Since my wife and I started US Systems in our garage 18 years ago, we have never both been able to be gone for more than 4 or 5 days due to the demands of it. However, in the past two years, we have hired 5 vice-presidents in Sales, Finance, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations from the corporate world. This is the first time we have been able to be gone this long.
The past two weeks have marked the longest we have ever been on vacation. Now, mind you, I am not complaining… we have been to amazing places for business… and a little pleasure. It also marks the longest we have been away from our youngest child, who is 20 (he’s the one on the right). Since he was born, he has always been with us, except for maybe a weekend. It was a new experience for all of us.
It was a great two weeks that started in Fisherman’s Wharf and finally meeting Jeff Dominique and his wife as well as Evan Bladh. WE watched the 49’ers and the Packer at my step-son’s house and had dinner and breakfast with them. I highly recommend the Argonaut Hotel. We spent six days at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, right on the beach. I very much recommend it. We had a great time.
Then, it was back to Napa for two days of wine tasting and dinner with some of my wife’s old friends (she’s from SF). We sent two cases of wine back to Indy and we got back at 11 PM on Tuesday night. I was in the office at 7 AM on Wednesday and Patty and I headed to the Pacer Game to see Victor Oladipo’s return after over a year of rehab from injury. Little did we know how much the game would be about Kobe Bryant and have a fairy tale ending.
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe
Before the game started, there was a 24-second moment of silence for Kobe Bryant and Gianna and my wife said she couldn’t stop crying. When the buzzer sounded, the crowd started chanting “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.” The Bulls won the tip and immediately put the ball on the ground as all the players stood quietly waiting for the 24-second clock to wind-down. At the end of the 24-second clock, the crowd started chanting “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.”
Next, the Pacers took the ball out and did the exact same thing and as the 24-second clock wound down, the near-sellout crowd started chanting “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.” In Indiana, we know basketball and appreciate the greatness of Kobe Bryant.
Midway in the first quarter, Victor made his debut. If you don’t like Vic, you just don’t like people. The crowd all held up yellow signs welcoming # 4 back, but if we expected Superman, we were disappointed. The Pacers played uninspired basketball all night, turnovers and missed shots that they normally would have made. Maybe they were hoping for the obviously rusty Oladipo to take over.
Behind by seven points, they chipped away until Vic (who was 0-6 at the time from 3-point range) hit a 30-foot jumper to tie the game and send it into overtime. He did not play in OT as he is on a minutes limit, but the Pacers played like their hair was on fire and won by a 115-106 score. Victor was obviously overwhelmed and credited Mamba Mentality for the shot.
You have to love Victor Oladipo. What a night and he had Kike and Gigi’s initials on his shoes in honor of them.
Now Back to Dodger Baseball
- Not surprisingly the Dodgers outfield was ranked #1 in the NL West by MLB.com. Even Ray Charles can see that.
- Scott Kazmir has been working with Driveline Baseball over the winter and plans a comeback three years after his last game. I have no opinion…
- Of course, Andrew Friedman is interested in Lindor, Clevinger, and Betts… he’s just not going to make a dope-fiend move. It’s a waiting game and if and when the Indians and Red Sox drop their asking price, he may be inclined to play.
- I am very excited about the current Dodger’s pitching staff with Mark Prior, Josh Bard, Rob Hill, and Driveline Baseball. I am not sure which arms will go where and not all reclamation projects may be successful, but I think enough will that the results will be amazing!
- How far has Yasiel Puig sunk? Maybe the Marlins will sign him for fun.
- Less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report….
Discussion (79)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Latest from Boston beat reporter:
LAD have the best current big leaguer in play (Verdugo), SD offering the best prospect (Campusano) as well as the most pieces but less financial relief due to Myers. LAD could also broaden talks to include Price, but that would diminish Sox return.
I expect most LADT readers have seen these articles but some may not have. Dusty says no cheating on his watch.
https://sports.yahoo.com/inside-one-astros-fan-quest-to-do-the-unthinkable-prove-his-team-cheated-sign-stealing-155724616.html
http://signstealingscandal.com/
Is there still bowling alleys in L.A.?
I can believe giving to get, but for one year I am not including Gray. And my thinking is Betts goes back to bosox in 2021.
I would not deal with Boston or Houston because of their cheating. A cheater has no place in the Dodger club house.
