Depth Perception
I think it’s fair to say that the Dodger 40-man roster could probably field two major league teams that would be competitive.
Edwin Rios
Andrew Friedman is Ruining Dodger Blogs
For years, Dodgers blogs have been a sacred place where Dodger fans went to lament their fate, cry in their beer, pontificate how bad the team, coaches, managers, general managers, and owners were, and generally write about how they could do a better job than whoever happened to be in charge. When Andrew Friedman was hired by the Dodgers as President of Baseball Operations, he was greeted with jeers, smears,…
Late Bloomers
With the excellent column by DC on the teenage players, and with the outstanding article in The Athletic on Zach Reks, I thought I would take a look at late bloomers. If Zach Reks does make it to the Majors, he would certainly be a late bloomer, but he hardly is the only one. A young infielder was drafted in the 9th round out of South Carolina and had a…
My Thoughts on the Bullpen and Others
I have been away for a bit due to some unexpected personal family matters, but I have continued to read the blog everyday. Last week when Mark proclaimed, “This could not only be the best Dodger bullpen of All-Time, but it could also be one of the best in the game… maybe ever!”, many unsurprisingly jumped on that testament. I have been a huge critic of the bullpen makeup, and…
Progress is not Linear!
While you can’t place a lot of stock in preseason games… especially the first one, you can see that the Boys in Blue are motivated and eager to get this show on the road. This team as constructed is good enough to win the World Series, but you have to play the games to decide that. Some players will continue to grow, some will regress and some will stay the…
Is That BOLD Enough?
I was in the middle of a meeting with our outside CPA’s discussing tax strategies last night when a colleague busted in and told me the Dodgers just traded for Mookie and Price. That is all he knew at the time. Unsure who went in the deal. He just knew that I wanted the Dodgers to get Mookie. My meeting broke up shortly thereafter and I went back to my…
Holding On To Prospects…Chess or Checkers?
One of the problems the Dodgers have of going “big game hunting” is that in order to get someone special, one needs to give up someone special. More than most teams, the Dodgers are very reluctant to give up their top prospects. Is it any surprise that teams are requiring Gavin Lux or Dustin May for an elite difference making pitcher (or Lindor or Mookie)? There is a big gap…
Let the Young Pups Play
Puppies . . . who doesn’t love them? Part of the charm of puppies is training them and teaching them to help them along the way in their growth to dogs. “Raising a puppy is not necessarily easy, but it’s an adventure that’s full of rewards as you develop a deep bond with your pup that will last throughout his life. A lot of patience and a little extra effort…
Stealing From Theo…If Not Now, When?
It is time for a little Devil’s Advocacy. I have been an unapologetic fan of Andrew Friedman and what he has accomplished, and just as critical as to what he has NOT accomplished. I was critical when AF did not beat out the Astros offer for Gerrit Cole before the 2018 season. The Astros traded a #5 SP in Joe Musgrove, a decent but unceremonious 3B, Colin Moran, a RHRP…
The Stuntmen
In 1988, the Dodgers won the World Series with a rag-tag bunch of bench players, junkyard dogs, and stuntmen, including Mickey Hatcher, Rick Dempsey, Mike Davis, Danny Heep, and Dave Anderson. The bench was important to the last world championship and I believe that this year’s bench is immensely better. Hey, these guys aren’t starters, but many of them would be starters on other teams. Due to arbitration and the…