Yeah, Follow Them Over the Cliff That s the Ticket!

Sorry everyone I’m just pissed maybe in a selfish way but I have a weird point, maybe the dodgers weren’t really in on anyone big but instead they caused the market to force the big dogs to pay way out of the market to kinda screw the teams hahaha I think they set this up! Sounds corny but do u kinda get the picture? They made other teams over pay and bid, now the teams have less money to spend for future contracts . I’m weird lmao

I wish!

That’s just who we are under AF. Runner ups in the off season and the post season. I’m tired of the post season narrative that the post season is just a crap shoot. 0 for seven and counting says something different. Wonder who we’ll see celebrate at Dodger stadium next October?

Let me say one thing:

It’s far from over, but the Dodgers won 108 games last year. It doesn’t need to be blown up and I cannot see AF trading many prospects.

Patience Grasshoppers!

I think this is sad. The Dodgers supposedly made Cole top priority, but weren’t willing to truly go all of the way for him. Okay, I can live with that since the Dodgers said they were targeting the top 1%. Something else had to be coming then. Who’s more top 1% than Rendon. Rendon is a far better player than Harper and with Turner showing his age a bit, this was a good fit. The RH bat that Polock was supposed to be, but instead was a stiff. Lux could have played OF for a year. Hell, he could have went back to AAA for a month or until needed for all I care. On the surface, very disappointing. Sometimes moves like these can energize a dugout.

~

However, what I find strange is that the Dodgers dropped out of Rendon before the Rangers did which makes me think they pivoted to a trade. Roberts predicted more turnover on this roster than in past years. So far, it’s Yimi out and Treinen in. Will Lindor or Arenado be next. I can see Lindor. I know they hoped they would have a shot at Nolan until Colorado signed him, but why give up the prospects for Nolan when you could just sign Rendon for almost the same exact deal. I’m putting JT back at 3rd before I give Donaldson a multi-year deal.

Or just maybe, our top prospects are enough to get the job done. It is possible you know

So good, the dodgers didnt spend any money those cheap asses, so now we have to waste all our top prospects to get talent, um that makes sence

… and those of you try and compare the Lakers with the Dodgers are simply ignorant.

If you would like me to elaborate, I would be glad to. Baseball and Basketball free agency and trading could not be more different.

Go ahead and ask!

Breaking: Dodgers suck multiple sources

Treinen was the highest upside reliever left on the market. Hopefully he’s healthy and good next year. No way he trades Lux and May for Lindor. That doesn’t make any sense especially after missing out on both of the top arms. We’re gonna need May. It looks like we’re getting outbid on Rendon by the Angels. If that’s the case, then that really sucks for us. But, I can’t blame Friedman for not being stupid.

If everyone is going to throw money around like a marine in a strip club, I’m fine with AF showing restraint as long as he’s still improving the team, year over year. There’s a difference between being cheap and being stupid. Cole and Stras’ contracts are stupid. Hopefully he can still go bold with a trade for an impact bat.

Angels got Rendon. Multiple sources.

Dear Doom and Gloomers,

The Dodgers can still sign Ryu, and he’s just as good as Cole! At a fraction the price and years.

Also, consider that May, Gonsolin, Gray, and Urias have essentially the same MiLB stats as Cole.

Which Cole are the Yankees getting? The Houston one or the Pittsburgh one? If it’s the Houston one was he PED enhanced as another Bruin, Trevor Bauer, has implied? If so, will he be able to PED in NY? Will he get caught and suspended?

How many of these huge contracts work out? Not Pujols, A-Roid (both of them), Greinke, Cano, ManRam, Miggy Cabrera, Barry Zito, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Tulo, Mike Hampton, Denny Neagle, Kevin Brown, and Prince Fielder.

They’re almost immediately regretted!!

I don’t understand why anyone would want the Dodgers to pay what Mookie would cost for only one year… I read where Boston was hoping JD Martinez would opt out to save them $60MM over the next 3 years. I think trying to trade for him would make more sense than trading for Mookie. And cheaper too. The strong right-handed hitter we need.

Lakers get lebron. Yankees get cole. Dodgers get blake treinen. I wonder who has more titles. Cheap ass owners. Deferred payments. They sure dont mind raising ticket prices. Dodgers wont get over the hump.

I had to add a couple short comments:

-So glad no Strasburg, no way he stays healthy. Same for Wheeler (good luck Phils!)

-Cole would have helped but hurt us for years to come. We only needed one ace in 1988.

-I am afraid no Rendon which is sad because we could have moved Lux to left and had a right handed bat.

-Please don’t trade Lux and May for Lindor. Seager will be fine and we need both Lux and May.

-Treinen is a pure gamble so no idea if that works.

-Someone of the site said not to add someone unless they are better than what you have and RYU and BUM are not.

-Just add Rendon, a couple relievers and let the young pitchers have a chance.

For whatever it’s worth “Austin Barnes Drawing Trade Interest from Houston Astros” According to Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times and confirmed by Ken Rosenthal.

Also:

Angels in active talks on Rendon, sources tell The Athletic.

Do we believe that the Dodgers actually offered $300 million for 8 years for Cole, when the bidding was actually still open? If indeed we do, then why would we not offer, say $30 million more for the next year, which is less than the $37.5 million a year we offered? We blinked at one more year?

