●Mercifully, the winter meetings are over. Lot’s of questions unanswered, but the main one for me is: Now what? As I wrote few weeks back, keep her steady as she goes. Also, remember, it was December 21, 2018, when the Dodgers surprised us with the Kyle Farmer trade. There’s lots of time between now and the start of spring training.
● It looks like Pedro Moura, of the Athletic, was correct as he was one of the few reporters (perhaps only one) that expected the Dodgers to stand pat.
●Admittedly, I was disappointed that the Dodgers didn’t swing a big deal. It felt as if though all of my friends were receiving bikes for Christmas, while I got the underwear, socks and orange in my stocking. That said, when I look at the insane contracts handed out last week to the top four free agents, I’m very grateful the Dodgers did not jump in at those prices.
●Some have argued that signing a free agent costs you nothing but money. I don’t buy that argument. Once a top free agent is signed, the signing team will, at some point, have to pare down some salaries and non-tender some good players. Look at the Angels, they gave away Will Wilson, their top draft choice from last year, just to have the Giants take on the Zack Cozart salary. I understand the argument that, today, Anthony Rendon is worth a lot more than Will Wilson. However, there is more to it than just that. You also have to factor in the ability to sign your own players when the time comes. When 15% of your salary outlay is to one player, or 30-40% is to 3 or 4 players, there will come a time that you have to pay the piper. During the entire life of that huge contract, it will require some very creative roster construction around the edges. Moreover, what happens when Buehler, Bellinger, Seager and the like approach free agency. Will you be able to keep them, as long as you are anchored down with large salaries.
●There is also the luxury tax(CBT) to consider. The thresholds for the 2020 season, assessed by the average annual value of a player’s contract, are: First Tier: $208 million; Second Tier: $228 million and Third Tier: $248 million. The penalties are a bit convoluted but fairly straightforward. Teams who exceed the limit for the first time pay 20% rate on every dollar spent over the amount. Teams who exceed the limit two years in a row pay a 30% tax and teams who do so three or more years in a row are pay a 50% tax. The Yankees are in that situation. As of December 12, 2019, they had $261.5 million in payroll entering the 2020 season. Right now, they’re right up against the third-tier of the penalties. Even if they stay below that area, which they’re trying to do, the Yankees will certainly be a repeat offender. There’s no way to avoid it. So, here is what their penalties will be: they’ll pay a 30% tax on every dollar over $208 million, a 42% tax on every dollar over $228 million, and about $75.00 or so for every dollar over $248 million. I’ll let AC figure out what that means in real dollars, but it certainly isn’t chump change. As a result, the Yankees are looking to unload J. A. Happ, a pitcher who has won 59 games over the past 4 years. In order to trade him, they will probably have to attach a very good prospect to him to be able to get another team to bite. In the past 4 years, Gerrit Cole has 54 victories. Mind you, before you get all gingered up, I am not arguing that Happ is a better pitcher than Cole, he is not. I am just pointing out that signing a free agent, doesn’t happen in a vacuum and it can come with additional cost, sometimes substantial, attached.
●I tire of the articles on who the “winners and losers” were during the winter meetings. I don’t even know what that means. A few years ago, pundits were writing that the Padres were the big winners of the off-season, because of the Matt Kemp trade, among others. A year later, it was the Diamondbacks who were the winners because they signed Zack Greinke and acquired Shelby Miller. I’m sure the fans of those teams are still raising their glasses high to their great winter meeting victories.
●Well, the Yimi Garcia era has ended as he has moved on the Marlins. I wish him well In Miami. Question is, who would you rather have, Blake Treinen or Yimi Garcia? There’s question marks attached to both, but, I would rather take my chance with Treinen.
●Is Anthony Rendon that much better than Justin Turner? In all likelihood, JT will not have the same success over the next 7 years as AR will. However, was last year a foreboding of things to come for JT, or merely an outlier due to injuries? I’m looking for a bounce back year from him next year.
●It’s said that Rendon wasn’t comfortable with the Hollywood lifestyle. Well good luck with the Real Housewives of Orange County lifestyle.
●Is there any chance remaining that the Dodgers can add a pitcher to the rotation? Of the free agents still on the market, who would you rather have wearing the Dodger Blue for the next 3 years? Ryu or Bumgarner? Why? If the goal is solely to win the WS, I would probably pick Bumgarner. Personally, I think he will be the better pitcher for the next 3 years. However, because I hate the Giants so much, the thought of him in a Dodger uniform conjures up memories of Juan Marichal being a Dodger and makes me want to puke. I could never stomach that thought.
