It has been suggested that the Dodgers need bullpen help and I am all for it. It has also been suggested that the AJ Pollock signing was a bad deal and it has been chanted that getting rid of Puig, Kemp and Wood was dumb. Others have suggested that the solution is to sign big name free agents and pitchers next off season.
Evidently, no one has been paying attention to what is happening to the Dodgers and other teams. The Dodgers are currently the best team in baseball and many other teams are ruing the big contracts they have doled out. The D-Bags started their skid when they signed Greinke to that silly, stupid deal.
Theo Epstein was on a roll until he made some really bad signings. You might be inclined to think I am talking about Brandon Morrow and Tyler Chatwood, and while those were not good signings, Theo was betting that both players were worth the risk. It hasn’t worked out yet, but it still could. The deals that did in the Cubs were Jason Heyward and Yu Darvish. Those two were dope-fiend moves that went against everything Theo was about and will make it tough for them to get back to the World Series. Heyward has been doing better lately, but his contract is still a boat anchor.
Not signing players to big long term deals is the path to success. Signing players to big, long-term deals is the path to failure. The sooner you understand that the better. Some of you think I am being paid by Andrew Friedman. While I was not a big Ned Colletti fan, I did not hate him, but I love what Friedman is doing. Yesterday, DC posted that other GM’s voted the Dodgers the best team in baseball and said this:
“Their depth makes them so tough to beat over 162,” an NL assistant GM said. “Despite losing six in a row already this year, and not having Clayton Kershaw for the first couple of weeks, here we are at the end of April and they have the best record in the NL.”“I think they represent ‘team’ better than the others that are winning,” an AL executive said. “It’s exciting baseball; young talent, veteran pitching, strong bullpen and something to prove after falling the last two years.”
Los Angeles’ strong farm system was also cited by multiple executives, both for its usefulness in potential trades and the potential help on its own roster. The team’s positional flexibility was also a key factor for many voters.“They’re just built to last,” an NL executive said. “They’re so deep, they can line shift on you, they’re very well-run, and their young guys are already established and really good. It’s a good mix of chemistry there.”
We established yesterday that Friedman is not perfect – show me a GM who is, but he has done and is doing a great job of building the Dodgers to be relevant year-after-year… and I happen to like that a lot. I would like it more if they win some World Series, but part of winning is just getting there and AF puts them in a position to get there. If you can’t like that, then you are no fan.
The Bullpen
The bullpen coughed up another loss last night after a masterful 8 innings by Hyun-jin Ryu (anyone still think offering him the QO was a bad idea?) Of course, you are not winning many games when you score just 1 run. Kike, Alex and Cody were OK, but the rest of the team was comatose. They do need another RH bat. That’s why Friedman got Pollock, who will likely be on the IL until July or August.
Andrew knows he needs another RH bat… and I guarantee he is looking, but he won’t make any dope-fiend moves. The lineup would have looked different if Freese had not been a late scratch. Oh well, let’s move on the SD and beat some of their lefties.
The bullpen has been getting better, but AF is certainly looking for more help. The thing is, bullpen arms are very, very hard to predict. I have wanted Felipe Vazquez even back to when he was Felipe Rivero, but if you look at his underlying stats, like WHIP, you will see that while he is good, he is not great and then you have to ask: “Will he wilt under the bright lights?” I don’t know.
AC wanted Jose LeClerc last year… and I whole-heartedly agreed, however, he signed a new long-term deal, and this year is an unmitigated disaster with an 8.44 ERA and a 2.156 WHIP. Who knew? Can Honeycutt fix him? We will never know.
The Yankees, who stockpiled several closers, have one on the IL (Betances) and the other three have blown 4 saves. The point is that bullpens are unpredictable and hard to build. The Red Sox won the World Series on the backs of Joe Kelly and Nate Eovaldi. So far this year, one is on the IL and the other is mentally disabled (but maybe getting better).
I think that the Dodgers will try and make a trade for a RH hitter and a bullpen arm. They might have to make a bold move, like trading Maeda, Stripling and either Pederson and/or Muncy for both. With prospects included they could get both. The question is who? AC has mentioned Shane Greene of Detroit. I’m sure he could be had as Detroit is rebuilding as could Castellanos, but the price in prospects would be high. This may be the time to pull the trigger… or maybe the help in already in the system.
