While most everyone was saying that DJLM was a guarantee to re-sign with NYY, there are comments emanating from Cashman that indicate that DJLM is not a slam dunk. However, the negotiations have gone nowhere in a while. Could it be that some other team is making headway into the negotiations causing Cashman some concern?
I have been a DJLM advocate for nearly the last three years. I was disappointed that DJLM ended up with NYY, while after the 2018 season many of the baseball pundits scribed how perfect a fit he would be in the LAD lineup. Alas it was not meant to be.
There are a number of current pundits who are now hinting that LAD could be the perfect place for DJLM…again. I have maintained for the last several years that DJLM should be a Dodger. But he likes it back east, and everyone thinks that Cashman will find a way to get him signed. I read over the weekend that NYY and DJLM were $25MM apart. DJLM is looking for $100MM over 5 years, while NYY is offering 4 years at $75MM. Signing DJLM could solve a lot of problems for the Dodgers. Would they be willing to come closer to meeting DJLM’s demands? It is not my money, so I don’t mind spending it.
I know some say that DJLM is a product of Yankee Stadium. Of course that is what they said about him in Colorado. The discussion was re-energized with the Nolan Arenado rumors. Some Rockies players have grumbled in recent seasons about a lack of available resources in their attempt to overcome Coors Field and its inherent disadvantages. When they approached the front office for help, those players were often turned away by an analytics team overwhelmed with other duties. The Rockies have not only not addressed the lack of analytical help, but they have also lost 6 more analysts.
Charlie Blackmon was especially getting tired of the change of conditions when leaving Coors.
“The hardest part for me about playing in Denver is, when you leave Denver, the ball acts differently out of the pitcher’s hand,” Charlie Blackmon said. “The only variable is the atmosphere. But unfortunately, that one little variable is the difference between me getting a hit and me striking out on the same pitch.”
The most extreme road trips were going from Denver to SF and sea level, and the huge adjustment the Rockies hitters had to face.
In 2018, in the midst of a run of 15 losses in 18 games, and Blackmon had had enough. In NYY while facing off against his former teammate DJLM, he gathered his coaches in the office and went over his plans. Together with hitting coach Dave Magadan, they created an idea to cure the so-called “Coors Field hangover,” an effect that often sees the Rockies struggle at the plate over the first game or more on road trips, as pitches move differently at sea level compared to the thin air and high elevation in Denver.
Initially, the plan was strictly for Blackmon. He was prepared to do the necessary pre-game changes to make it happen. If it worked for him, maybe the rest of the team could pick up on it. But those changes had to come from Manager Bud Black and his staff. Per an article authored by Nick Groke, The Athletic,
Blackmon lobbied for a change in work habits, a rethinking of how they prepare before the first game of a road trip. On any given day during a season, Rockies hitters take batting practice on the field in a turtle shell cage. A coach lobs pitches from behind an L screen and hitters fall into the rhythm of their swings in a rotation of four or five batters at a time teeing off on 15 or so pitches apiece. On occasion, they will take individual instruction with a coach in a netted indoor batting room.
“If I go to practice, and I just murder every ball over the fence, that’s not how the game’s gonna be, right?” Blackmon said.
Blackmon devised a plan to speed up his adjustment on the road. He wanted to reset his strike zone sights, to feel what a hard slider or an elevated fastball might look like later that night. Instead of waiting for an at-bat or a game or even longer to tell him how to read pitches, he wanted to accomplish the same in a batting cage.
He started using a pitching machine that could duplicate pitches with high spin rates and velocity, a three-rotor machine he could tune to mimic that night’s pitcher. If Blackmon was set to face Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium, he could tune the machine for 12-6 curveballs and deep-diving sliders. If it was Madison Bumgarner in San Francisco, he could dial up sweeping fastballs.
Shortly thereafter, other players started to follow Blackmon’s approach. Results? The metric that the Rockies used and that Groke wrote about was Expected Slugging Percentage (xSLG). xSLG was formulated using exit velocity, launch angle and, on certain types of batted balls, Sprint Speed.
| 2019 Road xSLG | Before NYC | After NYC |
| – | ||
| Charlie Blackmon | 0.405 | 0.494 |
| Nolan Arenado | 0.418 | 0.457 |
| Trevor Story | 0.413 | 0.335 |
| Ryan McMahon | 0.338 | 0.431 |
| Garrett Hampson | 0.254 | 0.448 |
Coming in full circle, the discussion got back to DJLM. Per Blackmon, “But not only is he the same player he was in Denver, he’s actually better. He’s better than he was when he was having to jump back and forth in and out of altitude.” Ironically, Nolan Arenado also discussed DJLM.
