We now know who comprises the 25 man roster. Is it what I would have chosen? Probably not, but I do understand the reasons for the selections. I was disappointed that Chris Taylor was not selected, but I understand why Kike’ was valued more as utility player. I understand that Taylor is an infielder that needs to learn OF. If Seager goes on the DL, it will not be Kike’ playing short…it will be Chris Taylor. If Logan Forsythe goes on the DL, Chase Utley and Chris Taylor will become a 2B platoon. That is who Chris Taylor is, and if I keep my emotions out of it, I agree with Hawkeye; Taylor is a AAAA player.
I was also somewhat surprised that Chris Hatcher was retained. FAZ loves hard throwing relievers and are not convinced that Hatcher cannot replicate his 2014 season with the Fish. 56 IP with 60K and only 12BB. He also only allowed 4 HR. Maybe he is snake-bit as a Dodger. FAZ will have a very short leash, and Baez will undoubtedly be ready to replace him if he falters again. Although his pitching tonight against Trout/Pujols/Marte was encouraging.
I have no issue with Barnes making the team over Wilson. Wilson was not going to continue the power, and Barnes gives the team much more flexibility. The one I am still somewhat perplexed with is Franklin Gutierrez. I know he mashes LHP. Trayce Thompson and Brett Eibner provide more power and much better defense. But at this stage of his career, Gutierrez knows he is a role player and Thompson and Eibner should play every day (or 4 out 5). But like Hatcher, I think Franklin has a short leash.
With the options and outright assignments, the roster at OKC begins to overflow, and that has a trickle down impact. Thompson, Eibner, and Holt could all be on multiple ML rosters and start for some teams. As of now, Verdugo is assigned to OKC, and he belongs there. But with Dickson, a proven AAA hitter, and with Bellinger, Segedin, and Taylor taking their turns in the OF, rumors have started that Verdugo could start the year in Tulsa. IMO that would be a mistake (as if my opinion means anything). Regardless of where Verdugo starts, there is no room for Kyle Garlick and Jacob Scavuzzo. And it is going to get even more interesting when (if) Toles is moved down when Ethier comes off DL. Devin Ahart and Jordan Paroubek a couple of young A level OF were released. It is going to be fun to place the OF onto their respective teams.
What happens if Bobby Wilson does accept the assignment in OKC. One, I do not see why he would. He signed with LA for a chance to be the backup C. Is he now going to accept being a backup at OKC, or will Kyle Farmer be sent down to Tulsa. Farmer needs to play every day somewhere. What happens at 1B? Bellinger will be the primary 1B, but Stetson Allie/Ike Davis/Rob Segedin are also listed at 1B. Yes Segedin was the 3B last year, but that is where Charlie Culberson and Drew Maggi are scheduled to play. Darnell Sweeney also played a lot of 3B in Spring, but he will undoubtedly somewhat share 2B duties with Calhoun. I know he is really a utility player in the making, but there is no room now for Tim Locastro who deserves the promotion. Does 22 year old Erick Mejia (who had a good AB tonight) get a justified promotion to AA with Drew Jackson and Tim Locastro no place to go? I also do not think they can drop any 1B to AA because that is where Kapler probably wants to see Matt Beatty. Edwin Rios is another one of those power hitters with no position will also get some time at 1B. As an aside, one-time #1 catching prospect Julian Leon was released today as well.
Perhaps the biggest open question is the trickle down bullpen. With Liberatore/Fields/Morrow (and Ravin when he comes off DL) with ML ability and aspirations joining Rhame/Broussard/Cash/Younginer/Schuster/Somsen/Grana and even Geltz and Paredes. That is 13 relievers for 7 or 8 spots. That is going to be a lot of relievers being released or moved.
The more OKC gets crowded the more it impacts Tulsa, and then Rancho/Great Lakes. There will be players who played well at Great Lakes that will have to return because of the lack of open positions. The Dodgers have players who could be traded, but they are going to need a trade partner, and one does not appear to be materializing. I think I will go and try to set up rosters from OKC, to Tulsa, to Rancho, and to Great Lakes. I hope I have enough paper (or computer memory).
One final comment, I am a fan of Alana Rizzo.