●If a pitcher could be obtained by trade, who would you rather the Dodgers acquired, Matthew Boyd or Corey Kluber? Are there others, realistically available, who you would want?
●William posted yesterday: “I think that an ownership which is making more profits than any baseball franchise, except possibly for the Yankees, should be out there with them trying everything reasonable to put together the best team in baseball. The Dodgers do not do that, at least in my opinion.” If the Dodger front office does not care about winning, how do you explain the fact that the Dodgers have as many wins as they do over the Friedman era? Please understand, I do not intend this as a personal attack on William, as he appears to be a very intelligent poster. Moreover, I get his frustration.
●He also said: “You cannot consistently fail to land top free agents, or consistently pass on anyone at the trade deadline who is more than a three-month rental, and somehow expect to win titles, and then make excuses every time you fail. Well, you can, and they do.” Which player could the Dodgers have acquired by trade or signed as a free agent in the past 5 years that would have guaranteed that they would have won the World Series that year? Also, does the fact that the Dodgers have routinely acquired the best player or pitcher available at the trade deadline not account for anything? Does it matter that the players they acquire are only 3 month rentals, when the objective is to win the WS that year?
●If the Dodger front office does not care about winning the world series, how do you explain the fact that the Dodgers were one game away from winning it all in 2017? Or, that they were just 7-8 feet of a Will Smith drive to right center away from eliminating the eventual WS champs?
●If the Dodgers front office is cheap and won’t spend, how do you explain them signing Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner?
●When Kenley Jansen was the top reliever on the open market, were the Dodgers wrong for signing him? If so, why? Did you truly know that he would regress the way he has? If you did, what gave you that indication? Wouldn’t it have been ironic if Jansen had signed with the Nationals for the higher contract, as rumored, and he gave up a game winning home-run to Will Smith in the 9th inning of the 5th game this year.
●Were the Dodgers wrong for extending Clayton Kershaw’s contract when he opted out? The year before he became a free agent, I had floated the idea of trading him to Houston for Alex Bregman, Lance McCullers, Chris Devenski and Kyle Tucker. That was before Bregman became the player he is today. It was my thought that Kershaw could be replaced for a much less expensive pitcher and that Bregman could take JT’s place and the Dodgers wouldn’t have to resign him. I’m glad they resigned Kershaw, as I believe that there are certain players who need to have their careers begin and end with the same team. Kershaw is one of those players. He needs to go into the Hall of fame wearing a Dodger Blue cap.
●Is it required that the Dodgers sign every top free agent? Let’s assume, for example, that the Dodgers had signed Bryce Harper. How would that have changed the complexion of the rest of the team? Certainly they would not have signed AJ Pollack. Perhaps Belli would be the permanent 1 st baseman. Would he have had the same season playing 1st ? Maybe no MVP – what about Muncy? Would he have been the regular 2nd baseman. Would the team chemistry been the same?
●I wish just once that the recipients of the multi-year, mega million dollar contracts, would raise their voice for the plight of the minor league players and the abysmal salaries they get paid. I don’t think that’s ever going to happen though.
●Love him or hate him, Scott Boras had a very good week. I calculate that he made in the neighborhood of $35,000,000.00 to $55,000,000.00 in commissions last week. And, he isn’t finished yet. There’s a very good chance that Rendon and his family can now move into the same gated community in Orange County that Boras lives in.
●When looking at bad contracts, we typically look at those big contracts that didn’t work out so well. Josh Hamilton, Barry Zito, Barry Bonilla or Albert Pujols come to mind. The other day I read an argument that the worse contract in baseball belongs to Juan Soto. Think about it. Soto hit .283/.401/.548 with 32 doubles, 34 homers, 110 RBIs and 110 runs. He hit five postseason home runs, three of them in the World Series. He was one of the driving forces behind the Nationals winning their first-ever World Series, the first for D.C. in almost 100 years. He was paid $578,000 for his efforts. How much was he worth? Probably $30 million or more. Same could be said for Bellinger. Imagine if Stanton had the same year as Soto or Bellinger, no one would be whining that he was being overpaid. The baseball salary structure is flawed.
