It’s not a sure thing that Adrian Gonzalez will be back this year. Now, it’s looking like at least August. How many teams can lose $40 million dollars of salary to the DL and survive? Add in Kazmir and it’s $56 million and add Crawfish and it’s $77 million. Can the pundits of “The Trade ” finally understand why it is felony stupid to give long-term deals to aging stars?…
The Swiss Army Knife
Actually Kike Hernandez is a cross between the Energizer Bunny and a Swiss Army Knife. He’s kind of a Swiss Army Bunny! He just keeps going and going and he has an assortment of ways to beat you. Last night, he didn’t get a hit, but he did make a great catch in RF and took a walk and scored a run. Of course we have seen him make plays…
It’s All About Chemistry!
I keep reading that the Dodgers are in the hunt for a starting pitcher and frankly, I do not believe it. What I mean by that is I do not think they are “hell-bent-for-leather” to get another starter. That’s not saying that they won’t do it if the right situation presents itself, but they are simply not going to overpay to get another starter. I think AC said the same…
State of the Dodgers – Halfway to a World Series
Thursday night’s game was the official half way point in the season. So I thought it was an opportune time to look at what is right, or what is wrong, what can be fixed, or what doesn’t need fixing. With Thursday night’s win, the Dodgers are 53-28. That is a projected win total of 106. They will win 94 even if they go 41-40 the rest of the way. The…
Grandal is a Goat!
That’s what THEY say. It was a ball that Grandal should have caught or at least blocked and then if he made a good throw, the runner would have been out. It was really two errors on the same play. If he makes that play, they Dodgers and Angels are probably still playing right now. Nevermind that there would have been no bottom of the 9th without Yasmani’s blast to…
The Dodgers Have a Decision to Make
It’s on Kenta Maeda. Kenta signed an incentive-laden contract with the Dodgers before the 2016 season. It’s a very “team-friendly” contract that pays for performance. I’ll spare you all the details, but the more games Kenta starts and the more innings he pitches earns him some very significant bonuses. That’s how Kenta makes his money and his agent gets a percentage of that money. Do you follow where I am…
Ricky “Freakin” Nolasco? Really?
We all knew that at some point the Dodgers would lose a game or two, but going into last night’s game the Dodgers were hitting against Ricky Nolasco, career journeyman who was 2-9 on the year with an ERA over 5.00. Ricky “Freakin” Nolasco! Nolasco pitched 6.1 strong innings and made the Dodgers look like chumps. OK, it’s baseball and on any given day… but Ricky Nolasco? OK, I’m over…
The Dee Gordon Trade Revisited
I’d Rather Have Austin Barnes at 2B Than Dee Gordon… as long as I have Kike Hernandez as one of the best supersubs in baseball. The Dodgers got a nice return for their former second baseman. That is notwithstanding the obvious fact that Chris Hatcher has been a huge disappointment. In case you forget, the trade was Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Dan Haren to the Marlins for Hatcher, Hernandez, Barnes…
Back To The Future II
Well my original draft was entitled Back To The Future, so with this redraft, I will call it Back To The Future II. I will continue where I left off in yesterday’s post. Maybe the future lies further down the organizational ladder. Even most minor league followers dismiss the Dominican Summer League (DSL), where the Mexican, Caribbean, South American ball players get their start. They begin to get acclimated to…
Next Man Up!
… and the next men are Trevor Oaks, Brock Stewart and Walker Buehler. Oaks is a back-of-the-rotation starter who is likely ready now while Buehler is a top-of-the-rotation guy who might be ready in 2018, but won’t ever be a workhorse (welcome to the new MLB). Stewart could be a a middle-to-back of the rotation guy or an elite reliever. Time will tell. Mitch White and Yadier Alvarez are due…