Minor League Report
Oklahoma City Dodgers – The Dodgers were soundly beaten by the Round Rock Express in a doubleheader, losing 12-5 and 9-3. The Dodgers were ahead 5-0 in the first game, but Holmes, Grimm, Sborz, Allie (12.60 ERA) and Smoker all got smoked for 12 unanswered runs. In the second game, DeFractus and Broussard gave up 9 runs in the first and second inning and that was it. Move on… nothing to see here, folks.
Tulsa Drillers – The Drillers did what their big brother couldn’t and won the doubleheader. They won the first behind Mitch White’s 5.2 inning shutout. He had 7 K’s but most importantly, he walked no one. Boyle and Somsen closed out the shutout. Santana hit a 3-run HR and that was all that was needed. The Drillers also won the second game 7-2. Curry started and allowed 2 runs in 3.1 innings while Scrubb (1.35 ERA) and Spitzbarth (2.19 ERA) closed it out. Walker hit his 3rd HR (a 3-run blast) abd McKinstry hit a 2-run homer.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – They were moving and shaking as they beat the Lake Elsinore Storm 8-3 behind Edwin Uceta, who was brilliant over a season-best six innings, allowing just one run on three hits, while fanning a season-high eight hitters, with ZERO walks. Mosley (0.54 ERA) pitched the last 2.1 innings to get his 4th save. Mann was 3-4 and Avans hit a 2-run homer. Conner Wong also had 2 RBI.
Great Lakes Loons – The Loons also won a doubleheader over the Beloit Snappers 12-8 and . Roller was 2-2 with a HR and 4 RBI in the first game while Amaya was 2-3 with 2 RBI on a double. deGues got the win with 2.2 shutout and not hit innings (5 K’s). The Loons also won the second game 3-2, on just 4 hits as Chacin got his 3rd win (0.79 ERAS) with 5 strong innings. He allowed 1 runs to go with 5 K’s.
Discussion (86)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The Dodgers needed and still need two more good righty bats who play good defense and add to the clubhouse. That is why I wanted to load up a truck full of prospects for Realmuto and Haniger. Pollock was a good signing if Seattle and Miami wanted too much for those players. We don’t know.
For the purpose of saying something that might get CT3 going again, I hereby have given up on CT3. Maybe Toles should use the next 2 months to become a righty bat.
Machado was a fit and Turner could have moved to first base or second base. Machado could have played second base for a year before moving back to third. If the Dodgers had signed Machado it would have made it more practical to trade both Muncy and Taylor.
Machado wasn’t a fit for Dodgers. Who was a better sign than Pollock?
I disagree Hamchuck with your take on Pollack. He was not a panic signing, Freidman does not roll that way. Freidman gave Puig 6 years(once again, the Dodgers FO preaching patience almost to a fault) to pull his head out of his ass and be a consistent player. Do the research on this blog the past two years. Check out how many guys were so pissed off with Puig’s up and down moments, one minute hitting a home run, the next moment trying to hose a guy at 3rd base in a crucial moment while the guy with the base hit takes 2nd. And now some of you guys think trading Puig was a huge mistake. If anybody out there wants to talk some baseball, you guys need to take some time and listen to what the real baseball guys are saying. Colletti, Nomah, J-Hair, Hershiser, they love Pollack, the guy plays the game the right way, and can carry a team when he is hot. Puig, one of my favorite players, was a boom or bust kind of guy, and he played like his emotions dictated. Colletti had a great point, he said Pollack is pressing because he wants to impress his new team and prove that he is worth the contract. We will see the real Pollack during the stretch run in September and October, and I will gladly give you a bottle of ketchup to eat with your crow. This guy is legit, give him a chance.
Some of you still don’t get it. I feel really bad for you…
I simply don’t know what to say so that you can understand.
We are the frigging best team in baseball, with or without AJ Pollock!
He was just a piece, not a solution.