●I had a dental appointment on Friday, with a dentist in Menifee, California, the community where I work. I chose this dentist because of his name, Frank Pastore, as I remembered the MLB pitcher of the same name. I asked Dr. Pastore, if he gets asked about the name a lot because of the former MLB pitcher with the Reds, named Frank Pastore. Turns out that Dr. Pastore is his son. After finishing his baseball career(primarily due to injuries suffered after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Steve Sax), Frank Pastore, Sr., became a Christian and was the host of one of the most popular Christian radio programs on Glendale based KKLA. He died in November 2012, as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle/car accident. Ironically enough, on the day of his death, Frank Pastore had told his audience “Look, you guys know I ride a motorcycle, right?” “At any minute I could be spread all over the 210.” Three hours later a car struck him as he rode his motorcycle on the 210 between Glendale and his home in Upland. I have a bit of dental work to be done, so over the next several months, I will be asking him about the stories his father told him of his days with the Cincinnati Reds and the remnants of the “Big Red Machine.”
Discussion (78)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I want 2 relievers:
Will Harris and Tyler Clippard are free agents worth looking at.
Ken Giles 1 year contract is worth trading for, although the trade market for pitchers has gotten more expensive. Should have got this done immediately.
Dellin Betances, I really like his stats, but the Dodgers are already taking a chance on Treinen.
I’m hoping AF has a blockbuster trade in the works, but to re-visit an “old and tired” discussion that some might find offensive but in addition to what William said (it appears as of the FO won’t trade cost-controlled players and it also appears we doesn’t to want to spend $$ on free agents. What is the plan?
I would further offer the same caveat, that in addition to a confusing off season plan (at least so far) my confidence level in AF is seriously diminished when you look at the trade and FA track record and names like Latos, Jim Johnson, Kazmir, McCarthy, Anderson, Pollock and Kelly come to mind. Yes, there are some exceptions like Enrique Hernandez and CT3, but to this point many of the plaudits for AF’s work has been that he has been reticent to trade young talent. For that I give him an A grade, but in FA and big league roster trades I give him a solid C+.
There is no other top-level pitcher (Ryu is not), so I think that the only thing left to do is some trade for pitcher-batter combo.
Kluber-Lindor is no longer possible, but there is still Price-Betts, Greinke-Correa , Happ-Andujar, those teams are looking to free up some money, so I think it would be very possible, right?
We still need a good pitcher and a right handed batter
We know that Friedman is intelligent, and has a good track record in some ways. But is it beginning to look as if there is no carefully planned out process here? Or is it just that we are constrained about going on the high end, except for rare exceptions, and then when we can’t do that, we sort of just look around for whatever is left, and make a virtue of necessity?
None of us knows exactly what goes on in discussions among Walter, Kasten, Friedman , and Roberts. But not knowing does not mean that we must always give them the benefit of the doubt as to what they are doing. It seems that they are absolutely unwilling to make a major trade, break up some of the roster. Maybe they’ll still show that this is not so, but what big trades have you seen us make in the last three or four years? Mostly, we trade minor league contracts, or dump salary.
So now we are going to go with a starting staff which will have only two returning starters from last year, and not because we have some shining new additions? We are going to rely on three starters who have started, what, twenty games among them in their MLB careers? The bullpen so far has one addition, a pitcher who was very good, until last year, when he was not good at all. No additions at the plate, and Verdugo’s health is a question mark.
It’s still a few months until the start of the season, but does anyone sense that there is some kind of coherent plan? That we have carefully rated and evaluated the players available? How much of this is just about money; we don’t want to spend on long-term deals, we don’t want to trade cost-controlled players. I am sure that we’ll get somebody, but will it be somebody whom we will all be thrilled to add, who will be a clear upgrade to help us this season? Will we start the year with a solid bullpen and a #2 starter? Not the latter, there are none left. Other teams make moves; sometimes they may be wrong or foolish, sometimes good. We don’t make any of significance. Are we waiting to grab a top pitcher five years from now? Don’t hold your breath.
I’ll tell you what could happen in a negative scenario. Urias is not that good, or various physical problems crop up. May shows flashes, but is inconsistent. Gonsolin maybe a bit more consistent, but his stuff is a question. Jansen has just lost his high-speed cutter, the rest of the bullpen is okay, but not at all great. Turner gets hurt again. Verdugo is slow to recover from the serious injury. Bellinger hits like he did during the second half of last year, .280 or so, with 35 HRs. No one in the starting lineup hits .300.
