I did a post last year where I talked about the Asian players who the Dodgers have signed over the years. A few of them had a very positive impact on the Dodgers’ fortunes. The two very first were Park from Korea and Nomo, the Dodgers’ first Japanese signing. This year, there are two very good and very intriguing pitchers from Japan about to be posted. Yamamoto is supposed to…
Many… or at least some Dodger fans believe that this Winter, the Dodgers will do something they never have under Andrew Friedman and sign two or maybe even three starting pitchers to long-term deals. Let’s get this over with right now: It is not happening! If you look at Andrew Friedman’s past history, you will see that he rarely gives out long-term contacts – Mookie Betts was the lone exception….
Andrew Friedman characterized 2023 as a “Transition Year” long before the 2023 season started. I do not think that Dodger Fans fully understood what that really meant. In 2022, the Dodgers won 111 games, but in 2023, they “only” won 100 games as they utilized sixteen (count ’em, 16) rookies in their transition year. Here are the rookies who debuted in 2023: Not all of them are impact players. Shoot,…
From December 3rd to the 6th, baseball’s winter meetings will be held in Nashville, Tennessee. On Dec 5th, there will be a live broadcast on the MLB network of the newly installed draft lottery. MLB started this to deter tanking. It will give the top six spots in the draft to six of the following nine teams. Athletics, Royals, Rockies, Angels, White Sox, Cardinals, Mets, Guardians, Pirates. Teams that pay…
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…
Coming off of two straight epic post-season meltdowns, is this Freidman’s most important off-season since he took over? I get the impression from reading many baseball blogs and websites that the Dodgers fan base wants something really big and really dramatic. I get the impression that half-measures and signing fringe guys is not going to satisfy the average Dodger fan. I see a lot of no more Peralta’s and no more…
I don’t think any Dodger fan (me included) has any idea what kind of effort goes into prospect evaluation, player development, and everything involved with that. How much time do you spend each week on things related to the Los Angeles Dodgers? 40 hours? No way! 20 hours? What would your boss (wife) say? 10 Hours? Maybe… That might be what I spend each week… and that’s a lot! The…
Today is when the 40-man roster must be set. It is also the deadline for Free Agents to accept or reject the qualifying offers. Players with the requisite service time will be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft if not protected. There are five open roster spots: I would protect: Ryan Yarbrough is not a roster lock, and if the Dodgers have any inkling of keeping Feduccia, they would likely…
Change is coming, bank on it. Change in baseball is inevitable. There will be tweaks to the rules, from the looks of things, a lot of player movement, and somewhere down the road, expansion and maybe a team or two moving to a new city. Rosters change every year. Just how much in today’s game depends on the number of free agents a team might have, prospects ready…
Since 2019, the National League Pennant Winner (in a full season) has been the team with the Worst Record that was in the playoffs. Let that sink in for a minute. What does that mean? Let’s look back at the records: 2019 – Washington Nationals – 93-69 2020 – Dodgers won in the COVID Partial Season while playing the most rounds ever! 2021 – Atlanta Braves -88-73 2022– Philadelphia Phillies…