149 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…
I know some of you are saying, “Please not another Dave Roberts post” I understand. But if you have ideas, write a post and get it to Mark and he will gladly post it. I was going to respond yesterday to Mark’s reference to Bill Shaiken’s article and some of the comments, but…
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 .
While I’m at it, let’s talk about Friedman for a bit. Where’s that vaunted depth I’ve heard so much about? Anybody with just a little bit of baseball knowledge could have seen that Dustin May would go down for the year, Gonsolin would miss significant time and that your number one prospect, Josiah Gray would get injured. Now’s the time to see that depth.
Let s get one thing straight: Andrew Friedman is the President and GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is his responsibility to oversee anything that is connected with Baseball Operation. For the sake of this blog, Andrew Friedman is responsible for building the Dodgers Bullpen. To date, most Dodgers fans are saying that he built a deplorable bullpen. I have heard one fan say it was an average bullpen. They
We all have perfect 20/20 hindsight, but lest we forget, bullpens are not only built in the offseason but they are built during the season. To say that the bullpen almost blew the game last night would make you Mr. Obvious. Even Ray Charles can see that. The Dodgers are just going to have to suck it up for a few more days or weeks until pitchers and Bellinger become healthy. Oh, he might make a signing or two Shane Greene comes to mind, but I would not expect anything major until at least July.
Clayton Kershaw did not have his best stuff yesterday, but it was good enough to throw 7 shutout innings. I think he could have pitched another inning, but why wear him out. He threw a very efficient 90 pitches and his ERA now sits at 2.09. Those of you who wanted to anoint Walker Buehler the Ace will have to wait a while. Dodgers Starting Pitcher ERA WHIP: Clayton
Clayton Kershaw starts on Opening Day, followed by Trevor Bauer, Striker (never call him Walker) Buehler, Julio Urias and [DRUM ROLL] Dustin May! To those of you who worried his season would be wasted on the bench: Don t Worry! He is in the rotation and Tony Gonsolin and David Price are in the bullpen. With Jimmy Nelson in the bullpen as well, the Dodgers can save the backend of the
Spring Training stats can be so deceiving: Last week Garrett Cleavinger was the flavor of the week, an almost certain lock to make the team. Sunday, maybe not so much. Last week, it appeared that Dennis Santana had pitched his way off the opening roster. Sunday, he sort of, kind of, maybe, redeemed himself. But then again, “it’s spring and the statistics don t matter!”
LA DODGER TALK is not your normal Dodger blog site. Even Ray Charles can see that no other Dodger site has a Dodger historian like Michael Norris. Michael or Bear as we know him, is a National Dodger Treasure! What he lays down is not available anywhere else! Then we have 2Demeter2, who has committed to trying to write one blog a week wherein he will give his opinion from
Some games have highlight nd some have lowlights. It seems to me that last night s game was of the lowlight variety. Nothing worth remembering well, maybe a couple of things: The Pitchers Julio Urias has filthy stuff, but he still has not figured out the first inning. This needs to change. There is something about the first inning Bring him in the second, fifth, ninth inning and he is fine .
NOTE: Jeff knew what I was going to lead off with today! 😉 Yes, I know it is early, but the best thing I saw all game yesterday and I saw a lot of good things, was Michael Grove s pitching! I wish there was a radar gun, but his stuff looked great. He has an arsenal of pitches and showed an excellent feel. I have always thought he would be
Today is the day that pitchers and catchers are due to report to Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers. Tomorrow is the first day of workouts. Full squad reports February 22, with the first full squad workout scheduled for February 23. The Dodgers play their first spring training game on Sunday, February 28 against the Oakland A’s at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. There will be some rules in effect that
“Well, it’s a significant demarcation,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said. “I wouldn’t say that it’s a line that cannot be passed, but it’s definitely a significant consideration when you get to that level.” Per Andy McCullough, The Athletic, “by instructing Alderson to mind the luxury-tax threshold…new Mets owner Steve Cohen has conformed with his 29 colleagues in baseball’s ownership class. The competitive balance tax operates as baseball’s de facto salary
In a November 15, 2015 article authored by Matthew Moreno at dodgerblue.com, Andrew Friedman and Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten maintained that the extravagant spending for the Dodgers would not continue, and that the 2016 season would provide a small opportunity to make progress toward balancing the scale. According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly recently echoed a similar sentiment, going so far as to
A little premature to know if AF is finished yet, but the Dodger bullpen has already been overhauled some. Knebel, Cleavenger, Kahnle, the new kids on the block. Kahnle will not pitch this season, and Cleavenger has never pitched above AA. Wood and Baez have gone to SF and Houston respectively, and McGee so far has not been signed anywhere. And the roster sits at 40. There are all sorts
Sign DJ LeMahieu? That would cost the Dodgers a draft pick. Remember when, after losing Mark Teixeira to free agency and the Yankees, the Angels were awarded the 25th pick of the draft as compensation. And who did they use that pick on? None other than Mike Trout. Or look at it another way: Signing Mark Teixeira cost the Yankees Mike Trout.
