The Francisco Lindor rumors had barely died down when the media begin circulating another rumor. You all do know that unless sports writers have something to write about, they are out of a job… so if they have to resort to poetic license ) a nice way of saying “making s___t up”), they do it. The chances of Lindor getting traded to the Dodgers are slim and none and the changes Nolan Arenado is traded to the Dodgers are even less than that.
Right about now, the Rockies owe Nolan $199 Million through 2026. He can opt out of his deal after next season, at which time he would be walking away from $164 million – GUARANTEED! I have been wrong many times, but one thing I have learned is that while professional athletes may love the game, it is also about the money. Unless he wins the Triple Crown and the NL MVP, there is no way he opts out. He will be 30 in 2021 and 31 in 2022, when he can opt out. There is almost no chance any team will give a 32-year-old third baseman that same amount of money.
So, some of you my think the Dodgers will trade for him and maybe the Rockies will kick in some cash. The first obstacle is that neither team wants to trade with a team in their same division for obvious reasons. The second obstacle is the number of prospects that need to be included. If Colorado trades Nolan, they will have to do the same with Blackman, Gray, and Story – they will be in a full rebuild mode (and that’s OK, but its going to cost a lot of prospects). Lux and Ruiz just gets you into the room to talk. It’s going to take a lot more than that.
The next obstacle is that in Coors, Arenado OPS’s .985 – he is Superman there! Away from Coors, his OPS is .793 and it’s even worse in Dodger Stadium. You can rationalize it away by saying “Well it’s worse because of the Dodger’s superior pitching.” You can say that, but it is what it is. You may think that he will hit better than the .793 road OPS he now has. I may think he won’t do better, but neither of us can prove that! We simply don’t know! Wht we do know is that he is what he is: A .793 Road OPS’er! That may be what you get if you trade for Nolan!
Mookie Betts was the beneficiary of playing in Fenway Park which is also known as a hitters park. For his career, he OPS’ed .931 at Fenway, while OPS’ing . 861 on the road. He OPSed .927 for the Dodgers and actually did better at Dodger Stadium with a .950 OPS there. However, Mookie is a lot different hitter than Nolan. I cannot see how Nolan can be the offensive player he is if he comes to LA. I think that Arenado’s chances of coming to LA are very much below slim and none. However, if somehow he does become a Dodger, I will be all in on him. I just do not believe AF will take on a $199 million contract AND cough up the requisite prospects to make the deal. That sounds like a dope-fiend move!
By the way, some of you should be playing Fantasy Baseball because getting Judge, Torres, Lindor, Arenado, or Snell is pure fantasy. However, if you like to concoct up will trade schemes that will never happen, have at it. It does provide for some great comedy!
The Andrew Friedman Factor
Andrew likes to buy low and right about now, Kris Bryant’s stock has tanked. He is a former All-Star, Rookie of the Year and MVP who will be 29 next season. It has been rumored that the Cubs might consider non-tendering him, but that won’t happen if they find a trade partner. I don’t know what it would take, but it would be a lot less than Lux and Ruiz and others. Maybe Matt Beaty, Zach Reks and another mid-level prospect would get it done. Maybe it would take Ruiz… I am not sure what the Cubs value most.
Bryant has had some injuries and I think he is tired of playing in Chicago. He’s from Las Vegas so he may love to play in LA. 3B has been his primary position, but he’s no Gold Glover… although he could get better. I would put him in LF and let him rake. Pollock becomes the 4th outfielder. Bryant could put up a monster season… and I would still try and sign Turner. If the DH stays, the Dodgers would be set.
- Betts RF (R)
- Seager SS (L)
- Bryant LF (R)
- Muncy 1B (L)
- Turner/Rios 3B (R/L)
- Bellinger CF (L)
- Smith C (R)
- Pollock/Raley DH (R/L)
- Lux 2B (L)
Bryant can be a Free Agent in 2022 – maybe the Dodgers sign him… maybe he walks, but he might be a key cog in another World Championship! This is what I would call an Andrew Friedman-esque move. This is also a move rooted in logic. Other teams will want him too, but $18.6 million for one season is do-able for the Dodgers.
