I’ll Trade You My Shooter Marble For Your Cat’s Eye

October 21, 2019

The off-season is fully here yet, but the banter about the free-agents we should sign or acquire by trade has already begun in full-force.   I thought I might join in on the speculation, and throw out some names that haven’t been mentioned before, or at least not recently.   Keep in mind that I have not made any in-depth statistical analysis of these players, I don’t have any of their medical…

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The Beginning of the End

October 20, 2019

Yesterday, I wrote that the Dodgers were a young team and what I was specifically referring to was that the “core” was young, especially if Ryu, Hill, Freese, and Martin are not back. The Dodgers had seven (7) rookies impact the team this year: Will Smith Alex Verdugo Gavin Lux Tony Gonsolin Dustin May Kyle Garlick Matt Beaty Next year they will also have a few. The Dodgers are built…

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Evolution, not Revolution!

October 19, 2019

In case you have forgotten, the 2019 LA Dodgers are a young team (overall), with a very deep and very god farm system and accomplished the following: Most Wins in LA Dodger History – 106 Best Team ERA in MLB Yes, it has been 32 years since the Dodgers have won the Worl Series. Yes, 2019 was a bitter pill to swallow. Yes, it is way past time for the…

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For the Final Time: The Bullpen was not the Problem

October 17, 2019

This past regular season, the Washington Nationals had the worst bullpen in baseball. Out of 30 MLB teams, they were #30 in ERA at 5.66. MLB average was 4.43 and the Dodgers were #4 in MLB in ERA. The Nationals bullpen was also worst in baseball allowing hitters a .266 batting average. To say that their bullpen was horrible would be kind. Yet, here they are on the way to…

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Rube Walker – A Pitcher’s Pitching Coach

October 16, 2019

As a youngster growing up on the east coast of Canada in the golden years of baseball in the 1950s, I fell into the Vin Scully trap on radio and became a lifer with the Dodgers even when they abandoned me for the far west coast in California. The memories of Duke, Pee Wee, Jackie, Campy and so many other stars still remain fresh in my mind. At the same…

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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…

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Dodgers Lost – So What?

October 14, 2019

Before game 5 with the Nats, I admit I had periods of apprehension that Nats would win.   By the time I turned on the TV, Kike had just hit his homerun. 3 runs of Strasburg in 1 plus innings.  Now I was feeling pretty positive.   But, as we all know, the Dodgers lost – –  – I was shocked, to say the least.  I was as disappointed as I could…

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AFL Progress Report

October 12, 2019

The Arizona Fall League started nearly a month ago and Tonight they will have their All-Star Game and the Dodgers will be represented by one player, namely Brett de Geus, who has blossomed into an excellent prospect since signing for $75,000 as a 33rd-rounder from Cabrillo (Calif.) JC in 2017, developing a 93-98 mph fastball with running action, a hard slider and a power curveball. He excelled in his full-season…

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Clem Labine – One of a Kind

October 11, 2019

I first tuned in to a Dodger game on the radio – solely by accident – on April 19, 1952. I know the date as all three outfielders – Andy Pafko, Duke Snider, Carl Furillo – hit home runs which was the only time they did so in 1952.  Also, as a youngster, I did know of the Bobby Thompson home run in 1951. I turned the radio dial looking…

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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….

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