I often border on the offensive… however, that picture is pretty cool: Orel Hershiser and Russ Martin.
How many teams have two starting catchers who can play several other positions? Russ Martin is a catcher who can also play LF, 3B, SS and 2B… probably 1B as well. Austin Barnes, who is also a catcher, can also play 2B or 3B. Now, I am not saying they are Gold Glove defenders there, but that flexibility could come in handy occasionally… and it could mean that the Dodgers could carry 12 position players and 13 pitchers, especially now that Andrew Toles is out of the picture (at least temporarily).
In addition to having two catchers who can play other positions, let’s look at the flexibility other players have in being able to play multiple positions:
- Cody Bellinger – 1B, LF, CF, RF
- Justin Turner – 1B, 2B, 3B
- Max Muncy – 1B, 2B, 3B (Emergency C)
- Kike Hernandez – Name it (Emergency C and P)
- AJ Pollock – LF, RF, CF
- Joc Pederson – LF, CF
- Alex Verdugo – LF, CF, RF
- David Freese – 1B, 3B (he can be an emergency C)
- Chris Taylor – 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, RF
- Corey Seager – Just a SS (what a slacker?)
This type of flexibility makes predicting an opening day lineup almost impossible. Who leads off? Taylor, Pederson, Verdugo, Pollack? It’s likely to be one of those four. Pick one…
There has been a lot of discussion about Alex Verdugo. It’s a running joke but I do not really think Alex will be Tony Gwynn, but he could be “Tony Gwynnesque.” He has a great eye, he doesn’t strike out much and he walks, which is why, with maturity and launch angle changes he could be a special player. He could also develop significant power as he does hit the ball really, really hard. All that is up to him and how he plays. Nothing is sure, however just changing a hitter’s approach on launch angle and keeping the bat in the zone longer can have a amazing impact on their power.
Look at Max Muncy. He’s a strikeout guy, but changing his launch angle gave him the ability to hit 35 HR. He struck out a lot before and strikes out a lot afterward, because he does not have elite bat-to-ball skills like Verdugo. After further review, I think I may have been wrong in predicting Alex would hit 20 + HR. I actually think it is double that! He will still strike out a lot less than Muncy if he changes his launch angle. In fact, staying in the zone longer can give him the ability to hit even more HR than Max because he makes elite contact.
I think the conventional wisdom that he will not be a HR hitter is wrong using the new techniques being taught by the new Dodger hitting instructors. Alex Verdugo could actually become a power hitter. Again, I am not saying that WILL happen – just saying that it could happen and maybe that is part of what Friedman sees in Verdugo. Usually, the guys we have heard about changing their approach and launch angles were not elite-bat-to-ball specialists. What if you try that on a guy like Verdugo? I think we may find out…
The Dodgers have several “all-or-nothing” hitters and while Joc Pederson has had some success, he falls into that category. I think the LF job is Verdugo’s to lose. How he hits will determine his fate, but with Toles gone, he will almost certainly break with the team.
There is also the perception that Kike is an “all-or-nothing” player. That is a misconception. He has cut his strikeout rate nearly in half the past two years and now strikes out at about a 12.7% rate. While he may never be JD Martinez, I do think he will improve again.
The Dodgers seem intent on putting Muncy at 1B, Taylor at 2B, Pollock in CF and Bellinger in RF. So, it appears that Pederson and Verdugo will fight it out as to who starts in LF. Edwin Rios has been mentioned as a player who could make the team as well. I happen to think he is a AAAA player. I think his bat is a tick slow for MLB. I hope I am wrong, but that’s the way I see it.
I was asked yesterday if I would rather trade for Kluber or Bauer and my answer was:
At this juncture, I don’t want to give up the requisite prospects for either one. Starting pitching is a huge strength for the Dodgers. Now, if Kershaw or others go down or lay an egg, then it can be addressed before the Trade Deadline, but at this juncture, I don’t want either one.
The Dodgers just signed Kershaw to a nearly $100 million 3-year deal. Yes, they did it to keep him in the organization as a Dodger for life and in that respect, it was a payment for past services, but if they did not reasonably expect him to pitch well for these next three years, I do not think they would have done the deal. If healthy (and he’s only 31) he has been the best pitcher of this generation and you have to let this play out… at least for a half-season. Get back to me at the All-Star Break on this.
Here’s another reason for optimism: Many Dodgers, including Seager, Jansen, Turner, Hernandez and many others are going “dairy-free” to reduce inflammation according to Pedro Moura of The Athletic. It’s a wonderful read. These guys are locked an loaded on playing and winning game-by-game and playing the final game about 250 days from now. Tomorrow, let the games begin.
If you look at the photos on Dodger Insider, you will see that Ryu plays ping-pong RH. I’m just sayin…
Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers
Discussion (57)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Well great start for Clayton and Toles having iuess. Ugh what’s next seager has a set back? Harper to the Giants calling it. I don’t see Brock Stewart every back in the major for the dodgers. Unless it is on another team. Fields can be nasty if he stays healthy. Stripping should start in the bullpen for the first half of the season and maybe start the second half of the season. I hope Urais can bounce back and be a sick starter.