Ken Rosenthal says that the Yankees “bullied” the Dodgers. I do not know what he means exactly; maybe that they just kept raising their bid after the Dodgers raised theirs, akin to someone at an art auction who just keeps bidding it up. But the Dodgers are owned by what probably is a trillion dollar corporation. If the Dodgers really wanted Cole, they should have gotten him. There is some limit, obviously. But being willing to go to $300 million for eight years, and not willing to go to $330 for nine years, makes little sense to me. Cole is only 28, the extra year is not idiotic.

As to the “Andy Pettite and Hal Streinbrenner” being instrumental in convincing Cole, don’t we have any famous former pitchers? Don’t we have any owners who can convince anyone of anything? Are we just bowing to the Yankees, admitting that if we go head to head with them for anyone they really want, we lose? This isn’t 1940. Are we afraid of the Yankees? Or are we just owned by people who don’t want it as much as they do? Some may think this is overdramatic, but at this point, I think that everyone in baseball realizes what the pecking order is, and what our ownership will not do. We got outbid for Verlander. We got outbid for Yelich, apparently. Outbid for Stanton. Outbid for Harper. Now outbid for Cole. Apparently about to be outbid for Rendon. There is always going to be at least one team which will go all out for a top player, and it is never the Dodgers, so we get none of them. There is no other way to see this. We will probably make a deal or two. Treinen might help. I would stay far away from head case Betances. But we are going to be shopping in the used and bargain racks, and that is apparently where we should stay, rather than pretend we are high-end shoppers.

I wonder if we tried to trade for Treinen before he was non-tendered. His estimated salary for 2020 (in arbitration) was around 8 mil. I imagine the A’s would have taken just about anything for him since they wound up getting absolutely nothing.

So instead of giving them a warm body from Ogden, we waited until he was released and then paid an extra 2 mil.

Which Blake Treinen will the Dodgers have? The 2019 version with a 4.91 ERA and 5 blown saves in 21 attempts and a 1.61 WHIP, or the 2018 version with 0.78 ERA, a .81 WHIP and 5 BS in 43 chances? Remember, he was supposed to be Washington’s closer in 2017, got lit up with a 5.71 ERA and found himself in Oakland.

This could be a great move or a disaster – probably a 50/50 chance.

I’m ok with not getting Cole and am indifferent to Rendon, I wanted Strasburg . I like having a young team and seeing the rookies step up. The team does need some fire though, someone to give em a kick in the butt when needed. If AF thinks Donaldson or Mad Bum can supply this along with some WAR I would be on board with that.

All this talk or should I say complaining about getting this player getting that player, look at it this way 106 wins . Sure we didn’t make it to the World Series but AF is for sure working on some play maker.

Dodgers To Sign Blake Treinen. MLB trade rumors reporting.

I could see Freidman parting with Lux and May, who I love, to get Lindor, as long as they can lock him up for the next 5 years. Dude is a difference maker, loves the big stage, and doesn’t disappear in the play-offs. At this point, especially after Bellinger and Seager disappearing in the play offs I would do it. Lindor can be THAT GUY, someone who will step up when the game is in the balance. I am a total fan of non dope fiend moves, but this one isnt’ too far out there.

Mark I’ll bet you the Yankees win a WS before the Dodgers do! Like 2020!

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/anthonywitrado/2019/12/11/dont-expect-anthony-rendon-or-madison-bumgarner-to-be-dodgers-plan-b/amp/

I do have to say that I have been hearing some real stupid $hit!

“The Yankees always get their man.” “The Yankees aren’t afraid to spend big. ” “The Yankees are smart.”

Then I hear that “Friedman won’t spend and the Dodgers will never win the World Series with AF. After all, he hasn’t won one in his 5 years with the Dodgers.”

Hey MORONS! If that’s true how come Cashman and the Yankees haven’t won the series in 10 YEARS?

Come back to reality. This is just stupid!

Talk about the risk with Cole’s contract, nothing is a bigger gamble than a relief pitcher! Who do you want and what are you willing to give up? All Zi have to say is Diaz18 and Diaz19! Don’t think you’re going to see that with Cole

Now that Cole and Strasburg are gone and Dodgers are pessimistic about Rendon, I’ve said this all along and I will say it again, shorten the games by fixing the bullpen with proven relievers.

Ken Gurnick said the other day that Ruiz will probably be ready sometime this season, if true then we will probably have 2 good hitting catchers at some point in the season instead of Austin “almost an automatic out” Barnes.

Plus my bold prediction that DJ Peters makes the team this season and therefore either directly or indirectly makes the bench better and the overall team better.

And again I see upside in the outfield if Verdugo stays healthy. I see upside at SS if Seager starts hitting left handed pitching. I see upside at 2B with Lux for the same reason as Seager. I see upside in LF if Roberts does the right thing by platooning Pederson and Pollock.

I’m for giving our young starting pitchers a chance, but the Dodgers need to purchase an insurance policy in the form of proven relievers to shorten the game.

Dodgers are apparently pessimistic about Rendon. Gerrit Cole was the difference maker, but no way they should spend that kind of money on a pitcher. Fine with Justin Turner at third, Gavin Lux at second and Max Muncy at first. This is still a team that won 106 games and should have beat the Nationals in game five.

Apparently the Dodgers were close on Cole, made a substantial offer, and were in it until the end.

Reportedly the Dodgers are in serious negotiations with the Indians for Lindor, but the price is being reported as Dustin May and Lux. Can’t see the Dodgers making that deal, but who knows?

