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 rate… perhaps about half of what he made in 2023. If the Dodgers could sign him to a contract…
Over the last eight seasons, no team has won as many games as Dave Robert’s Dodgers. 753. His teams have won seven division titles, three NL pennants, and a World Series. Lasorda and Alston, probably the two most celebrated managers in Dodger history, never came close to that kind of success. Different eras, of course. Lasorda’s teams won two World Series, seven years apart. His 1977 and 1978 teams went…
I admit that I jumped to conclusions when I heard that the Dodgers had signed Shohei Ohtani for $700 Million. I thought that was insane. It turned out that I had Myopia! In case you don’t know the meaning of myopia, here it is: “lack of imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight.” — Dictionary Yep, I had no clue what his contract would be. No clue! It turns out that I…
For about a year, I have been predicting that Shohei Ohtani will not be a Dodger. Until proven wrong, I stand by that… STILL! On November 11th, I wrote this: “Everyone seems to revere Ohtani as “God-like,” and while he is an amazing talent, I think any team that is determined to sign him is going to regret it very much. I believe you are going to see him start…
We have already talked about the significance of the Winter Meetings beginning today in Nashville. I feel the odds are pretty good that by tomorrow, there may be some significant movement, but you can never be sure. Any team is one blown-out elbow away from a ruined season. The Yankees of 2023 were a prime example of that. Their signing of Gerrit Cole continues to be outstanding, but the acquisition…
Some baseball fans have the erroneous belief that old-school managers like Bruce Bochy manage with their gut, use the eye test, and don’t rely on analytics. If you really think that… well, I am sorry… for your misconception. It simply ain’t true. It’s your own narrative, but you will find that a vast percentage of Bochy’s moves are what sabermetrics indicate. I have seen him take pitchers out too early…
Why Shohei Ohtani is not Coming to the Dodgers It is fun to think about Ohtani in the Dodgers lineup. There is a lot of talk about marketing opportunities, reaching the Japanese population, and jersey sales. However, let us not forget that the Dodgers put more butts in seats than any other team and already are a marketing dynamo. I seriously doubt that signing Ohtani will improve the bottom line….
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…
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…