Discussion (38)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The Dodgers starting rotation will undoubtedly have pitchers go on the DL this year. Almost all teams do. But I keep hearing how the Mets starting rotation is so much better than LAD’s. Why do they get a pass on injuries but Dodger starters do not? Steven Matz has never been healthy and has had TJ surgery, and is out again to start the season. Zach Wheeler hasn’t pitched in two years. Robert Gsellman had less than 50 IP in 2016. Matt Harvey has had TJ surgery and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and had less than 100 IP in 2016. Jacob deGrom has had TJ surgery, rotator cuff tendonitis, and forearm injury last year and less than 150 IP last year. Noah Syndergaard made it through but not without elbow soreness last year. He was the king of Mets IP with 183.2. Maybe they get through with Syndergaard, deGrom, Harvey, Gsellman, and Wheeler all year. But I cannot be convinced that while the Dodgers rotation may have injury concerns (legitimate) that the Mets do not have any.
According to JP Hoonstra – this is how the minor league teams will start out:
Rancho California Quakes could be very fun to watch
InsideSoCal.com blog
Trickle-on economics got former 1st rd draft pick Chris Anderson. Released by the Dodgers.
I was just reading ESPN Insider and KEITH LAW likes the Dodgers over the Indians in the World Series. He has the Cubs at 96 Wins and the Dodgers and Indians at97. He says that the Dodgers are so deep they can withstand a lot of mishaps.
Well, the trickle down has begun. Mark posted a link to the season opening Dodgers minor league affiliates. Mark noted a couple of expected players not on a roster; Urias and Alveraz. These pitchers have innings watch, and the Dodgers are going to be patient with them at Extended Spring Training. According to the report, apparently Bobby Wilson will report to OKC. That moves Kyle Farmer down to Tulsa, and will keep Will Smith in Rancho and Keibert Ruiz in Great Lakes.
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A couple of other things stood out. Chris Taylor and Trayce Thompson are not currently on the OKC roster. Josh Sborz and Andrew Sopko are not on any roster. OF maybe deserving of a promotion not getting one include Kyle Garlick and Jacob Scavuzzo (Tulsa), Yusniel Diaz and Ariel Sandoval (Rancho), Gage Green, Saige Jenco, Darien Tubbs (Great Lakes), and Mitchell Hansen (Ogden). Three Great Lakes pitchers that might have been promoted but are staying; Imani Abdullah, Jordan Sheffield, and Leo Crawford. Gavin Lux is not scheduled to report to a full season team, so his season will start in Ogden. No reason to rush, and with Brendon Davis still at Great Lakes, and Erick Mejia/Drew Jackson on Rancho, there really is no place for him to play right now.
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Rancho is loaded. Starters headlining will be Walker Buehler and Mitchell White. Dennis Santana and Caleb Ferguson will be solid #3 and #4. Both Spitzbarth and Istler will be in the pen with Dean Kremer. Wes Helsabeck will probably be #5, but could also be in the pen. Ibandel Isabel at 1B (another slugger for you to watch Bums), infielders Omar Estevez, Brandon Montgomery, Erick Mejia, and Drew Jackson. DJ Peters, Yusniel Diaz, and Ariel Sandoval have a chance to be an outstanding offensive and defensive OF. Luke Raley and Logan Langdon should probably start at High A somewhere, but they will be reserve OF with this team. Drew Saylor is going to have a great team to mold.
I sat right behind the plate last night in Anaheim, albeit high up. A few observations:
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MLB players are in better shape than ever.
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Rich Hill is unhittable when the curve is working. When it’s not he struggles but battles.
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Kenley is the most dominant reliever in MLB. Don’t worry about his spring ERA.
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It seemed to me a lot of Dodger batters stood closer to the plate than in the last. Turner Ward influence?
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Hatcher has heat and movement. If he has harness it he’d be a dominant 8th inning guy. Big if.
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The Angels are an enigma. Could win the division, could finish last.
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Dodgers have better backups and minor leaguers than I ever remember.
I just think that it isn’t good for the organization’s moral, to hand Hatcher the job.
He hasn’t pitched well, for a long time, and the one time he did pitch well, it was for a very short time, and it was almost, two years ago.
