29 posts
All season, the Dodgers have touted that they have a clubhouse full of high-character players… and they really did. Most of these guys were Boy Scouts and have always helped little old ladies across streets. They have so many friends within MLB, and they cultivate those…
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…
There are a couple of choices: Star or Journeyman. It’s hard to be a star, and it is just about as hard to be a journeyman. A year ago, I thought that James Outman was destined to be a 4th or 5th outfielder, and while some fans took exception, there really wasn’t anything that…
When the Dodgers signed David Peralta and Jason Heyward, Dodger fans were less than enthused. And I must admit, I was one of them. Heyward was coming off of a year where he was worse than horrendous. And the Cubs were willing to pay him for not playing. Peralta was coming back…
It seems like a large number of Dodger fans do not like the platoons. They want to see a lineup that rolls out there every day and is the same. What they fail to realize is that is part of what has made the Dodgers one of the best teams in baseball over the last ten years. Some…
When the season started, many fans worried where the offense would come from. Some worried that Heyward, Peralta, Martinez, and Muncy were past their prime and could not deliver. They worried there were too many rookies in the lineup. They worried about the bullpen and the…
Step 1 : You start out realizing that they do not need to be “fixed.” They may not even need “tweaked.” I think they could stand pat and still win it all… if things go right. Step 2: Go back and read Step 1! Now, I am not saying that Andrew Friedman may not make a trade or two…
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…
Unconventional thinking is the ability to imagine new possibilities and solve complex problems that have eluded other people . Being unconventional is an essential element in doing original work or creating original ideas. Right now, the Dodgers could use a heavy dose of…
This saying has a very deep metaphysical meaning which, over the years, many of the ancient mystics sought to understand and explain in terms that the common man could comprehend; however, the real meaning has been obfuscated until recently during the cultural revolution when I…
There were a lot of “firsts” last night: The first walk-off win was the kind of thing that can galvanize a team. Mike Grove pitched his first great game, and (someone else said this), “ Looked like Buehler .” Not bad for a guy who is just trade bait. Disclaimer: I don’t think…
I don’t understand why it happens, but every time the Dodgers go on some kind of losing streak, the novice Dodger fans come out of the woodwork and proudly announce that Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts are the problems, and they proceed to solve all the problems by getting rid…
Just a few days ago, the Dodgers were 5-2, and now three games and 29 runs given up later, they sit at 5-5 – all of the losses coming at the hands of the Diamondbacks, who may or may not be a .500 club. Regardless of what their ultimate record may be, they’re young and exciting……
Dustin May may be the Dodger’s best pitcher before the season is over. He did not have his best stuff or pinpoint control last night, but even when he is “off,” he is still extremely hard to hit. His “bad stuff” is better than most pitchers’ “good stuff!” Actually, the entire…
I was traveling to San Francisco yesterday, so I was pretty out of the mix, although I did watch most of the game yesterday. I overdid it big time with my back – so much so that I am not able to fly to LA tomorrow. I walked over 5 miles and paid for it last night. It is slightly…
It’s pretty obvious to me what Andrew Friedman is doing. I was going to say “ trying to do ” but no, he is actually doing it. He has all but PROMISED the 2B job to Miguel Vargas, and he has four older guys (Taylor, Peralta, Heyward, and Thompson) fighting for two positions in…
Eight games into Spring Training… and James Outman is seizing the day. Of course, there are three weeks left, but if it ended today, James Outman would be in the squad. All he has done is hit the ball, run the bases and play excellent defense. In other words, he has done…
Disclaimer: What follows only applies to those that say this really silly stupid stuff. Do you really believe that the Dodgers will have a poor offensive lineup? With Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, and JD Martinez? That also means that you don’t think…
Yesterday, Dave wrote this: “Last year you posted your stats predictions for the season. As it turned out they were pretty accurate. So looking forward to that again. But I think we need to wait until end of Spring training for that.” So, I am going to do it a little differently…
Pinkie Problems The first casualty of Spring Training occurred a few days ago when Miguel Vargas took a bad hop to his right pinky finger, which caused a hairline fracture. Since he is a RH hitter, his right hand is not his bottom hand, and he would likely play if it were the…
The Dodgers’ hopes to win a World Series in 2023 hinge on a lot of things, including JD Martinez’s resurgence, J-Heys and David Peralta’s ability to come back, the pitching staff’s health, the ability of rookies to seize the day, and whether Freeman, Smith, Muncy & Betts can…
It appears that Andrew Friedman wasn’t not just posturing as I thought when he said he wasn’t worried about the CBT. After adding journeyman outfielder, David Peralta yesterday and another $6 or $7 Million onto the payroll, it’s clear Friedman is not concerned with re-setting…
I know it is only exhibition games, and the Dodgers did not face MadBum, Robbie Ray, Zac Gallen, or Luke Weaver, nevertheless, it was an impressive display of offensive prowess over the Snakes. The DBacks figure to be the Dodgers chief challenger in the West. I think the Pads will begin to start to strut their stuff, but they are still a year away. They just do not have the
Pundits can spin it anyway they want, but the DBacks suffered huge losses this offseason. Patrick Corbin signed a big 6 year $140MM contract with the Nationals, AJ Pollock signed a 5 year $60MM contract with LAD, and all-world 1B Paul Goldschmidt was traded to the Cards. So three teams that figured to be in contention anyway picked up the DBacks top 3 players. How does a team that won
Okay, I am done arguing with people on this or any other baseball site about corporate finance, which happens to be a subject I am very well-versed in. But that is different than knowledge of the Dodgers balance sheet of which I have none. So, let’s move on. I am writing this in an El Dorado Hills Starbucks at about 1:30 PM. So this may not be current by
Last night, Dodgerrick posted an excellent clutch performance synopsis of the Dodgers 2018 season. Yes, I wear rose colored glasses, but I am not blind. I know that it is easy to do an autopsy on last night’s game as everything has already happened and the results are known. But Rick was right in his estimation that last night epitomized that FanGraphs expose . Walker Buehler pitched a tremendous 5.2
The Magic Number is down to 5. The Rockies do not look like they are going away, so the Dodgers are going to need to win this race. I am more than fine with that. On a night that showcased another of those all RHH lineups against a very good LHSP, the players came through when they needed to. The team scored 7 runs with only one solo HR, so
Okay now that Yu Darvish is signed, sealed, and delivered to the Chicago Cubs, who is the next domino to fall? 21 of the top 50 are still unsigned, and 6 of the top ten. Interestingly, 5 of those 6 are represented by Scott Boras (JDM, Hosmer, Arrieta, Moustakas, and Holland). Is it collusion, or is it anti Scott Boras? So what does that mean for the Dodgers? The
This was a great series. Sure some can point out the RISP issues, but I contend that Zack Godley, Robbie Ray, and Zack Greinke had something to do with that. They are all good pitchers who have battled through problems all year. The DBacks had the 3rd best ERA and 7th best WHIP in all of MLB. They have an outstanding pitching staff. The DBacks won 93 games, tied with