“DJ is a perfect example of it. There are scouts and teams that get it, that Denver helps and hurts. Some of them understand the physical toll here and it crosses their minds that, ‘Hey, if we get him out of there, maybe physically he’ll be even better. ’You realize how good players are who play here and that they can play anywhere.”
LeMahieu, of course, is not the first former Rockies player to succeed outside of Coors Field. Ellis Burks played five seasons in Colorado then improved over his next three in San Francisco, even into his mid-30s. Larry Walker made a case for the Hall of Fame in a decade in Denver before getting traded to St. Louis, where he helped the Cardinals to a World Series appearance that season and an NL Championship Series in his final season. Most recently, Corey Dickerson became an All-Star in Tampa Bay after establishing himself as an effective hitter in Colorado before getting traded.
Maybe the Coors Field Hangover has more of an impact on the negative road metrics than a positive home metrics. DJLM had less than a 10% K rate in 2020 and less than 14% K rate in 2019. I doubt that Yankee Stadium assisted DJLM on making contact. DJLM just adapts because he is an exceptional hitter. With that as a preface, I fully expect to see DJLM back in a NYY uniform for 2021…
I have also wanted Corey Kluber for 3 years. However, I am not blocking May or Gonsolin or Gray or any of the 2020 draft picks for Corey. The word is that Kluber will either sign with NYY or Boston. Again he is an East Coast guy. Per Peter Gammons:
One of the most interesting figures for a Yankee-Red Sox scrum is Corey Kluber. He has been throwing at Eric Cressey’s facilities in Hudson, Ma. and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Those watching him feel he will come back close to his 2018 level, as the shoulder procedure that ended his 2020 season was not considered complicated. Cressey is the Yankees’ director of conditioning and rehabilitation. Corey and Amanda Kluber and their daughters live in Winchester, Ma., not far from Pedro Martínez, and Kluber has worked out for several years with Cressey at his Hudson facility; Amanda grew up in Winchester, as well. Kluber has been a great pitcher, and he is potentially a tremendous influence on either staff’s young pitchers.
Plus, Kluber’s agent is also Chris Sale’s agent. Boston is not ready to make any determination of their specific needs (they do need SP) and how to address all of them, so his agent is in no hurry until he can get some concrete feedback from Boston. Kluber is planning on throwing in front of interested teams in January. Kluber is a veteran and former CY winner. He is not worried about not getting signed. I have no doubt that he is going to get some offer in NY or Boston or DC or Philly…
I doubt that AF will spend more than one phone call on Kluber, and I doubt that LAD will have any significant scout at the throwing session .
Discussion (76)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Being of Irish descent, should I be offended by Notre Dame being the “Fighting Irish”?
My god that field goal kicker is money in the bank.
Jacob Rhame just signed a minor league deal with the Padres. Used to be with the Dodgers for a short time.
The Dodgers are very unlikely to go over the Luxury Tax Threshold, so don’t get all amped up.
Arenado and/or Lindor are not coming. Neither is Hendriks.
The fact that the Dodgers have signed Brandon Morrow, Brock Stewart, James Pazos, Jimmy Nelson, and Carlos Asuaje to Minor League Contracts speaks volumes with regards to how the Dodgers treat and develop players. Three of those players, namely Nelson, Morrow, and Stewart, all pitched for the Dodgers or were on the team in the past.
The reality of the situation is that none of these players could throw a pitch in 2021 for the Dodgers, but we don’t know. We do know that when healthy, most of them can be very effective. The Dodgers have been successful with some of these types, so we wait and see what else falls in AF’s lap.
Some Free Agents will not get what they want, so if they don’t, maybe they will want to play for a title.
