By now it’s old news that the Dodgers were named the Organization of the Year in 2017 by Baseball America. If we go back in time to when Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi took over the Dodgers three years ago, the Farm System was ranked number 14 in all of baseball by Baseball America. In one short year, FAZ elevated that ranking to #3 and in 2016, they were ranked Number One.
By that time, the Dodgers had started graduating players: Stripling, Seager, Urias and others. In 2017, they were ranked number four and yet they produced their second rookie of the year in a row. Of course, the skeptics will say that the farms system was ranked that highly because of the former Dodger front office of Ned Colletti and Logan White… and I would like to give them their props. They did draft some good young players…. and FAZ kept them!
Baseball America’s annual ratings are not out for 2018, but I am confident that the Dodgers are TOP 10… maybe TOP 5 in the Farm Systems Rankings. Even after winning five straight NL West Pennants and picking low in the draft, the Dodgers are still right up there in prospects with teams that have tanked for several years. After the Cubs World Series and their uneventful 2018, they will likely be near the bottom of the rankings.
If you look at the Dodgers TOP 25 Prospects, you will see that the majority are players picked and developed by FAZ (not in any particular order).
- Buehler – FAZ
- Verdugo – Colletti/White
- Ruiz – FAZ
- Smith – FAZ
- Diaz – FAZ
- White – FAZ
- Santana (P) – Colletti/White
- Lux – FAZ
- Kendall – FAZ
- Heredia – FAZ
- May – FAZ
- Sheffield – FAZ
- Alvarez – FAZ
- Peters -FAZ
- Estevez – FAZ
- Marinan – FAZ
- Cooper – FAZ
- Wong – FAZ
- Brito – FAZ
- Ferguson – Colletti/White
- Rios – FAZ
- Jackson – FAZ
- Beaty – FAZ
- Robinson – FAZ
- Raley – FAZ
I did include Lux and Kendall but I am not a big fan of either one, however most ratings have them in the Top 10 or 15. In three years, the farm system has only 3 draft picks by Colletti and White left. The Other Top 22 are from Friedman and Zaidi. In the interest of full disclosure, the three that are left are pretty dang good.
Next Pitching Coach
This week, the Dodgers continued to strengthen their system as they signed Mark Prior, who has garnered immense respect around the baseball community. This was a guy who had Hall-of-Fame written all over him. He was a phenom who went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA and finished 3rd in Cy Young voting. He was the Golden Boy, marching to the Hall-of-Fame. He soon had arm problems and never regained that form. He tried to comeback, over and over and over and over and finally retired after 2013.
Here’s the deal: Mark Prior has been to the mountaintop. He has been to the Penthouse and he has been to the Outhouse! He had elite ability and lost it, tried to come back repeatedly and failed. Mark Prior understands any possible struggle a pitcher can go through. He knows how to pitch and he knows what failure feels like. Mark Prior is uniquely qualified to be the Dodgers Pitching Coach and will likely replace Rick Honeycutt in 2019 or 2020 as just that! If Honey wants, he will move to a Front Office Position or retire.
Cold Stove
It has been a Cold Hot Stove League this winter. The Hot Stove League has been colder than a well digger’s butt so far. Some Dodger fans have been complaining about it. What has FAZ done lately?
- Traded Gonzalez, McCarthy, Kazmir and Culberson for Matt Kemp in order to get under the Luxury Tax Threshold
- Signed Dylan Baker, Tom Koehlor and Henry Owens; and
- Traded for Scott Alexander.
MLB Radio on the Scott Alexander trade:
“This is another excellent trade. You don’t know much about Alexander now… BUT YOU WILL. This is another example of how Friedman and Zaidi are smarter than anyone else.!
Most of these moves have been met with contempt from morons (not on this board). Maybe there is more to come. Maybe this is it. I’m ready for Spring Training either way… after all, this is the best organization in baseball.
I’m ready for Spring Training to begin…
Bye, Bye Trevor Oaks – I wish you nothing but the best… unless you are pitching against the Dodgers. I hated to see Trevor go, but he was just insurance. He had no chance in LA. Hopefully, he can start in KC.