Dodger Press Release
DODGERS ADD GERARDO CARRILLO, ANDRE JACKSON, EDWIN UCETA AND ZACH REKS TO 40-MAN ROSTER
LOS ANGELES – TheLos Angeles Dodgers added right-handed pitchers Gerardo Carrillo, Andre Jackson and Edwin Uceta as well as OF Zach Reks to the 40-man roster. The 40-man roster is at 36.
Carrillo, 22, spent the 2020 season at the Dodgers secondary site. In 2019, he made 21 starts and tallied a 5-9 record with a 5.44 ERA (52 ER/86.0 IP) and 86 strikeouts with High-A Rancho Cucamonga. The right-hander has been with the Dodgers since signing as a non-drafted free agent on July 5, 2016 out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In four combined seasons at the minor league level, he has posted a 14-12 record with a 3.57 ERA (77 ER/ 194.1 IP) across 50 games (41 starts).
Jackson, 24, finished his fourth professional season in the Dodgers’ organization at the secondary site. The right-hander owns a 10-7 record with a 3.45 ERA (70 ER/182.2 IP) and 217 strikeouts in 43 career minor league games (42 starts). In 2019, he went 7-2 with a 3.06 ERA (39 ER/114.2 IP) and a 1.28 WHIP in 25 starts between Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga. The Arizona native was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Utah.
Uceta, 22, finished his fifth season with the Dodgers organization after going a combined 11-2 with a 2.77 ERA (38 ER/123.1 IP) in 26 games between Double-A Tulsa and Rancho Cucamonga in 2019. In four minor league seasons with the Dodgers, he is 20-12 with a 3.72 ERA (137 ER/331.0 IP) and 362 strikeouts in 76 games (66 starts). He was originally acquired by the Dodgers as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2016. Reks, 27, has been with the Dodgers since being drafted in the 10th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Kentucky. In three minor league seasons, across five different levels, he has hit a combined .300 (272-for-908) with 35 homers and 145 RBI. In 2019, he clubbed 28 homers in 121 games.
Dodger News
- The Rockies signed Conner Joe – Good Luck and Good Health to you CJ – The Dodgers just had no place for you.
- It’s a sad day that forces the Dodgers to cut ties with the Ogden Raptors. It is reported that the Dodgers will replace Ogden with Spokane and that Spokane would be High A and Rancho Cucamonga would be Low A.
- MLB is looking to keep around cities that lost their MLB affiliation for “other baseball projects” whatever that means.
- MLB announced the Appalachian League — a league similar to the Pioneer League — will be converted to a summer circuit for the country’s top underclassmen college players.
- There are reports that the Dodgers are going to cut ties with the Great Lakes Loons as well, but yesterday afternoon, the Loons President Mike Hayes said that was false. “From everything we can determine, it’s false,” Hayes said of the rumor. “The Dodgers don’t agree with the article, and, frankly, neither does Spokane. The reporter at that paper just got some wrong information.” Somebody’s got it all wrong – Hoornstra or the Loons President! We shall find out who. It does make sense logistically, for the Dodgers to move to Spokane, rather than Midland, Michigan, but we shll see!
- The Dodgers have three vacant spots on their roster… most likely for their own free agents. I say JT, Kike and Woody! I think Baez is gone and Treinen is iffy. It’s interesting that there are no Joc Pederson rumors out there.
- I wonder how Andrew Toles is doing?
Discussion (79)
Disagree, not disagreeable
According to fangraphs Bellinger has accumulated a 16.7 WAR since 2017. Nearly half of his cumulative WAR was posted during his MVP season when he posted a 7.8 WAR. Good for forth in the league, behind only Trout, Bregman and Yelich.
My issue is whether Bellinger can reach the level of offensive output that led to his eventual MVP season? Or, is he closer to the 2017-18 player who averaged nearly a 4.0 WAR? A 4.0 WAR is not bad, but we need more consistent production with the bat to consider him a cornerstone player.