Is this far too negative? Maybe, but it’s certainly within a reasonable range of possibilities. And if those young pitchers are not as good as the ownership and front office and fans desperately want them to be, then what? We do not really have much to trade, and there are no top free agent pitchers on the market next year. So we are stuck. You see, there is a way to imagine that the “Dodgers approach” will all pay off in the long run; and there is also a way to imagine that it will deflate of its own unwillingness to add top players from other teams, and we will be nothing much. The dramatic fixes seem beyond the interest or the willingness of our ownership and front office,so we are left to just keep hoping that our farm system is so good, that we can just win big with them. Interestingly, I know of no other larger market team in baseball which relies on just their farm system. Many of them go after free agents, and the infusion of talent allows them to trade other players.
Look at our roster, and see how few players we have whom we both would be willing to trade, and who would be worth a high price on the trade market. Taylor, Pederson, Hernandez, Maeda, Pollock, Kelly, not worth much at all in trades. People write about whom we could trade, but really, except for our rookies, there is almost nothing. That is because we have not had infusions of talent via signing free agent stars. Most of our team is reclamation projects, under the radar players, and then a few young players whom we will not trade. The Dodgers way, trying to win titles without long-term contracts, or obtaining any top free agent, may actually have had its high point in 2017. I wouldn’t ordinarily bring up Tampa Bay, but Kasten did. How many titles did they win?
So this is not an exciting team technically we are worse than last year. So what do you think is the next move?? Ok we possibly get back Hin Jin but were still not better it’s the same team. Dont think the Lindor trade is gonna go down, so where we at chat????
I predict:
Lindor and Clevinger for:
Seager, Downs, Urias or
Muncy, Downs, Taylor, Urias.
Betts for:
Verdugo and Gonsolin or
Verdugo and Maeda
Bumgarner to sign with the D-Backs. Not saying I wanted him as a Dodger, but it’s looking more and more like the FO might indeed be under an ownership edict to only buy in the bargain aisle.
Regarding Kluber – Huge risk! He was declining at the end of 2018 and imploded last year. He’ll be 34 next year and he’s hardly cheap. The Rangers gave up a young, max controlled closer type with an elite fastball. They also gave up a very good defensive CF who also just might be the fasted dude in the game.
I would say Gonsolin and CT3 would be a fair comp, but the Rangers deal is still a little better, so add another player and tell me if you would do the deal. I wouldn’t.
I’m glad Mad Bum is choosing the DBags. I don’t like him, but I respect him a little more for not wanting to be a Dodger after being a Giant his whole career. That is the most valid reason for not wanting to come here.
I’m gonna say what at least some are thinking. Maybe some players don’t want to play for Doc and AF and their “way of doing things”. They’re not gonna come right out and say it, but the coach and GM are supposed to sell free agents on why they should want to join the team. Not one of the top guys made the Dodgers their top priority.
Sure, the deals are outrageous. But, what’s another year, or another 5 mil?
There are still opportunities to improve the team, but this is getting depressing.
I get the feeling Friedman would swap Seager for Lindor or Friedman could tell Seager that he will trade for his brother if Cory extends through 2025.
I would enjoy having Lindor and Betts on the Dodgers. I would like Seager to move to third rather than traded to Cleveland but I think Friedman prefers Muncy’s hitting approach more than Seager’s so maybe the team loses Seager to add Lindor.
Players that could interest Cleveland not named Lux or May are Seager, Downs, Muncy, Taylor. I include Muncy and Seager because Lindor would otherwise make a 5 man infield.
So for those of us who are hoping we get another starter into the mix, we’re basically down to Ryu or trading for Clevinger or someone else that AF has identified that we haven’t thought of.
I think that by the time Manfred is done with Houston this year, they’ll be a total shambles for 2020. Old friend Zack Greinke might be a wasted asset for them if they are banned from the post season next year (a penalty which I think would be very justified). Anyone here in favor of approaching the Astros to see if we can get Greinke back here for the remaining two years of his contract? He’s owed 70 mil so they would have to kick in some $ but he really had a great year last year so he’s still valuable. 18-5 with an ERA below 3 and a WAR of over 6.
Well that’s a bummer! Not that I cared if we signed Bumgarner or not. It’s just that now all those T-shirts are going to have to be changed to “Get the ball out of the Pool!”
