138 posts
I continue to read about the sensational LAD prospects. Mark has the Dodgers as a top 10 MiLB organization while no major publication does. After the loss of Keibert Ruiz and Jo Jo Gray, the publications dropped them to mid-level (around 15). Certainly not bad, but also not…
As was discussed quite a bit earlier in the week, the Dodgers have a very prolific MiLB system even as far down the draft they have been picking from because of the continued success of the ML team. That is true when also taking into consideration a few of the early draft pick busts they currently have. 2015: 1 – Walker Buehler – Starting rotation 1b – Kyle Funkhouser –
We are on the eve of the one meaningful positive news event thus far for the 2020 MLB season. Even the event has warts as we have reduced the number of draft picks from 40 to 5, but it still lends to something good to look forward to. We have all read and heard what a throw of the dice the draft is, and with 6 picks, how does that
It is time for a little Devil’s Advocacy. I have been an unapologetic fan of Andrew Friedman and what he has accomplished, and just as critical as to what he has NOT accomplished. I was critical when AF did not beat out the Astros offer for Gerrit Cole before the 2018 season. The Astros traded a #5 SP in Joe Musgrove, a decent but unceremonious 3B, Colin Moran, a RHRP
This is AF’s 5th full year, and hopefully he will continue for several more years. He is human so he is prone to making mistakes, but never has he made an error without a very good reason for making a change. Most of us may not have understood the decisions, but they were always made to help the team. And I recognize and appreciate that it was a rhetorical statement,
Move On, There s Nothing to See Here! Hyun-jin Ryu gave us 7 runs, EARNED RUNS! in 4 innings pitched. That s all you need to know. When the best pitcher in baseball gives up runs like Donald Trump gives up insults, you know that something is amiss. The thing that is amiss is that batter enhancing, pitcher killing Coors Field. That s why I say to never sign a player who has
So, this is not meant to be contentious, but rather, an exchange of ideas. Yesterday, AC said this: I absolutely agree with Mark that AF will not overpay for anyone. Where Mark and I disagree, is that I believe that to AF it is especially true with relievers. Ummm, Jeff, I mean AC, I agree. 100%. I totally agree that it is especially true with relievers. However, where we may
I have not been shy about stating how I feel about the bullpen. And I do understand that recognizing that there may be a problem and doing something about it can be and often is two different things. Maybe with the way the starting pitching is performing, this will become less of an issue, but I prefer to plan rather than to react. I have never disagreed with Mark about
Interesting topic on who goes and who stays when Cingrani comes back. Cingrani has pitched in three rehab games (1 with RC, and 2 with OKC). He had three days between his first game and second and dropped it down to 2 games between games 2 and 3. He still needs to show he can go back to back. May 4 – 16 pitches/10 strikes May 7 – 20 pitches/11
Cause every little thing is gonna be alright. Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sunThree little birds, by my doorstepSinging sweet songs, of melodies pure and sureSaying, This is my message to you Bob Marley taught me that! The Negative Nellies are simply beside themselves as the Dodgers have bolted from the pack to the best record in baseball. Andrew Friedman bashers are crawling back into their holes
Where or where would the Dodgers be without Cody Bellinger? The last time the Dodgers were north of .500 after April was 2017 and was LARGELY due to Justin Turner and his .404/.465/.562/1.026 April metrics. Although, JT only had 1 April HR, he hit 20 from May on, so there is hope for JT’s power to resume when the weather warms up. Those of us who believe that the Dodgers
Up until April 15 Niko Hulsizer was a name with which many, or most Dodgers fans were not familiar. He was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft as a junior out of Morehead State University in Morehead Kentucky. He has now burst upon the scene with his three-home run game against the South Bend Cubs on Monday evening. For some his outburst
I wrote a post on slow starts by the Dodgers, and while I did not predict there would be a slow start, history tells us to expect it. When the team got off to such a fast start (8-2), comments like “What slow start” were readily made. I indicated that I was happy with the fast first 10 games, but I also cautioned that it could not last because: a)
I wrote about the possibility of a slow start for the Dodgers but did not predict one. I know Mark liked to chide me with that after the first two series. But 5-2 against arguably two of the worst 3 teams in the NL was nothing to brag about. The Padres played the same two teams and went 4-3. And now LAD gets to face the Rockies without having to
Ernest Hemmingway once said Critics are men who watch a battle from a high place then come down and shoot the survivors. I scanned several Dodger blogs today after the game and the silence was deafening! If the Dodgers had gotten smoked yesterday, man, the critics would have been cranking out the text! But, as it is, the critics did not have much to say. Well, I did read this:
First of all, Happy St. Patrick s Day. We are down to 10 ST games with one week to go in Arizona followed by 3 against LAA. Two games in Anaheim and one game at Dodger Stadium. Thus far the Dodgers are 12-8-2, as if that means anything. Who have been the surprises? Offensively, Kike Hernandez and Austin Barnes have been red hot and IMO have established themselves as starters. Kike
In 1984, a man named Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl and sentenced to death—an outcome that rested largely on the testimony of five eyewitnesses. After Bloodsworth served nine years in prison, DNA testing proved him to be innocent. Such devastating mistakes by eyewitnesses are not rare, according to a report by the Innocence Project, which is an organization affiliated with the Benjamin N .
