Gavin Lux and 2022

November 20, 2021

On November 15, I started to write about the impatience some fans have with Gavin Lux, and it imploded into an overall generalization about many fans seeing MiLB stats and believing that those numbers will automatically translate to MLB numbers.  And then when they do not, then many of those some fans want that player to suddenly drop to the bottom of the heap or at the very least banned…

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End of an Era?

November 8, 2021

Well, let the bidding begin.  A number of publications have put out their top 50 Free Agents list.  MLBTR is one of my favorites to follow.  They are no better with their prognostications than are any other publication.  They run contests every year, and many of the readers have turned out better with picks than the writers.  One year I got 12 out of 50.  Not bad, but there were…

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LAD and Free Agency???

November 6, 2021

There has been a lot of speculation about FA the Dodgers may want to re-sign or sign.  We have no idea what the CBT will be, or what the penalties will be if a team exceeds that limit with the upcoming CBA.  Currently the taxes can reach a maximum 50% for all salaries above the CBT, and can reach a total of 95% for all salaries greater than $40MM in…

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Max Scherzer – Yea or Nay?

July 29, 2021

Before I answer with my position, let me do my best to lay out some of the factors assuredly being discussed in the Dodger “war rooms”. Max Scherzer is a HOF pitcher who can still bring it at 37.  He would be a front of the rotation pitcher even with the Dodgers.  This year he is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA and an exceptional WHIP of 0.886 in 105 IP. …

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That’s more like it!

May 13, 2021

Maybe Monday’s comeback win and Kenley Jansen’s dominant save was what the Dodgers needed to turn around their sinking ship. Last night, the Dodgers won 7-1 behind a dominant seven innings by Julio Urias and 6 up and 6 down by Jimmy Nelson, who is now taking to the bullpen like a fish takes to water. It’s not going to be all fairy dust and ponies right away, but you…

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And Yet Another Trevor Bauer Post

February 7, 2021

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday.  I am a much bigger fan of college football, and since my Packers are out of it, the lure of the Super Bowl does not hold a huge interest for me.  I will undoubtedly watch the game, and I have a lot of family in KC so I will have some allegiance to them.  I am not against Tom Brady as much as many I…

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More CBT, Universal DH, and JT

January 29, 2021

“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…

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CBT Threshold or De facto Salary Cap

January 27, 2021

There has been a lot of chatter about the cool reception the current group of FA’s are receiving.  DJLM got $90MM, but he is going to be spreading that over 6 years for a team favorable AAV.  George Springer turned a small bidding war between the two teams that figured to spend (Mets and Jays) into a Toronto overspend of 5 years $150MM.  That was about $25MM more than the…

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2021-2025 Payroll Projections (In Progress For Friday)

January 22, 2021

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…

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A Full Season Does Not Mean a Full House

January 12, 2021

Right about now, as COVID-19 rages across the country, MLB is making plans for a 162 game season. How many of those games will be played in empty stadiums remains to be seen, but It might be less than we think. The Indiana Pacers will begin allowing fans into Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 19th. Sales will be limited to 1,000 tickets per game through Jan. 25 and gradually increase….

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