Momentum growing Betts will be a Dodger with Olney now saying he’d bet the family farm in Vermont a deal is done before the start of ST. Absolutely love it if the deal is indeed completed, even if it involves Verdugo. Betts is a top 5 MLB talent, a stud RH bat with exceptional speed. He immediately elevates us to the top of the MLB rankings . Getting this deal done without having to give up Lux, May, Gonsolin would be huge. Hate to see Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray leave the organization, but you’ve got to give up something to get something.
Cmon K mon. Who would want one of the five best players in all of baseball? What are we trying to do? Win a WS?
No to Betts and no to Price.
Betts only hit .217 against us in the World Series . If forced to take one or the other I would rather have Price with the Red Sox eating lots of cash as Price has performed in the 2 world series he has been in.
And, we keep Joc’s 35- 45 homers this year along with Kenta’s lights out in the bullpen come October .
So lets say we trade for Betts tomorrow. What if the MLB investigation determines that the Sox did actually do bad stuff with stealing signs and, even if it did not happen in the 2018 World Series, Betts took part in it.
Now fast forward two weeks to Spring Training. What does Betts’ welcome to the clubhouse look like?
We know that AF is very careful about how the guys on the roster mix and function together. How can he trade for Betts without knowing how involved he might have been in sign stealing?
What an idiot AF is ! How can he give up all that for just one year of Betts! We were better off when he didn’t do anything! Just getting ready!
Pure speculation on my part: Maybe AF is waiting to announce any trade(s) in deference to the tributes and accolades surrounding Kobe, not wanting to take away from the attention.
I’m sure they’re going through variations of who would be in the trade package. This may be pretty much settled. At this stage, it may just hinge on Red Sox ownership giving the okay. I just can’t see them taking on Price’s contract. Who actually knows if Price is healthy? Some concerning history. The Dodgers apparently have long term interest in Betts. Since it’s just a one year deal, the prospects or players going back will not include Gavin Lux or Dustin May. I can see the Dodgers absorbing the entire contract for Betts.
Buster Olney was just on ESPN 710 in LA. He really believes Mookie will be a Dodger very soon.
Things are getting interesting!
I love some of the people and subject matters on this board.
Two years ago one poster (I can’t remember who) saw Verdugo for ONE game. I think he didn’t run out a grounder and for NINE MONTHS people on this board resonated on his attitude.
Now the uninformed here (myself included, without a doubt) wouldn’t give Verdugo up for Mookie Betts? A top five player?
We need to get a collective grip here.
I also want to go on the record, that it’s with baited breath that I await the pivot from complaining about inactivity to whining about giving up prospects
I hope like hell the swap with a Boston never happens. One year with Betts over how many years with Verdugo? Also, last year was Betts best year. When did Boston cheat? If we trade for Betts, we may just have bought a “pig in a poke”.
How good is Mookie Betts when he doesn’t know what pitch is coming??
After Cora arrived in Boston Betts’ OPS is about .950.
Before Cora arrived it was about about .840.
I’ll just keep Verdugo, thanks.
LouMerloni says the Redsox offered Mookie Betts a 10 years, $300M deal in the 2019 offseason. Mookie countered with 12 years, $420M.
Do you actually think Betts is worth that and more importantly do you think Friedman is going to offer anything like those figures to Betts?
Betts is a 1 year rental. THAT’S IT.
I would prefer to take Price and Betts for Pederson, Pollock, Peters, Stripling, and Ruiz.
That’s enough for taking all that salary.
Boston could still be competitive with Strip, Joc, and AJ, and get two top prospects.
This is where they go back over the salary cap.
What Price does is gravy.
Sounds like scenarios have been discussed where they take on Price’s money or do a deal without including Price. Anything involving Price would have to allow the Dodgers to get out of Pollock’s deal, but also limit the prospects going that direction. I would be open to either. Boston has to be able to sell a move to their fans though.
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In a move without Price included the Dodgers would have to move either Verdugo or Pederson. I would be okay with moving Verdugo as much as I don’t want to. He’s got a back issue and for those of us who have had back issues they can pop up and return at any moment. Having a platoon of Joc and Pollock in LF isn’t the worst thing in the world either. Joc hit 36 bombs last year. His HR per AB is right near Pete Alonso’s.