Bellinger began to cool off during the second half of his MVP season and it carried over to this season. I’m not ready to place Bellinger on the same elite status as Yelich until he can produce at an elite level for more than one season. Is he a good player? Absolutely! But, do I consider him an elite player? Not yet!
I’m sure bellinger shoulder caused him problems. If the surgery is successful and he is healthy he is a game changer. He is a 5 tool player who can scare the opposing team. Even though he was bad in the series Tampa intentionally walked him in a crucial situation. I’m glad they did but what team can bat a talent like him sixth. Also, remember the nightmare for la when he was not the cf for one game. We should be glad we have him, hope he gets healthy, and accept he is one of the top players in the game.
Badger you almost called the UCLA game today. If it wasn’t for the attempted Hail Mary debacle at the end of the half….. Oregon looked terrible. PAC 12 is the minor leagues this year!
MT – You’re trying to sell Belli too much like Grandal and that got very boring…
Maybe it’s a IQ issue and someone will get to him and then a superstar shall emerge…
The constant tinkering this year was because Belli was trying to find a swing that didn’t hurt his shoulder.
I’m rooting for him! I’d love to see Seager, Belly, Buehler and Julio all signed long term and perennial all stars with lots of parades!
For a guy who has not hit well in October, he has 8 HR and 26 RBI and has scored 24 Runs.
In the same time-frame, Justin Turner has 10 HR and 29 RBI and has scored 31 Runs.
Turner has a much higher BA, but Cody has had some big hits. He can do better!
For me Belly has yet to hit in October in four straight years when it matters most. That’s an issue. Next year is a big year for him. If he returns to a 900 OPS guy then this lineup will be scary. Heck I could play 3b and still make the playoffs!
The Dodger 40 man roster is at 36. With this flexibility it will be interest8ng to see who, if any AF picks up off the non tender list Dec 2nd.
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I guess I need to remind some of you.
Postseason stats.
Team batting OPS Dodgers 2nd best at .814
Team starting pitching ERA Dodgers 4th best at 3.17
Team relief pitching ERA Dodgers 8th best at 3.64
The most important thing to remember is that Julio Urias pitched in relief in the postseason and pitched fantastically. Take Urias out of the team relief pitching and you probably have a significantly higher postseason team relief pitching ERA.
On top of that Blake Treinen who pitched well in key spots in the World Series is currently a free agent.
THE BULLPEN NEEDS TO BE REBUILT.
Mark, where do you see Belly’s numbers in years to come?Superstar or star?
What planet are some of you guys on? Man, you are tough on a guy (Bellinger) who has put up the 14th best WAR in baseball since he arrived.
#14!
Let me tell you who is behind him:
Altuve
Springer
Goldschmidt
Story
Harper
Turner
Bryant
Machado
Cruz
Stanton
Martinez
DJLM
Correa
and a ton of others.
By the way, Torres is #122!
#122!
Cody Bellinger could walk on water and you haters would say that it’s only because he can’t swim!
Take a drink of reality!
I like Cody Bellinger but I am not sold on him being a cornerstone player for the Dodgers. His defensive prowess is undeniable but holes in his swing keeps him from performing with the bat at an elite level on a consistent basis. I believe it would be a mistake for the Dodgers to bypass signing or training for a potential cornerstone player(s) because of a perceived inability to extend Cody Bellinger at a later date. I am not advocating we trade Bellinger, but it would be understandable if Dodger brass allowed Bellinger to walk as a free agent in order to use those contract dollars on an impact bat.
Ok Bear time for the Trojans to step up on the road tonight! Win tonight and they probably go undefeated and play Oregon in Pac 12 championship.
Schebler signed a 900,000 dollar deal with the Angels. It is a minor league deal and the 900,000 is what he gets if he is in the majors. Bradley leaves the Lakers for Miami on a 2 year deal.