MadBum and Ryu are still in the discussion and several other trades are on the table. But the Dodgers are still focused on elite level talent, according to reports. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers try to sign both Ryu and Bumgarner, plus focus on potential relievers.

It would seem that this will be the day the Dodgers make a deal or two, but we’ll see. Dave Roberts keeps talking turnover and said the Dodgers are actively engaged on several fronts.

Rick I get where you’re coming from, but I find it hard to condone the Dodger’s paying these enormous sums for players, especially Pitchers.

I think it’s time to trust our excellent system and let Urias, May and Gonsolin show us what they can do.

The Cupboard May be bare for stellar FA Pitching for the next few years, but we have our own young studs coming through.

We have enough to win the West, and importantly we have good chemistry from lots of players coming through the ranks together.

We are a good team. If we sign Ryu we won’t be far off last year’s 106 wins.

There is no need to panic.

Keep the powder dry for the TD and for Mookie in 21.

Let’s say that the baseball press’ view of how the Yanks did with the Cole deal is different than our host’s:

Ken Rosenthal says: “Well, the big winner of the Gerrit Cole sweepstakes is obvious.It’s Gerrit Cole!

Winner: The Yankees

Loser: The Dodgers

Winner: Madison Bumgarner

Winner: Scott Boras”

Marc Carig says: “The addition of Cole changes the landscape. It directly weakens the Astros, Cole’s former team and the defending American League champions. It delivers a gut punch to the Dodgers and Angels, who viewed Cole as the perfect compliment to the best player in the world, Mike Trout. It stuns the Red Sox…”

“Smart teams still pay the price for elite talent. The Yankees dared to make it rain when the time was right. The death star is fully operational, and now the rest of baseball is left to face the consequences.”

Jason Stark’s point is that there is no high-end pitcher who will be available through free agency in the next 3 years and that Cole was the last chance to do something this impactful: “Aces like Gerrit Cole don’t sit on the shelves of the pitching supermarket any time you pull up your shopping cart, you know. So, with good reason, the Yankees viewed Cole as a unique, once-in-a-generation commodity in almost every way: Age, track record, ability to handle the demands of their laid-back little town, intelligence, injury history (or lack thereof), a hunger to be great. This was a man who had it all.

But the other half of this equation was this: If they didn’t sign him, if they didn’t add that ninth year to their offer, if they’d found themselves sitting around next week, watching him smile for the cameras at his introductory press conference in L.A. or Anaheim, well… then what? Take a look at the list of starting pitchers in the next few years who will hit free agency in their 20s. See any Gerrit Cole clones on this list?

2020-21

Marcus Stroman (29)*

Robbie Ray (29)

2021-22

Noah Syndergaard (29)

Eduardo Rodriguez (29)

2022-23

José Berríos (28)

(*-turns 30 in May 2021)

Oh, if you bump the age limit up to 30, you could loop in Trevor Bauer next winter or someone like Mike Foltynewicz in two years. But let’s ask this again: Who on that list reminds you of the guy the Yankees signed Tuesday, in terms of stuff, performance and health history?”

So Dave Roberts says this off-season will see lots of turnover and the addition of high-impact players. Pedro Moura reported: “Late Tuesday, Cole picked the Yankees and their record $324 million offer over the Dodgers and other willing suitors. His decision will ripple across the industry in the days and weeks to come. Hours earlier, Roberts confidently proclaimed the Dodgers would be more aggressive this offseason than in any other during his tenure. “I think,” the Dodgers’ manager said at the Winter Meetings, “this is probably the most turnover we’ll have from one season to the next.”

Now, there is perhaps only one free agent remaining, Anthony Rendon, who clearly qualifies as such an aggressive addition. There are other talents, including Madison Bumgarner, who has become the team’s new focus, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. But Bumgarner would not represent a significant improvement over fellow free agent Hyun-Jin Ryu. No other free-agent starter, and hardly any relievers, would. If the Dodgers are to truly make a splash, it will be with Rendon, maybe his third-base peer Josh Donaldson, a trade, or bust.”

But now, MLB Trade Rumors reports that the Dodgers won’t be signing Rendon either.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/12/dodgers-pessimistic-of-chances-to-sign-anthony-rendon.html

The best the Dodgers can do this off-season is to resign Ryu? That doesn’t sound like much in the way of change to me.

Rosenthal reporting the Dodgers are now pessimistic they can get Rendon. Maybe just GM speak, but if they indeed lose out on Rendon I must say the AF naysayers (me included sometimes) will grab their pitchforks. Maybe there is an Anderson, McCarthy, Kazmir, or Kelly clone we can acquire off the garbage heap.

The Rockies are listening to trade inquiries for third baseman Nolan Arenado

Dodgers offered eight (8) years, 300mm.

Like Grienke, it looks like the final extra year was a bridge too far

Who would u all rather have Rendon or Arenado?

If only there was a team called the Dbags for Madbum to play for.

David, I’m with you all the way!!

But alas your comment will go over like fart in church with these bat**** commenters.

Took a break from my busy job to take a look with winter meetings going on. As much as I hate the Yankees. They always strike and get what they want. The Dodgers strike out just like the batters in the post-season. It really is frustrating for the fanbase. Yankees play hardball, Dodgers are little leaguers. They never do what it takes. We have the all-star game at Dodgers stadium next year. Make a splash dammit. Do the Dodgers think they can beat Cole and the Yankees.

