years as a fundraiser for youth baseball. It’s $20 per bracket. Half goes to a 13U baseball team. We’ve raised $1000 the last two years from the NCAA pool. The other $1000 went out in prize money. Now back to Dodger Talk.
For whom the bell Toles…
I know, it was pretty bad when I coined it last week, but what the heck!?!…
Mark I hope you’re right about Andrew!!! An asset to our lineup…
We have so many youngsters seemingly ready!!! As Roberts, staff and F.O.
lock themselves in a war room some where in Camelback the cheese will get binding… OKC will be powerhouse on paper this year…
May ChrisTaylor bless you all….
Mark, DAMN, is this blog on fire??? Good stuff.
So, question, Grandal loses his spot to Barnes last year, Barnes obviously is much better offensively according to last year while Grandal has the defensive stats (even though Dave Roberts compared the two as elite defensively). Barnes started most LHP games last year and eventually took over some RHP catching duties from Grandal, why is Grandal starting over Barnes? Is it strictly the arm and pitch framing to start the season?
I feel like toles is the perfect #8 hitter: can draw a walk if the pitcher wants to pitch around him; can put a charge in one if guys are on base; has speed which can be used in front of the top of the order. also, it seems he doesn’t have much ego and would be willing to play there. something like this would be pretty sweet:
cf–taylor
ss–seager
3b–turner
1b–bellinger
rf–puig
c-grandal
2b–forsythe
lf–toles
It really is amazing how we have like 5 starting outfielders. Other teams must be cringing with jealousy!!
… and if Matt Kemp is not GREAT, theToles may start in LF shortly.
Did you trade Joc?
(Don’t tell Bums)