Discussion (26)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I didn’t think the Dodgers were going to re-sign Utley for another season but with Jake Peter now a Dodger I’m sure Utley’s days as a Dodger are defiantly over. I think he still want’s to play, so good luck. When he decides to retire I hope the Dodgers find a place for him in the organization. Love watching him play.
I know that Bradley has a very good reputation for his defense in CF, and defense is important. But his relatively weak bat is not compensated for by his defense. And whatever power he has shown was achieved while playing in the AL East, which has homer friendly parks like Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Camden Yard.
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Bradley would fit well with the Dodgers as an extra outfielder, nothing more.
Reminds me of the famous Brooklyn Bridegrooms.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Brooklyn_Bridegrooms
Lots of Dodgers settling down
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https://www.truebluela.com/2017/12/29/16831888/dodgers-weddings
FAZ could be done… except for some fringe nibbling…
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or
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They could execute a blockbuster tomorrow.
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They are so much smarter than we are are.
There are three other acquisitions that you did not mention:
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1. Jesen Therrien – hard throwing reliever waived from the Phillies. Dodgers signed for two years because of TJ surgery. He will be on the 25 man come 2019.
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2. Angelo Mora – Minor League Rule 5 – Switch hitting infielder/utility – Organizational depth if nothing else.
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3. Jake Peter – Eric Stephen described him best in the article below.
https://www.truebluela.com/2018/1/5/16852560/jake-peter-dodgers-white-sox-trade
If it is true that the Dodgers were willing to trade Puig for Bradley, I wonder what was the reasoning. It would seem they want to improve the defense in CF. But they had to have a plan for RF. Verdugo is usually thought to be a year away.
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If Bradley were the CFer, would Taylor move to 2B or LF?
Would FAZ trade for Yelich and can he play RF?
Would the outfield be Pederson, Bradley, Yelich? Taylor, Bradley, Toles? Pederson, Bradley, Toles?
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There appears FAZ wants to make two more trades, maybe three.
I’m not much for trying to predict front office moves, other than the normal skepticism. I’ve followed the team by watching or listening religiously since 2008, and have been a fan all my life [65]. I’ve missed 6 games in the last 9 years. In the short time since FAZ , has taken over, I have learned a whole bunch of new baseball crap. I forget it all, but the knowledge was absorbed. I’m highly impressed with the way the organization has run the baseball side of things. Gotta win it all though. In all that time spent watching the Boys play, Trevor Oaks was rarely on the field. I like all of our players, so I wish him luck and await his return to Dodger Stadium someday. I don’t go to Arizona in person for Spring Training, and to be honest, for the first couple of weeks I mainly try and keep track of the ping pong news and shenanigans. Plus my yard has been white since Christmas…maybe when the green grass starts poking through, I will be more enthusiastic towards folks reporting to CBR. I’ve already wondered if Kemp has been working out, given directives of areas to improve. I’ve also wondered whether Kershaw and crew have began throwing at home? I watched clips of both youngsters acquired in the last trade. Alexander has good control it looks like and uses his fastball effectively by moving it on and off of the plate. He also spins the ball really, really well. The 2nd baseman Peter had quite a few game saving/winning hits/home-runs. Mark and AC you two have been doing a great job in the short time I’ve been following. Playing GM doesn’t get my motor juiced up, but learning does…I joke around a lot, I also smoke a lot stuff that sprouts up along the riverbank [I rarely drink alcohol though], so I usually forget whatever it was I once remembered.
We are certainly in a very good position for continued success going forward.
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One thing, who’s that at 8/9 on your list?
Is there any news on Seager’s elbow? This is the largest area of concern that I have going into ST and was the reason why I suggested the Kemp/ Tulowitzki trade several days ago. I just don’t see any better option that doesn’t add money to the 2018 or 2019 bottom line. Ilike many of the young options for SS in the system but all need seasoning in minors. Thoughts?