Bum what do you think the next Dodger move is??

Cole would have been nice.

Rosenthal’s thesis is still thought-provoking, when does it stop paying to be smart and rationale?

Rosenthals’ latest says it could be a Ryu/Rendon pursuit that the Dodgers undergo.

I thought since the beginning of the offseason that our starting staff has a ton of potential with the emergence of Urias a May. The Yankees don’t have that. May and Urias may very well be a co-ace with Bueller. We just need an arm to chew up some innings so we don’t over use May and Ryu.

When I saw the Stras contract, I knew Cole wasn’t gonna be anything close to realistic. That was a dumb ass contract pure and simple. It makes Greinke’s “albatross” look reasonable.

I’m surprised about the MadBum rumors. I don’t see how he’s any better than Ryu. Ryu would be my choice. But, MadBum eclipsed 200 innings last year. No one on our staff did, which is a good reason why our bullpen under-performed.

Rendon, Donaldson, Ryu and (urgh) MadBum. We still have some trade targets as well. I’m still not losing faith yet. I hope we have something to open for Christmas. If we lose Rendon to the Angles, I’m gonna lose it!

I have no idea if Mad Bum would want to come to LA, but I suspect he would. I would do a 5 year/$100 mil deal knowing full well he might be a #2 or #3.

I think his attitude would be very helpful in a clubhouse that could use some intensity.

Winners of the Gerrit Cole Sweepstakes:

1. Gerrit Cole

2. Scott Boras

3. LA Dodgers

Losers of the Gerrit Cole Sweepstakes:

1. NY Yankees

2. Houston Astros

3. Mid-Level Free Agents

Matt, you’re right. The best team doesn’t always win but I’d still rather have the best team especially when your team has the money to spend!

The Yankees wanted Cole, and they got him. Now they have the best team in baseball going into this season, and probably the next three, at least. That’s good enough for them now. The Dodgers will not win the championship in the next three seasons. After that, who knows? The salary metrics of baseball have changed. The Dodgers owners do not want to play the game. The Dodgers will make a deal or two, pick up a lower-tier FA, and be good next year, but they won’t win the title.

There were very unusually two great pitchers up for free agency, and one went back to his team, and the Yankees signed the other one. The Dodgers, as usual, got neither; and the last big free agent they signed was five years ago, only to secure the TV deal. I wish that the Dodgers would stop pretending that they are “in” on big names, because they never get them. Maybe they don’t have enough money? Or maybe it is because money is all they really care about? Now all we’ve got left for the winter meetings is to watch the Dodgers try to make some cosmetic changes, to look like they did something major, when they did not. The Yankees will have a pitching staff of Cole, Severino, Paxton, Tanaka, Germain, plus the still strong bullpen. The Dodgers will probably have Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, May, Gonsolin. Possibly Ryu. Plus the same mediocre bullpen, with maybe one addition. Which team which you bet on to have the better season next year and going forward? The Dodgers owners wouldn’t bet on the Dodgers if they were forced to make that kind of bet. But they’re not.

Well I guess the Yankees need to win a WS more than the Dodgers do! Sorry but Cole isn’t going to fall apart at age 32. And o lot of smart baseball people feel the same. I predict he will pitch more along the lines of Scherzer and be really good for several years. Time will tell. But fight now the Yankees are a much better team than the Dodgers and heavy favorites for a WS. AF has a lot of work to do to get us near their level!

Are the Dodgers looking at MadBum as a pitcher or as their right hand bat?

Some of us are concerned the Dodgers are lacking some fire. Sign MadBum and Puig. That should shake things up.

AF said there looking at about a dozen players. Strasburg, Cole, Ryu, Hill are undoubtedly the first 4. Rendon makes 5. Gausman was on their radar. If so, that’s 6. Any guess about the other 6?

And please stop saying the Dodgers are good enough and they dont need anyone, because if that was the case they would have had a title the last 5 years!! There not good enough lol and winning the division means nothing

Dodgers cant do shit to save there asses excuse my french, but they arent good at signing free agents at all looks like brendon will probably head back to Washington! Hate hoping and praying they do something but Friedman isnt good at signing the big time players!!! Tired of it, that’s why we wont win a title he wont get a difference maker

I wish we were desperate to win now. I bet every player in the Dodger clubhouse wishes Cole was a Dodger. Every championship the Yankees win could have been ours. We’ll see next October. Now we need stars to compete which The Bum is not.

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I’d be fine with MadBum. I think he’d bring an edge the team has lacked in recent years and would be embraced by the clubhouse (eventually). Lets hope the bidding on Rendon remains more reasonable than it was for Cole. I saw a report that LA was willing to go 8 years 290 for Cole, so they will spend, but have limits.

I am impressed with the depth of knowledge that many of you have, and I respect the time and effort put into your comments. The bottom line for me is a world championship for the Dodgers – and I believe changes are in order or we will be looking at another NL West title followed by another heartbreak in the playoffs. Specifically, we must add an additional high impact starter and a dominant closer. The bats we have now are good enough, but pitching is what wins championships.

