Who Really is Blake Treinen?

December 31, 2019

Let’s get this out of the way: The Dodgers have a closer… his name is Kenley Jansen. He had an off-year in 2019 and the Dodger coaches, as well as Kenley himself, believe he will return to form in 2020. It’s not like this has never happened to other relievers before. Even the greatest ones (well maybe except Mariano Rivera) had off-years. The great Trevor Hoffman had many up and…

Read More >>

What Box?

December 20, 2019

Most people have a great deal of difficulty thinking outside of the box. In most cases, the box is just a wall they have built around their minds. The past couple of days I have read some really dumb stuff from people I think are very smart, but somehow, when it comes to the Dodgers, they take out their brains, set them on the dresser and come to comment on…

Read More >>

Dodger Ownership Playing Semantics?

November 27, 2019

Bill Veeck, Charlie Finley, George Steinbrenner were examples of owners that were bigger than life and wanted nothing more than to win (and put on a show). Walter O’Malley was cut from the same cloth. Peter was more of a pragmatic businessman who knew he could not spend to stay in the game, and got out. None of those early owners would let MLB tell them how to spend their…

Read More >>

What Can the Dodgers Expect From Their Existing Bullpen?

November 23, 2019

If in response to the above question, you said “Not Much!” I will say you may or may not be right. See, indecision may or may not be part of my problem, and no one knows what a bullpen guy will do from year-to-year, but I will say that you cannot look at the past and predict what a bullpen pitcher will do in the future. You can guess… even…

Read More >>

AC’s Random Thoughts

November 21, 2019

BRAVES AND THE PEN: Braves have now signed 3 pitchers who will serve as late inning high leverage relievers. On Monday they signed Chris Martin to a two year $14MM contract after signing Will Smith to a three year $40MM deal. Earlier this month, they signed Darren O’Day to a one year $2.25MM contract. They also have Mark Melancon in the final year of his four year $62MM contract. Thus…

Read More >>

The Grass is Always Greener…

October 31, 2019

Yes, people think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but sometimes, it’s crabgrass… or Astroturf. People have traveled the world looking for something that was already right under their chin at home. Conventional wisdom demands that the Dodgers add a RH Power Bat, a Frontline Starter, and a Lockdown Reliever. The conventional wisdom demands that Andrew Friedman not look at the waiver wire or…

Read More >>

What Could Happen… or not

October 25, 2019

Frankly, I am a person who believes that conventional wisdom is usually wrong. That leads me to look at things some people don’t notice and see things that they don’t. It’s not a “science”… more of an “art” that has to be continually refined. When many investors are buying, I may be selling and when they are selling, I am looking to buy. Like anyone, I am not always right,…

Read More >>

Mythbusting

October 15, 2019

I think it’s time to debunk some myths that have been propounded since the “Debacle of Game 5” (That’s what I call it). In the interest of full disclosure, I called for Dave Roberts firing… and still would fire him, but some of what you all believe about him is incorrect and I’m here to debunk it… among other things. By the way: I can still live with Doc and…

Read More >>

Is It Joe Maddon Time?

October 10, 2019

Let me preface this with “I really don’t pin this EPIC FAIL on Dave Roberts.” I think the players did not execute and you may disagree… That’s fine! However, to lose two World Series in a row and then get bounced in the NLDS after you have dominated the season, may is certainly grounds for dismissal. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem….

Read More >>

DON’T THEY KNOW IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD?

October 7, 2019

One of the many female artists (and trust there were many) on whom I had a boyhood crush, was the great country-western singer, Skeeter Davis.  I loved her name, I mean how could you not love the name Skeeter?   After reading some of the comments on Saturday and Sunday, I was reminded of her and her biggest hit song “The End of the World”, which goes in part(with apologies to…

Read More >>