Madison Bumgarner close to signing a 5 year deal with Arizona. Yikes.
AC has been pimping Corey Kluber for two years.
He may be right.
I don’t agree but he could be right.
He just doesn’t call the Dodgers dumbasses for not getting him.
He may be right.
Time will tell.
Sorry, but I just don’t suffer fools.
Feel free to disagree with me. AC does! 2D2 does.
Just don’t say stupid shit!
I won’t mention any names, but some here do not deserve to draw air and make the rest of us dumber.
It’s good to see that some of you don’t want to be encumbered by facts. It’s easy to arrive at any conclusion when you start at the bottom line and work up. I wish I could do my taxes that way.
Some of you are a prisoner to your thoughts. Your mind is holding you hostage Pay the damn ransom!
Do you know the last thing a stupid redneck says before he dies?
“Hey you’all, watch this”
Was he gutless? No, just stupid!
Whoever signs Corey Kluber is going to get one of three outcomes:
1. He will be better than last year;
2. He will be worse than last year; or
3. He will be the same as last year!
THAT’S IT! 2 out of 3 are bad! Even Ray Charles can see that.
OK, I wasn’t going to use any names, but I changed my mind – when James Moya posts, I lose brain cells because he starts from a position that is logical inside a demented mind but bears no basis in fact.
So my advice to him is STFU! We know what you are going to say and it is really dumb! Are we clear?
Go back to http://www.ladodgerreport.com where insanity is a prerequisite.
It’s been a long time since I posted here but I have been reading the comments on a daily basis. My health hasn’t been the best and I’ve been in and out of hospitals since the beginning of August.
This is what I would do as far as Cleveland is concerned: I would trade Lux and May along with Maeda or Stripling and Ferguson for Lindor, Clevinger and Hand. If they refuse then walk away. I would also take a chance and sign Betances.
I have no problem with Hand closing and Lindor would have to sign an extension.
1 – No one knows if Kluber will be any good next year. He has been good in the past but wan’t pitching well last year before he was hit in the head with that liner.
2 – The Rangers didn’t give up much to get him – a 21 YO reliever with a great fastball and a CF who can’t hit. If the Dodgers wanted him they could have easily surpassed that deal, so either the Indians REALLY REALLY wanted the youngster or the Dodgers just weren’t interested.
3 – If the season started right now, the rotation would be Buehler, Kershaw, Maeda, and 2 of Urias (who threw only 78 innings last year and won’t last as a starter all year this year), May, Gonsolin (also didn’t pitch that many innings last year) and Stripling. Ryu was their best pitcher most of the season and he won’t be there. The SP isn’t as good as last year if the season started today. Will they do something about it?
4 – I don’t get the idea of a Frankie Lindor trade if it costs them May or Lux. Lindor is only under control for 2 more seasons and his acquisition forces all Dodger INF to move (Seager to 3B, Turner to 1B, Muncie to 2B) and keeps Lux in the minors for another season.
5 – Besides, what they need is pitching right now.
6 – Remember Molly Knight’s hypothesis from The Athletic:
“Another reason people are skeptical that the Dodgers went all-in on these guys is because it flies in the face of this ownership group’s (and Friedman’s) approach to how they’ve always done business. They have spent money, yes, but they haven’t given out a contract north of $100 million to a free agent since they signed Zack Greinke in 2013 and that was before Friedman got to town. Mega-deals like the ones given to Rendon, Strasburg and Cole are not Friedman’s call, however. They are ownership decisions.
There are two scenarios at play here, and both are not good. The first is that the Dodgers exaggerated their willingness to spend big on the free-agent market in order to say to fans, “Hey, we tried.” The second is that they were prepared to outbid everyone for Cole and Rendon, but Cole and Rendon did not want to be Dodgers. Fans are stuck on the former scenario, screaming that ownership is cheap and Friedman is a moron.
But isn’t the latter scenario scarier? The Dodgers have won their division seven years in a row. They lead the universe in attendance. They play in the most glamorous city in the world. They have the money to spend. And Anthony Rendon would rather play for … the Angels? The team that hasn’t won a playoff game in 10 years? Yikes.”
7 – Baseball isn’t like hand grenades – close doesn’t count. The Dodgers have been close. Are they willing to do what it takes to acquire a difference maker to win this year?