Does the FO really know what they want? I sometimes wonder how so little changes in the Dodger strategy of acquiring talent. It SEEMS that they only want bargains. They let all the other aggressive FO’s sweep the top tier and then try to decide if there is anyone worth picking up. Kolarek? White? Negron? Look how far that got us. I’m not crying over spilt milk, but letting Greinke walk was a bad mistake. Now we want another top tier SP and there is no one left, but they knew that already as they were never going to get into the FA market at this level. They simply don’t do this! Okay. I accept this. It’s only the farm hands and some FA stragglers that they might go after, no one important, no difference maker, no star at any level. How dull! At least sign Ryu so we can have a decent rotation for 2020. Don’t let him walk away. Forget the Giant Bum!!!

I can’t get mad at the Dodgers for not paying that much for Cole. It may work out for the Yankees, but if it doesn’t, they now have about $60 million plus a year for two players. I am willing to bet that the Phillies will get more return on their investment in Harper. I thought that deal was crazy too.

Just because he’s less expensive doesn’t mean he’s worth 100 mil. He’s a playoff number 3 at best. We need stars to get a championship. Mad Bum is no longer a star. Every championship Yankees win would have been ours if we had signed Cole.

The Dodgers will not pay “stupid money” to any free agent. They are going after MadBum because he will be less expensive. I have no confidence that he is the MadBum of 3 years ago – ERA of 3.90 with an FIP of 3.90 last year so it wasn’t bad luck.

Forget Rendon.

Pay Rendon! I’m tired of hearing about the Dodgers being in but not willing to pull the trigger. Rendon should have been MVP last season. He’s the RH bat they have coveted for some time now.

I’m not mad that the Dodgers didn’t get Cole for that kind of money. Rendon was my first choice. I would be happy with Rendon and Ryu. Please don’t make me root for Bumgrabber. Kent was bad enough. It does irk me a bit that the Yankees bested the Dodgers though if they were going heavy after Cole. I don’t like losing to the Yankees at anything. I would have paid Cole for 9 years before Strasburg for 7. Grandal is supposedly recruiting Ryu to the Angels. I have to believe Bumgrabber wants to stay in the NL as much as he likes to hit so I can see it happening.

Rosenthal said it cane down to Dodgers and Yankees for Cole.

Yes it’s a dope fiend deal but damn it when will AF and the Dodger owners step up and acquire the most coveted player during any Hot Stove season?

Now it’s rumored they will go after Madbum. I hope AF is working the trade market because I don’t see Madbum going to the Dodgers and truthfully I don’t want to see him in a Dodger uniform.

Don’t we already have one over the hill lefty! I’d rather have Dick Mountain than Assbitener!

That is way too much money, I am glad the Dodgers didn’t sign him.

Rosenthal is reporting the Dodgers are going after…………………………………………………………wait for it……………………………………………………………….Madison Bumgarner.

9 years $324 at $36MM per year…

David Vassegh on Dodger talk podcast tonight said the Dodgers are still in on Cole and the Dodgers are being aggressive when it comes to Cole. He says it’s coming down to the Dodgers and Yankees for Cole. He says the Angels are on the outside looking in when it comes to Cole. But he says the Angles are in on Rendon and so are the Dodgers and Rangers. He says he doesn’t buy the rumors about the Dodgers being in on Donaldson. He said nothing about Ryu.

Did AZ make a dope fiend signing of Greinke or were they brilliant because they were able to trade him.

Look no further than their record!

Did AZ make a dope fiend signing of Greinke or were they brilliant because they were able to trade him.

If the Dodgers paid Cole $40M in 2020 and 2021 and $25M in years 2022 through 2029 that would be a 10 year $305M contract. He might well be worth $40M during the next two years given innings May, Gray, Urias, Gonsolin might pitch in those first two years. They could then trade him and get quite a bit in return and we would know if Buehler, May, Urias, Gray would be good enough without Cole.

From Gurnick:

Roberts predicted the roster will turn over more this off-season than any since he’s been manager.

“There’s a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning.”

~ Jimmy Buffett

As we heard in the great Spinal Tap:

It’s a very fine line between stupid and clever.

Sure rooting for Angels over Yankees for Cole! Best scenario for Dodgers.

Giants acquire Zach Cozart and his $12.67MM AAV along with 2019 1st round pick SS Will Wilson (15th overall) from NC State. Looks like LAA had to include Wilson to dump Cpzart salary.

$21.67MM AAV for Cozart and Gausman who apparently wants to continue to start. Gausman not a whole lot less than his expected arbitration.

Didi Gregorius – 1 year Philadelphia

Kevin Gausman – – SF Giants 1 year – Guaranteed $9MM with bonus incentives for starts.

I don’t see any free agents other than Ryu happening now for the Dodgers. The Nats really threw a big wrench in the free agent wheel with that ridiculous Strausburg contract. I agree with AC, if the Dodgers are still in on Rendon though, 7/250 should be max and that’s stretching it. Tops for me on Ryu would be 3/60.

MLB Trade Rumors reports Scott Boras as saying that Rendon is going to get 7 years.

As far as Kershaw learning a change up, he talks about this on Stripling’s podcast (The Big Swing).

He says that he has tried to learn it for years. Tries a few in every bullpen session and they just don’t work.

He is NEVER going to learn a change up. That ship has sailed.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2019/12/10/roman-abramovich-rejects-offer-sell-chelsea-la-dodgers-co-owner-11589972/amp/

Bum I like the idea of adding two right-handed bats , but only if we can resign Lindor.

Have fun with this but I dont think they will get either one lol, they dont like to pay people for x amount of years, were stuck again I think

Most of the trades I toss out are not ones I would actually make. Typically I prefer to stay with what we have unless the only reason to watch the Dodgers was in hopes Isturiz and Cora might might make a great play for otherwise the team was boring.