Someone on Facebook took my photo and put it on this video. It’s funny:
https://www.jibjab.com/view/make/one-margarita-luke-bryan-starring-you-ecard/fcc38613-7aa7-44ff-b51e-c36cb7d49106?fbclid=IwAR1awGergpff9Cz9QNnhXQdk-4q4jkoXEsVcc-Sj1Gkq2HD_g6357IJ7bj8
I think the Angels should:
1. Trade Rendon to Cleveland for Triston McKenzie, a 23 year old pitcher.
2. Sign Realmuto.
3. Trade Adell to the Rays for Snell.
4. Sign Pederson.
5. Move Fletcher to 3B.
6. Package Upton with Brandon Marsh and trade them for a relief pitcher.
Just released to the public, New York Yankees are changing their name, it is felt that Yankees indicate systematic racism. New name being proposed is New York Guys in Pinstripes, very catchy I must admit.
Nice B&P, alcoholics and beer drinkers in general should be quite offended by the Brewers.
I hear the Catholic Church is now opening discussions with the MLB regarding the hideously racist name used in San Diego, opps I mean City 18M (racist use of Spanish, dammit)
That’s all I got from City 28G.
Just another day in a slow offseason. We have Hendricks a DJLM rumors and a new quote from Friedman in the LA Times…
“I think it’s safe to say that as we sit here in the beginning of December, that we still have some work to do in the bullpen,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “We like the guys who will be returning next year, but, obviously, we got some work to do there and fortunately there are a number of guys on the market — both in the free agent market and trade market — and so that’s where a decent amount of our attention is being spent right now. And I expect us to add at least a few guys before we get to [spring training].”
I’m glad to hear that he’s not done with the pen, but I’m not 100% sure what he meant about adding at least a few guys before Spring Training. Are those “few” guys strictly bullpen, or does it include position players? I thought the “at least” was a little unexpected implying that he could add more than three guys to the current team?
DJLM and Hendricks would be a nice start. The dude is certainly not an impulse buyer. He’s showing a lot of patience. As I’ve said all along, there’s a glut of relievers, might as well stock up.
Jared Porter named new Mets GM. Hopes to win a series in the next 3-5 years…not if the Dodgers have anything to say about it. Jharel Cotton signs a deal with the Rangers.
Just for fun, I pulled out my 2018 Dodger media guide. They have not made one for the public to buy since then. I wanted to see the players who had left the team since that season who were not on the roster or non roster guys this year. Pretty interesting list. Of those who were traded elsewhere, only Wood returned for the 2020 campaign. From the 40 man, Dylan Baker, J.T Chargois, Tony Cingrani, Kyle Farmer, Josh Fields, Wilmer Font, Logan Forsythe, Yimi Garcia, Yasmani Grandal, Rich Hill, Matt Kemp, Tom Koehler, Adan Liberatore, Tim Locastro, Kenta Maeda, Henry Owens, Edward Paredes, Yasiel Puig, Hyun Jin Ryu, Rob Segedin, Brock Stewart, Trayce Thompson, Andrew Toles, Chase Utley, Alex Verdugo. All were traded, released or lost to free agency during or after the 2018 season and before 2020 started. 25 players out of 40. That is a lot of turnover in two years. Some of the non roster guys are now on the roster, Beaty, Muncy, Peters, Rios, Ruiz, Smith, Some of those none of us will remember them very well in the coming years. I always thought that Henry Ramos, who they eventually traded to the Red Sox was going to be a valuable piece. He was always pretty impressive in spring, but it never happened. Some of those who were on the roster are now free agents and we are waiting to see if the Dodgers bring them home or cut them loose. Yanks and LeMahieu said to be 25 million apart on salary.
I just listened to a portion of a Dodger broadcast from a few years ago where Vin Scully was reflecting on Roy Campanella night. It was magical the way he could spin baseball stories into his nightly speak fest with the fans. His in game cadence was always spot on. And I really miss that. He came to that point because he was talking about all of the flashes from people taking pictures with their cell phones. And he melded that into the story of the 93,000 fans holding either matches or lighters in tribute to a player they never saw play in Los Angeles. Classic Vin. No matter how long or how hard he tries, Joe Davis will never be that revered in LA. Especially when he has that chatterbox Orel next to him.
Folks can criticize Blackmon all they want but I think he’s on to something. I’m especially interested in how he decided to change his pre-game prep and approach to hitting by abandoning the typical 45 foot, 60 mph, BP. Instead he turned up a pitching machine to match a more realistic game-like scenario.
I too come to question the benefits of that old style BP. It’s a show. Have you ever seen Joey Gallo take BP? But is it that beneficial?
Sure, it’s a ritual. Players get loose. Infielders take fungoes. Pitchers get in their running in the outfield. Some shag. But for creating actual game-like situations, it is practically useless.
