My oldest son and I got back from Haiti at Midnight. It’s heartbreaking to see how the Haitins live, but we are trying to change that. I’ll do a blog about it someday soon for those of you who are interested. But, It’s Time For Dodger Baseball! I recorded the game last night and “speed watched” it. I leave for Denver Tuesday AM and will be back on April Fools Day (so named in my honor).
Random Thoughts Before The Season Starts
- I think we got a glimpse of how good this Dodger Bullpen can be tonight. Chargois pitched the 6th, Alexander (great inning) pitched the 7th and Kenley pitched the 8th before Fields came in to close out the game. I doubt that is the last time you will see that happen!
- I don’t think many fans understand how good Fields and Baez can be with just a tweak or two. They both have great stuff (Baez is more of a head case… if he can beat that).
- Yasmani Grandal has handily won the starting catcher job (hands down) in case any of you are wondering.
- I think Kike Hernandez can play an EXCELLENT 2B, if you leave him there. In fact, I think Kike can play anywhere and do a good job… even SS.
- I have two players who could “BREAKOUT” BIG TIME: Yasiel Puig and Kike Hernandez! Both are capable of 30+ HR.
- Chase Utley has earned a roster spot. He may be the “Team Dad” but he has earned the spot with his play!
- Andrew Toles needs to make the team. Joc Pederson is lost and the rest of the starting OF is right-handed. Andrew is a valuable piece. He will likely get at least 1 AB every day and can start 3 or 4 times a week… spelling each outfielder.
- Let’s get real about Trayce Thompson: There’s no place for him on this team, and he really has no value because other teams know the Dodgers have no place for him. I like Trayce. He’s a good guy and deserves a home in MLB, but he’s RH and all the Dodgers starting outfielders are also RH. They could use both Joc Pederson and Andrew Toles, but I think it makes more sense to send Joc down to work on his swing again. Also the Dodgers have Henry Ramos who is a switch hitter and younger than Trayce and I believe he has a HIGH upside. Look for Trayce to be scooped up by another team for little… most likly nothing. I really like Henry Ramos.
- I look for Kyle Farmer to make the team as well.
- Yasiel Puig has earned the right to hit #3 while JT is out. I see this as the lineup on Thursday:
- Taylor CF (the Catalyst)
- Seager SS (if healthy he may challenge for the batting title)
- Puig RF (Giving him this spot is good for his confidence and he might be headed to a Monster Year?)
- Bellinger 1B (pencil in 40 HR)
- Kemp LF (the story is yet to be written, but it could be a feelgood one)
- Grandal C (emphatically has taken over the starting C position – might he “breakout”?)
- Hernandez/Utley 2B (solid if not spectacular)
- Forsythe 3B (he would hit 6th on lots of teams)
- Pat Venditte will likely be back in May. He has made the team, but they want him to get stretched out as a long man. Makes sense.
- Julio Urias is making progress and learning how to rehab from Scott Alexander, according to Ken Gurnick of Dodgers.com:
Urias, the organization’s top pitching prospect a year ago, is recovering from left shoulder capsule release surgery. Alexander, acquired over the winter by the Dodgers from Kansas City, had the same procedure in 2011 and has been living reference material whenever Urias has a question about his recovery.
So far, so good on Urias’ recovery. Urias, who was throwing at a distance of 25 feet when Spring Training opened, is up to 135 feet now. He will remain there until his arm strength is sufficient for the next big hurdle — throwing off a mound — possibly in a month.”I talked to him when I was [throwing] at 120 feet,” said Urias. “I asked how he felt then and he said, ‘Fine, but maybe when you throw off a mound, you feel a little sore. No pain, just a little sore.’ But he said, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s normal.’ It’s been really motivating hearing what he said and knowing he recovered.”
Pain? “Nothing,” he said. Stiffness? “Nothing. I’m good.”
As teammates pack their gear on Saturday for the trip to Southern California, Urias will be left behind to continue his rehab at the organization’s Camelback Ranch training facility. But instead of leaving Urias wistful about the unexpected detour in his career, he said watching the club head out for Opening Day doubles down his motivation to work for a return.
“It’s understandable,” he said when asked if he feels forgotten. “I want to get back to where I was and what I could do before. I’m still optimistic, of course, 100 percent.”
The club remains just as optimistic that Urias will be back midway through 2018, roughly 12 months out from the surgery.
Urias said Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the repair work, told him that the damage was minimal. He said he’s confident he will be at least as good as before the surgery, when he was ranked by MLB Pipelineas the No. 4 prospect in MLB coming into the season.
Let’s not forget how good this kid was and can be.
Discussion (47)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Trayce designated for assigment to clear a roster spot from some reliever from the Cubs. That reliever was sent to the minors.
Good luck to Trayce. I would loved him as our 5th outfielder, but Matt Kemp took his job
Trayce Designated
Love the optimistic report on Urias. Hate to see such a promising prospect shot down due to a shoulder injury. As for Kemp, if he shows he can just play the outfield then I’ll be happy. Pretty sure he’ll do some good hitting.
Good article by Pedro Moura in The Athletic about Verdugo and his new attitude.
`
Sentiment (and this is inferred) is that the club loves Verdugo, but needs to clean out a spot for him.
So the top MLB.tv package costs you $115. The MiLB package costs about $50. However, if you sign up for both at once, you get the MiLB package for half the price. Basically, $140 for mlb and the ability to watch Great Lakes, Tulsa, and OKC this season.