I just feel for the other pitchers, who have to pitch well, to keep there jobs, or to get the job.
I think it just sets a bad example, for the other pitchers, and the young pitchers, to give the job to Hatcher two years in a row, without him, having to earn the job.
Not to mention the fact that Hatcher, might affect our games, in a bad way, early in the season this year, like he did, last year..
About Taylor, I know my buddy Hawkeye, said Taylor is only a AAAA player, but maybe Kike, is just a AAAA player too.
Because Kike not only just had that one good year, this year, he didn’t have enough at bats, or face any real major league pitching, in the WBC, to take his stats from the WBC, seriously.
But just like with Hatcher, is it good or fair, to give the job to Kike, when he didn’t really earn the job?
The thing that made me look more at what Taylor did in spring training this year, was the fact that I found out that Taylor had an arm problem last year, when he joined the team.
So I thought maybe we didn’t see the best from Taylor last year, because he wasn’t really 100 percent,
healthy, last year.
I know these two moves, are not written in stone, and those two guys, will have to produce, to keep there jobs, but it is just the point with me.
And also it is how these moves, can affect the other players, who were sent down, to AAA, that played well enough, or pitched well enough, to have one of these two jobs, unlike these other two guys.
Can’t believe tonight is the last practice game of the year!
Hopefully Seager feels good after the game, as he’s supposed to start tonight
AC,
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I’ll tell you a reason Wilson will accept assignment to OKC:
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Odds are Grandal or Barnes will see the DL at least once this year and he is next in line…
He would not be the first backup catcher to catch lightning in a bottle and a World Series Ring! 😉
You got us all thinking AC about challenge players have trying to make the major leagues as well as the complexities management has in getting the right players on the bus and in the right seats. See what I did there?
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I think it is important for players to play on winning teams in the minors and take that winning expectation with them into the majors. Ron Cey once said that he expected to beat the Giants because he and his fellow Dodger minor leaguers beat their Giant counterparts as they all moved up the ladder.
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Players like Dickson help Oklahoma win and that allows players like Bellinger to move up the ladder more quickly because Dickson and other AAAA players on the team put Oklahoma on their backs.
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I think if Taylor were to shorten his swing he could move from being a AAAA player to a major leaguer. He doesn’t have the power to take advantage of the big swing. If he could model his swing after Utley, make more consistent contact, I think he could be more than a utility player. Maybe he should start by choking up on the bat.
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I really like Barnes. There has never been a question for me who should make the team between Wilson or Barnes. Barnes is younger and I think he is a premier defensive catcher. I look forward to the day Smith and Barnes share the catching duties. I know, I have never been a Grandal fan, I admit it. I also look forward to an outfield of Peters, Thompson/Toles, and Pederson.
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I think the outfield logjam will loosen up soon. For me, Gutierez is merely an April player to give Thompson a month to groove his swing after missing most of last year and not being able to swing a bat during the off-season. Puig will soon be traded. Ethier will be Crawfordized before July.
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I am actually glad Hatcher made the team. He has shown both sides of a coin with one side a winner and the other side a loser. He is good for stretches and bad for stretcher. Trade high on him during a winning stretch.
Very nice Always Compete. Wow, the Dodger organization is stacked! I hate seeing some of these guys released. What happened with Leon I wonder?
You are right, Dodgers have players who can be traded. It would be really nice to see a “Hamels” situation pop up now. The organization appears like it could afford to trade six 1-A prospects for a Hamels now. Or how about this, FAZ acquires a second AAA team.
AC is doing a great job while I am gone.
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Bumsrap has a great post for tomorrow and I will be back Monday morning with a Season Kickoff Post.
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My Convention is over and this now feels like vacation.
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Yes, I am a Pirate:
Headed to the beach…
Dave Roberts like vets on the bench – he was a older bench player when he helped win a World Series.
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It wasn’t all FAZ that caused Gutierrez, Utley, Hernandez and SVS to be our bench players. As much as anything, Doc likes experience … especially at the end of a game.
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That said, they have to produce. I would not be surprised if Utley and Gutierrez got less than 200 AB’s each… or not many more than that. I guess lots will depend upon injuries too.