One of the best baseball coaches I ever saw was Ed Cheff at Lewis-Clark State an NAIA school in Idaho. He was a legend among his peers in college baseball and could have had many more high profile jobs but loved Lewiston and chose to stay there. He won like 16 NAIA titles, coached the USA National Team and is in the American Baseball Coaches HOF. Every time I was around Ed, I learned something. He took things to the next level and a million times I said to myself “why didn’t I think of that?”
So I was watching his team pre-game hitting in a warehouse down the right field line while the opposition was taking traditional BP on the field. Ed’s guys were hitting off of a pitching machine throwing about 95 mph sliders with the lights so low you could barely see. I asked him what he was doing and Ed said “Phil, if my guys can hit this sh*t in the dark, they can hit anything in the daylight”. That’s how they practiced and his teams could rake.
I think this is pretty much what Blackmon was up to. A little thinking out of the box.
Holland returns to the Royals. Renfroe a Red Sox huh? Okay with me. The Sox need him. Their offense stunk up the joint last season. And they have a few free agents of thier own. Including Jackie Bradley Jr.
Just adding to what might be an already closed subject. My grandmother was born on the Choctaw (pronounced Chaw-taw in the tribes native tongue) reservation and her Indian Blood card has her enrollment number. I said such to a Mission Indian who obviously had more Indian heritage than I have. He wrongly corrected me saying it’s called a Native American blood card then said “there is no cha-cha tribe”. I have more white man’s blood than Indian blood and I took what he said as an insult. Most Native Americans have no problem being called ‘Indian’ even though the origin was incorrect from the start. The Indians ballclub isn’t using the title for any derogatory meaning and thus no reason to take offense. In fact quite the opposite. The Choctaws were the 1st on the trail of tears and the 1st of the 5 civilized tribes. Though that has no reason to be proud for what’s in my blood, I am proud of my Indian blood. Now should we face them Indians in a coming championship match…..lets kill them!
I would maybe trade Lux for Story, extend him, and play Story at third. He could then shift to short if Seager signs elsewhere for 2022. That puts Taylor and McKinstry at second.
I have mixed thoughts on franchises that move to another city keeping their name. I was already a Dodger before they moved so I definitely wanted them to keep their name.
Cleveland wanted to keep the Browns name for their city and fought to keep that franchise from using the Browns name in another city after they moved. Does a name belong to a city? Could New York have insisted on keeping the Dodgers and Giants for NY and if so would we have a team named the Mets?
I am hoping the Rays move to Portland OR and rename their team to the Beavers or something related to Oregon.
Did not mean to get off of the subject, but it was out there. I do not know how many of you have ever been to a game at Coors. Since I am only a couple hours away, I have taken in more than a few with my son who lives up in Denver. First thing you notice is how big the outfield is. Second thing is how the ball fly’s. Pitchers have a hard time with their breaking stuff in the thin air. A few years ago I went up to see a game with my son and his exe. I got tickets from my bank. 2 for the price of one. We sat in the left field bleachers. It was a chilly night and the ball was not carrying very well. Maeda was pitching and he threw a pretty good game only giving up one run and they won on a single by Ellis that scored 2, Final was 3-1. The next day I decided to treat myself and sit somewhere I had never sat before, right behind home plate. I got the ticket for 70 bucks from the box office. I was in the 5th row. I came early and saw the Dodgers taking batting practice and do their warm ups. Scott Kazmir started the game. Dodgers went up 5-0 early. A couple of HR’s. The ball was flying. The Rockies came back and tied the game. Dodgers went ahead again 7-5. Then the Rockies had a 5 run 7th and it was 10-7. In the top of the 9th, Jake McGee came in for the save. The Dodgers scored 5, took the lead 12-10 and held on to win. Now that was a Coors field type game. Lots of scoring, pitchers not finding their control and a few monster long balls for good measure. The food is ok, but nothing beats a Dodger dog. The fans might say a few things to you if you are in Dodger gear, I was wearing my Jackie Robinson jersey, but they are nothing like Giants fans. But make no mistake, they totally dislike the Dodgers and most of them are tired of losing to LA>
Good article, AC. Thanks. So, how are DJ Peters chances to make the big club in 2021? He sure has spent some years in AAA. Is it time for him to move up and will he be successful in your opinion?
