One of the last transactions Andrew Friedman made with the Tampa Bay Rays was a three-way deal with the Tigers and Mariners when he acquired Willy Adames in a trade along with Drew Smyly for David Price and others. Could lightning strike again? Could Andrew Friedman pull off another blockbuster deal? A lot of Dodger fans have wanted Willy Adames for their SS, and while he is not a top-of-the-order…
Go Figure!
When the players pitch and get hits, the manager looks like a genius. Torey Lovello looked the part last night as Merrill Kelly looked like Cy Young. In what can only be called an epic game, Kelly went seven innings, allowing three hits, one run and striking out nine. This was a guy the Dodgers hit hard during the regular season. He has a 0-2 record against them with a…
Oh, the Irony!
Once again, Bruce Bochy demonstrated why he is a genius. Bochy’s strategy was this: After his starter gave up five runs in 4.2 IP, he told the bullpen not to give up any runs the rest of the way. No one else on the planet would have thought of something so ingenious. Then, in the 11th inning, he whispered into Adolis Garcia’s ear. “If you hit a Home Run, that…
Put the Blame Where it Belongs
People can be tricked into believing something. That does not make them stupid. What makes them stupid is if they keep believing what they were tricked about… and they let someone trick them repeatedly. Sometimes, when something good or bad happens, I have to process it, and it is instinctual for me to condense it into its simplest form. I read what others say, but I usually come up with…
What Really Happened…
If you didn’t see this yesterday, here is a very insightful comment from Vinny’s Ghost: “The baseball playoffs are like choosing the 100-meter finalist in the Olympics from marathon runners.” That actually sums it up, Vinny! That is a very good analogy. However, if this format sticks, then the Dodgers, along with the Braves and the Orioles, are going to have to adjust. The Dodgers sat out for a week…
Timing is Everything
Texas Ranger Style – Right about now, every Dodger fan wants Bruce Bochy as their “Flavor of the Week Manager.” He has been managing for 26 years and has made the playoffs in five seasons. He has won three World Series, so he must be great, right? Monday was Bochy’s 13th managerial win in a postseason game when facing elimination after he notched his 12th such win in Game 6….
Bill Russell: Steady and Underrated
Yesterday, Bill Russell turned 75 years old. To me, Russell was one of those steady, but sometimes unappreciated and underrated players. He spent his entire playing career with the Dodgers. He would also coach for the team and took over as manager when Lasorda had his heart attack. I did a profile on Bill last December. But it got me to thinking, just how many of our Dodgers that we…
Here’s My Plan
Quite often, I publish blogs to stimulate conversation. It doesn’t bother me if you hate what I say… or even hate me. I don’t hate anyone, but today, I am going to tell you exactly what I believe needs to happen this offseason, and it starts with not signing Shohei Ohtani. Oh, Andrew Friedman will be “all in” and will say as much, but it’s a dope-fiend move to sign…
Do The Dodgers Need Ohtani?
Do the Dodgers need Shohei Ohtani?? Good question. I am of a mind that most of the Dodger fans would love to see this guy play at Dodger Stadium. Can you imagine a 1-2-3 punch featuring Betts, Freeman and Ohtani? Would be hard not to love that combo. Three thirty homer guys at the top of the lineup. But if the Dodgers do jump in with both feet and sign…
Just Wait Until Next Year
All of the teams who cruised to 100+ wins in 2023 were bounced from the playoffs in short order. Now, you can believe that there are no excuses, but you have to have your head someone dark to believe that sitting out a week for the Wild Card Round has no effect. I don’t believe in excuses either, but there are reasons, and we would be foolish not to consider…