First of all, I received multiple emails wishing me good health and prayers, and for that I will be forever grateful. I do not get sick very often, but when I do, I do it right. The illness occurs once every 5-6 years, and lasts a couple of weeks. And it is almost always the same. I start out with a head cold, with a severe sore throat, and it
The Hot Stove League is always fun for us armchair GMs, allowing us to look at ways of improving a reigning World Series championship team. Not just a WS championship team, but THE consensus choice of the best team in MLB for 2020. But changes must be made. Nothing can stay at the top by being stagnant. Changes can come internally or externally. AF is a master as to building
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 –
I’m writing this on Friday morning, basking in the joy of the Dodgers 11-2 thumping of the Padres and thought I would share some random thoughts from my recliner: ● Until last night’s game, this year’s Dodgers just haven’t been as fun for me to watch as teams in the past. In “summer camp” it looked as if though they would be invincible. Once the season started though, and even
Mookie has a 4-4 night with 3 HRs and 5 RBIs, and a HBP. His OPS is now sitting at 1.074. Anyone watching the game realizes that Mookie’s 3 HR night ties him with Johnny Mize and Sammy Sosa for the most 3 HR games in a career. I am going to go out on a limb and say that before his career is over, he will have that record
I was hoping to sit down on my patio deck to watch the Dodgers vs Giants when I realized that I could not get the game on MLB.TV. I was already in a foul mood when I had to come into the house and listen to Krukow and Kuiper. I then watch Urias once again nibble instead of going at the hitters. For the first time this year, I am
We cannot summarize the two game series against the Asterisks without reengaging about Joe Kelly. Let’s look at the pitch to crybaby Correa to get his mouth going and get Kelly “taunting”. Was Correa really upset about a breaking ball high and tight that went to the backstop to put runners in scoring position? I doubt that was Kelly’s plan. Was he complaining about the pitch to Bregman? No he
We have the first series under our belt and here’s a few observations: ● I thought they might, but alas, it doesn’t appear that the Dodgers will go 60 0. That’s a shame, as it would have eliminated all worry about making the playoffs. I guess 59-1 will have to do. ● If we win all our games 8-1, 9-1 or lose 5- 4, then it doesn’t appear
Before we start the season, let me say that I am extremely excited that Mookie Betts will end his career (probably) in Dodger Blue. Unlike many of you, I am not surprised. We all know how much Andrew Friedman loves his top prospects and he simply was not going to part with three top prospects (including Tony Gwynn-esque, Alex Verdugo) for a rental. Do the math! I think Alex Verdugo
Intrasquad games and the exhibition season has come to an end. The results have been generally positive. The offense seems to be working on all cylinders. They are working the count, fouling off pitches, and attacking mistakes. During these games, they have shown they CAN BE a good two strike hitting team. They are going the other way with so much consistency that it is not a mistake. Some are
We have all heard about the Dodgers and their best in MLB history run of 60 games in 2017 with a 51-9 record. They also pulled off a 42-8 record in a 50 game stretch in 2013 before going 47-13 in 60 games. Both of those runs came later in the season. But how have they done in their first 60 games? Using their 7 year top NL West run
The Los Angeles Dodgers have reported to Dodger Stadium; or at least some of them have. There are some who have apparently tested positive for the coronavirus, while others (so far only David Price) has opted to sit out the 2020 season. I am perfectly comfortable with any player or management personnel deciding that it is in their best interests to opt out for the season. I just hope that
Monday was a bittersweet day for me. On the positive side, it was my wife’s and my 46th wedding anniversary. It also marked the 16th anniversary of Andy’s MLB debut. However, it also marked our first anniversary without our son Kris. Kris was a nomad, but no matter wherever he was, he would ALWAYS call his mother on May 25 and wish her a Happy Anniversary. Never failed. I have