Hunter Renfroe signs a one year $3.1 to $3.7MM contract with Boston. $3.7MM for a career .228/.290/.486/.776 hitting OF. Hunter has a cumulative 6.2 WAR for 4+ years. I know the Dodgers are looking for that RH bat off the bench, but they have a Hunter Renfroe in AAA named DJ Peters that they can pay minimum salary.
This blog is not politically correct this morning and would be banned on any other social media outlet!
I hear that the Chicago Bears are considering a name change because forest rangers, on behalf of wildlife, are offended that Bears have no say in the matter of sports team names or in mascots. Oh and don’t get me started on the offensive names that the Detroit teams, baseball and football, those poor animals have never been polled or even informally asked about the use of Lions and Tigers as names for those professional teams. I think all teams should just do as the Redskins, errrr, Washington Football Team has done. In baseball it would make it so easy to make those souvenir jerseys for each city, just stitch “Baseball Team” on the front of each city’s jersey. Those will be hot sellers for sure. Hmmm, the Los Angeles Baseball Team, what a catchy name. Actually, no one has polled the Latino community in LA to even ask them if they are offended that the City of Angels, dare to steal the Spanish interpretation of the city, Los Angeles, that’s downright offensive and reeks of white privilege. You know, come to think of it nearly every city name in California needs to be changed from the spanish influence, I suggest that city names just be changed to an alpha-numeric naming. “hey buddy where were you born?”, “oh me I was born in 8C”, “no kidding, I was born near you in 8H” , “no shyte, we practically grew up together”, “well not really, I moved from 8H when I was only 2 years old, moved away to 17A”
Good column Jeff.
They should have never put an MLB team in Denver. Too many unnatural issues. But the Rockies draw well. I hate it when the Dodgers play there. Never a normal game.
The Dodgers may have to change their name if Trolley companies are offended. In a recent survey of Indian tribes, the vast majority of Native Americans weren’t offended by the mascot names. But white liberals are.
I think the Dodgers should pursue Hendriks, but on a three year deal.
Indians being given the name for Columbus seeking a naval route to India. And Native Americans taking offense of the Braves nickname. I thought it wouldn’t be misunderstood my drift.
Liam Hendriks supposed wants a four year deal. I can’t imagine anyone giving that to him in the current environment but it only takes one team to go crazy.
Dodgers are apparently in the running. We all know that AF will certainly not give him four years and I would be very surprised if he’d even go three. According to Jeff Passan, the teams showing most interest are the White Sox, Blue Jays, Mets, Astros and Dodgers.
And then there was baseball…
Wrigley, what a great town to visit and Wrigley, she ‘s a beauty… The L train to Addison and there she is… Take a little walk past the stadium and head into the Cubby Bear Lounge for a cold one… Got your LAD colors on and may get a little flak from the regulars, but having been to Candlestick “The Dump” and Oracle it’s a walk in the park… It seemed there was only one rule as a Dodger fan and that was the bleachers belonged to the Cubs fans… Take in a game and and enjoy the history and of course a W…
Back in the L train heading back thinking about that deep dish you’ll encounter…
How about the Cleveland Colavitos ??? A rocket for an arm and boy did the nuns love him in RF..
P.S. Badger, ditto on Blockman… Play ball and count your $ later.
What is it you don’t follow Badger?
I don’t follow you Quas.
It was Wahoo. Yahoo came later.
What do visiting pitchers get to do to mimic altitude? Hey Blackmon, you want to learn to hit balls that move do what I did, hit whiffle balls with a broom stick. In the mean time shut up. You make over $20 million hitting .350 at home and .260 on the road.
Dodgers is the coolest name in sports. I’m especially glad it’s not the Brides Groomes. What is said to be offensive about Dodgers?
The Cleveland Indians are going to change their name.. An announcement is expected sometime next week although no new name has been mentioned. There is a chance that the change will not take place until after the 2021 season or they might use something generic like the Washington Football Team has. Personally, and I am probably alone on this, I see nothing offensive with Indians. If Native American’s as a whole find it offensive, well then by all means change it. They have already gotten rid of the offensive Chief Wahoo’s cartoon face. Will the Braves follow suit? Who knows. I have heard some idiots say that Dodgers is offensive. Excuse me, this is all getting way to ridiculous.
Excellent article. I think Coors has a tendency to get into their heads. I know Dodger hitters who raked there and then would have a little hangover the next series.
Good stuff.