If the Dodgers were to get Betts, I could see a “trickle-down” effect whereby Joc gets traded.
1. Verdugo LF
2. Betts RF
3. Bellinger CF
4. Muncy 1B
5. Turner 3B
6. Seager SS
7. Smith C
8. Lux 2B
That is a “fearsome” lineup.
Flip Joc for a pitcher.
If Betts is traded to us and has a great season will AF go all and sign him? Say 10 years and 375 mil
If Boston trades Betts… and Betts alone, not Price, then I can see them taking very little salary back. Certainly not Pollock or Pederson or Maeda. The Dodgers won’t include Lux or May, so I would guess a deal would look like Peters, Hernandez, Gonsolin, and Ruiz. That would save them $23 million and they would have someone who could play RF this year (Kike) and years to come (Peters). I hate trading Gonsolin more than Ruiz. I think Boston would do that, but I’d rather include Stripling instead of Gonsolin.
Welcome back Mark. Glad you had a nice vacation with your family. Great that you had the opportunity to have lunch with one of my favorite writers, AC.
The Athletic has this to say about a Betts trade:
https://theathletic.com/1571208/?source=twitterhq&redirected=1
The article offers two lineups. One with and one without Betts. They say the one w/o Betts is so strong that it mitigates how much Friedman will offer.
Here is a lineup the Dodgers could unveil on Opening Day:
Mookie Betts, RF
Max Muncy, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Cody Bellinger, CF
Joc Pederson, LF
Corey Seager, SS
Gavin Lux, 2B
Will Smith, C
“The Dodgers are not incentivized to take on Price’s money just to land Betts. Want to know why? Let me show you something else. Here is another lineup the Dodgers could unveil on Opening Day:”
Pederson, RF
Muncy, 1B
Turner, 3B
Bellinger, CF
Seager, SS
Lux, 2B
Verdugo, LF
Smith, C
“The lineup featuring Betts is better. Obviously. But either lineup would be the most dangerous in the National League West. Either lineup would likely be the best in the entire National League.”
Orel Hershiser: “If Canseco, McGwire, Parker, and all those guys in Oakland would’ve know what was coming with me… I would not be a bulldog, I would be a chihuahua. They changed LIVES “
Olney putting the likelihood of the Dodgers getting Betts at 8.5 on a 1 (not getting) to a 10 (getting him) scale. Would love to see Betts in a Dodger uniform but unless he is signed for a multi-year deal, the Dodgers will not part with top tier minor league talent.
I can see a trade involving Joc, Stripling, maybe Kenta and some minor league pieces. Would allow the Red Sox to be freed of the 27 million owed to Betts this year and still get some talent that can contribute at the ML level right now. If this deal happens it will be in the next 10 days, certainly before players start to arrive at CBR. Can’t see AF making the trade in the middle of ST.
If the Dodgers pull it off I hope they can do it without having to take David Price.
I’m just guessing the Dodgers don’t have much going with the Indians. But the Betts rumors are increasing and maybe getting somewhat serious. Friedman added fuel to the fire at fan fest.
Nobody apparently is biting on Price, no surprise there, so it would appear that the only option available, if the Red Sox are serious about getting under the cap, is trading Betts.
Interesting interview with Alex Wood. He was told he would start, the reason he opted to sign with LA.
Jimmy Nelson expects to be used in different roles.
Hate to bring this up again, but I just read an article on The Athletic about an Astros Fan who listened to every at bat during the 2017 Hou home games and that there were over 1100 bangs during the season. It seemed to go away after the ChiSox game in which Danny Farquhar complained about the sound. This is a great read and when I clicked on this site….mind blown http://signstealingscandal.com/players/. The players who benefitted the most, bangs per game.
Great article Mark. Congratulations on the time off as someone that is also in a service industry, I too have had to sacrifice lack of family and travel time for the business. It was not until recent hires which I have gone through like a kid goes through diapers to find the right fits that I may have a couple employees that may work out. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to take 2 weeks off, and enjoy more family time.
As much as I dislike how our off-season has gone with the lack of picking up a 2nd Ace, I agree with you and appreciate AF patience. I too hope that as soon as the price drops swoop in and get that Star. Hopefully with all the heartbreaking endured from 17-18 ownership and AF come up with a plan to bring us the coveted WS championship we have lacked since 88. Now back to refreshing my Twitter.