He’s owed $60 million over 5 years, which is about what Bryce Harper makes in a year and a half. He is low risk, high reward. Are some of you really this stupid?
You are just pretending to be this stupid, right? It’s a joke right?
Anyone know what happened to Jeren Kendall? He’s not been in Rancho’s lineup for quite a while now.
If Stats hold up the Tampa Bay Rays will be our competition in October. And if their Pitching is for real, we better be ready with ours.
The Dodgers are off to a great start which is wonderful. Cody Bellinger has been the best player in baseball thus far. I felt and said prior to the season that bellinger was due to break out. I must say I never expected him to have this great of a start. He has serious talent no doubt. Kershaw, ryu, stripling are off to hot starts as starters. Buehler not so much and maeda is the weak link in the rotation and would be trade bait if he wasn’t cheap. They have to use urias in the bullpen due to innings but like buehler he is not a reliever.
I did not like the pollock signing and for good reason. A supporter can spin it any way they want but he is on the injury list. This should be no surprise he is on the list every year. It is not if but when. He seems to be of good character, good defensively, right handed, and a streaky hitter. At best he is an average player to above average who can’t play half a season. I am not making this up check his past 5-6 years. It does not take Einstein to figure this out. This is what I call a McCourt signing. He overpays to run off the competition but when they sign you say well I don’t know how I feel about it. Kelley the same way and the Ryu qualifying offer. What do you think of the signings now? Pollock and Kelly bad and ryu good. It is too early to conclude and I like all 3. But, pollock cannot be counted on, Kelly is improving, and ryu is quality but has been on the injury list once. I would have been happy if ryu signed a 3 year deal but no other team would have paid him 18 million. I am hopeful on Kelley who said the Dodgers were the only team to offer 3 years. I don’t believe pollock will earn his money but he could come back in September and become the streaky player that he is long enough to help us win a World Series. In which case he would become my favorite dodger.
Everything has it’s weaknesses and that’s what baseball is all about. By design if one had an open account to construct a team from all fields through history it might be the best team to ever exist. BUT it wouldn’t be without weaknesses. Finding those weaknesses is as much of the job as constructing and there’s 29 demolition crews and chiefs throwing every monkey wrench they can muster. Good luck! You’re gonna need it! While I don’t write so swell I can read pretty good. Or at least I think so. So here’s my shots at AF. The hardest task he has is pitching. He knows thins and has been finding others in the FO to put faith in. That’s fluid and why he didn’t address the bullpen issues when he first got this gig. I was critical at that time but now see his way to fix his own deficiencies. It’s taking time but it’s getting better every year. The team has all bought into this FO and want to remain a Dodger. That’s BIG! Even though it also means being a Dodger is only for a time so they’re gonna give their almost best till they don’t. There’s no such thing as giving your best as there’s always room for improvement so trying real hard is what we get and that’s great. I’m rattling on and my ADD is going where I didn’t intend. So I best cut before none of this makes any sense. I appreciate roger askew’s comment on McCourt to blame above Colletti. If Colletti had been able to construct a team with no barriers it would of been the best ever.
Amen Roger.
Ok, some of you guys are friggin killing me about Pollock, Like Roggin and Rodney were talking about on SportsTalk LA, THIS IS AN ILLNESS, not an injury. Nobody could have predicted it. It’s not a pulled hamstring or a torn ACL, it’s a damn infection. He will out for awhile, but even they are getting tired of the Dodger Doomsday fans calling it a horrible signing. While Pollock is hitting in the low .200’s, and that will change, our boy Puig is hitting .187 and looks like a lost puppy dog. There are at least 3 guys on this site who blasts Mark all the time about how he likes Freidman and what he is doing. Where the hell were you during the McCourt years, when everytime Colletti had a chance to get a Cole Hamels or C.C. Sabathia in his prime, McCourt shot him down. For that matter, how about Depodesta not giving Beltre the time of day and letting him go as a free agent? Or better yet, the bonehead Fox execs who traded away Piazza because he wanted to get paid? And my all time favorite, Claire trading a young Pedro Martinez for Delino Deshields. You are acting like spoiled little kids who didn’t get enough presents under the Christmas tree. Damn, how can you call yourselves Dodger fans if all you do is bring hate and negative vibes? Freidman is the real deal, and this time next year and the year after that we will be once again locked and loaded for a World Series run, because that’s how the team is built. How can you guys hate of Freidman when his rival execs from other teams admire the way he runs things. How about you guys buy a vowel and get a clue that this team is in it for the long haul. If not, the psycho on that other blog would love to have you so you can take turns throwing hate darts at Freidmans picture on the wall.