Random comment about how the game has changed since I was a kid: I have been looking at some old team stats and was kind of amazed to find the following — the 1976 KC Royals went 90-72, winning the AL West. They were the team that lost the dramatic ALCS game 5 when Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off HR and couldn’t make it around the bases as the NYC fans stormed the field. That KC team hit a total of 65 home runs. Crazy. I kinda miss those days when a home run was special.
Okay, wait for it. Rangers acquire Kluber, the sky is falling.
But the reality is no one really knows what Kluber is right now. Jon Heyman reported last night that the Dodgers and Indians are still in talks, but it’s about Lindor, not Kluber. Does that really surprise anyone? If the two teams are still in discussions, there must be a possibility of something getting done. Maybe they get there, maybe they don’t, but apparently the door is open.
If May and Lux are off the table and I’m thinking they are, may be there is another package that Cleveland has at least some interest in, starting with Keibert Ruiz, perhaps Tony Gonsolin or Josiah Gray, Edwin Rios and Jeter Downs. The Dodgers have prospects, plenty of them. They could add a vet or two into the mix. We’ll see.
Interesting interview with Dave Roberts in this morning’s LA Times. He still thinks the Dodgers make something happen, “We’re not done.”
He also strongly believes the Dodgers need an October difference maker.
Regarding free agents, in this current market, expect to overpay. Otherwise, you’re not getting the player (Bumgarner, Ryu, Donaldson or any other legit free agent still out there).
2demeter2, I appreciated reading your thoughtful discussion on the issues of how the Dodgers are doing things, and the potential risks either way. I will just briefly say that based on numbers I have seen (and I obviously do not have access to the books), many MLB teams are making very good profits. I saw something which indicated that the Dodgers made the most profits last year, with Philadelphia second. As much as we might not like the expensive contracts, some other teams can and will pay them. We are basically refusing to play the game.
It’s their choice, but I do not applaud them for it; they would still make profits if they signed a couple of them. I cannot believe that the Yankees are not on sound financial footing, nor the Angels, nor most of the other clubs which take these risks. Yes, sometimes the big contracts do not pay off, but I have a strong feeling that the Cole acquisition will net the Yankees several titles, something which we obviously put a lower price on than the Yankees.
As to luxury tax, it exists, but other teams go over it. I do not see how the fans of the Dodgers gain one iota from the ownership not having to sometimes pay the luxury tax. The problem here is that the ownership may have maxed out attendance, so they figure, what is the gain in spending money, if they get 3.8 million or more fans a year? And I will reiterate my belief that because the Dodgers keep adding minority owners, they are obliged to virtually guarantee them profits each year as reward for the cost these new owners pay to join the group. Moreno does not need massive profits each year, whereas the Dodgers seem to . So here we are. I think that not signing Cole was a big mistake, even though I agree that there was some limit on price. Maybe he would never have signed here, but who knows, if we had the highest bid? And if this was already determined (which I don’t think it was), then the front office and ownership were very foolish to bid for someone they could not get, unless the goal was to look better by doing it.
I think that the Yankees will win the championship next year, which means that the Dodgers will not. To win the title, you have to be the best team, at least by playoff time. Being in the 90th percentile does not win the title. I don’t think that the Dodgers ownership either realizes that, or more likely, cares much about that. Put out a good team, get the 4 million fans coming in, making immense profits, that is a great season for them, even if the title drought goes 80 more years.
As to what we need to do, I do not think we have done nearly enough. We’ve added one relief pitcher, Treinen, who was very good two years ago, not good at all last year. He may rebound, he may continue to decline; more likely, he will bounce back a bit but still be erratic. A lot of people, and this is true of fans of most clubs, I guess, are very optimistic that just signing someone will magically restore his earlier form. The Dodgers do that a lot. Maybe we will get Betances whom I am not a fan of, though he has very good stuff. He’s coming off a year where he scarcely pitched. And the year before that, he was very erratic, blew leads in games I saw, was getting used less. Had the Dodgers earlier bid for Britton and/or Ottavino, or just recently Will Smith, we would be much better off. But my complaints about the Dodgers’ penuriousness in these areas extends past that of the big deals. LeMahieu was another one we could have gone after, but we chose not to. We almost always choose not to, somewhat like Bartleby the Scrivener.