In other news. I find it funny that the Phillies owner is reportedly meeting with Bryce in Vegas right now. Wasn’t it reported that Bryce kinda snubbed the Phillies earlier this offseason? Nothing like pursuing a guy that doesn’t really want to be there. Match made in crapsville. I was hoping all off-season. Now, I just don’t really give a hell where he winds up. What an a-hole!
They are sure downplaying this arm thing. But, this definitely isn’t the results we were hoping for after changing his offseason routine, adding velocity, increasing flexibility and all that. That dude needs the Robocop operation. Hip, back, shoulder, elbow all at once. Come back as the 6 million dollar man and bionic his way to the another contract extension and some more of those golden years of 200+ innings, 230+ Ks and sub 2 ERAs.
Just FYI for us Dodger fans who live on the west coast of Florida. The boys in blue will be playing in Tampa on Tuesday May 21st and Wednesday May 22nd at 7:10pm.
From where I live in Punta Gorda its only about 180 miles RT to Tampa compared to over 350 miles RT to Miami.
I hate to be the first to say it, but it sounds to me that a TJ is in Clayton’s near future!
I hope I am wrong!
I freed some comments that were in Spam. We have had some hackers trying to get into this site, so our spam filters are set to maximum. If you lose a comment, email me and I’ll fix it.
I read that interview with Puig, and that interview made me think it must have been an interview in English, because with the way Puig repeated his words, so I think that is why that interview sounded like it did.
DodgerRick,
Do you have that thread on Puig, I never read it?
I think that is Puig just playing things up to his new team, like AC and You suggested.
And maybe Puig is a little hurt that he was traded too.
Because I think he really enjoyed his last couple years in LA.
I give the guy credit for learning English and having the courage to use it publicly.
That first series against the Reds, is going to be interesting that is for sure!
Your comment regarding Ryu playing ping pong right handed got me thinking that maybe there’s a spot for me in the Dodgers rotation. I’m also a lefthander that plays ping pong right handed.
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If need be, I’m ready to take Kershaw’s place in the rotation. As Badger used to say, easy peasy.
“Not fatigue. Not back. Just arm kind of thing.” Dave Roberts on Clayton Kershaw.
Great article by Plaschke about Newk
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-don-newcombe-appreciation-20190219-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter
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by the way, what happened to my last comment? it never posted
In the bullpen: Shaggy and Fields have an option left, Stewart and Garcia do not per Roster Resource, which Mark has provided a link to. Urias and Ferguson have options left too so they could be in the bullpen in LA or starting in AAA.
1 – Stewart isn’t out of options – they recently gave him a 4th option year
https://theathletic.com/823660/2019/02/20/the-frequent-flying-dodgers-pitcher-who-is-not-out-of-options-yet/
2 – Increasing the “launch angle” leads to more Ks because you reduce the amount of time that the bat is in the hitting zone. The more pronounced the uppercut, the less that the bat is in the same plane as the ball.
https://www.theringer.com/mlb/2018/3/28/17171162/spring-training-home-run-strikeout-stats-three-true-outcomes-trend
3 – Ted Williams called for a “slight uppercut”. He didn’t strike out much. He would not be happy with the swings of the Chris Taylors of this world.
4 – I’m very disappointed with what Puig had to say. I didn’t think that he was wired that way. He seemed to be a max effort guy. I wonder how much of his comments were to endear himself to a new team.
5 – The only real competitions this Spring are:
a – Which of our .190 hitting catchers will start?
b – Who will get the bulk of the time in LF?
c – Do they really plan on Bellinger being the regular RF? That means Muncy at 1B and Taylor or Hernandez at 2B
d – Who stays in the bullpen and who goes to AAA?
So a guy who hit 7 HR’s in 132 AAA games last year will hit MORE HR’s than Muncy who hit 35 in the bigs in 395 PA last year? That’s just silly, Verdugo will never be a power hitter like that and he doesn’t need to be.
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Let’s see if there is an open competition this spring because there never has been before under this regime. With Toles MIA I see NO open spots for position players barring injuries or trades. There will be a battle for the 5th rotation spot, the 2nd LHP in the bullpen and the final bullpen spot and that’s about it. BUT having a breakout spring is the precurser to an eventual injury or DFA callup as the team did with CT3, Morrow and Belly in 2017 and Muncy and Caleb last year.
Man I really hope everything is good with Toles cause I would really like to see that guy play again I really feel he has so much potential! The year he got injured he was on point could have been a breack out year. The guy could be good
Snow, snow and more snow,34 inches this month ( new record ) and more for tomorrow, great fun but somewhere they are playing baseball, just not here.
Great read Mark! Well done, I hope and pray the Verdugo becomes who you think he will! I would trade some strike outs for more homers
Fun Fact – Hyun-Jin Ryu is actually right handed, but learned to pitch with his left hand when his father accidentally bought him the wrong glove when Ryu was 10 years old.
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Too bad RVS wasn’t around when Loney came up. What could have been? Sadly, Loney struck out more and walked less as he matured.
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Thank God, baseball starts tomorrow! It’s been a long off season culminating with the longest week of them all.
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Can’t wait to watch Verdugo go yard tomorrow.
One question about Verdugo – does increased launch angle lead to more strikeouts? We have seen an increased focus on launch angle during an increased number of strikeouts across MLB. Are these related or merely coincidental? If related, I hope Alex doesn’t change his swing plane. The Dodgers need baserunners. I’d welcome any thoughts you guys have on this.