I’m not worried about Turner. He never hits for power in April.
In stunning news, Cody Bellinger named NL Player of the Month for April:
https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/tim-anderson-cody-bellinger-players-of-the-month
Corey’s gonna be fine. He needs to put some of that weight back on, maybe start eating dairy again.
Pollock will hopefully come back before the very end of the year and help us out in the playoffs.
The FO is definitely going to get some bullpen help if they can, and will be opportunistic in other areas whenever possible. It would be great to get that RH bat, but I don’t see them trading defense with Casty.
There’s lot’s of options to cover injuries with the myriad of minor leaguers. Lux and Estevez are probably a lot closer than most think.
The only area of real concern is how many games Doc’s gonna blow for us. Last night was yet another move that didn’t “work out” when Doc was trying to exploit that righty on righty matchup. Because we all know that Urias can’t possibly pitch to Posey because he’s right handed. I don’t see any help on the way in that regard.
Doc, resist taking out pitchers mid inning especially when they got the guy they faced out.
Doc, resist bringing in guys cold unless the guy on the hill NEEDS to be replaced.
Doc, resist taking out a 300+ hitter to bring in a 200- hitter to pinch hit for “handedness”.
Doc just doesn’t get it. Don’t be a Doc!
Dominant pitching sure helps and we haven’t gotten that consistently in October!
Personally all I ask of the FO is to keep the Dodgers in contention year-in and year-out. Advancing through the play-offs all the way to a WS victory is a crapshoot. I don’t know if any magic formula that guarantees a WS victory. Lots of luck involved.
I don’t expect AF to make any “significant” trades to replace AJ while he is on the IL. It’s not his way. He isn’t a knee jerk decision maker. In fact I won’t be surprised if we don’t do anything at all except bring up some of the MiLB players for depth and to pinch hit and play occasionally. Freese will become the RH bat to replace AJ and Verdugo can hit LH pitchers. We will weather the storm and still likely be in or near 1st place in the division when AJ comes off the IL just in time for the stretch run. Whether you like AF or not you have to admit that he has “built the team to last”.
I grew up a Dodgers fan late 50’s and 60’s. Pitching and defense. Pitching and defense. As I have said forever, my first Dodger hero was Larry Sherry (and Junior Gilliam) and then Ron Perranoski . Relievers have always been a staple for the Dodgers (and me), and that is why I am always trying to have the FO put together a lock down relief corps, especially when starting pitchers do not go long. As any aside, it was fantastic to see Ryu go a great 8 innings last night.
As Jeff said above, I want to have the best defensive team there is. For the most part, the team is very solid defensively, and elite with Belly, JT, and Seager. I think Barnes/Martin are plus defensive catchers even if Barnes does not have a great arm. Verdugo has an elite arm, but I am not sure he is an elite CF. I think he can become an elite RF, but right now I prefer to keep Belly’s legs less stressed, and Alex plays a better than average CF. Belly is a superior defensive CF, but the team is better structured with Belly in RF and not have to cover two alleys.
With respect to Corey. He is in a massive slump and is obviously trying to break out of it on every pitch. It happens. He will find his swing and he will become an offensive force. I know Mark has mentioned the 2018 start of Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy hit rock bottom on May 2, 2018 when he dropped below the Mendoza line. His slash after that game was .198/.320/.355/.675, and that was with 203 PA. At the end of the year, Goldy was at .290/.389/.533/.922. Good players work themselves out of the mess, but they are human and humans tend to press. Corey has gone through 2 significant surgeries, and a lot of physical changes. If he needs the year, he needs the year. I do not think he will need the year.