I don’t think the Dodgers are missing a Gibson type player. That team only won 88 games. Win 106 and there is no way for me to think they would have been better with a Gibson. Now, maybe after two WS losses and an early exit it could be harder for this team to push as hard four years in a row. Sooooooo…..

Trade Seager and Muncy for Lindor and Kluber, sign Rendon, and trade Pollock and Baez for Diaz. That changes the team but fans lose two of their favorites. Maybe Lindor would be easier to extend than Seager. In any case, the Dodgers minor league system would still be intact and they stay under the penalty.

Cole may be getting stupid money but he’s the only real ace coming to the free agent market in next 3-4 years. And I say he would bring at least 2 titles during his contract to either Yanks or Dodgers whoever signs him. And it won’t be the Dodgers. Would he be worth 2 titles to you saying the Dodgers go 0-7 next 7 years without him?

Last year the Players Union complained about the slow free agent signings and suggested collusion. We have a new Agreement coming and maybe owners want to be in the best position to own public / customer / fan support. Maybe the early and large signings are part of the owners strategy for getting a new Agreement instead of a strike.

It’s really pretty simple: A very rich person or rich people buy a baseball team. What are their goals? They love the ego aspects, being important, getting coverage. They love the idea of competing for titles with other people in their economic stratum. They love the franchise they bought, its history, and really want to bring titles to the fans of that city. For different owners, different motives apply. That’s just the nature of big-time professional sports now. It is immensely expensive to buy into, but there is a lot of money to be made, and a lot of prestige to be won.

A fandom is at the mercy of the owners. The owners’ goals may not dovetail with those of the fans, though the former will always advertise that they do., for the sake of public relations. I don’t have the slightest interest in the personal lifestyles of Walter, Kasten or Friedman, how much money they make or have. Just like they have no interest in any of our finances. I want them to commit to building the best possible teams, within what are obviously some financial limits, but less limits than many other franchises have. I don’t thrill to them saving money, or making record profits. I don’t own one share of the Dodgers, and I don’t worry about their luxury tax. If you want to own a franchise in Los Angeles, whether you are the billionaire Kronke who owns the Rams, or the billionaire Ballmer who owns the Clippers, you have to be prepared to spend big, and look like you are doing everything you reasonably can to win championships.

The idea that there are all these other franchises being stupid by bidding for the top free agents, while our Dodgers owners are prudent and frugal, is vastly irritating to me. I don’t think Cashman is stupid, and I believe that he presided over five world titles in New York. Why is he then going all out for Cole while we are once again apparently out of the bidding? Why is Arte Moreno bidding high? He is not a great owner, but he does have the one World Series championship, and he did pay enormously for Mike Trout, the best player in the game, and for Otani, as well as Pujols and now maybe Cole. We have not paid enormously for anybody, since the moves to acquire the Red Sox players, and then Greinke, which Stan Kasten essentially admitted were necessities to secure the TV deal with Time Warner. So obviously going big in this way is not what we do under this ownership, just like Kasten never did but once at Atlanta.

The one thing we may get that other franchises may not, is consistency in being a contender. Less boom and bust. That leads to the oft-asked question as to whether a fan would rather have his/her team win three titles i ten years and not be very good in the other seven (the Giants), or win no titles in ten years, but win a lot of divisions and make the playoffs (the Dodgers). The Dodgers ownership clearly prefers the second one, because that insures the most profits each year. The Dodgers’ goal is to be competitive, make the playoffs a lot, and maybe one year things will break exactly right, and we will win our one title, as Kasten did in his fifteen or so years in Atlanta. The Yankees’ goal is to build up rosters, try to get the best players for every position, win several of the bidding wars, and then win a bunch of titles in a ten-year period, as i their glory days, and then the Steinbrenner/Torre era, where they got five, while we got none.

If we never go all out for a top free agent, we lose one of the key avenues to winning titles. You can do it without going that route, but that requires great drafts and brilliant trades. We don’t make the latter, so we are left with the drafting part as our only legitimate ticket to a title. The main problem with that, is that unless your drafting has been absolutely superb, the other teams will supplement their rosters with ta proven star free agent or two, while you are counting on development of players. Put another way, would you want to count on Bellinger and Muncy and Seager and Pederson hitting Cole in the World Series; and would you expect Buehler, Ryu, Urias, May,, and crucially, “our closer,” Jansen, and the rest of our usual Dodgers bullpen,, to get the likes of Judge, Stanton, LeMahieu, Torres out enough times? That, or its equivalent, is what the Dodgers have to face each year in their supposed quest to win a title. When you don’t win one title in 31 years with various owners, it is not coincidence or bad luck, there is a reason for it.

Everyone thought the Wheeler deal was over the top. Stras said “Hold my beer!”.

I didn’t think the Wheeler deal was crazy, I just thought that payroll was rising after seeing the Smith and Pomeranz deals. The Stras deal was freaking crazy, easy pass on that one.

Now that Stras got his deal, someone is holding Cole’s beer. He will exceed Stras in AAV, Length of Contract and total value. I’m not sure I would want to give Stras’ contract to Cole. We missed out on Wheeler, but his wife says he’s an East Coast guy, so we were never really in it to begin with.

