Financing in MLB

December 20, 2020

The financing of a baseball season is going under the microscope this offseason and potentially into next season.  There is no question that MLB lost several billion in revenues. According to Forbes’ estimates from 2019, as gathered by the University of Michigan sports economist Rodney Fort, MLB teams made a total of $9.9 billion as follows: REVENUE (IN BILLIONS) UNDER… CATEGORY NORMAL SEASON HALF-SEASON W/O FANS* Gate receipts $2.84B $0.00B…

Read More >>

Coors Field Hangover

December 14, 2020

While most everyone was saying that DJLM was a guarantee to re-sign with NYY, there are comments emanating from Cashman that indicate that DJLM is not a slam dunk.  However, the negotiations have gone nowhere in a while.  Could it be that some other team is making headway into the negotiations causing Cashman some concern?  I have been a DJLM advocate for nearly the last three years.  I was disappointed…

Read More >>

2020 Rule 5 Draft Summary

December 11, 2020

Once again MLB has spoken, and the Dodgers farm system was the #1 shopping source for Rule 5 draftees.  In the Major League Phase, the acquiring team “buys” the player for $100,000 and must keep that player on the roster for the entire 2021 season, or offer the player back for $50,000.  Overall, 2 of the top 7 picks of the Major League Phase were Dodgers.  RHRP Brett de Geus…

Read More >>

AC – Back In The Saddle

December 6, 2020

First of all, I received multiple emails wishing me good health and prayers, and for that I will be forever grateful.  I do not get sick very often, but when I do, I do it right.  The illness occurs once every 5-6 years, and lasts a couple of weeks.  And it is almost always the same.  I start out with a head cold, with a severe sore throat, and it…

Read More >>

The O’Malley’s Part One – Walter F. O’Malley

November 30, 2020

From 1950 to 1998 there was one constant with the Dodgers. Ownership. Walter Francis O’Malley took control of the team as it’s primary stockholder and owner in 1950. Branch Rickey’s contract was expiring in October of that year. He had purchased a 25% ownership of the team in 1944. Rickey and John L. Smith were also part owners as were the heirs of McKeever who had owned the team with…

Read More >>

The Marketing of Players

November 29, 2020

This is the time of year when we hear that teams will be listening on potential trades for Player A.  However, most of the time those proclamations are simply rhetorical.  The Brewers have said they are willing to listen to offers for Josh Hader.  The Rays will be listening on offers for Blake Snell.  The Reds will be listening on offers for Sonny Gray.  The Cubs are listening on offers…

Read More >>

Los Angeles Dodgers and 3B

November 27, 2020

One thing I have learned is that AF is tight lipped more than anyone in MLB, and so are his co-working baseball personnel.  So for someone like Jim Bowden to intimate that he has spoken with Dodgers personnel who have advised him that AF has been engaged in talks with Rockies GM, Jeff Bridich, about Nolan Arenado, I have my doubts. He did not stop there.  He said that Nolan…

Read More >>

What Drives a Free Agent

November 24, 2020

A little less than a year before the birth of our son Andrew, Harry Chapin put the finishing touches to a song that emanated from a poem penned by his wife.  The song was Cat’s in the Cradle.  As I did not grow from a happy childhood, the song did not initially appeal to me.  But as my career was taking off, and Andy was about two, the song began…

Read More >>

Who Will Play 2B

November 19, 2020

AF has gone on record indicating what he will be prioritizing: “Adding a reliever or two is something that we’re going to keep an eye on and kind of sift through. Really for us, it’s about identifying the talent in a vacuum but also then trying to get as many diversified looks as you can in the pen. This year, we really liked our pen and our pen was a…

Read More >>

Starting Pitching

November 15, 2020

Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Josiah Gray.  It sure seems like the Dodgers are loaded with starting pitching.  But are they?  Outside of Walker Buehler, which of the above pitchers is a lock to being a top of the rotation starting pitcher.  Clayton Kershaw?  Sure fire HOF pitcher, and should end his career as a Dodger.  There  is no question in my mind…

Read More >>