Concerning former Giants who became Dodgers, I really liked Sal (the barber) Maglie and Jeff Kent. I would never have wanted Barry Bonds. Offer Bellinger to the Angels for Trout.
That would help balance the RH/LH lineup for the Dodgers and give financial relief to the Angels while giving them a younger star in CF (or 1B).
Anybody heard how Tommy Lasorda is doing?
Excellent take tedraymond.
Speculation is fun. But, eventually reality sets in and the solution becomes uncomplicated and clear. The easiest path would be to sign Turner and add to the bullpen. Done. I find it hard to believe that JT would move on from the Dodgers. With the pandemic and a huge reduction in revenue how many teams are in the market for a 36 year old player? I would think not many. With a new two year deal JT will have made over $80M in his career playing for his hometown team that has been the most successful team in MLB in the last decade. His other option might be retirement, but he’s still very productive player.
Another issue is what does Corey want to do? I think this is the most important question the Dodgers face this offseason. I know he’s not a FA until after 2021, but I would think that Andrew would be in communication with Seager and Boros on a new contract right now. In the Dodger’s favor is the fact that the teams that can afford him are few. The Yankees (do they really need a SS?), the Mets ( will they have spent a lot of money this offseason by their new owner?), and maybe the Giants? That’s kind of it right now. Slight possibility of Philly or Washington. In today’s market I would think that an 8 year $200-225M contract would be doable. That would have him at 35 years old in the last year of the contract. Having the DH in the future would reduce of some of the risk because of his size and injury history.
If Bellinger doesn’t change his approach and swing I would not sign him long term. He’s an injury waiting to happen with how hard he swings. His surgery on his shoulder will not be the last he has if he doesn’t change his approach. I’ve said in the past it’s like he thinks “I’m the best player in baseball so I’m going to use a stance that no one else uses and try to be still better than everyone else”. Very good hitter during the season against average to mediocre pitching. In the postseason he failed again this year. That’s one of his few consistencies…failure in the postseason. With his talent and athleticism he should hit .320-.350 with 30-45 HR and 120-150 RBI a year. And, add his GG defense no matter where he plays he should be, by far, the best player in baseball. But, if he doesn’t change then I pass on him long term unless he takes a lesser amount than he thinks he’s worth.
With Buehler, if he stays healthy and it doesn’t continually take a half a season for him to get on track should get a nice payday. But, I think the days of $30-35M a year for #1 starters is going the way of the hit and run play. I don’t see why a team would pay a pitcher that much to throw 150-180 innings per year. I’ve mentioned before that front offices aren’t allowing starters to go more than 5-6 innings anymore because of “one size fits all” analytics (thank you Tampa Bay) and, therefore, don’t have to pay them huge salaries. Why pay a lot of money to a starter when you can have a staff of BP guys making less than $15-20M a year. With the inconsistencies of relief pitchers year to year it’s hard to invest huge amounts of payroll in a top reliever. Mark has pointed this out many times in the past. Look what Colorado did a few years ago signing three relievers for a combined $100M+. All three failed miserably. AF has invested several high draft picks for potential relief prospects recently just for that reason. If they don’t work out then the cost is minimal and move on to the next candidate. That’s why I think this FA season is going to have many top line relievers looking for one year contracts to get through the uncertainty of the pandemic issues and the new MLB labor agreement. This could be a huge advantage for the Dodgers. Be aggressive in that the FAs will be anxious to sign to eliminate being left out. Very little risk for potentially superior talent. Also, this would give the recent relief prospects another year of development.
Anyway, curious to see how things pan out for the Dodgers. I’m leaning toward simple solutions.
Carry on.
Did anyone mention that with just a couple bullpen pieces this team is easily the 21 WS favorites. Why the rush to make huge changes and give up any of our top young talent? Just wait for the 21 free agent class and keep our top young players. That’s what separates us from other franchises. Buehler, Urias, May, Gonsolin, Gray and al will keep us at the top for years to come. I’m not trading any of those guys!