Rendon is the guy I really want and he opens up options for trades. But, I still maintain we can still do well to “Settle” for Ryu and Donaldson and trade for some of AC’s relief targets. As far as the 10-12 impact targets that AF is looking into, he’s obviously playing 3D chess and everyone else is playing checkers, because most can’t even begin to speculate on a list of targets that long. He’s a creative thinker, so we’ll all be surprised if he comes up with one of those. Or, he’s FOS and we’ll have what we have now, plus some new gimmick pieces like the lefty that throws a big fastball, but has no command much less control.

High hopes in October turn to bitter truths in December. What a sad off-season so far.

I’m in meetings all day for a couple of days in an out of town, work event, so I don’t have as much time to argue with everyone, so enjoy!

All these posters talking about sensible. Why do you care what is sensible when it is not your money and the owners in most cases, if not all, can afford to pay through the nose for players. The fans come, the TV deals are struck, the advertisers get on board, and everyone is happy. Cheap Charlies get no love from me. Lebron was not cheap. 35 years old! What are you all talking about? None of you are in the position to do anything about how the teams are run, who they select, and what goes on in anyone’s mind. None of you know what AF is really thinking or how much control he has at all. Should the Dodgers really be afraid of the dope fiend move? Maybe AF really is afraid and he gets cold feet.

Wow the highlight of my morning was meeting up with Sherman and Peabody in the Way-Back Machine and revisiting that John Baldry song. I had long forgotten that song and John Baldry.

Speaking of trips down memory lane, we are just a couple of weeks away from the 44th anniversary of Dodger pitcher Andy Messersmith and Expo Dave McNally winning their arbitration hearing and opening the door for free agency in MLB. Catfish Hunter went from a $100,000 a year guy to $3.75 million in one year. For years after I though that the escalation of spending couldn’t continue. But I’ve been wrong every year. With the caps on spending without paying luxury tax and the history of teams saddled with boat anchor deals (Pujols, Felix Hernandez, Cano) you would think that these long term deals would stop which than brings crys of collusion.

I’m all in for the Dodgers to play in this upper tier market until deals like Strasberg’s set the market price. As mentioned here, $245 million and 7 years for a 32 year old pitcher with a history is unbelievable. His mechanics have always been questioned since he was a young, sheltered pitcher. Without over explaining it, his arm is late in his delivery causing arm stress. After his major arm injury he was encouraged to change his mechanics and he refused reporting that this was how he pitched and he would continue until it was over, So far, that hasn’t happened….yet. I can’t help but envision a 39 year old Steven Strasberg, 35 million a year, not being a boat anchor of the Queen Mary. I’d love to be in on Cole for a lot of money but not for the years it might require. Deals that take players, especially pitchers into their late 30’s just don’t make sense in the long run.

Let the fanbase bitch AF, but stick to what is sensible.

The quote from AF about having 10-12 scenarios he was working on came from an interview he did at the meetings. Obviously they won’t all come to fruition but he could have some interesting stuff up his sleeve and I’m thinking more trade related than free agent related.

Saw Craig Counsell interviewed yesterday and he was asked about Hader. He gave the expected answer about how great he is and how he hopes to have him for many more years but there was something about the way he said it that made me feel Hader is very much in play. He would come at a great cost, but I’m wondering if that isn’t one of the potential deals Friedman was referring to. Andrew said as of now Kenley is the closer but that he needs to get him some help. Hader probably wouldn’t be the official closer if we got him. One can always dream.

I did not like the Punto trade but if Boston is hell bent to reduce payroll and move a pitcher like Price, there is opportunity to repeat the Punto trade to get Betts.The disaster of a trade that freed money for Boston in a Price and Betts trade would be for Boston to use that savings to sign Betts as a free agent one year later. Maybe it will be the Yankees that make the Punto trade this time.

DodgerMom, lol to your coal vs Cole in your Christmas stocking.

AC and 2demeter, what is your idea of bold and stupid money for Cole or Rendon?

From a business and culture standpoint, I still understand the Punto trade. Gonzalez was needed, not just to better the team, but to re-energize the Latino fan base. That worked.

The Dodgers “overpaid” for Zack Greinke. At the time it seemed like “crazy money”, yet it worked out well. I would do that deal again. Though I would not have paid him what the Diamondbacks did. Why? Probably because of his age.

Would I overpay for Cole. Probably. We just need to define “crazy money” versus “wise money.” Unfortunately, we generally can’t adequately make that determination until after the risk has been taken.

I still stand wit AC – let’s go BOLD!

This article makes more sense than anything else I’ve read. Come on into the office, we’ll create a position for you!

I view the meetings with the mindset of Low Expectations= No Disappointments. If a good deal does pop up and surprise me, all the better.

Update above…

In general, I agree with what you are writing. Going into the off-season, I had no clue what Drew Pomeranz or Zach Wheeler would sign for. I like both players. They are not elite, but they could be difference makers on the right team. IMO both the Padres and Phillies are flawed teams with flawed ownership/GMs. They overpaid for both players.

The Lerner family caught lightening in a bottle last year. Good for them. But that does not mean that they are a model for a sports team finance that everyone should emulate. Signing Stephen Strasburg for 7 years $245MM smells more like Scott Boras going directly to Ted Lerner (not Mark Lerner) to get the deal done. There is no way that any team was going to approach that level of a contract. So spending money just to spend money is now the right approach because gas is no longer 10 cents a gallon? There is still a fair market value that should dictate pricing. It does in every successful business model. $245MM for 7 years for a 31 year old pitcher, with a history of injuries, and two above average seasons is not prudent. I would say it was more irresponsible than prudent.