I am not thrilled with a rotation which includes a declining Kershaw; Urias, who surely has potential, but has not proven it as a starter; May, a young pitcher who will need to grow,; and maybe Gonsolin, another such pitcher. I think Ryu is gone, he is unhappy that the Dodgers have not offered him. Stripling seems like an average pitcher to me. Bumgarner was so great a few years ago, but what are the chances that he will somehow return to that form? It is not impossible, sometimes pitchers do; Verlander had tailed off in the year and half before the end part of 2017. He may be our only real chance here, but he is no Cole at this point. Kluber is another risk, as other here have pointed out. That is the problem when you do not sign the star free agents, you end up spending rather substantial dollars and assets to take flyers on guys who were good in the past, but may not be so now. If analysis of Bumgarner’s pitching motion and speed is positive (and he did do quite well near the end of the season), I think we may have to take that chance.
Right now, the Yankees look like the best team, by some margin. After that, it is hard to say, but I would not be surprised if the Braves have a better record than we do, they were only about four games off last year. We could still win the National League, there are improving clubs like the Cardinals, but we still may be the best in the NL. I do have this thought that maybe last year’s major disappointment in the first round of the playoffs, with almost everyone realizing that Roberts was out of his element, might have a negative ripple effect. in the clubhouse. But maybe I am being unduly concerned about something like that. It is just a little difficult for me to see the Dodgers having another 100-win season, everything falling into place in a postive way. I could more likely see more cracks; a lack of leadership on-field; Seager looking to leave; Kershaw having more problems; Kenley continuing to decline. We’ll have to see. But even the Dodgers’ front office stated that there was something missing, and I think we all felt that some significant changes were needed. So far, we haven’t seen us do anything at that level.
Lux and May for Lindor is also too much for me. And that’s why I said the devil is in the details.
And why does the reported Ranger deal tell anyone that the Dodgers are gutless and sitting on their ass? First off we don’t yet know the details of that deal, nor do we know what else the Dodgers are working on that would preclude them doing a deal for Kluber.
Kluber to Rangers per MLB Trade Rumours
I wish we knew more about Verdugo…
I cannot see Cleveland trading Clevinger… unless he is damaged goods and then I would not want him.
Cleveland is allegedly asking for Lux and May for Lindor. That’s a non-starter for me.
Kluber could be very good or he could be done. That’s a big risk.
At this stage of the game, I would almost rather sign Castellanos and trade Pederson and CT3 or Kike. Casty plays left, Pollock is his caddy and plays all over the OF as well. I would rather sign Castellanos to a 4 year deal than Donaldson.
There may be more to do, but wouldn’t a turnaround by Treinen constitute at least for a partial fix to the bullpen?
Maybe I’m totally wrong or need to take a second look, but with all the power he has, I’m not all that sanguine on Edwin Rios. Hopefully he can change my mind.
I could see taking a chance with Donaldson at 3/$75. But at the same time I also see upside in deals for Lindor or Kris Bryant. In those cases the devil is in the details. Or should I say, the cost? And there are of course all the things we haven’t thought of that AF has. Speculation is fine, but. In the end I’m waiting to see what actually happens.
Ultimately I have confidence that AF knows what he’s doing, and certainly he knows a lot more than any of us.
Fun column.
Still not buying the Josh Donaldson rumors. He’s 34, one year younger than Justin Turner. Maybe, if it was a two year deal, but now it could go to four years. At what point does the Bringer of Rain become Mr. Sprinkles? I think Turner is fine. I can see the Dodgers extending him next year.
Certainly Pedro Moura was correct, but he expects the Dodgers to make a trade or two in the next couple of weeks. It probably won’t be for Lindor. Why would the Dodgers give up Gavin Lux and Dustin May? As Ken Rosenthal pointed out, makes no sense. Lux, many baseball people believe, could become the next Lindor and May has a chance to be an excellent starter.
Since taking over five years ago, Friedman is first in wins in MLB , first in post season wins and first in division titles.
I like the idea of the Dodgers signing Madison Bumgarner, but I think it takes five years and probably $100 million. Hey, if Clayton Kershaw wants him, Dodgers fans should want him. Plus, it gives the Dodgers another pinch hitting option off the bench when he’s not pitching and Bumgarner wants to play on a post season bound team. Okay, the first time he pitches in San Fran may be a little weird, Giants fans will hate it. As far as pitching at Dodger Stadium in blue, hey I want to be at that game. Sounds like fun.
Signing or acquiring another reliever wouldn’t hurt, Betances? Imagine if all the bullpen guys clicked. Lights out.
