I watched the Brewers feed yesterday. I sometimes do that just to hear what other baseball people have to say about the team and certain players. On e of the Brewers announcers said this:
“The Dodgers have 10 legitimate Major League Quality Starting Pitchers.” “This is a team with a great deal of depth. They are built for the long haul.”
I actually think it’s more than 10, because at least Trevor Oaks is ready to. A lot of teams would love to have in in the mix for their #5 spot and he’s not even in the Dodger’s second five!
The Dodgers might have signed Joe Blanton for $4 million before they signed Romo, but they have too many pitchers already! I have doubts they are interested anymore. I would advise everyone to have their eyes open, but whether a player does well or poorly this early usually means nothing. Can they keep playing well? Can they start playing well after playing poorly?
Obviously some players have the team made: Turner, Kershaw, Grandal, Seager, Pederson, Gutierrez, Utley, Hill, Maeda, Barnes, Jansen, Puig and Romo among them. Then, there are guys who could make the team or be sent down: Segedin, Hernandez, Taylor, Toles, Liberatore, Stripling, Stewart and others. Also, we have players like Ethier, Kazmir, Ryu and McCarthy who, if healthy, will make the team or be traded, and then there are the non-roster invitees like Culberson and Ike Davis who have at least a chance.
Hatcher has looked bad – obviously if he keeps on that path, the decision will be easy. Morrow was not as bad as his stat line. Stripling was not good and Hernandez has not played well. As Eric Karros used to say “It’s early!”
Rants & Raves
- At this stage of his career, Chase Utley looks more than ready for his new role, and I think he could put up some monster numbers in 200 AB’s this year.
- Ditto for Franklin Gutierrez! Between Ut and Gut, the Dodgers could have the best L-R pinch hit tandem in baseball!
- Austin Barnes didn’t get a hit, but he was outstanding behind the plate yesterday. The Brewers announcers raved about his defense.
- On Cody Bellinger’s homer that left the park, Dave Roberts said this: “Haven’t seen many guys in the big leagues that can hit a ball like that.” I would not be afraid to start the season with Bellinger at 1B, although the only way that is likely to happen is if Davis and Gonzo are on the DL.
- BTW, Davis played very well.
- I know why MLB doesn’t show pitch speed early in Spring Training, but I would like to see the progression as pitchers work back into shape.
Today’s Music
Discussion (25)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I got my Baseball America Prospect Handbook today. BTW, I have every one they have ever published! They said that “The Dodgers have first baseman Adrian Gonzalez signed through the 2018 season, but Bellinger will be ready before then.”
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I think he’s ready now.
Rockies looked the part today: probable opening day starter Jon Gray pitched well, and 3 long bombs. A healthy Jake McGee anchors the bullpen for them and they have some good young arms battling for spots in the rotation. No team likes to travel to Coors Field. Josh Fields looked awful today-tough to win scoring 1 run.
Vegas Dodger
I think the Rockies are going to be quite worrisome this year. They are much improved. Maybe not enough to win the division but they will make it interesting. Giants look good. I am excited about the Dodgers but don’t forget the Rockies. They will be in the mix.
Always Compete, I enjoy your takes! Boxout, I too feel a quantity for quality trade coming, perhaps a 3 team doozy. This team can really grind it out on offense and is resilient. With any kind of pitching I like our chances and the Giants are worried. Does anyone else feel the Rockies could surprise this year? They have a helluva lineup top to bottom.
Bellinger does have a long swing but I have watched him closely since he went from Rookie ball to RC is 2015 to Tulsa, OKC and the AFL in 2016. Cody knows when to dial it back and he has shown me repeatedly that (like Cory Seager) he makes adjustments easily! He will strike out a lot, but he will have a much high BA than JOC. He adjusts on the fly. You remember his long swings, but he knows when to do that and when to just cut down.
Bellinger has a long swing. Buggy-wip style. I think it will get him in trouble. I would jam the crap out of him and never let him get his arms extended.
I think that FAZ finally has their stamp on the farm system.
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I believe that of the Top 30 Prospects, 22 were acquired by FAZ!
Following is a timely article on the Orioles success I saw after writing the above post.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18740637/how-baltimore-orioles-keep-trumping-projections\
They probably do value their bullpen studs highly, requiring an “overpay” like AlwaysCompete suggests.
A couple thoughts:
* I’ve read some opinions predicting that Bellinger could make the team as an OF. Given the current set of outfielders, it would be quite a feat for Bellinger because I would imagine would only win out if he were good enough to start and play everyday. I think the Dodgers would rather have him getting reps in AAA until he has an opportunity to get significant PT with the big club. They’ve already got Joc, Puig, SVS, Ethier, Trayce Thompson, Franklin Gutierrez, Kike/Chris Taylor/Culberson in the outfield.