How would you like to be Trevor Ariza? The guy was traded again, and is now with his 4th team since the end of the season. He will be with OKC next year. I remember him from when he was a Laker. Howard went to the 76er’s and Danny Green was traded only to be traded again on draft day, and the Lakers traded their pick. Fun to speculate who might come to LA, and of course the rumor mill is churning fast. Next important date is Dec 2 when teams must submit their non tender lists. Expect there will be many casualties. And the number of available players on the free agent list will grow exponentially. 2 Pac-12 games cancelled. ESPN will broadcast USC-Utah.
The Lakers also won a championship and have already replaced 3 of their 5 championship starters and are still looking at more trades and free agent signings. They have a two person core and half of that core is in limbo.
Yes, the Dodgers very well could make some trades and sign free agents and change the makeup of the team that just won the WS.
The Dodgers want a big righty bat. Every time Turner had to run full out we all held our breaths until we knew if he hadn’t pulled a leg muscle. Other teams know about his legs. He could wind up as our Manny Mota with a few more at bats at a team friendly contract. He therefore would not qualify for the big righty bat Friedman wants.
Gleyber Torres might be available according to some pundits if the Yankees can swap him for pitching and the Yankees are a righty hitting dominant team in need of lefty hitters. A steal for the Dodgers would be Price, Muncy, and Gonsolin. I would put Torres at third.
Rotation? Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, May, Kluber/Wood.
I’m not sure how Kris Bryant makes the Dodgers better unless he returns to his old form. We’ve already got AJ Pollock in left. Had a pretty good season, better defender. Just extend Seager, re-sign Turner and add a couple of relievers. What did Andrew Friedman mean about a right handed bat. Another bat besides Turner? Could the DH play a role?
Maybe Friedman is serious about adding a big bat. Or maybe it’s just part of a wish list, if something falls Into place that makes sense. Still uncertain how all this plays out. They just laid off a bunch of employees, pointing to financial concerns. Taking a beating over that. Did seem odd if the organization is overflowing with dollars, looking to add to player payroll.
But in Friedman’s interview there was no indication of concern over payroll as they pursue a second World Series title. Maybe they felt they were staff heavy and were planning to downsize? Or maybe they really had nothing for them to do because of the virus and quanatine. Nothing is real clear here.
I still like giving Gavin Lux a full shot at second base. Really like his skill set. His late start and difficult season may have to do more with Covid than anything else. We just don’t know.
So, no to Bryant. The cost of Arenado would be high. Still can’t see the Rockies trading with a division rival, especially not Dodgers.
Hey, it’s like a great big mystery. Speculating is such fun.
If you don’t get Bryant to play 3rd then getting him seems random. You already have Pollock signed and playing well. Better to speculate about the area of need, 3b, bullpen, right handed hitter off the bench. Now if you want to speculate about getting Bryant to play 1b at least it addresses a possible need. Muncie is valuable but not a great defensive 1b.
Bill Shea yesterday Athletic. Must read.
Do the Dodgers really have to cut costs?
Of course not. There is enough wealth in these organizations, especially the Dodgers, to keep everyone employed for a year, which is about how long it’s going to take to get all of America vaccinated.
Why let Baez go? He’s not that expensive. He finally has an off speed pitch he can throw for strikes. The last two years he’s got a WHIP under 1. Give him the 6th inning for $4 million.
Doesn’t Pollock also make $18 million?
I would love to see Kris Bryant as the full time left fielder; but, I don’t think the Dodgers will take on $18.6M in payroll. Ideally the Cubs would take back AJ Pollock ($12M AAV) as part of the package for Bryant — or Dodgers trade Pollock to another team looking for OF’er (Cardinals? Nationals? Indians?)
Joc Pedersen named Manager of the Ogden Raptors, three hours later Dodgers announce separation from the Ogden Raptors, Los Angeles Angels said to be interested in acquiring the Ogden team. Stay tuned, more to come later.
Thought the consensus was that Brett de Geus would be protected.