Well, I was going to continue with my analysis of the NL West competition, but I thought that I would comment on the this past week and what the future may hold. Most Dodger fans got caught up in all of the Bryce Harper sweepstakes (including me), but as many of us said at the beginning of the Hot Stove League, a long term deal for Bryce Harper is not
Finally, ST has arrived, and the first ST game is today against the ChiSox. The 7-man scheduled pitching rotation for Saturday’s game is Daniel Corcino, Jaime Schultz, Kevin Quackenbush, Josh Sborz, Stetson Allie, Josh Smoker and Joe Broussard. Sunday’s game 7 man scheduled rotation will be Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brock Stewart, Dennis Santana, Adam McCreery, Tony Gonsolin, Mitchell White, and Dustin May. I had already written a lengthy response to Mark’s
Some twenty months removed from surgery on his shoulder, Julio Urias is ready to contribute in a mighty way to the Dodgers pitching staff ultimately as a starter. Last September and October we saw that his shoulder was healthy. The surgeon said that there was no internal damage in his shoulder, which is common in older pitchers who have some miles on their shoulders. A full recovery was predicted and
My wife and I walked into the restaurant on Valentines Day at precisely 5 PM for our reservation. I was stopped by the valet who pointed out to me the sign that said Coat and Tie Required. I went back to the car and rummaged around only to find a jacket that was stuffed behind the spare tire. I shook the dust off of the wrinkled corduroy jacket and tried
As I mentioned yesterday, the Dodgers have been #1 in MLB in ERA and WHIP over the past two years. I see no reason why that trend won t continue. In fact, I agree with Rick Honeycutt that the pitching can get even better in 2019. First of all, the Dodgers have a glut of starting pitchers, but two of them will likely be gone after this season, namely Rich Hill
Well now that the Dodgers have signed AJ Pollock, what comes next? Maybe something. Maybe nothing. Is JT Realmuto on the horizon. Apparently, the Pads are very much in on JTR, but they are insisting on extension talks before they consummate the deal. Obviously, either Francisco Mejia or Austin Hedges will be going back in a package. The Pads have ML OF’s available as well a bucket load of high-level
Well we have played GM long enough, and yet they still will not listen to us. Now it is time to play Director of Player Development A couple of weeks back there was a blog that posed the challenge to name the starting rotation for the OKC Dodgers. Never let it be said that I would not accept such a challenge and I of course gave me 2 cents worth.
There has been a lot of discussion on the state of free agency. Many consider the system broke. Very few teams can be considered as realistic in offering the likes of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. But the problem is that many of the non “generational” type players wait until the top players sign and then hope that those that miss out on the Harper’s and Machado’s may be in
I have no idea what is in the plans for the Dodgers over the next 6 weeks before pitchers and catchers report, if anything. I know it seems logical that the Dodgers would do something, but everybody is waiting to see where Machado and Harper are going to go. The Dodgers do not appear to be the leading team for any of the major FA (except for Grandal). But that
There is not a whole lot to talk about that has not already been cut, bit, chewed, swallowed and regurgitated, and probably many times over. As we have also digested, all of us have favorite Dodgers; many who have moved on to other teams. I think Bums is holding a spot for Joc for when he gets to the HOF. One such Dodger fan favorite was Yasiel Puig. Unfortunately,
With apologies to the late great David Bowie. I continue to read about all the possible changes coming to the Dodgers, and I have zero comfort that any one of them will ever transpire more than another. I do believe that there will be at least one significant change, maybe more, which is why the negative comments on the Reds trade are curious, unless it gives those who just do
We still have no clue what will happen this offseason, even though the rumors are rampant, and we still don t know what the Dodgers will look like in 2019. One thing I think is certain: They will look different than in 2018 the only question is HOW DIFFERENT? Some of you will be disappointed if Andrew Friedman doesn t sign Byrce Harper or trade for Corey Kluber. Others will be disappointed
Yesterday Mark wrote, “this Dodger Team, right here, right now, is better than the 2018 version.” I will stipulate that the Dodgers may be better just for the loss of Farhan Zaidi and Turner Ward. That may be cruel, and they may do wonderful things for their new respective clubs, but they were a disconnect for this team. Friedman wants more of his fingerprints on the roster and approach, and
