523 posts
If you think that Kike Hernandez is “ just another poor hitting utility player ” you may suffer from the same malady Kike did the first half of last season: LACK OF VISION . Kike hit .191 in the first half of 2024, and during that time, he had a conversation with Martin…
This time last year, Baseball America ranked the Dodgers Prospects like this: Dalton Rushing – C Andy Pages – OF (Graduated) Gavin Stone – RHP (Graduated) Nick Frasso – RHP Josue DePaula – OF Kyle Hurt – RHP River Ryan – RHP Diego Cartaya – C (Traded) Jackson Ferris – LHP Maddux…
I realize that in your tenure as President of Dodger baseball, the LA Dodgers have the best winning percentage of any MLB team and that the organization is the envy of all other teams. In short, the Dodgers are the model organization. I understand that and am even amazed at the…
Maybe now Dodger fans can put their brains back into their heads and think logically… or is that too much to ask? Two wins in one day! Some good things happened during the games, including the Dodgers coming from behind to win Game 1 and Gavin Stone’s Gem in Game 2 where he…
There are thirteen pitchers who love Austin Barnes . He is an “on-the-field-pitching coach.” He is not going anywhere, so get that out of your mind. Hunter Feduccia, who happens to be LH, may or may not be a better hitter, and maybe his arm is slightly better, but he is no…
Yesterday was the first game of the year that I did not watch an inning, but I did go back and watch the condensed debacle. It was about as bad as the Pacers-Celtics game I went to last night. My son-in-law is a a Celtics fan, so it made things even worse. He is also a Red Sox…
No, not that Bear… the proverbial bear! I guess you are going to lose one-third of the games. It’s baseball… and sometimes it is maddening. The bottom of the lineup continues to be a problem. Vargas got a nice hit but now has to demonstrate that he can keep it up. Lux was 2-4…
Every now and then, it is all about random stuff: So, did Chris Taylor get a stay of execution, at least until Max Muncy comes back from the IL? Shohei Ohtani tries too hard with runners on (HR included). The Dodgers might sit Vargas for a game or two, just so he is not too…
Elly De La Cruz has stolen 30 bases in 35 attempts, so it seems logical to keep him off the bases… right? Nah, that’s too easy – let’s have him get on base all five at-bats! Tyler Glasnow will have an occasional bad game. That was one last night. The hitters either show up en…
As the Dodgers prepare to play the Padres in Slam Diego this weekend, it occurred to me that maybe there is a team sitting on a bad contract that the Dodgers might target to get rid of Chris Taylor. I have not had time to consider who that might be, but I’ll bet there is a…
Chris Taylor has always been a big hit-or-miss guy with the bat, but he has selflessly played all over the field and has done a very credible job at it. Need a SS? He can play there. 2B? No problem, 3B? Of course! Anywhere in the outfield? All three spots! Yes, he strikes out a…
For all the flack that Yamamoto has taken, here he is with a 3-1 record with a 2.01 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. Not bad for a guy who is just starting to pitch up to his capability. Knack went back to OKC so that the Dodgers could have a couple of fresh arms in the bullpen, and both…
Well, as much as I like Gavin Stone (and I like him a lot), I confess that I mostly saw him as a high-leverage bullpen piece… until yesterday. 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. OK, yes, he was a bit lucky, but he went seven innings and allowed one earned run ! WOW! JUST WOW! In my…
Of course, that is a generalization that is not always true, but it is true enough of the time that I am concerned. Last night, the Dodgers scored 11 runs on 20 hits. Betts and Smith had 4 hits each, while Ohtani and Pages had 3 each. Muncy and Lux had two each. It was quite an…
James Outman got a couple of hits, including a 3-run HR last night. As huge as Tyler Glasnows’ night was (7 IP/14 K’s/3 H/0 BB), the Dodgers needed James to get resurrected, and he is certainly trending in the right direction. This bodes well for the team, and now, if only…
I took a lot of flack last season because of James Outman. Much of it came from Eric, who disappeared this year when the going got tough for James. Eric evidently can dish it out, but he can’t take it! I sometimes think he loves James Outman more than the Dodgers. He also seems…
If Mookie Betts hits .520 this year, the Dodgers will have no worries. Actually, the TOP SIX of the Dodgers batting order are delivering at a rate that is scary. It’s the BOTTOM THREE that are also scary: Chris Taylor has 1 hit in 9 ABs and has struck out 5 times – BA – .111…
I am just going to jump right into this one: In 2023, the best Caught Stealing Rate by Catchers was +9. That means that the best catcher was good for +9 Runs Over League Average. Will Smith was -1 Run Below Average and Austin Barnes was -4 Runs Below League Average. If Austin…
Is that even possible? It’s never been done. Seven players on one team with at least thirty home runs? That’s not possible… is it? The Dodgers had four players with 30 HR once, but the 2019 Twins and the 2023 Braves are the only clubs in history to have five players reach the…
Normally signing a utilityman to a $4 Million Dollar Deal is not newsworthy… unless you trade Manual Margot, who was making $10 Million along with Rayne Doncon for another prospect, namely Noah Miller, who is a true shortstop. Baseball America rated him as Minnesota’s #24…
Teoscar Hernandez hit the jackpot last Winter, as the Seattle Mariners signed him for $14 MM. That was an absurd amount for a player who should be in a platoon. I can make a case that the Dodgers should sign Hernandez to platoon with Jason Heyward… but only at a much-reduced…
We know what we know – that’s the easy part, but what about what we don’t know about what we don’t know? That’s the hard part. So, let’s just stick with what we know or maybe think we know. We know that Will Smith will be the starting catcher . That’s good. He’s likely one of…
I heard some commentators on MLB.Radio suggesting that the Dodgers may hit Ohtani with a deal like this: 2023: $45 Million 2024: $50 Million as long as he pitched a certain number of innings 2025: $55 Million with a higher number of innings and an opt-out You could continue on…
The only constant is change. Nothing could be more true than what is going to happen with your LA Dodgers this offseason. I am sure that Andrew Friedman has a plan that is better than mine, but I am willing to share my plan, and he is not. He just does not play well with others…
In 1988, the Dodgers had the Stuntmen, but in 2023, they have a team of stuntmen (thanks to Bill Plaschke for that). In 2022, the Dodgers had players who felt they had a pedigree… that they were Bluebloods. In 2023, it’s clear that these guys are really junkyard dogs. Boston…
I really do. I also have an irrational fear of them. The Dodgers begin their postseason quest on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fresh off of the Wild Card sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in what could likely be Craig Counsell’s last game for the Brewers. It is…
You ask 100 fans that question, you might get 100 different answers. One thing is for certain, bad defense is going to cost you games. It cost the Dodgers a game only yesterday. Max Muncy blew what should have been an easy double-play grounder, and the Giants won, 2-1. As of…
After 11 wins in a row, the Dodgers were beaten like rented mules! Sadly, ‘er, I mean happily, I missed it all. Yesterday morning, I had my second eye surgery – this time on my right eye. The left one was two weeks ago. I not only had the cataracts removed (wow! The colors are…
Who predicted the Rosario-Syndergaard trade? No one saw that coming! Of course, the Dodgers weren’t really looking to trade for Rosario, but somehow, they found a team that wanted Thor, and they took the bait. I would have never believed it. Over the winter, the Dodgers signed…
For the record, it was discussed yesterday whether Clayton Kershaw was a #1, #2, or #3. I think the answer is d. Neither – Clayton is a #2.5. There. That’s my final statement on it. How many aces have 33 starts anymore? Only 31 pitchers in MLB had more than 31 starts last…