It’s early but I too am concerned about Seager and Turner. Seager seems headed for the mendoza line and Turners power hasn’t shown up much this season. Seager looks under nourished. IDK… but it is getting kinda problematic.
Let’s hope Taylor finds a hot streak. Historically, he’s been cold for a month, hot for a month, cold for a month and so on. The Dodgers are very lefty heavy and it shouldn’t be a shock to most that Corey Seager after a year off couldn’t just roll out of bed and hit lefties like he did two years ago. The Dodgers counted on AJ to be the righty bat who would even out the lineup and make up for Puig’s reverses splits the last two seasons. Unfortunately, you can set your clock to AJ going on the DL, IL or whatever they’re calling it now. I’ve said a million times that Pollack looks like the best player in baseball for 30 days every year. Let’s hope it starts in September this year because I’m counting on nothing out of him until then. BTW, both Taylor and Bellinger catch the ball that Verdugo didn’t last night.
I hate days off!
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
And I feel fine.
Signing expensive long term bullpen help has shown to be a total crapshoot and usually with bad results. That’s why Kimbrel is still on the market. The league has wised up. And sometimes the best moves a GM makes are the ones he doesn’t make. Belly for Realmuto, Verdugo plus others for Kluber and signing Harper until forever! You can’t win consistently if you don’t develop and keep young talent and no one has done that better than the Dodgers the last 5 years. We don’t need a rh bat to win the west and Pollock will be back for the end of the season. Hang tight! Now we get to see what Verdugo can do full time
Progression and recovery is seldom linear. It may take until August. No one knows.
Is there any concern with LADT readers about Seager’s offensive production to this point? Yes, he’s coming off a season that was lost to injury but he had an entire ST working on the minor league side, in the cages and now 130 PA, second highest on the team behind Bellinger. Shouldn’t he about now be rounding into shape and providing some quality AB’s like we are accustomed to seeing from him? I was excited to see his opening day HR and thought he was exactly what the team needed go get over the hump this year. Since that day just one additional HR.
He’s #2 in K’s behind Muncy. As a comparison Bellinger has just 16 K’s with 6 more PA than Corey. I could go on about OBP, OPS, OPS+ but suffice it to say, I am a bit concerned. Anyone else share that same concern?
Wild Horse or Bison might be available at deadline ! Joking
Well, guess what? I am not going to propose a trade that includes Pederson unless it is to the Portland Rays. So, it will have to be Verdugo and Maeda for Haniger. Maybe return Taylor and Lee to their original teams as well 😉
“They’re just built to last,” an NL executive said. “They’re so deep, they can line shift on you, they’re very well-run, and their young guys are already established and really good. It’s a good mix of chemistry there.”
WOW! They can line shift as in hockey or football or even basketball. Line shift, eh.
A line I lost in copying from the article was, “They are built to last…” That is always my ultimate goal. Sure, I am dying to win another WS right now but the chances of winning increase exponentially when a team is in a position to compete for the ring year-after-year.
AF has a multi-pronged approach. He has gained future flexibility by getting the payroll and luxury tax under control but not losing competitiveness. He has done so by astute trades and not signing risky free agents.
He has built a team that some call deep, but I call wide. The players can be spread out all over the field on a given day. The flexibility acts as IL insurance and allows for players to have days off at little cost to the lineup. It makes it more difficult for opposition teams to prepare for a game against the Dodgers.
He has traded many prospects, some of whom are doing well, but has not really weakened the farm system. I think the international signings have gotten better and I also understand a bit better why he totally revamped his international scouting team a while back.
It seems the entire minor league philosophy has been revamped. That is, with consistent emphasis as the players go from level to level, emphasis on the young men as young men and not just ball players. Providing coaches who are capable of doing that and are quite often young coaches. Concern with diet, rest, caution with young arms.
Has AF made mistakes. Sure he has but a mistake is not as a mistake usually known in advance and is discovered some time later. The big contract signing mistakes over the past few years have been avoided by the Dodgers.
I would guess that there may be a number of teams that are concerned that the Dodgers organization as presently built is the new normal for the organization. It is built to grow and evolve with safeguards against shrinking and devolving.