27 posts
# 14 When the old-timer’s committee announced the results of their meeting and Gil Hodges became the latest Dodger to be enshrined at Cooperstown, I was elated. I had always felt Gil belonged. He was the best first baseman of his era. Although he did not garner enough writer…
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…
Earlier in the week, there was a little difference in opinion with respect to the Billy McKinney acquisition. I continue to read how porous LAD’s defense is, and with a gimpy Mookie Betts who may need late-inning defensive help to get him off his hip, a slowing AJ Pollock, questionable defense of Matt Beaty, and the need for CT3 to spend more time in the infield, AF went out and
Just a few notes regarding MiLB, Dodger style. There is no significance to the order of presentation. Only one Dodger minor league game on Monday so I was really just bumming around looking for tidbits of MiLB. Dodger Minor League Affiliate Standings: Monday, June 28 Great Lakes Loons are in second place 2.5 games back of the Dayton Dragons. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are in first place 1.5 games up on
It has been a long time since I have felt a desire to write. I am hoping that I can at least finish this one. I have been trying to finish a certain blog post that I started last March, but have not been able to do so. I was able to write a somewhat complete email to Harold (DC) last week, and responded to two very close friends last
As you watch this here 2021 version of the Dodgers, you realize that there are just some days when everyone (or almost everyone) is just sleep-walking and are flatter than pancakes. Sunday was one of those days. I mean when 86-year-old Albert Pujols is your only offense, you have to be flatter than pancakes. The Dodgers need a Kirk Gibson someone who will step up and call his teammates out .
There is always the debate as to whether prospects are meant to be held onto so as to build from within, or should they be used as prospect capital to acquire existing MLB stars. Of course, these trades need to be made at the peak of the prospect trade value in order to maximize the return. The Dodgers have had a perennial top 10 farm club since AF signed on
One of the problems the Dodgers have of going “big game hunting” is that in order to get someone special, one needs to give up someone special. More than most teams, the Dodgers are very reluctant to give up their top prospects. Is it any surprise that teams are requiring Gavin Lux or Dustin May for an elite difference making pitcher (or Lindor or Mookie)? There is a big gap
So many of us have been looking at FA possibilities and trade possibilities that most have not paid any attention to the first date that will impact the 2020 Dodgers roster. The 40 man roster needs to be set by November 20, 2019 with all Rule 5 eligible prospects protected. The actual Rule 5 draft will take place on Thursday, December 12, 2019. That gives AF and his staff less
“What we do see depends mainly on what we look for. In the same field the farmer will notice the crop, the geologists the fossils, botanists the flowers, artists the colouring, sportmen the cover for the game. Though we may all look at the same things, it does not all follow that we should see them.” ― John Lubbock, The Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World We Live
The Raptors play in a short season rookie league. It is easy to forget the Pioneer League as players are so far from MLB and many are fresh out of a recent draft and the Arizona League. They have not yet really surfaced in the parent team minor league system so one has to do a bit of scuba diving below the surface to find them. But, there they are,
It s hard to imagine a better team in MLB than the Dodger right about now. Yes, I know the Twins are doing well, but I can t see them keeping it up. Their underlying peripherals don t support their record, but they have been a pleasant surprise and great story. They are allegedly talking to Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel, but I think Dallas goes to the Yankees and Kimbrel goes to
There are always players at the minor league level that come along without the fanfare of being a high draft pick or a highly ranked international signing. In fact, the majority of players fit that description yet, as my Dad would say, they soldier on and force us to pay attention. Catcher Jair Camargo is one of those players with the 2019 Great Lakes Loons. It was a bit of
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
Minor League Roster Sizes I have always had some difficulty knowing the exact roster size for the minor league affiliates although 25 and 35 were relatively safe numbers. I contacted Jeff Lantz, Senior Director of Communications for MiLB, for exact information. I had not been aware of the years of service restrictions at the lower levels although they make perfect sense. I thought perhaps some LADT posters may be interested
Dodgers first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger has gained much attention from Dodger fans and the baseball world in general, and deservedly so. He has the making of a superstar. For those of us that follow the teams down on the farm, another Cody has been wending his way along after a late start to baseball. If he hasn’t been noticed before, he has gained some attention with a three-home run performance
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
The strength of the Farm system is unquestionably the pitching. It is not even close. The breakdown of the MLB Pipeline Top 30 prospects is: 12 RHP 2 – LHP 4 Catchers 5 – SS/2B 4 – 3B/1B 3 – OF Baseball America pretty much resembles MLB Pipeline’s prospect list except BA includes reliever Josh Sborz, and OF Carlos Rincon, replacing Braydon Fisher, Marshall Kasowski, and Leonel Valera .
After yesterday s game, the Dodger s record sits at 7-5 this Spring not that it means absolutely anything. So far a few things have caught my eye, other than the fact that Joc Pederson looks totally lost: Cody Bellinger, Austin Barnes, Kike Hernandez and Daniel Castro (who?) look locked and loaded. Ross Stripling and Rich Hill are being stretched out. There are way too many arms for the bullpen thus the
Because of the lack of player personnel movement, all of the national publications and national writers are creating the best of the remaining lists. Where will the top 10 remaining free agents land? How about where will the top 15 free agents and major trade personnel land? They all have opinions, and some of them are well thought out. However, while they have much better contacts, none of them no
The Great Lakes Loons of the Class-A Midwest League really presented a “Tale of Two Cities” scenario during the 2018 season. In the the first half of the season they posted a 24-44 won-loss record, the lowest in the Midwest League and perhaps challenging for the lowest in all of Class-A ball. During the second half they put together a record of 36-33 with a blistering 27-10 stretch starting during the
By now everyone knows that the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes defeated the Visalia Rawhide 9-1 to claim the 2018 California League Advanced A League Championship. This was Drew Saylor’s first in his third year. RC last won a California League Championship in 2015 when Alex Verdugo and Cody Bellinger were on the roster. The Quakes won the first half with a 35-35 record but turned it on the second half with
AAA – PCL American Conference Playoff – OKC Dodgers v. Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals) Game 1 – Memphis Redbirds 4-2 Win over OKC Dodgers Game 2 – OKC Dodgers 5-4 Win over Memphis Redbirds Because of the wet field postponement on Wednesday, the Dodgers and Redbirds were forced to play a doubleheader on Thursday and came away with a split. The series shifts to Memphis in this best 3 out
So, who is coming to help on Saturday when rosters CAN expand? The current 40 man is filled with players on the DL. How many of those are legit, who knows? Well I guess FAZ does. Another consideration might be how many of the Rule 5 eligible draftees do the Dodgers want to take a look at in September. Current Dodger relievers on the 40 man: Julio Urias
Max Gamboa What an exciting time of the year! Spring has arrived, Spring Training is over in a day or two and minor league play starts on April 5. It doesn t get much more exciting than this other than at the end of regular season play and teams go into extended season play. One can only try to imagine what the minor league players in particular are feeling as they
There has been a lot of discussion about the state of the Cuban players the Dodgers signed in 2015. It has been nearly two years since the Dodgers embarked on a $43,874,000 spending spree on 11 international players, but only three are Cuban. There were also five from the Dominican Republic, one from Venezuela, and one from Nicaragua. Eight of the players are still remain in the organization with 7
Has another vulture emerged? It is not the same way Phil Regan used to do it, but in the Rancho Cucumonga Quakes first 8 games, Alex Hermeling has a 3-0 record with all three wins coming in relief. A lot of attention has been directed to Mitchell White and Walker Buehler, and deservedly so. But on April 7, it was Alex Hermeling that pitched the final three innings in the RC