No doubt, the Yankees may be whining about the Luxury Tax in the near future. But I’m guessing they’re gambling on the tax threshold changing greatly as part of the new agreement between players and owners. Obviously players and agents see it as an obstacle.
Looking at the way contracts are soaring, maybe the Dodgers should have signed Bryce Harper. Might look like a deal in another couple of years.
Nothing against Rendon, but I’m glad he signed with the Angels. I like Turner, he has flair and the Dodgers don’t have to play musical chairs in the infield. That means Lux at second. I’m still high on AJ Pollock, his second half was pretty good.
The Dodgers still need to clean up the cluttered outfield situation and focus on on pitching, starting and relieving. The Dodgers and Ryu situation is kinda weird. Still think he might be back, but are other teams simply willing to offer more years than LA is comfortable due to the injury history?
The bullpen could be fixed already – you never know with bullpens. If the Dodgers had traded for Edwin Diaz before 2019, you would have been ecstatic. But look what he did in 19. The guy that was not so good in 19 could be lights out in 20. That’s how bullpens work. The Yankees great bullpen caved in the playoffs
The Angels GM had this to say about the trade market for pitching.
“The prices are a little rich right now,” Eppler said of the market. “I’m not sure I’m going to engage at the level clubs are asking right now, but I know I can play if I want to.”
Ugh, the insane money contracts given to Cole and Strasburg among others seems to have trickled down to the pitching trade market. Friedman should have done what I suggested before free agency started. That the Dodgers should fix the bullpen right away since it is the team’s biggest need and then look at other possibilities later.
Greetings from the DR:
Borass was driving the train. He let the Dodgers bid up the price for Cole and did not allow them to counter. Maybe Cole wanted NY over LA, but maybe he thought LA would bid up Rendon and that way he could get two $300 Million clients. AF did not play… maybe he was wise to the tactic but most likely he and his advisors were not impressed with Rendon as a Dodger. Let’s leave it at that… unless you just insist on attaching something sinister to it in order to fit your narrative.
There are flaws in the rest of the market as well:
Ryu- I think we have seen his best and injury (moving forward) is a concern. I might offer him two years at $38 Million. That’s it!
Bumgarner – I know he is thinking $100 Million. No way. Statistically, Clayton is still much better. Bum is not the guy who carried the Giants anymore. That ship has sailed. I would offer him a 3 year at $60 Million. I want you, but only at that price. Come and help us win a Championship,
Donaldson – He’s a year younger than Turner. Really, a 3-year deal at $75 Milion is too long, but I might do it for the edge he brings. If he signs, it would mark the end of Joc and if Bum signs it would mandate trading Maeda.
Hill – I know that Rich Hill will likely be out until after the All-Star Break, but he would be with the team and that’s worth a $2 or 3 Million incentive-laden deal. I would sign Dick Mountain for sure.
Trading Joc and Maeda would likely garner a top-shelf reliever and a couple of prospects (you can never have enough).
Matt Beaty could be a “Breakout Candidate” as could Ed Rios. Beaty will likely see time at 3B/1B an LF, as well. I would also think Kike or CT3 will be moved.
I am looking for Ruiz the second half of the season.
Let’s re-visit the lineup:
1. Verdugo RF
2. Bellinger CF (I want him to change his hitting style – fewer HR, higher BA)
3. Turner 1B
4. Muncy 2B
5. Donaldson 3B
6. Seager SS
7. Pollock/Beaty or Rios LF
8. Smith/Ruiz C
Great L-R Balance
Starters:
1. Buehler
2. Urias
3. Kershaw
4. Bumgarner
5. May
Pen:
Stripling
Gonsolin
Trienen
Jansen
Baez
Kelly
Bummer?
Ferguson
Bench:
CT3 or Kike
Rios, Beaty
Lux or Garlick
If I remember the comments Rendon made correctly. He said that he is from Texas and that should tell you his political leanings. Is LA too liberal for him? Did he see what happened to Orange county last election? Where is Anaheim located? The conservative areas seem to be evaporating in southern California . I just don’t get that statement.
Great story about the dentist, AC. I’m also spending some time and money at the dentist this season. Just had an extraction on Thursday and will get an implant in 2 months. I’m willing to bet my life savings that I will never run into the son or daughter of a Dodger player that is a dentist in my neck of the woods. My dentist’s name is Sunee Punyayutthakarn. Can you guess where I live? lol