I always get the mlb package (and use Mark’s un-block.us VPN blocker) but now I’ll add the $25 and get access to some minor league games as well (for when I’m doing nothing but having wine at home and looking for baseball to watch)
Orel was talking about the process last night with Joc which is very similar to what we heard about Puig last season. Only the Dodgers coaching staff knows if Joc is sticking to the process. What they see on the backfields and cages is often more important than what we see during exhibition games when it comes to making the team. Last season you could see Puig working and hitting a lot of hard groundballs to 3rd which were outs. It took a while for the process to turn into results. Joc is in the same boat if he is truly sticking to a plan. Now I can say that I haven’t watched a lot of exhibition games this year. Quite a few of the games that I’ve watched like last night, Joc hit hard balls that were outs. From what I’ve read on here, it sounds like that hasn’t been the norm. It does look to me like he’s in better shape and running better. At some point, the process has to turn into results. Some on here were out for Puig’s head last season when he was hitting .240 while Vegas and I could see a difference. I can’t say that I’ve watched enough of Joc this year to make that call.
~
I will say Kemp rolling a weak ball to short on a 3-0 count with bases loaded irritated me last night until I reminded myself that it was spring training and everyone was swinging 3-0 last night. However, it was a ball that should be hit to RF or RCF. That is what we will have to watch with Kemp. First, is he chasing? I was glad to see him take a walk later in the game. Second, is he too pull happy and rolling weak DP’s to short like he did a lot of last season when he wasn’t on the DL? I haven’t watched enough of him on defense to make a call. There was definitely a ball a week or two ago that I felt every other outfielder on the team catches or at worst gets on a short hop. He let it bounce and bobbled it into a double. I hope Bum is wrong because he if gets released during the season,, he is either failing or becoming a problem.
`
I agree with Mark on Puig and Kike. I was ready to hand over 2nd to Kike after his first year with the Dodgers. However, he became so pull happy that he got exposed by righties that season. If he can not pull off of pitches against RH pitching, he could hit 30 bombs, but that’s a big IF.
~
Sorry about Duke Mark. Actually, not really because I had a prop bet. I had every team in the field not from NC. So, I made $100 on Duke losing. I do appreciate you getting in our pool though.
Has everybody seen Jon’s take?
https://www.dodgerthoughts.com/2018/03/23/so-many-dodger-thoughts-so-little-time/
I enjoyed watching the bullpen last night. Am I the only guy who noticed and is worried about Kenley’s velocity? Mostly high 80’s hit 92 only once! Egad
Mark,
Glad you and your family members made it back to Indianapolis. City always bettered by your presence. Hope you are successful in Denver and hope to speak to you when you return and would appreciate a call.
First of all, regarding the fourth outfielder for the Dodgers, I really think that sending Toles to AAA and having Joc remain in Arizona would benefit the Dodgers because Toles needs to play everyday to get his game back fully after last years limited playing time and Joc needs some serious time dedicated to learning how to be a hitter and not just a free swinger. I see some improvement with Joc but it needs to be engrained by a relationship with a hitting coach like Puig has developed.
I also think that Thompson could be tradable only if he has a chance to show success for at least half a season and sending him to AAA would provide him with a echance to shape his own future in OKC. If he fails to produce or doesn’t show real effort, then release him and if he does then he knows the Dodgers will trade him to a team that wants him enough to offer fair compensation in return. Segedin could play left field, 3B, and 1B and help balance the lefty/righty hitter situation.
Finally, I would promote Verdugo to LA. He is the best lefty hitting OF the Dodgers currently have and he doesn’t seem to have anything to gain by returning to AAA. As he can play all three OF spots and has hit for average and is showing more power possibilities, I say give him the chance to succeed while Toles and Joc each do what they need to maximize their potential.
I am interested in some sponsored content are your site.
Please let me know if you accept guest posts.
Best regards
My email sbr.juanma@gmail.com
Grandal handily/emphatically regains starting C… Hell we knew that!!!
Let us not forget that probably the SP’s emphatically charged into Robert’s office and implored him that Grandal be their designated C, becuz last year, well they forgot!!!
I can hear the MVP chants echoing in the Ravine!!
Damn good to have you back M.T.
A.C. thanks for the AAA/AA stuff… AAA pitching is stellar… Cant wait for my local A team analysis…
Bum, I 100% agree with “While Turner is out, Kike’ and Forsythe are competing for the starting second base job that will be awarded when Turner returns.” I’ve been thinking that myself the last few days as well; you beat me to get it in writing!!
Bum, I 100% laugh at “most of the commenters here are to Toles as I am to Pederson. Equally pathetic.”
I think Barnes will get most of the at bats against lefties.
.
Grandal will get most of the innings pre-All Star game and then gradually lose innings thereafter. Grandal has yet to stay strong for a whole season.
.
When Turner returns, Kike’ will take Kemp’s innings in LF and Kemp could be released/traded.
.
Farmer will stay on the team when Turner returns.
.
Most of the commenters here are to Toles as I am to Pederson. Equally pathetic.
Glad you made it back safe. I too hope that Thompson isn’t on the 25 man roster as both Toles and Farmer have earned the spots. Not sure what the hell Joc is doing, Doc has certainly given him enough rope to hang himself.