The Matt Kemp Experiment

March 4, 2018

An experiment is a procedure carried out to support, refute, or validate a hypothesis. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a particular factor is manipulated. Make no mistake, the Dodgers are going to carry out the Matt Kemp Experiment… and it is truly an “EXPERIMENT.” We did  a few experiments in high school chemistry class, some of which caused violent explosions, but some were pretty…

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It Turns Out That Borass Is The Devil

January 31, 2018

Scott Borass is all about Scott Borass.  He can say he is just looking after his client’s best interests, but in a free agent market, the top free agents “set the market” and Borass said his top three free agents were worth $200 million dollar contracts.  I drive a 2013 Ford F-150 which now has 94,000 miles on it.  I take good care of my vehicles and it still looks…

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As The Pendulum Swings

January 12, 2018

The longer this off-season goes, the hungrier I get for Spring Training.  The inane asking prices that some of today’s free agents are asking for is getting out of control.  I believe in the free market as much as anyone, but sometimes a little self-restraint needs to be implemented…on both sides. The pendulum always swings both ways, and for way too many years the owners had all of the control…

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What’s Up With 2017 Free Agents

December 28, 2017

What’s happening to this year’s crop of free agents?  This is December 27, and out of the top 50 MLB TradeRumors free agent predictions, only 19 have signed new contracts, and one decided not to opt out (Masahiro Tanaka).  Of the 30 unsigned players, none of the top 11 have signed new contracts (excluding Tanaka not opting out), and 15 of the top 20 are still unsigned.   Of the…

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Let’s Assume FAZ Does Nothing

December 23, 2017

If the Dodgers do nothing, this is what I would expect come Spring Training.   1B – Bellinger 2B – Forsythe 3B – JT SS – Seager LF – Kike’ and Joc/Toles CF – Taylor RF – Puig C – Barnes Rotation:  Kershaw, Hill, Wood, Maeda, Ryu Bullpen:  Jansen, Baez, Fields, Garcia, Koehler, Stripling, Avilan, Cingrani Bench:  Grandal, 2 of Kike’/Joc/Toles, and Locastro   Grandal and JT can relieve Bellinger…

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What Winter Meetings?

December 16, 2017

Well this has been some Hot Stove League for the Dodgers thus far, right?  The Winter Meetings went just about as most expected…the current 40 man roster is the same as before the meetings started.  I don’t count Koehler because he was post Winter Meetings, and the signing is still pending physical.  I never thought Stanton was an option, but it was fun to fantasize.  My only disappointment is that…

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Luxury Tax Concerns

December 1, 2017

I continue to read that Dodger Ownership/Management wants to get under the luxury tax threshold THIS year.  That is certainly a laudable goal, and under normal circumstances I can see why that should always be the goal.  But is 2018 the year to draw the line?   Sometimes you need to spend money to make money.  In home building, finishes are upgraded to get buyers to sign. Buyers are visual…bling…

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Return on Investment – Risk vs. Reward

November 7, 2017

Many have posited (including me) that the depth the Dodgers have generated were critical in their march to 104 wins. I have also written that the depth needs to be pruned at times so that the organization will continue to grow by clearing the way for new prospects or ML 25 man roster help.  That is why I had no problem with sending Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes, and Frankie Montas…

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Oh What A Relief It Is

November 6, 2017

Over the last few years, we Dodger fans have become accustomed to botched relief in post season appearances.  Which is why I have included one of my favorite images of reliever Steve Howe and catcher Steve Yeager following the final out  of the 1981 WS.  I have been fascinated with relievers since my first Dodger hero, Larry Sherry.  From Clem Labine, Ron Perranoski, Phil Regan, and Bob Miller to Eric…

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2017-2018 Hot Stove

November 4, 2017

One of the positives about getting to the WS and extending it to 7 games, is that there is only 5 weeks before the Winter Meetings in Orlando.  We are going to have to pack in a lot of thought and suggestions about the restructuring of a 104 win team into a WS champion.  We are all so much smarter than Friedman and Zaidi sitting in front of a computer…

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