2020 or 2021 or …

May 9, 2020

Multiple sources have indicated that a plan for a proposed 2020 MLB season is due to be presented to the MLBPA in the “next week or so”.  Former MLB infielder from Crespi High School in Encino, CA, Trevor Plouffe, in a tweet, has indicated that his sources are pointing to a report date of June 10, and a season start date “around”, July 1.  This date is congruent with Ken…

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Do Deep Teams Have an Advantage in a Short Season

May 7, 2020

Much has been said and written about the Dodgers depth and how that makes them a very dangerous team.  I do not think that there is a question (at least not for me), that the premier builder of the 40 man roster is Andrew Friedman.  During his tenure, over the last five years in a 162 game season, the Dodgers have 485 wins, more than any other team in MLB. …

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Jackie and Larry

May 6, 2020

In 1942 Branch Rickey joined the Dodgers as the team’s president and general manager. He quietly and in a very determined way began his quest to bring black players to the team. He was well aware of the challenges that lay ahead trying to integrate the first segment of American society – baseball. He knew there would be resistance in the Commissioner’s Office, from other team owners, the players themselves…

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2021 LAD Free Agents

May 3, 2020

There has certainly been a lot of optimistic discussions going on throughout the Baseball World about the possibility of MLB in 2020.  I think most of us want to believe that there will be MLB this year, but have doubts in conjunction with those hopes.  There has been a lot of speculation as to how a season would play out.  How many games?  How many divisions?  What size roster?  How…

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Is It Baseball Yet?

May 1, 2020

I have no idea if there is going to be baseball in 2020 or not, but I am well past tired of waiting.  We have had short seasons in the past and we have all come back to continue to watch and cheer.  Other than with WWI when seasons were cut to 126-128 games in 1917 (from 154 games) and 140 games in 1918, all other shortened seasons were resultant…

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R U Ready?

As I write this right about now, even the Haters have been forced to shut up. The Dodgers have been the best team in MLB over the past 5-years. They have a Top 3 Farm Systems and Major League Depth that is the envy of every other team. Many other team executives complain that “it’s just not fair” how the Dodgers operate their franchise.

April 26, 2020
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May 1, 2020

April 16, 2020

I am very happy to announce that LAdodgerTalk will be back May 1, 2020 and that Mr. Jeff Dominique (formerly known as Always Compete, or “AC”) will be the man in charge. My only involvement will be as a consultant. I may write a column or comment occasionally. Jeff wants to do this and I believe he will do a great job. Some of the other writers may join him….

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Four 2017 Prospects Revisited

April 8, 2020

I thought it might be fun to look back to 2017 and what Keith Law had to say about some Former Dodger Players. I like Keith Law a lot. He has a lot of insight into prospects… but he is not perfect. If he was, someone would be paying him $50 million dollars a year. Jose De Leon Born in Puerto Rico but drafted in the 24th round out of…

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Odds and Ends – Bits and Pieces

April 8, 2020

The one that I do not understand even for a second is why it is not OK to bunt late in the game to break up a no-hitter. The sole purpose of standing at home plate is to get to first base. If it wasn’t, there would be no first base. A bunt is a legal, underused tool. If it is legitimate at other times in a game, then it is legit with two out in the ninth in a possible no-hitter. It is not the job of the batter to massage the pitcher’s ego. For heaven’s safe be prepared to field a bunt. Stop whining, you have the ball and can do whatever you want with it and you have eight players to back you up. The hitter is alone with a little round bat.

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