* I didn’t get to see Trevor Oaks live, but I’ve read some good things about him. He sounds like he could be a good innings eater. From the looks of it, he will be on the AAA roster and a good option to backfill in case of injury or rest for the big league rotation. I’m interested in seeing Chase De Jong pitch because he sounds like he could be a similar asset as Trevor Oaks.
* I had not heard of Shea Spitzbarth before – does anyone know if he is just more organizational depth or is he another arm to keep an eye on?
* Maeda pitches today. Supposedly, he’s got a new cutter that could help him be more efficient in getting outs. I wonder if he’s going to debut that pitch at the game today.
* I was expecting Urias to go to extended Spring training to limit his innings this season. However, there was an article somewhere claiming that Roberts intends to have him with the club from the start of the season and limit his innings by keeping his outings short. His reasoning was that Urias has “high aptitude” and essentially is still growing as he gets more real time experience. If this report is true, then the Dodgers should go and sign Blanton (not as a setup like last season) but as a long reliever.
As I indicated in the last thread, I make ZERO conclusions or assessments based on two ST games. They are just flat out fun, and I get to watch many of my AAA favorites, like O’Koyea Dickson. With that being said, with the number of players at ML camp, the opportunities for those on the cusp could be limited, so it does behoove them to perform well when afforded that opportunity. Is Chris Taylor going to get more chances out in CF over Kike’? How many more chances is Chris Hatcher going to get? Or Josh Ravin? I am a big fan of Brandon Morrow, but his next time out on the bump must show better results. It is not because they pitched poorly in their 1st outing; it’s because there are a lot of RHRP in camp, so they need to pitch well to keep getting those opportunities. ML Camp Invitees RHRP Madison Younginer and Fabio Castillo have earned a 2nd shot. LHRP should be okay for LAD, but Patrick Schuster and Edward Paredes both will get another shot. If Stripling wants a spot on the 25 man, he is going to have to come in and throw strikes in a relief role, not walk the 1st batter after getting two strikes. If memory serves me well (and at my age I do not remember), this was a problem Ross had last year.
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I do not worry too much about Barnes. He needs to continue to concentrate on his catching right now. While not at the ML level, he has proven he can hit. Keep working with the pitchers and playing well defensively, and the hitting will come. He will not have to hit .280 (or .250) to stay on the roster.
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In yesterday’s thread, Hawkeye opined that instead of Blanton, he would like to see LAD make an effort to get one of the Orioles middle relievers. I have long been an advocate of Brad Brach, but I doubt that Baltimore is going to give him up without an overpay. Baltimore has got two years before Britton and Machado move on, and with a not so healthy farm system, they really have two years to contend. Seth Smith and Brach become FA after 2017. Wade Miley is their only potential LHSP, so maybe a Kazmir or Wood would get things started. Knowing FAZ loves the high risk/high reward players, maybe you look at Kazmir or Wood (to replace Ubaldo Jimenez), Chase De Jong, and Willie Calhoun for Brad Brach and Hunter Harvey. The Orioles get another LHSP, move Jimenez to the pen, get two AAA top 30 prospects, and the Dodgers get a legit RH set up and a potential boom or bust RHSP prospect (the perfect player for FAZ). FAZ fans will love the gamble, while the FAZ detractors will deride them for giving up two top 30 prospects for another injury prone pitcher.
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A follow up comment on the purebred vs. junkyard dog thread; I believe that Logan Forsythe is going to be a big junkyard dog this year. He will do whatever is needed to win. He is JT at 2B. I know Friedman loves him, so I would not be surprised to see him get an extension, which I would not object to. Or do whatever it takes to get Ian Happ out of Chicago.
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One pitcher I want to see more than any other in any ST game is Walker Buehler. I believe he is an Ace/Co-Ace in the wings. The entire FO was reportedly watching him in a minor league camp outing over the weekend. In 2019, the starting rotation could conceivably be Kershaw/Urias/Buehler/Stewart/Alveraz.
Yes, Dodgers organization looked stacked!! Lots to be excited about.
Regarding Blanton, I think HawkeyeDodger on prior thread makes a good point. Maybe (NO for sure they are) FAZ is looking at the trade market for a “lights out” set-up guy. I agree with him that Baltimore looks like a good trading partner, they need starting pitching and lefty outfielders. Givens or Brach from Baltimore would be very nice, but I would still like Blanton back on a one year deal in addition.
Dodgers need a quantity for quality trade. How about Ethier, Kazmir, Hatcher and cash for either Givens or Brach? Is it possible to attach the cash to Ethier so the luxury tax hit is in 2017 because he is an expiring contract? Would be great if no cash goes with Kazmir so his salary is off the books in 2018.
Bellinger also made caught a one hop throw to complete a double play and made it look easy.
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I still like Taylor and still want him to make the 25.
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Verdugo is tat man.
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Can’t say that Blanton would be better than what the team already has.
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Wondering if Gutierez will make the team as a pinch hitter or instead SVS will make the team as a platoon player at first and OF. Not sure both will happen. Doubt it.