I give the credit for the success of the Nationals more to Mike Rizzo than to the largess of the Lerner family. It was as interim GM, when Rizzo drafted Stephen Strasburg in 2009. Then as a permanent GM, Rizzo followed the Strasburg draft with Bryce Harper in 2010, which was followed by Anthony Rendon in 2011. It was Rizzo who engineered the three team trade that brought Trea Turner and Joe Ross to Washington for Steven Souza and Travis Ott. It was Mike Rizzo that signed Max Scherzer, the one overpriced FA pitcher that has more than earned his contract. There have been far more Jordan Zimmerman’s than Max Scherzer’s; yes the same Jordan Zimmerman that Rizzo did not overpay when he became a FA. Rizzo signed a pair of Dominican OF in 2013 (Victor Robles) and 2015 (Juan Soto). It was Rizzo, after a disappointing 2016 season traded Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dane Dunning for Adam Eaton who had injury filled 2017 and 2018 seasons, but was gold in 2019 WS when most needed. In the long term that may not turn out to be a great trade, but for 2019 I think Rizzo will take it.

In 1974, I bought my first house in Reseda, CA for $25,000. I have no idea what that house would be appraised for today, but it is fair to say that the fair market value is worth several hundred thousand dollars. But I would not pay $1MM for the house because some other moron would. That is lunacy. Stephen Strasburg is not worth 32 WAR for the next 7 years. But maybe he is to the Washington Nationals for what he did in 2019. Clayton Kershaw is not worth $31MM a year any longer, except as a Dodger. So some of that has to be taken into consideration.

I do not know what Andrew Friedman is going to do. There was a report that I read (I do not remember where), that said he is working on 10-12 different acquisitions. Obviously not all will come to fruition, and maybe none of them will. But I believe that AF is going to do what he believes is best for LAD for 2020 and beyond.

Where I do not agree with AF and possibly Mark, is that I do believe that AF has to do something to shake this team up. There is something missing, and IMO to stay stagnant is not the right approach. 2020 should be an exciting year for the Dodgers with the AS Game coming to LA for the first time in 30 years, and only the 2nd time at Dodger Stadium. AF and the owners should go all out to make it a memorable year for the Dodgers. If that is an overpay for Anthony Rendon (not an obscene overpay), then that should be considered. If that means trading from a surplus of pitching prospects to improve the 2020 team with a trade, then that should be considered.

Yes, NYY will overspend irrationally and irresponsibly to sign Gerrit Cole. But as I wrote yesterday, I would not be fearful going into a 7 game series with Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, May, Maeda, Stripling, and Gonsolin against Cole, Severino, Tanaka, Paxton, Happ, German. Plus I believe with every fiber of my being that AF will do whatever he can to slot a pitcher between Buehler and Kershaw. Plus, I fervently believe that an angry and embarrassed Kershaw will be a CY candidate in 2020.

I have mixed feelings about the Nick Punto deal. I was driving back from Morro Bay, listening to MLB radio when Jim Bowden broke the news. It kept filtering out over the next 90 minutes with Adrian Gonzales the first name that dropped, Josh Beckett the second then Carl Crawford. Then finally Punto and the players going back. It put a stamp on the end of the Frank McCourt era.

All that being said, I wouldn’t have done it, too many bad contracts and not enough money coming back from Boston. Ned Colletti tried to help them get a better deal, but the new ownership just wanted a deal that made a statement, they weren’t concerned about the particulars.

The deal bailed Boston out, specifically the Beckett and Crawford contracts. It also made Dodger fans feel better. What the new ownership really wanted was Gonzo and as they looked around there were no first baseman available through free agency, trade or the minor league system. I would have stayed with James Loney.

Taking on bad money seemed to be the Dodger approach to get what they wanted, the latest the Homer Bailey contract. Hopefully, that’s over, because bad international signings and those kind of deals have weighed down the team.

According to Alana Rizzo, AF has 12 potential deals in the works, including free agents and the Dodgers are in on all major free agents.

It would seem that Gerrit Cole has sailed away and it seems like a Yankee/Angel battle. They are still in on Anthony Rendon, but Ken Rosenthal said the Dodgers aren’t focused on him because Friedman has multiple things in play.

So, at this point, the Dodgers may not walk away with any of the top three and that will generate another Bill Plaschke column and no doubt a lot of angst among fans.

Maybe the Dodgers end up with Rendon, the right hand bat, but I’m really okay if they bring back Ryu and add to the bullpen. Friedman said he’s pursuing another closer type so that would help. Cole could be a difference maker, but that contract could end up as a massive anchor.

Not sure who pointed this out the other day, but the contracts are going up faster than the tax threshold so at some point this could make life miserable for a team trying to stay competitive over the long haul.

In the future, the Dodgers will need to spend big money to retain their key players like Cody Bellinger, Cory Seager and Walker Buehler, just as they did to keep Clayton Kershaw. Even Scott Boras said that he expects Bellinger to be a Dodger for a long time.

At that stage, I think you will see the Dodgers write the big contracts because they can and they won’t be anchored down with a lot other bad free agent contracts.

One funny thing, when Colletti was asked about the Stephen Strasburg deal, if he would have done, “Uh, no.” He laughed. I wouldn’t have either.